Community

California Waste Solutions Unveils Plans

Published

5 years ago

July 20, 2019

Oakland’s recycling company unveiled their design for their new state -of-the art facility at the North Gateway district of the former Oakland army base at a community meeting in West Oakland on Monday.

Waste Solutions (CWS) told an audience of nearly 50 community members that they have been diligently working with the City of Oakland to relocate their current West Oakland facilities to the Oakland Army Base’s since 2012.

“We are growing. We want to move,” said David Duong, CEO of CWS. “We made a deposit of $600,000 in 2012 (on the North Gateway property). But guess what? We are still here today. We still want to move. We know that if we move people will have a better life.”

“We recognize that it is not desirable for us to be in a budding neighborhood,” said Tasion Kwamilele, director of community engagement for CWS. “We hear you and we are doing everything we can to move. It is a two-way process with the city.”

When CWS located their facilities in the Lower Bottoms district of West Oakland in 1991, it was a predominately industrial area. Today, Lower Bottoms has become a residential neighborhood.

“We want you to know that we are not moving just to do what we are now doing. We are investing millions of dollars to make a state-of-the-art facility that the people of Oakland and ourselves will be proud of,” Duong said.

The new facility will feature a fully enclosed 170,000-square-foot gold LEED certified building, with solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations and a bioswale, a landscaping feature that removes sediment from surface runoff water.

The City Council voted to enter into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with CWS in July 2018 and executed the agreement in December 2018.

The timeline for completing the requirements for the ENA and entering into a Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA), which will allow CWS to purchase the land, and begin the intricate process of finalizing their design and obtaining building permits.

“There are a few things administratively before putting a shovel in the ground,” said Pat McGowan from the Oakland Planning and Building Department.

If all goes according to plan, CWS should be ready to begin construction in late 2020. The building should be completed within three years.

The move will help CWS and Oakland become leaders in the green economy. In addition to the LEED certified construction, the new facility will bring employment opportunities to residents. The company pledges to continue and expand their partnerships that organizations the increase employment for minorities.

“We are working very hard to making our move to the north gateway a reality,” Kwamilele said.

Oakland Post

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Activism

LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.

STREAMED LIVE!
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/PostNewsGroup
YOUTUBE: youtube.com/blackpressusatv
X: twitter.com/blackpressusa

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Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

Published

6 days ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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#NNPA BlackPress

OP-ED: The Illusion of Allyship. White Women, Your Yard Signs Mean Nothing to Me

NNPA NEWSWIRE – “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

Published

6 days ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

Political yard signs can symbolize intentions and allegiance. But this year, they’ve also symbolized betrayal. During this general election, Black women were led to believe that more White women would stand with us. Exit polls, however, told a different story. Despite overwhelming displays of support, more White women still chose to vote for the convicted felon, reality TV star, and rapist. White women answered the call but left us hanging at the polls.

A Familiar Disappointment

I live in DeKalb County, Georgia, and the abundance of Harris-Walz yard signs could’ve fooled me. But I’ve seen this before, back when Stacey Abrams ran for governor. White women showed up, put up signs, attended rallies, knocked on doors, and phone-banked. Yet, when it came time to vote, they let us down—not once but twice. I’ve been here for over 15 years, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that political signs are symbols without weight.

In every election, I’ve talked with White women. Most aren’t the primary earners in their families and vote along party lines, aligning with the preferences of their fathers and husbands. These conversations reveal a reluctance to break from tradition, even when their votes affect women and certainly when their votes impact the lives of people who look like me.

The Illusion of Solidarity—Symbols Are Not Enough

On social media, I’m seeing White women posting pictures of blue bracelets to “prove” they didn’t vote for Trump. “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

I’ve seen Black Lives Matter signs and black squares posted on Instagram to “prove” support for Black people, but we now know that was a lie, too. Will those same people who claimed Black lives mattered now take down their Harris-Walz signs and show their true selves?

Navigating these truths is a daily struggle for me—professionally and socially. White women often misuse their privilege, supporting us only when it’s convenient. Seeing overqualified Black women sabotaged or abandoned by White women at critical moments is a constant emotional challenge. It’s exhausting to live with this reality, especially when solidarity seems like something they pick up and discard at will.

One clever campaign ad from Harris-Walz that spoke directly to White women. “Your Vote, Your Choice” emphasized that their vote was private—independent of their household situation. Another was from Olivia Howell Dreizen, the “Vote Without Fear” campaign, which empowered women to consider the greater impact of their choices. But it seems many still couldn’t choose the roadmap to freedom—even when it was handed to them.

A Call for Action Beyond Words

White women, I want to believe you care, but actions speak louder than yard signs, bracelets, or Instagram posts. Show up in our communities, advocate in your workplaces, and stand up to dismantle the structures that uphold white supremacy. Only through real action will we know where you stand.

If you choose not to act, we see you—and we know exactly where you stand. Good luck these next four years.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.