People
Long before the 2016 election, there was a civil rights culture that was created by Americans of color. Many of today’s political demonstrations are influenced by historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Black Panthers, all who fought in the long battle against racism. Even protests like the recent Women’s March, some would argue, derived from previous demonstrations of people of color. In 1997, in Philadelphia, for example, activist Phile Chionesu formed the Million Woman March,…
Last weekend was the 12th National Drug Take Back Day, held at locations across the country, including Oakland. The Drug Enforcement Agency and local law enforcement groups collect unused prescription drugs on this day as part of an effort to fight the opioid overdose crisis. The agency encourages those who buy prescription medications to return old and unused drugs to the DEA, which safely disposes of them, instead of storing them at home. This prevents accidental overdoses and poisoning, as well as environmental contamination that…
“Just because it’s imperfect doesn’t mean its bad.”
Ricky Henderson tried not to smile. He strode onto the Oakland Athletics’ field with his unmistakable swagger—a delicate mix of confidence, bravado and humility—embodied by his sleek blazer, grey trousers, sunglasses, and a peek of his chest exposed by his shirt’s top two open buttons. He strolled down the field as the crowd applauded, with a calculated cool upon his face until—he couldn’t help it—he flashed a smile. Henderson played 14 years of baseball–in four different stints–on that field as…
A truck driver in Millbrae chased a Hispanic woman down the street screaming slurs. A university researcher living in Albany, California, was confronted with swastikas on her way to work at UC Berkeley. A mosque in San José received a letter threatening to “cleanse” Muslims from the country. All of these incidents took place after the election—and in each case, the perpetrators explicitly linked their racial hatred to the election of Donald Trump. Following Trump’s November win, the nation has…
“What is the name of the type of whiskey that is named after a fast sailboat?” It’s Wednesday night at Room 389—trivia night, to be exact. Scattered throughout the dimly-lit watering hole are teams of no more than six, some clustered at the bar and high-top tables, some standing with answer sheets in hand, and others fortunate to be sitting at a booth. It’s round IV—the final round—and a team called Joan and The Scammers are contending for the number…
Two of the Bay Area’s top lawyers often find themselves on opposite sides of high profile police misconduct cases. One is a plaintiff lawyer who often sues police departments, another defends officers in and out of court. Here’s a story of their battle told through a few cases.
A group of disabled musicians, poets and other artists use their music for social justice work. Specifically, they aim to raise awareness and promote the disabled community.
Sandra Johnson needs a job, desperately. The formerly incarcerated 59-year-old Oakland woman is now a City College of San Francisco student, but needs to find work as well.
In June, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in favor of establishing a new re-entry hiring program that aims to create 1,400 county job opportunities for the formerly incarcerated.