Community

Be Better Foundation honors victims of gun violence

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN-RECORDER —

Published

6 years ago

January 5, 2019

By Dwight Hobbes

“Often, we think, ‘That kind of thing doesn’t happen to me.’ But nothing precludes us from being a victim of violence,” said Minnesota State Senator Jeff Hayden, whose 25-year-old sister was killed in a crossfire July 23, 2016 between rival street gangs.

Having already established the Taylor Hayden Memorial Foundation to End Gun Violence in her honor, Hayden was present Dec. 22 at the launch of the Tarvanisha B. Boyd “Be Better” Foundation at Sabathani Community Center in Minneapolis in honor of another victim of gun violence.

Veteran activist Al Flowers created the “Be Better” Foundation in honor of his own tragic loss — the shooting death of his 24-year-old daughter Tarvanisha Boyd on Dec. 20, 2014 during an argument in her Georgia home.

“This is always a tough time for [the family] from the 20^th, when we lost Tarvy, to the 31^st, which was her birthday,” said Flowers.

He told the MSR, “I don’t want her [passing] to be in vain. Anybody who dies with gun violence should always be recognized, and I want to use this as an opportunity. Our family has a lot of pain, but we can lift that hurt for others who are in the pain.”

“I want to give my condolences to the Flowers family because I know exactly how it feels,” said Hayden.

Boyd’s brother, Al Flowers, Jr., has taken the personal tragedy as inspiration to work for well being in the community.

“Little Man, as we call him, is dedicated to everybody who has lost their lives to gun violence so nobody will ever be forgotten,” said Flowers. “I’m thankful for what he’s involved with and what he’s going to accomplish.”

Flowers, Jr. said, “[Tarvanisha] told me, ‘Be better. Just be better in everything you do, no matter what. Always try to be better.’ She was right.

“We do need to be better — better fathers, teachers, doctors, better community members [and] better people just in general,” said Flowers, Jr. “It’s on us. We have to stand up. Every single day.”

He added, “You can’t save the whole world, but you can help the next person change. It could be just your friend, your child. It’s not an overnight fight. It’s going to happen over time. This is not just a memorial; it’s the start of something strong.”

Hayden commended the family for their activism efforts.

“One of the things the Flowers family has supported me in is a bill named after my sister that figures out how we can get the resources so we can get our young people to understand what happens when you pull that trigger. How everybody’s lives change, your life, your family’s life.

“Your victim’s life really changes, and their family changes,” Hayden told the crowd. “I’m thankful for their tireless work on this issue.”

He also challenged the community to take a universal stand against all violence. “If this was a case of police shooting someone, the place would be packed, the media would be here,” said Hayden. “When it’s us who kills us, somehow that doesn’t rise to the level of us caring about us.

“I care about us,” Hayden said. “When I think about what we need to do, there’s a saying we have: ‘Let’s get upstream.’ Let’s talk about prevention. You know where prevention starts, family? Right here.”

Sabathani’s president, Cindy Booker, who donated space for the event, said, “Al Flowers has done a great deal for the community in a lot of various ways, and it was a tragedy what happened to his family.” Booker said she had also suffered a violent death in her family.

“My father was murdered too, so, I understand what a family goes through,” she said. “It was just an honor for us to give back to the community by providing this space, and for the community to come out and give back to the Al Flowers family and for [that] family to continue to give to the community.”

Booker added, “I hope to make this an annual event. I want people to know [a death] is not always the end. Sometimes it’s the beginning.”

Hayden echoed those sentiments during his remarks. Looking around at the children sitting on laps and at the tables, he said, “It’s so wonderful to see these babies because that’s where it starts. We are all that we’ve got. If we’re going to be saved, it’s time for us to spend some equity on ourselves.”

Patunya Cofield, Tarvanisha’s mother, steeled her emotions to close out the program. “Tarvanisha meant so much to so many people,” she said, surrounded for moral support by Tarvanisha’s sisters, Shyanna Cotton and Destiny Cofield, and her brother Flowers, Jr.

“She was the first person who taught me to love the rest of [my children]. How could you not love a child who made it her business to make sure you knew she loved you? In everything she did.”

She underscored the heart of this gathering: “[Gun violence] don’t affect you until it hits your family.”

This article originally appeared in the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

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Activism

City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

4 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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Activism

Biden’s Legacy Secured with Record-Setting Black Judicial Appointments

His record surpasses previous efforts by his predecessors. President Jimmy Carter appointed 37 Black judges, including seven Black women. In stark contrast, Donald Trump’s first term resulted in only two Black women appointed out of 234 lifetime judicial nominations. The White House said Biden’s efforts show a broader commitment to racial equity and justice.

Published

5 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

iStockphoto.

By Stacy M. Brown
WI Senior Writer

President Joe Biden’s commitment to diversifying the federal judiciary has culminated in a historic achievement: appointing 40 Black women to lifetime judgeships, the most of any president in U.S. history.

Biden has appointed 62 Black judges, cementing his presidency as one focused on promoting equity and representation on the federal bench.

The White House said Biden’s efforts show a broader commitment to racial equity and justice.

Meanwhile, Trump has vowed to dismantle key civil rights protections, including the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

“Having the Black woman’s experience on the federal bench is extremely important because there is a different kind of voice that can come from the Black female from the bench,” Delores Jones-Brown, professor emeritus at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told reporters.

Lena Zwarensteyn of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights told reporters that these district court judges are often the first and sometimes the final arbiters in cases affecting healthcare access, education equity, fair hiring practices, and voting rights.

“Those decisions are often the very final decisions because very few cases actually get heard by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Zwarensteyn explained.

Biden’s nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court further reflects his commitment to judicial diversity. Jackson became the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court.

Patrick McNeil, spokesperson for the Leadership Conference, pointed out that over half of Biden’s Black female judicial appointees have backgrounds as civil rights attorneys and public defenders, experience advocates consider essential for a balanced judiciary.

Meanwhile, Congress remains divided over the expansion of federal judgeships. Legislation to add 66 new judgeships—approved unanimously by the Senate in August—stalled in the GOP-controlled House until after the election. House Republicans proposed distributing the new judgeships over the next decade, giving three administrations a say in appointments. President Biden, however, signaled he would veto the bill if it reached his desk.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., argued the delay was a strategic move to benefit Trump’s potential return to office. “Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to expand the power of the presidency and giving him 25 new judges to appoint gives him one more tool at his disposal,” Nadler said.

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Activism

A Student-Run Group Provides Critical Support Services to Underserved Residents

Those visiting The Suitcase Clinic can get legal advice, sign up for food assistance, receive housing resources, get medical help, or enjoy a hot, fresh meal. They can also get haircuts and foot washes from the student volunteers. Nilo Golchini, executive director of the clinic, said one of the goals for most of the students working there is helping bridge the gap of trust that exists between many unhoused people and the healthcare and social welfare systems.

Published

6 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

UC Berkeley Law Students help a clinic visitor with legal advice at their Tuesday night services. The Clinic offers a variety of resources, including medical, to those in the community who have little access to these services. Photo by Magaly Muñoz

Part One

By Magaly Muñoz

Every Tuesday evening, the dining hall of First Presbyterian Church fills up with dozens of people eating, laughing and moving from table to table, receiving much-needed services from UC Berkeley students – just a few blocks away from the university’s campus.

Individuals seeking support services can be found in this multi-stationed room on the south end of the church talking to law students, student case managers, or receiving medical attention in a corner by healthcare professionals.

This weekly event is hosted by Cal students through a volunteer-run program called The Suitcase Clinic.

The clinic, founded in 1989, was intended to offer free resources to underserved communities in Berkeley and surrounding cities. The majority of the clinic’s clientele are unhoused or low-income people looking for extra support.

Those visiting the clinic can get legal advice, sign up for food assistance, receive housing resources, get medical help, or enjoy a hot, fresh meal. They can also get haircuts and foot washes from the student volunteers.

Nilo Golchini, executive director of the clinic, said one of the goals for most of the students working there is helping bridge the gap of trust that exists between many unhoused people and the healthcare and social welfare systems.

During their tenure in the program, many of the students say they become strong advocates for homelessness rights.

Visitors of the Suitcase Clinic can receive haircuts and foot washing by student volunteers every Tuesday evening. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

“We’re also standing in solidarity with them. So, it’s not saying, ‘I’m going to help you, but I’m also going to stand with you,’” Golchini said.

Student volunteers get extensive training prior to working directly with clients. Those interested have to take a semester-long class to become versed in areas such as outreach, intersectionality, how to interact with unhoused people, how to sign people up for social services. and more.

Volunteers then get to pick from three different clinics: General, Women’s, or Youth and LGBTQ+.

The General Clinic is the most popular among visiting residents, while Women’s and Youth/LQBTQ+ have more specialized services for attendees.

The Women’s Clinic has many of the similar services to General, but also includes nail painting, childcare, and massages.

The Youth and LGBTQ+ Clinic offers a safe space for young people navigating living on the streets, with services that include housing referrals, wellness and recreation classes and employment resources.

Golchini explained that it’s important for them to keep these clinics separate because the different demographics experience poverty and homelessness differently than those who visit the General Clinic.

Suitcase Clinic student workers posing for a photo with a frequent clinic attendee. The Clinic is open to Berkeley unhoused and low-income residents who need medical or legal service, or a hot meal. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

“We’re able to provide spaces where people can come in and feel safe and not feel like they’re constantly worried that something’s going to happen to them,” she said.

An outreach team also visits encampments every other Saturday in the Berkeley area to provide hygiene kits and encourage people to visit the in-person clinic, if possible.

However, Golchini said engagement has been low for some time now due to a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that allows cities to ban and cite people for sleeping on the streets.

She said a lot of their clientele got displaced to other cities over time, making it difficult to stay in contact with the services the Clinic was providing for them.

But that hasn’t slowed down the students at the Clinic, if anything, it has pushed them to do more for the community they serve.