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