Community

Adamika Village Awards Anti-Violence Activists on ‘No Yellow Tape Day’ Personally

Published

6 years ago

January 22, 2019

Adamika Village, a grass-roots organization based in Oakland committed to ending gun violence, police violence, domestic violence and human trafficking, hosted their second annual “No Yellow Tape Day” on Dec. 30, 2018, at Humanist Hall, a community center for progressive activist and oppressed minority groups. Adamika Village’s event acknowledged people working in the community who support its mission. No Yellow Tape also rededicated their support to 37 families that were victims of gun violence, police violence, domestic violence and human trafficking.

Adamika Village has found 32 missing children in 16 months while assisting with housing for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking, which is more than the Oakland Police Department has done.

Marilyn Washington-Harris, founder of the Khadafy Foundation, was given a “For the Hood and From the Hood” Award. The Khadafy Foundation is named after Washington-Harris’ son who was lost to gun violence in 2000. Since 2000, Washington-Harris has assisted over 1,500 families who’ve also lost children to gun violence.

Donald Frazier, executive director of Building Opportunities for Self Sufficiency (BOSS) also received the award, and served as the keynote speaker. For more than 45 years, BOSS has worked to fight poverty, homelessness and injustice in the Bay Area.

Joseph Alexander won the “No-Limits Soldier” award for not missing one day on the streets posting posters and handing out flyers seeking information regarding the death of his son Joseph Alexander II, who was killed in Richmond on April 19, 2018.

This year’s healing and prayer circle included 1-year-old Miracle Beard, who ran into the circle to embrace and kiss a picture of her father Bernard Meshawn Beard, killed on Jan 12, 2017.

“We still haven’t got justice on the Bernard Meshawn Beard case so we work daily to keep it from becoming a cold case. We flyer neighborhoods, knock on doors and keep his name on people’s tongues.” said Allums.

“We embraced the 37 families that have lost their children or were victims of domestic violence in 2018,” says Daryle Allums, Founder of Adamika Village. “Healing is a lifetime.”

Community leaders, groups and pastors from San Francisco, Richmond, Stockton and Pittsburg attended to support Oakland’s newly formed Department of Violence Prevention (DVP). Other organizations in attendance were King David Respect for Life Inc, Moms Demand Action of Northern California, Owning My Own Truth from Oakland and BOSS C-Tec.

While Adamika Village celebrated their legacy that there were no homicides on that day, tragically five days later on January 4, 2019, activist Daryle Allums lost his 31-year-old nephew, Dante Johnson in a triple homicide.

Allums stresses the urgency for people to come together and will approach the city to help him bring people together by offering a “Buy-Out of Poverty” program. The “Buy-Out” program will give a participant a $500 stipend to enter a 120-hour program, and earn minimum wage while learning basic skills, GED or college career pathway courses, then another $500 after they complete the program.

“The city needs to know that people who want to get ahead still have to feed their kids and have money for transportation. There are so many people out there that want to change. This program would target and help those people.

“When people are able to follow their dreams, love themselves and see their value and value in others, they’ll stop killing each other. It’s a simple solution: I hope the city agrees.”

Tanya Dennis

Posts by Tanya Dennis

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

Published

4 days ago

May 25, 2025

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post

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#NNPA BlackPress

Remembering George Floyd

Published

4 days ago

May 25, 2025

Oakland Post

Oakland Post

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#NNPA BlackPress

OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Published

6 days ago

May 23, 2025

Oakland Post

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.

As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.

Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.

We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.

The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.

We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.

Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association