Activism
Black Women Revolt: Bay Area Org Gets to Grassroots of Domestic Violence
Considering itself a grassroots community activist movement, Black Women Revolt was founded in 2020. The group’s founders, Geoffrea Morris and Lyn-Tise Jones — who are sisters — say they both felt a strong desire to set up an organization in San Francisco offering help to Black women dealing with the suffering and setbacks domestic violence can cause.
By Charlene Muhammad | Special to the Oakland Post
In the San Francisco Bay Area, the Black Women Revolt Resource Center is dedicated to creating awareness about domestic violence and solving it — with a specific focus on women of color.
Considering itself a grassroots community activist movement, Black Women Revolt was founded in 2020. The group’s founders, Geoffrea Morris and Lyn-Tise Jones — who are sisters — say they both felt a strong desire to set up an organization in San Francisco offering help to Black women dealing with the suffering and setbacks domestic violence can cause.
“I think that Black women and Black families in particular really suffer in silence,” said Black Women Revolt Resource Center’s executive director Paméla Tate, an author and domestic abuse awareness advocate.
“And that’s not to say that other Brown families don’t. Latino families do, as well as Asian families. But, particularly, African Americans here in the U.S. have suffered with domestic abuse and intimate partner violence, since we were brought to this continent,” Tate continued.
Morris was inspired to step in the gap after she found out that there were no organizations providing treatment, care, counseling, and other social and health services to Black women dealing with domestic violence. Jones, her younger sister, also felt moved to create a program that would help Black mothers and children dealing with trauma.
So, the sisters teamed up to create what is now known as The Black Women Revolt Resource Center in San Francisco.
According to Morris and Jones, the organization serves its clients and community in several ways, including increasing awareness about the impact of intergenerational violence in the Black community; removing barriers for Black women who have experienced domestic abuse to receive access to culturally sensitive resources; and providing a designated space with resources specifically for Black women in San Francisco to help educate and heal as they recover from abuse.
Tate has trained over 100 community members and domestic abuse agency staff, preparing them to work as advocates throughout California, according to the agency.
The San Francisco Family Violence Council’s 2020 report cites clear racial disparities across all three forms of family violence. It disproportionately impacts African American and Latinx populations: 4 out of 10 substantiated child abuse cases involved Black children and 1 in 3 involved Latino children; 28 % of dependent adult abuse victims were Black; and more than half of domestic violence victims were Black or Latino.
“The lack of choices around marrying a partner, mating with a partner, and how they were treated on a daily basis, in terms of work expectations, sexual ideation, has all been put upon Black women, and I think, because we had to take it, when we got here, and centuries later, we’re still kind of taking it,” said Tate.
Part of the problem, observes Tate, is that there is a culture of secrecy in the Black community. Many Black women live in households where problems aren’t discussed outside of the family unit. There are also unspoken rules that encourage silence around mental health issues and physical abuse.
“We just don’t talk about it. So, we function in these isolated silos, and then once someone shares that something has happened to them, people are not necessarily always supportive.” Said Tate.
“One, because they don’t know that there are resources available to assist; two, because again, you’ve broken the code of silence; three, because this is kind of how we’ve been conditioned to live and respond. And four, I think, would just be because it’s not normal to talk about,” Tate went on, adding that the Black Women’s Revolt Resource Center is not yet fully operational and still awaiting funding to expand its work.
Tate says one class at the center trains batterer intervention staff, arming them with information about anger management techniques they can share with clients.
Recently, the center launched another class exclusively for advocates, who will answer crisis lines and work directly with domestic abuse survivors. Soon, it plans to start training outreach staff, who will be working on launching a youth advisory council. The aim is to get some teens to jump start conversations with teenagers, who represent a rising population of people encountering intimate partner violence and domestic violence, according to Tate.
While there is much work to be done to lower the startling number of DV cases in the Bay Area, the founders and director of the resource center say they are making a difference in the lives of survivors of domestic abuse.
To solve domestic violence, talk about it, said Tate.
“A lot of people don’t discuss domestic violence. A lot of people don’t even know the actual definition of domestic violence, meaning it’s more than just hitting. I think conversations and a lack of judgment would be a great start,” she said.
Activism
Barbara Lee Launches Campaign for Mayor of Oakland
“At this critical moment, we must not be a city divided, but a community united,” she Lee. “If elected I will bring my hands-on leadership, new ideas and decades of experience in identifying billions in resources for our great city, so all residents and businesses are stronger and safer and our community has optimism and confidence in Oakland’s future.”
By Post Staff
Barbara Lee on Wednesday morning formally announced her candidacy for Mayor in Oakland’s April 15 special election.
“Time and time again, Oaklanders have faced our toughest obstacles by uniting to meet our challenges,” said Lee.
“At this critical moment, we must not be a city divided but a community united,” she said. “If elected, I will bring my hands-on leadership, new ideas, and decades of experience in identifying billions in resources for our great city so all residents and businesses are stronger and safer and our community has optimism and confidence in Oakland’s future.”
“As Mayor, I’ll address our homelessness crisis, prioritize comprehensive public safety and mental health services, and lead with fiscal responsibility to deliver the core City services residents and business owners deserve. Let’s do this – together.”
“I’ve never shied away from a challenge,” said Lee. “I’m always ready to fight for Oakland.”
Watch her campaign video here, which is online at BarbaraLee4Oakland.com
Activism
Who Wants to Be the Next Elected Mayor of Oakland?
The Oakland Post is issuing a CALL to all candidates to present their answers, plans, or solutions in response to our list of questions.
By Paul Cobb
Many of you probably recall the oft-repeated expression when describing leadership that “many are called but few are chosen.” We will be inundated during January with many claims of qualifications by those who want to lead Oakland.
As of Jan. 1, 2025, we have heard the names of 14 potential candidates who might become Oakland’s next Mayor.
The Oakland Post is issuing a CALL to all candidates to present their answers, plans, or solutions in response to our list of questions.
Any candidate who wishes to receive a free announcement, publicity or space in the paper must submit solutions.
- The first questions we propose are 1) What is your budget balancing plan?
- What is your position on requiring all city employees to work full-time in their designated offices rather than remotely from their homes?
- What is your plan to provide open-access opportunities to all police officers for overtime pay?
- Since many businesses, especially downtown, have closed, what is your plan to attract and increase revenues?
Please send your submissions of 300 words or less to each question to Social@postnewsgroup.com or visit www.postnewsgroup.com
Activism
Oakland NAACP President Stands on the Frontlines for Equity
With education as a cornerstone, Adams emphasized the importance of youth having access to quality kindergarten through 12th-grade education along with college or vocational programming beyond high school. “I feel that it’s so important for our children to get a good education in K-12th grade, along with the colleges of their choice, especially with the HBCU’s (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).”
By Carla Thomas
For Cynthia Adams, president of the Oakland chapter of the NAACP, fighting for the rights of Black people comes naturally. With southern roots in Arkansas, Adams experienced firsthand the injustice and unfairness of racism.
“Growing up in the Jim Crow South, I experienced the unfair treatment of people of color and how faith can inspire communities to bring about positive and long-lasting change,” said Adams. Adams says a combination of her family and faith has kept her strong in the face of adversity and inspired her life’s work of advocacy.
Adams chose education as a career path — and a means to achieve equity and overcome racism. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and later received an advanced degree from California State East Bay.
Adams’ experience as an Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) recorder, a counselor, a researcher, and a college recruiter has allowed her to be laser-focused on youth. She also served as the chairperson for the Oakland NAACP youth.
“The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination. We want to ensure our citizens have equal rights and opportunities without discrimination based on race.”
As a partner with the State of California’s Stop the Hate campaign, Adams says the initiative is a step in the right direction. “It’s great that our governor and state created the Stop the Hate campaign and provides resources for victims of racism and other hate crimes,” said Adams. “The racism toward Black people has increased and our children are being targeted,” she continued.
“We, at the Oakland branch, created a declaration on racism that will amplify the needs of our community to combat racism,” continued Adams. “That declaration was adopted nationally.”
Bridging communities and collaborating is also a strategy for moving society toward justice, according to Adams.
“Through the NAACP, we build connections between communities and advocate for the rights of historically marginalized and oppressed individuals,” said Adams. “Collective action is the only way to advance civil rights and promote social equity.”
With education as a cornerstone, Adams emphasized the importance of youth having access to quality kindergarten through 12th-grade education along with college or vocational programming beyond high school. “I feel that it’s so important for our children to get a good education in K-12th grade, along with the colleges of their choice, especially with the HBCU’s (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).”
By taking stands on supporting former Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong to supporting the recall of a mayor faced with a scandal that brought negative national press to the city of Oakland, Adams has always demanded more for her people, and better for Oakland, the city she calls home.
She expressed pride in the national organization’s announcement of a $200 million fund designed to empower Black funders nationwide. “We all know the health of a community begins with economics,” said Adams.
Adams says that strengthening Black businesses automatically sustains a community. “We’ve also got to educate our community on opportunities and teach our children critical thinking so that they can provide the next generation of solutions for society,” said Adams.
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