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Community Collaborates on Racial Equity in Marin

Composed of 23 members, the implementation team will take the lead on accomplishing the goals and priority actions in the plan. Team members will be divided into three action groups that will identify mental health, housing, and economic opportunity initiatives happening in the county that are aligned with the plan’s key goals. Team members will conduct research, evaluate resources and costs for implementation, and keep the community informed of progress.

Published

4 years ago

May 4, 2022

Oakland Post

The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, April 29, for new members of the Race Equity Action Plan Implementation Team.

County launches application for Race Equity Action Plan Implementation Team

Courtesy of Marin County

An exciting Marin County collaboration between residents, community-based organizations, towns, cities, and County of Marin leaders is taking shape to implement the 2022 Race Equity Action Plan (REAP).

Developed by a group of community residents and advocates, the plan identifies specific goals and actions to advance racial equity across the county. The plan highlights mental health, housing, and economic opportunity as key focus areas. Now that the plan is complete, the next step is to implement the priority actions.

The County of Marin Office of Equity is seeking applications from residents, community-based organizations and staff from local municipalities to serve on the Race Equity Action Plan Implementation Team.

“Working in close partnership with community, and city and County leaders, we can build trust and spark change to address long standing racial inequities,” said Jamillah Jordan, the County’s Equity Director. “Our goal is to create pathways that allow everyone to thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of race, ethnicity, income, ZIP code, disability, gender, immigration status, sexual orientation, or age.”

Implementation team members are asked to make an eight-month commitment of about six hours per month. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Friday, April 29. Applications are available online and hard copy in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Stipends of $50 per meeting will be provided for members based on need.

The 2022 Race Equity Action Plan was approved by the Board of Supervisors on February 8, 2022. The plan weaves together data and the lived experiences of local residents into a set of focused goals and actions to address racial disparities. Recommendations from the plan include establishing a housing security loan program, a minimum wage ordinance setting the hourly earning at $18, a mental health access fund, and new professional development programs specifically for youth and young adults, among other actions.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

2 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

1 week ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.