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Black Psychologists Celebrate 50th Anniversary, June 27-July 1, at The Marriott Oakland City Center

Published

6 years ago

June 25, 2018

By Theopia Jackson, PhD

Oakland has a long history of activism dedicated to the uplifting of Black communities. The city was the birthplace of the Black Panther Movement in 1968, and more recently the birthplace of Ryan Coogler, director of the Black Panther movie—a cultural phenomenon and a worldwide game-changer.

The Association of Black Psychologists, Inc. (ABPsi) was forged in the bosom of Oakland’s activist history in 1968. The founders, including several Bay Area residents such as Wade Nobles, who was a graduate student at the time, Joseph White, Reginald Jones, and others, boldly challenged the American Psychological Association (APA) to critique its science/practice by taking culture into consideration (e.g., a group’s practices and beliefs).

It was apparent to these scholars that comparing Blacks to whites and interpreting the difference as something lacking in Blacks (and defining treatment accordingly) was well off the mark and potentially damaging.

This activist spirit informed the landmark Larry P. court case that addressed the misuse of intelligence tests in California, resulting in the overrepresentation of African-American children in special education.

As a licensed clinical psychologist, I am forever grateful to Black scholars in establishing the field of Black psychology.

I can recall my early training and intimately feeling like the messages about Black families and how to work with them felt alienating; simply not how I knew my people. For example, I knew that the prevalence of single-parent households was not a cultural value as much as a result of complex social contexts.

Engaging with the members of ABPsi expanded my awareness of Black psychology, which was not integrated in my education 30 years ago and still isn’t today for many. Through this scholarship, it became clear that my education and training settings could give me what is needed to be a good psychologist yet not an effective Black psychologist or healer.

My experience is not unique, particularly when reflecting on the realization that only four percent of all psychologists identified as Black/African American in 2016—a consistent finding for years.

The challenge for many Black mental health professionals, especially psychologists, trained in predominately white settings, has mirrored the seminal caution purported by Carter Goodwin Woodson in his 1933 book, Mis-Education of the Negro: “When you control a (person’s) thinking, you do not have to worry about (their) actions.”

The mission of ABPsi serves as an inoculation for many Black professionals and begs questions of the field like:

What does optimal mental health look like from a culturally-centered or culturally-affirming place for Black folks?
What are the mental health interventions or treatment that promotes such development for persons of African ancestry?
From a social justice and trauma-informed perspective, what is the role of mental health services in countering the adverse impact of psychological terrorism when Black Americans are exposed to the highly publicized trauma of Black children and adults being killed unnecessarily by law enforcement with no one held accountable?

Inquiries such as these and others should inform questions asked by Black folk of their providers—more than simply asking for a Black provider. As our youth teach us, one needs to be ‘woke’. It shifts the problem-saturated language from ‘at-risk youth’ to social activism of ‘at-potential youth in at-risk environments.’ Healthcare services, particularly mental health, must address more than symptom reduction and contribute to the overall quality of life for those they serve.

There must be more accountability. Toward this end, it is no mistake that ABPsi returns home to Oakland where it was born to celebrate its 50th anniversary. There will be more than 500 African scholars from around the world and it is imperative that we actively engage local leaders and community folk.

The Emotional Emancipation CirclesSM, a vision of the Community Healing Network (CHN), is one example of the outcomes of such engagement.

This initiative is the first of its kind in terms of having been designed by and for persons of African ancestry in the healing from and coping with the residuals of the myth of Black inferiority and white supremacy on a global level.

More than 500 persons globally have been trained since its inception. Given the current social-political context at home and abroad, we must be more strategic and cross-trained in our work. Oakland and surrounding communities, consider this your personal invitation. We look forward to seeing you.

The ABPsi’s 50th Annual International Convention will be held June 27–July 1, 2018 at The Marriott Oakland City Center.

Please join this gathering of psychologists, university professors, health care professionals, educators, researchers, students and everyday folk.

Theopia Jackson, PhD is President-Elect (2017-2019), The Association of Black Psychologists Chair, Clinical Psychology Degree Program; Saybrook

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Arts and Culture

Rise East Project: Part 3

Between 1990 and 2020, Oakland lost nearly half of its Black population due to economic and social forces. East Oakland, once a middle-class community, is now home to mostly Black families living in poverty.

Published

1 year ago

October 12, 2023

Oakland Post

CEO of Black Culture Zone Carolyn Johnson, a native from Deep East Oakland is making the change she wishes to see in her community and in her people. Black Culture Zone has created a power base of Black folks making a difference in Deep East Oakland. Photo by Kumi Rauf.

The Black Cultural Zone’s Pivotal Role in Rebuilding Oakland’s Black Community

By Tanya Dennis

In 2021, 314 Oakland residents died from COVID-19. More than 100 of them, or about 33.8%, were Black, a high rate of death as Blacks constitute only 22.8% of Oakland’s population.

This troubling fact did not go unnoticed by City and County agencies, and the public-at-large, ultimately leading to the development of several community organizations determined to combat what many deemed an existential threat to Oakland’s African American residents.

Eastside Arts Alliance had already proposed that a Black Cultural Zone be established in Deep East Oakland in 2010, but 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic galvanized the community.

Demanding Black legacy preservation, the Black Cultural Zone (BCZ) called for East Oakland to be made an “unapologetically Black” business, commercial, economic development community.

Established initially as a welcoming space for Black art and culture, BCZ emerged into a a community development collective, and acquired the Eastmont police substation in Eastmont Town Center from the City of Oakland in 2020.

Once there, BCZ immediately began combating the COVID-19 pandemic with drive-thru PPE distribution and food giveaways. BCZ’s Akoma Market program allowed businesses to sell their products and wares safely in a COVID-compliant space during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Currently, Akoma Market is operated twice a month at 73^rd and Foothill Boulevard and Akoma vendors ‘pop up’ throughout the state at festivals and community-centered events like health fairs.

“Before BCZ existed, East Oakland was a very depressing place to live,” said Ari Curry, BCZ’s chief experience officer and a resident of East Oakland. “There was a sense of hopelessness and not being seen. BCZ allows us to be seen by bringing in the best of our culture and positive change into some of our most depressed areas.”

The culture zone innovates, incubates, informs, and elevates the Black community and centers it in arts and culture, Curry went on.

“With the mission to center ourselves unapologetically in arts, culture, and economics, BCZ allows us to design, resource, and build on collective power within our community for transformation,” Curry concluded.

As a part of Oakland Thrives, another community collective, BCZ began working to secure $100 million to develop a ‘40 by 40’ block area that runs from Seminary Avenue to the Oakland-San Leandro border and from MacArthur Boulevard to the Bay.

The project would come to be known as Rise East.

Carolyn Johnson, CEO of BCZ says, “Our mission is to build a vibrant legacy where we thrive economically, anchored in Black art and commerce. The power to do this is being realized with the Rise East Project.

“With collective power, we are pushing for good health and self-determination, which is true freedom,” Johnson says. “BCZ’s purpose is to innovate, to change something already established; to incubate, optimizing growth and development, and boost businesses’ economic growth with our programs; we inform as we serve as a trusted source of information for resources to help people; and most important, we elevate, promoting and boosting Black folks up higher with the services we deliver with excellence.

“Rise East powers our work in economics, Black health, education, and power building. Rise East is the way to get people to focus on what BCZ has been doing. The funding for the 40 by 40 Rise East project is funding the Black Culture Zone,” Johnson said.

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Alameda County

Help Protect D.A. Pamela Price’s Victory

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price is asking supporters of the justice reform agenda that led her to victory last November to come to a Town Hall on public safety at Montclair Presbyterian Church on July 27.

Published

1 year ago

July 25, 2023

Oakland Post

D.A. Pamela Price

By Post Staff

Price is facing a possible recall election just six months into her term by civic and business interests, some of whom will be at the in-person meeting from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at 5701 Thornhill Dr. in Oakland.

“We know that opponents of criminal justice reform plan to attend this meeting and use it as a forum against the policies that Alameda County voters mandated DA Price to deliver. We cannot let them succeed,” her campaign team’s email appeal said.

“That’s why I’m asking you to join us at the town hall,” the email continued. “We need to show up in force and make sure that our voices are heard.”

Price’s campaign is also seeking donations to fight the effort to have her recalled.

Her history-making election as the first African American woman to hold the office had been a surprise to insiders who had expected that Terry Wiley, who served as assistant district attorney under outgoing D.A. Nancy O’Malley, would win.

Price campaigned as a progressive, making it clear to voters that she wanted to curb both pretrial detention and life-without-parole sentences among other things. She won, taking 53% of the vote.

Almost immediately, Price was challenged by some media outlets as well as business and civic groups who alleged, as she began to fulfill those campaign promises, that she was soft on crime.

On July 11, the recall committee called Save Alameda for Everyone (S.A.F.E.) filed paperwork with the county elections office to begin raising money for the next step toward Price’s ouster: gathering signatures of at least 10% of the electorate.

S.A.F.E. has its work cut out for them, but Price needs to be prepared to fight them to keep her office.

In a separate sponsored letter to voters, Price supporters wrote:

“We know that you supported DA Price because you believe in her vision for a more just and equitable Alameda County. We hope you share our belief that our criminal justice system has to be fair to everyone, regardless of their race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or socioeconomic status.

“The Republican-endorsed effort is a blatant attempt to overturn the will of the voters and a waste of time and money. It is an attempt to silence the voices of those who want real justice. We cannot let these election deniers succeed.

“Will you make a donation today to help us protect the win?

“Please watch this video and share it with your friends and family. We need to stand up to the sore losers and protect the win. Together, we can continue to make Alameda County a more just, safe and equitable place for everyone.”

For more information, go to the website: pamelaprice4da.com
or send an e-mail to info@pamelaprice4da.com

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Oakland Teachers Walk Out

After negotiating late into the night and months of fruitless bargaining with the Oakland Unified School District, Oakland teachers went out on strike Thursday morning. “Our (50-member) bargaining team has been working for seven months working, making meaningful proposals that will strengthen our schools for our students,” said Oakland Education Association (OEA) Interim President Ismael “Ish” Armendariz, speaking at press conference Monday afternoon.

Published

1 year ago

May 12, 2023

Oakland Post

Gearing up for this week's strike, Oakland parents, students, educators and families at United for Success Academy held a press conference April 28 to explain why they are standing together for a safer building and stable and racially justified schools. Photo courtesy of Oakland Education Association.

OEA calls unfair labor practices strike after 7 months of negotiations.

By Ken Epstein

After negotiating late into the night and months of fruitless bargaining with the Oakland Unified School District, Oakland teachers went out on strike Thursday morning.

“Our (50-member) bargaining team has been working for seven months working, making meaningful proposals that will strengthen our schools for our students,” said Oakland Education Association (OEA) Interim President Ismael “Ish” Armendariz, speaking at press conference Monday afternoon.

“OUSD has repeatedly canceled bargaining sessions, has failed to offer meaningful proposals or counterproposals at a majority of the bargaining sessions and has repeatedly failed to discuss certain items,” Armendariz said.

“The days (of bargaining) have been long, and after hours of waiting, the superintendent finally showed up on Sunday night at 11:00 p.m.to meet with our team (for the first time),” he said. “(But) the district continues to come to the table unprepared, and this is unacceptable.”

“This is illegal, and OEA has filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the state Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). Under California law, OEA has a right to strike over unfair labor practices,” he said.

OEA represents 3,000 teachers, counselors, psychologists, speech pathologists, early childhood educators, nurses, adult education instructors and substitute teachers, serving 35,000 Oakland public school students. Other labor groups representing school employees include SEIU 1021 and construction unions.

In a press statement released on Tuesday, OUSD said it has been trying to avert a strike.

“The district will remain ready to meet with the teachers’ union at any time and looks forward to continuing our efforts to reach an agreement with OEA … We will continue to do everything possible to avoid a work stoppage.”

“Our children’s education does not need to be interrupted by negotiations with our union, especially given the major offer the District made on Monday,” other district press statements said. “We are committed to continuing to work with our labor leaders to discuss their salaries and support services for our students without the need for a strike.”

OUSD’s latest salary proposal, released this week, includes a 10% raise retroactive to Nov. 1, 2022, and a $5,000, one-time payment to all members.

OEA’s recent salary proposal asked for a 10% retroactive raise to all members, a one-time $10,000 payment to members who return for the 2023-2024 school year, and increases from $7,500 to $10,000 to salaries, based on years of experience.

In addition to pay demands, OEA is making “common good” proposals that serve families and the community, including protecting and enhancing special education programs, putting the brakes on closing schools in flatland neighborhoods, shared school leadership, safety, and support for students.