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Despite Scary Diagnosis, Never Give Cancer the Power

Published

6 years ago

August 6, 2020

Having “conquered” cancer twice rather than being a survivor of cancer speaks to the power of Annetta Grady’s battle with breast cancer, twice.

“I used to hate the color pink, now I host ‘Pink Parties’ and raise money for the Faith Fancher Foundation at Kaiser, Carol Ann Read Breast Health Center at Summit and the Woman’s Resource Breast Cancer Center,” said Grady, who was raised in Berkeley and is now a resident of Richmond.

Faith Fancher (1950-2003) was a television journalist in the San Francisco Bay Area who shared her breast cancer journey with her viewers as a way to teach others the benefit of early detection.

Before she died, she established the Faith Fancher Breast Cancer Emergency Fund at the Women’s Cancer Resource Center. This fund provides direct, emergency financial assistance for low-income men and women in treatment for breast cancer in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in California.

The Carol Ann Read Breast Health Center in Oakland is a place to find a supportive, positive environment totally dedicated to comprehensive breast health and treatment of breast disease.

The Women’s Cancer Resource Center in Berkeley creates opportunities for women with cancer to improve their quality of life through education, supportive services, and practical assistance.

A 65-year-old food-service worker, Grady was first diagnosed at the age of 55 and had her right breast removed. About a decade later, cancer was discovered in the milk ducts of her left breast, so, pro-actively she had her left breast removed.

When asked by the Post to submit a picture, she asked if the Post wanted a picture of her chest, explaining, “My scars are my badge of courage.”

Grady witnessed her mom’s journey with cancer, also a survivor at age 85. “I saw her painful path and didn’t want to go the route of chemotherapy. Because of early detection, Grady instead took Tamoxifen, an extremely effective drug against cancer.

“After mom’s diagnosis, I took the test. When I was first diagnosed I wasn’t afraid, I was mad, not because of the diagnosis, but because I had to cancel my trip to Spain and Morocco for a Smooth Jazz Cruise,” Grady said.

Her love of jazz began with the Grassroots Jazz Band, where her father played the piano, saxophone and flute. Grady describes herself as a creative person who makes cards, creative art, and excels in the culinary arts.

Grady’s aunt, also diagnosed with cancer, died two years after Grady’s diagnosis.

“I never gave cancer the power. I come from a stock of strong women, and I had a strong support system from my church and my co-workers. I also know my favor with God played an essential part in my recovery.

“I didn’t just survive, I thrived! I told cancer, ‘You have to go’ and it did,” Grady said.

Tanya Dennis

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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

3 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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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

2 weeks 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.