Bay Area

Derreck Johnson, an Oakland Entrepreneur, Community Leader Runs for Mayor of Oakland

“Oakland faces a critical moment,” said Oakland mayoral candidate Derreck Johnson. “For too long, our politicians have over-promised and under-delivered — from homelessness and illegal dumping to lack of affordable housing — while rising crime has cost so many innocent lives and crippled our businesses. But we cannot keep electing the same people with the same mindset and expect different results. Otherwise, Oakland will always be broken.”

Published

3 years ago

February 10, 2022

Oakland Post

Derreck Johnson

Coalition of faith, civic and business leaders declare support for Johnson in bid to lead Oakland from COVID-19 pandemic, economic recovery, address rising crime and homelessness

Derreck Johnson has announced his candidacy for mayor of Oakland. As an entrepreneur and community leader, Derreck has spent the last 30 years creating jobs and hiring from Oakland, including formerly incarcerated populations, while working shoulder-to-shoulder with stakeholders to uplift marginalized communities.

Johnson is running to bring a fresh and bold perspective to City Hall at a time when thousands of struggling families are being pushed out of the City due to the pandemic and rising rent costs while homicide and property crimes are at an all-time high.

“Oakland faces a critical moment,” said Johnson. “For too long, our politicians have over-promised and under-delivered — from homelessness and illegal dumping to lack of affordable housing — while rising crime has cost so many innocent lives and crippled our businesses. But we cannot keep electing the same people with the same mindset and expect different results. Otherwise, Oakland will always be broken.”

Born and raised by a single mother in the ACORN Housing Projects of West Oakland, and later educated at an HBCU, Johnson understands the plight of working families. And Oakland needs a tested fighter, like Johnson — not the same politicians from the same broken institutions that have exacerbated the City’s problems — to lead Oakland out of its darkest moments and into its finest hour.

Over the years, Johnson has worked to improve the lives of Oaklanders. While on the City’s Measure Y Committee, Johnson fought for violence prevention funding. On the City’s Workforce Development Board, he oversees critical employment and job training programs.

Through his work with the Summit Bank Foundation, he provided scholarships to low-income youth. Most recently, he was sworn in to the Oakland LGBTQ+ Community Center to help combat hate against trans and nonbinary Oaklanders, provide access to resources for HIV+ folks and increase economic opportunities for LGBTQ+.

“This has been an incredibly difficult year as COVID and gun violence on our streets continue to claim so many lives,” said Maria Reems, senior pastor at Center of Hope without formally endorsing Johnson. “We need a leader, like Derreck, who listens and has a proven track record of getting things done — and not more of the same.”

“I am no stranger to the devastating toll of gun violence in our communities,” said Marilyn Washington Harris, founder of the Khadafy Washington Foundation For NonViolence. (Harris is not speaking on behalf of the foundation.) “Like many grieving parents who have lost loved ones to senseless tragedy, I speak for many when I say the status quo is simply not acceptable. We need change — and that change is Derreck.”

“We need a leader and experienced entrepreneur like Derreck — not more of the same —who understands what it’s like to navigate a tough economic environment to put Oakland back on track,” said Ali Obad-Albasiery, an Oakland business leader. “Many businesses are still struggling to hire — and not because of a lack of talent. We need someone in City Hall who has dedicated his life and career creating jobs to chart a new path for our city.”

As mayor, supporters say, Johnson will build a coalition of law enforcement, business, civic and faith leaders, educators, labor and environmental advocates to address head-on the City’s most pressing challenges and create an Oakland that works for all – from the Hills to Eastmont, from Fruitvale to West Oakland and from Chinatown to Lake Merritt.

“The cynicism of our politics may lead some to think that somehow this is the new normal,” said Johnson. “But the challenges we face today do not define who we are – and I have faith that better days are ahead of us. But it will take grit and determination, and unwavering faith in each other. It will take Oaklanders of all creeds and faiths coming together in pursuit of one Oakland. I hope you’ll join me.”

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Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

Published

23 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Oakland Post

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

3 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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A Student-Run Group Provides Critical Support Services to Underserved Residents

Those visiting The Suitcase Clinic can get legal advice, sign up for food assistance, receive housing resources, get medical help, or enjoy a hot, fresh meal. They can also get haircuts and foot washes from the student volunteers. Nilo Golchini, executive director of the clinic, said one of the goals for most of the students working there is helping bridge the gap of trust that exists between many unhoused people and the healthcare and social welfare systems.

Published

3 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

UC Berkeley Law Students help a clinic visitor with legal advice at their Tuesday night services. The Clinic offers a variety of resources, including medical, to those in the community who have little access to these services. Photo by Magaly Muñoz

Part One

By Magaly Muñoz

Every Tuesday evening, the dining hall of First Presbyterian Church fills up with dozens of people eating, laughing and moving from table to table, receiving much-needed services from UC Berkeley students – just a few blocks away from the university’s campus.

Individuals seeking support services can be found in this multi-stationed room on the south end of the church talking to law students, student case managers, or receiving medical attention in a corner by healthcare professionals.

This weekly event is hosted by Cal students through a volunteer-run program called The Suitcase Clinic.

The clinic, founded in 1989, was intended to offer free resources to underserved communities in Berkeley and surrounding cities. The majority of the clinic’s clientele are unhoused or low-income people looking for extra support.

Those visiting the clinic can get legal advice, sign up for food assistance, receive housing resources, get medical help, or enjoy a hot, fresh meal. They can also get haircuts and foot washes from the student volunteers.

Nilo Golchini, executive director of the clinic, said one of the goals for most of the students working there is helping bridge the gap of trust that exists between many unhoused people and the healthcare and social welfare systems.

During their tenure in the program, many of the students say they become strong advocates for homelessness rights.

Visitors of the Suitcase Clinic can receive haircuts and foot washing by student volunteers every Tuesday evening. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

“We’re also standing in solidarity with them. So, it’s not saying, ‘I’m going to help you, but I’m also going to stand with you,’” Golchini said.

Student volunteers get extensive training prior to working directly with clients. Those interested have to take a semester-long class to become versed in areas such as outreach, intersectionality, how to interact with unhoused people, how to sign people up for social services. and more.

Volunteers then get to pick from three different clinics: General, Women’s, or Youth and LGBTQ+.

The General Clinic is the most popular among visiting residents, while Women’s and Youth/LQBTQ+ have more specialized services for attendees.

The Women’s Clinic has many of the similar services to General, but also includes nail painting, childcare, and massages.

The Youth and LGBTQ+ Clinic offers a safe space for young people navigating living on the streets, with services that include housing referrals, wellness and recreation classes and employment resources.

Golchini explained that it’s important for them to keep these clinics separate because the different demographics experience poverty and homelessness differently than those who visit the General Clinic.

Suitcase Clinic student workers posing for a photo with a frequent clinic attendee. The Clinic is open to Berkeley unhoused and low-income residents who need medical or legal service, or a hot meal. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

“We’re able to provide spaces where people can come in and feel safe and not feel like they’re constantly worried that something’s going to happen to them,” she said.

An outreach team also visits encampments every other Saturday in the Berkeley area to provide hygiene kits and encourage people to visit the in-person clinic, if possible.

However, Golchini said engagement has been low for some time now due to a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that allows cities to ban and cite people for sleeping on the streets.

She said a lot of their clientele got displaced to other cities over time, making it difficult to stay in contact with the services the Clinic was providing for them.

But that hasn’t slowed down the students at the Clinic, if anything, it has pushed them to do more for the community they serve.