Bay Area

30X30 Initiative Brings Bay Area Police Chiefs, Sheriffs, and D.A.s to Oakland to Recruit Women to Law Enforcement Careers

On Sept. 18 the 30X30 Initiative Women’s Law Enforcement Symposium & Career Fair was held in Oakland at the Uptown Building on Broadway. This event was held to raise the educational level of Oakland residents about jobs in policing; more importantly it was to bring women into law enforcement careers, which is a nationwide endeavor.

Published

1 year ago

September 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Women on law enforcement leadership at the Oakland PIC career fair included San Leandro Chief of Police Angela Averiett, City of Richmond Police Chief Bisa French, City of Napa Police Chief Jennifer Gonzales, BART Deputy Chief of Police Gina Galetti, and Jonni Redick, retired assistant chief of the California Highway Patrol. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Lynette Hart

Special to the Post

On Sept. 18 the 30X30 Initiative Women’s Law Enforcement Symposium & Career Fair was held in Oakland at the Uptown Building on Broadway.

This event was held to raise the educational level of Oakland residents about jobs in policing; more importantly it was to bring women into law enforcement careers, which is a nationwide endeavor. More than 300 people attended and dozens of law enforcement officers – both male and female – were on hand. Among them were Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell.

The 30×30 Initiative is a pledge that has been signed by hundreds of police departments across the country to bring the staffing levels of women at police departments to 30% by the year 2030. There were many non-law enforcement jobs featured as well. These positions were also promoted as great-paying jobs to help residents of Oakland.

Currently, women make up only 12% of sworn officers and 3% of police leadership in the U.S.

The 30×30 Initiative is a pledge many police departments locally and nationally have signed that they agree to have 30% of their Police Officers recruits be women by 2030.

Research shows women officers use less force and less excessive force; are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits; are perceived by communities as being more honest and compassionate; see better outcomes for crime victims, especially in sexual assault cases; and make fewer discretionary arrests.

The 30×30 Initiative is a coalition of police leaders, researchers, and professional organizations who have joined together to advance the representation and experiences of women in policing agencies across the United States.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

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5 days ago

March 7, 2026

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

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2 weeks ago

March 1, 2026

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

3 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.