When Oakland resident Eddie Velasquez was growing up, he was frequently taunted by his peers for being gay. They called him derogatory slurs and told him to be a “real man.” He was raised in a traditional Latino household, and his cultural identity made little room for homosexuality. To stop the bullying, Velasquez even dated a woman for a short period of time, but he knew he wasn’t being honest with himself, he said. Velasquez’s experience is representative of the…
At 6 a.m. on Election Day, volunteers at the East Bay for Everyone headquarters on Franklin Street in downtown Oakland began calling voters in swing districts across the country. They’ll work until the polls close at 8 p.m. in California, talking to people about the issues that matter to them and where the nearest polling station is. Leaders handed out water, candy and snacks to volunteers intent on making as many phone calls as possible. Oftentimes, no one picked up,…
Pacific Islanders in Alameda County have the second highest infant death rate, but new initiatives could counteract this.