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Faith Confronts Economic Reality in Fate of Jahi McMath
For many families of color who do not have deep pockets and friends and families in high places, interactions with police, the judicial system and even the hospitals are often problematic – even at their best.
Instead, people rely on their faith, their belief that God, not money and not officials or experts, makes the ultimate decisions that determine everyone’s lives.
People survive because they believe what others say is impossible is often possible.
The actions of Nailah Winkfield, mother of 13-year-old Jahi McMath, represent this truth. They fought for their daughter all her life, and they continue to fight for her because they rely on their faith.
Jahi underwent tonsil surgery at Children’s Hospital in Oakland on Dec. 9 and soon after experienced complications and went into cardiac arrest.
Three days later, on Dec. 12th, the hospital declared she was brain dead.
An Alameda County Superior Court Judge allowed numerous outside doctors to conduct tests, and all came to the same conclusion that Jahi could not breathe on her own and all brain activity had ceased.
Therefore, she was legally dead.
This is where the ethical debate begins. Though her heart is still beating, the declaration of brain death made it a coroner’s case, supporting Children’s Hospital stance that the young girl should be removed from the ventilator.
The family of Jahi did not accept the verdict of those who were responsible for their daughter’s condition and prays that with proper nutrition and time, she might possibly recover.
The battle between Children’s Hospital and Jahi’s family intensified because of Winkfield’s faith and unwillingness to pull the plug.
Sam Singer, spokesperson for the hospital, said, “No amount of hope, prayer or medical procedures will bring her back.”
But the questions remain: Can a hospital infringe on someone’s religious beliefs if they do not accept a medical decision? What is a hospital’s responsibility to confer and attempt to reach consensus with the family?
And why was the hospital in such a hurry to pull the plug?
Some of these questions were raised by Oakland, Civil Rights Attorney John Burris, speaking Tuesday at a forum called “Race Matters” sponsored by the Oakland Unified School District.
Having dealt with a similar situation in his own life, Burris said he understands what the family of Jahi McMath is going through.
He said the family was not properly advised and that the hospital was probably “quick” to end Jahi’s life without working closely with the family.
According to Burris, at least part of the driving force behind ending Jahi’s life support so quickly is “economics.”
If a child dies from medical malpractice, the hospital is limited to a maximum payout of $250,000, he said, but if the child were to live and needed continuing care, the cost to the hospital potentially could be unlimited.
The hospital’s position in essence, he said, is that, “You can have your religious belief, but you can’t make us pay for it.”
Further, the hospital’s perceived insensitivity to Jahi’s family has become a major issue among many in the community.
Chas Jackson is a former after school instructor teacher at the school Jahi attended and said he noticed the hospital’s defensiveness when the family did not accept the hospital’s decision.
It was as if the hospital administrators “threw up their hands” and tried to remove themselves from the situation, Jackson said.
“It came off as tacky and tasteless on Children’s Hospital’s part, and only damaged my shining image of their establishment,” he said.
Children’s Hospital seemed to be more worried about a pending lawsuit than the fate of Jahi and the grief of her family, he added.
Christopher Dolan, the family’s attorney, says Jahi’s body is in very bad shape and is deteriorating. Medical experts say this commonly occurs in brain dead patients.
However, Winkfield has said that as long as Jahi’s heart is beating she is alive, and the family will continue to fight.
“God has the final say, not the doctors,” she said.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

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#NNPA BlackPress
EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.”

By Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
46th President of the United States: 2021—2025
The people of Galveston, Texas, have been commemorating Juneteenth since the Civil War ended. Yesterday, in honor of the 160th anniversary, I went there to join them.
You can read about the events of Juneteenth, but there’s nothing quite like going to Galveston and seeing where it all happened.
After General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Union troops marched across the South for two months, freeing enslaved people along the way. Their final stop was Galveston, an island off the Gulf coast of Texas. There, on June 19, 1865, Union troops went to Reedy Chapel, a church founded in 1848 by enslaved people, and posted a document titled simply “General Order #3.”
“The people of Texas are informed,” it said, “that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
We can only imagine the joy that spread through Galveston – and across the state and nation – on that day and those that followed.
Yesterday, there was once again joy in Galveston, with a parade, picnic, and fireworks. There was also great solemnity, because Juneteenth is a sacred day – a day of weight and power.
The Book of Psalms tells us: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, and the promise of that joyful morning to come.
As President, I had the great honor of signing the law declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was our nation’s first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was created in 1983.
Our federal holidays say a lot about who we are as a nation. We have holidays celebrating our independence… the laborers who build this nation… the servicemembers who served and died in its defense.
And now, we also have a national holiday dedicated to the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans.
Signing that law was one of my proudest acts as President.
Yet for 156 years, Juneteenth was not written about in textbooks or taught in classrooms. Still today, there are those who say it does not deserve a holiday. They don’t want to remember the moral stain of slavery and the terrible harm it did to our country.
I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.
I also believe that it’s not enough to commemorate the past. We must also embrace the obligation we have to the future. As Scripture says, “Faith without works is dead.” And right now, we Americans need to keep the faith and do the work.
In honor of Juneteenth, let’s help people register to vote.
For decades, we fought to expand voting rights in America. Now we’re living in an era when relentless obstacles are being thrown in the way of people trying to vote. We can’t let those tactics defeat us. In America, the power belongs with the people. And the way we show that power is by voting.
So let’s reach out to family, friends and neighbors – especially those who have never voted before. Remind them that with voting, anything is possible. And without it, nothing is possible.
Yesterday in Galveston, we gathered in Reedy Chapel to commemorate Juneteenth, just like people have done for 160 years and counting. We prayed, sang, and read General Order #3 again. The pews were full of families. How many people must have prayed for freedom inside those walls. How many must have sent fervent thanks to God when slavery finally ended.
I remembered the words of my late friend John Lewis. He said, “Freedom is not a state. It is an act.”
Juneteenth did not mark the end of America’s work to deliver on the promise of equality. It only marked the beginning. To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we must continue to work toward that promise. For our freedom. For our democracy. And for America itself.
#NNPA BlackPress
Cities Across the U.S. Shrink or Cancel Juneteenth Events as DEI Support Wanes
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship. In many communities, the once-growing recognition of the holiday is facing sharp resistance tied to the unraveling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
In Denver, Colorado, the annual Juneteenth Music Festival, one of the largest in the nation—was cut from two days to one. Organizers said more than a dozen corporate sponsors walked away from commitments, leaving them with a financial gap that almost canceled the event. Norman Harris, the festival’s executive director, said several companies “pulled back their investments or let us know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be in a position to support this year.” Harris credited grassroots donors and small businesses for stepping in when larger backers stepped aside.
In Colorado Springs, the local celebration was relocated to the Citadel Mall parking lot after support from previous sponsors disappeared. Organizers noted that where there were once dozens of corporate partners, only five remained. The downsized event was pieced together with limited resources, but community leaders said they refused to let the holiday go unacknowledged.
Scottsdale, Arizona, canceled its Juneteenth observance after the city council voted to dissolve its diversity, equity, and inclusion office in February. Without the office in place, the city offered no support for planning or funding, leaving residents without an official celebration.
In San Diego, the Cooper Family Foundation lost a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that had been earmarked for Juneteenth programming. Organizers said the decision forced them to personally finance key elements of the event, including cultural exhibits, performances, and youth engagement activities.
Bend, Oregon, called off its Juneteenth event entirely. Organizers cited political tensions and safety concerns, saying they could not secure the partnerships needed to proceed. A public statement from the planning committee described the current climate as “increasingly volatile,” making it difficult to host a safe and inclusive event.
West Virginia, which has recognized Juneteenth as a paid state holiday since 2017, will not sponsor any official events this year. State leaders pointed to budget constraints and recent decisions to eliminate DEI programming across agencies as the reasons for stepping away from public observance.
Austin, Texas, has also reduced its Juneteenth programming. While the city has not canceled events outright, organizers said diminished city support and fewer private contributions forced them to focus only on core activities.
“Thankfully, there was a wide range of support that came when we made the announcement that the celebration is in jeopardy,” said Harris. “But it shows how fragile that support has become.”
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