Activism

A Father’s Day to Remember: Peace between rivals on De Fremery Park’s basketball court

Father’s Day was a day of mutual understanding for the fathers and young men to put their differences to the side and play competitive basketball against one another, even though these various street formations aka “gangs,” or rivals, generally don’t get along. In other words, basketball brought peace on this special occasion for so many coming from different sectors of the city.

Published

3 years ago

June 26, 2023

Oakland Post

Richard Johnson interviews Shan Hirsch. Photo by RichardFitnessJones.

By Richard Johnson

Father’s Day proved to be quite rewarding this year in so many ways. The fathers that society has written off as a lost cause collective chose this Father’s Day to show unity, respect, and camaraderie, by showing that if a good idea can be conceived it can be done.

In other words, basketball brought peace on this special occasion for so many coming from different sectors of the city. These “peaceful” basketball games surprised the Oakland Police Department officers who attended for a while, but when it became apparent that peace would abound on this day at the West Oakland DeFremery Park, they left the scene.

At the end of the basketball game, there was a Fallen Fathers’ balloon released for all the deceased fathers.

Shan Hirsch, the founder and CEO of the non-profit Pennies for Peace (PFP), put this event together. She has been a stellar advocate and community organizer for over 20 years and has earned the love and respect of the communities with her work and devotion to helping bridge the gaps between warring factions.

PFP raises funds through small donations from individuals who share her vision of bringing peace to our streets. Even though she receives no government or foundation grants, she manages to stay afloat with sheer determination.

Hirsch’s next goal is to bring a boxing gym to the Bay Area. She has a son and a grandson who have taken up boxing as a sport.

Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back (FIGB) is also working with the African American Sports Entertainment Group (AASEG) to utilize youth-oriented sports activities as a healthy, constructive diversion from the lure of gangs.

As our city debates ways to stop violence, they should study PFP’s has an approach which emphasizes action over talk. If there’s to be peace you must go to the trenches and put the work in.

It’s not going to happen sitting back behind a desk in a comfort zone engaging in wishful thinking. The time for “politickring” is over, peace can only be gained when you go out and make it happen in a real way.

We can’t legislate peace; we must put in the work.

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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

Published

3 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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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

2 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.