Community

A Dream Deferred Due to the Disparity in Black and Brown Schools, Business and Politics

Published

7 years ago

January 27, 2018

By Danette Mitchell

Vallejo NAACP Vice President and upcoming City Council candidate Hakeem Brown recently delivered a no-holds-barred speech last week at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration hosted by Hogan Middle School in Vallejo. Brown caught everyone’s attention when he began his speech stating that Pres. Donald Trump cannot be blamed for Vallejo’s problems.

“Trump cannot be blamed for low parent participation, the school-to-prison pipeline, lack of job opportunities and affordable housing or livable wages – he’s 3,000 miles away,” Brown said.

Brown went on to describe President Trump as a distraction because he is not on the school board or part of the local decision-making arena. “He’s not on the school board or the City Council and we must keep our eyes on the prize.”

While mentioning Dr. King’s dream, he stated the dream is deferred due to the disparity in black and brown schools, business and politics. “If you are not at the table, then you’re on the menu,” he said, while adding that the African-American community has been the main course for too long.

Brown shared his own vision with the audience in creating “diversity in our local politics and local leadership that is reflected in this room.” He stated the next generation does not see enough local leaders that look like them. “It’s time for change, and it’s time to build,” he said.

Brown recognized students of excellence in the audience. “We want to celebrate our honor roll students, but also lift up our kids in the hood.” Brown acknowledged that no student is perfect, but the ones struggling still have a chance to be nurtured and trained as the next generation of young leaders.
Brown emphasized that the Black community should choose its own leaders and does not need others to speak for it. He also stated that when Black leaders are attacked the community should stand with them.

“We do not need anyone to speak for us because we can speak for ourselves. The community does not want or need your (non-Black) leaders. We will pick our own leaders and if our leaders are not to your liking, oh, well.”

Brown said the Black community can collaborate with others, but will not surrender control (to non-Black) leaders. He also emphasized that the African-American community must control its organizations like the NAACP, Black Women Organized for Political Action and the African American Alliance. “If the community allows others to infiltrate and control our organizations, we become puppets to be used at their will.”

Brown’s call to action list included the need for Black people to vote in every election and teach young people voter education and its impact on the community. “We will work on behalf of the Black community and hold elected officials accountable, asking them, “What are you doing to help the Black community?”

In conclusion, Brown stated he anticipated the audience expecting a “Kumbaya” speech. “But, I am not your Negro. I am a Black man in America who is fed up with the status quo. It is time to dream big, dream bold, dream of acquiring power and true equality. It is time to fight for our community, our children and our future.”

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Related Topics:Hakeem Brown NAACP Politics Vallejo

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Oakland Post: Week of December 25 – 31, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 25 – 31, 2024

Published

3 days ago

December 26, 2024

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Bay Area

Glydways Breaking Ground on 14-Acre Demonstration Facility at Hilltop Mall

Glydways has been testing its technology at CCTA’s GoMentum Station in Concord for several years. The company plans to install an ambitious 28-mile Autonomous Transit Network in East Contra Costa County. The new Richmond facility will be strategically positioned near that project, according to Glydways.

Published

5 days ago

December 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Image of planned Richmond facility courtesy of Glydways.

The Richmond Standard

Glydways, developer of microtransit systems using autonomous, small-scale vehicles, is breaking ground on a 14-acre Development and Demonstration Facility at the former Hilltop Mall property in Richmond, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) reported on social media.

Glydways, which released a statement announcing the project Monday, is using the site while the mall property undergoes a larger redevelopment.

“In the interim, Glydways will use a portion of the property to showcase its technology and conduct safety and reliability testing,” the company said.

The new Richmond development hub will include “over a mile of dedicated test track, enabling Glydways to refine its solutions in a controlled environment while simulating real-world conditions,” the company said.

Visitors to the facility will be able to experience on-demand travel, explore the control center and visit a showroom featuring virtual reality demonstrations of Glydways projects worldwide.

The hub will also house a 13,000-square-foot maintenance and storage facility to service the growing fleet of Glydcars.

“With this new facility [at the former Hilltop Mall property], we’re giving the public a glimpse of the future, where people can experience ultra-quiet, on-demand transit—just like hailing a rideshare, but with the reliability and affordability of public transit,” said Tim Haile, executive director of CCTA.

Janet Galvez, vice president and investment officer at Prologis, owner of the Hilltop Mall property, said her company is “thrilled” to provide space for Glydways and is continuing to work with the city on future redevelopment plans for the broader mall property.

Richmond City Manager Shasa Curl added that Glydways’ presence “will not only help test new transit solutions but also activate the former Mall site while preparation and finalization of the Hilltop Horizon Specific Plan is underway.

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Alameda County

Last City Council Meeting of the Year Ends on Sour Note with Big Budget Cuts

In a five to one vote, with Councilmembers Carroll Fife and Janani Ramachandran excused, the council passed a plan aimed at balancing the $130 million deficit the city is facing. Noel Gallo voted against the plan, previously citing concerns over public safety cuts, while Nikki Fortunato-Bas, Treva Reid, Rebecca Kaplan, Kevin Jenkins, and Dan Kalb voted in agreement with the plan.

Published

5 days ago

December 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Oakland City Council voted on a plan to balance the $130 million deficit at their last regular meeting of 2024. The plan reduces police spending by $25 million, temporarily closes two fire stations, and guts the cultural arts programs. iStock photo.

By Magaly Muñoz

In the last lengthy Tuesday meeting of the Oakland City Council for 2024, residents expressed strong opposition to the much needed budget cuts before a change in leadership was finalized with the certification of election results.

Oakland police and fire departments, the ambassador program, and city arts and culture will all see significant cuts over the course of two phases.

Phase 1 will eliminate two police academies, brown out two fire stations, eliminate the ambassador program, and reduce police overtime by nearly $25 million. These, with several other cuts across departments, aim to save the city $60 million. In addition, the council simultaneously approved to transfer restricted funds into its general purpose fund, amounting to over $40 million.

Phase 2 includes additional fire station brownouts and the elimination of 91 jobs, aiming to recover almost $16 million in order to balance the rest of the budget.

Several organizations and residents spoke out at the meeting in hopes of swaying the council to not make cuts to their programs.

East Oakland Senior Center volunteers and members, and homeless advocates, filled the plaza just outside of City Hall with rallies to show their disapproval of the new budget plan. Senior residents told the council to “remember that you’ll get old too” and that disturbing their resources will only bring problems for an already struggling community.

While city staff announced that there would not be complete cuts to senior center facilities, there would be significant reductions to staff and possibly inter-program services down the line.

Exiting council member and interim mayor Bas told the public that she is still hopeful that the one-time $125 million Coliseum sale deal will proceed in the near future so that the city would not have to continue with drastic cuts. The deal was intended to save the city for fiscal year 2024-25, but a hold up at the county level has paused any progress and therefore millions of dollars in funds Oakland desperately needs.

The Coliseum sale has been a contentious one. Residents and city leaders were originally against using the deal as a way to balance the budget, citing doubts about the sellers, the African American Sports and Entertainment Group’s (AASEG), ability to complete the deal. Council members Reid, Ramachandran, and Gallo have called several emergency meetings to understand where the first installments of the sale are, with little to no answers.

Bas added that as the new Alameda County Supervisor for D5, a position she starts in a few weeks, she will do everything in her power to push the Coliseum sale along.

The city is also considering a sales tax measure to put on the special election ballot on April 15, 2025, which will also serve as an election to fill the now vacant D2 and mayor positions. The tax increase would raise approximately $29 million annually for Oakland, allowing the city to gain much-needed revenue for the next two-year budget.

The council will discuss the possible sales tax measure on January 9.