Berkeley

Francesca Vietor of The San Francisco Foundation Attends White House Roundtable

Published

11 years ago

October 28, 2014

The San Francisco Foundation’s Program Director for Environment, Public Policy and Civic Engagement, Francesca Vietor, recently attended the White House Green Infrastructure Leadership Roundtable to discuss sustainability with senior officials from agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The roundtable provided an opportunity for leaders in the field to discuss the challenges and exchange ideas for the best strategies to achieving federal performance goals on green infrastructure.

As a high priority for President Obama, leaders spoke about investing in green infrastructure projects and funding advanced programs, such as systems that preserve water, the environment and improve communities. Vietor said to have a philanthropic partner be represented at the table was inspiring and a great opportunity to show what TSFF is doing in the Bay Area.

“The main impetus was to get them to commit to learning about green infrastructure and how to better implement it,” said Vietor. The EPA and HUD committed to investing in green infrastructure and implementing better water systems, which she says has multiple benefits for communities in the Bay Area.

HUD also announced billion dollars worth of grants for disaster resilience work in response to major disasters, Vietor says.

> “Green improves any neighborhood,” she said. For example, “being able to capture and reuse water, such a scarce resource, by building a park in a community that might not have any green space. What they’re doing is putting pervious pavement that absorbs water rather than release it into storm drains.”

The water is then captured underneath the pavement to be released either back into the ground or to be absorbed by the grass and trees in the community. A new park also gives kids recreational space and can decrease crime in a community, Vietor added.

The San Francisco Foundation has invested in multiple green programs throughout the Bay Area, including Urban Biofilter in Oakland which uses natural resources to improve air quality. The program has collaborated with local partners and used bamboo plants to filter air pollution from big rig trucks at the Port of Oakland.

Another funded program is the Watershed Project in Richmond, which nurtures and preserves unique, local ecosystems and educates students and teachers on how to conserve healthy watersheds.

With TSFF’s grant cycle opening in January, Vietor said, “We’re going to try and make it very clear that drought is a priority area to help, especially with the communities that we serve. We need to be more efficient with water systems.”

The agencies at the roundtable committed to providing resources and support at the federal level. Vietor says she looks forward to the continued collaboration.

For more information on TSFF, visit www.sff.org.

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Bay Area

Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley Celebrates 90th Anniversary

Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., who has served as Progressive Missionary’s pastor since September 1977, said the church also delights in the fact that it has hosted only five pastors in its 90-year history, including Pastors James E. Moore, H. A. Green, F. Douglas Farrell, and Edward Stovall, who served for 37 years.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 16, 2025

Oakland Post

Progressive Missionary Baptist Poster. Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., Pastor of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley with his wife, Kay Frances Stuckey.

By Oakland Post Staff

The Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley is celebrating its 90th church anniversary on Sunday, May 18 at 10 a.m. at 3301 King Street in Berkeley.

The celebration will feature Pastor Darnell Manuel of the Union Baptist Church in Vallejo as guest speaker, along with many other special presentations.

Those who wish to share in Progressive’s history can purchase a 100-page full-colored souvenir book for $25.

The church boasts a number of notable people who either regularly attended or became members of the church since its inception, including former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor, and one of the organizers of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Helen J. H. Stephens.

Pastor Stuckey often remarks how longevity flourishes at the church — it boasts 13 centenarians (people who have reached 100 years or more). Currently, it has one centenarian who is still surviving, Mrs. Dorothy Chambers, and 14 members who have reached 90 years or more.

Recently, on Feb.17, the pastor and his wife Kay Frances, celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.

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Faces Around the Bay: Author Karen Lewis Took the ‘Detour to Straight Street’

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

Published

1 month ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.

By Barbara Fluhrer

I met Karen Lewis on a park bench in Berkeley. She wrote her story on the spot.

I got married young, then ended up getting divorced, raising two boys into men. After my divorce, I had a stroke that left me blind and paralyzed. I was homeless, lost in a fog with blurred vision.

Jesus healed me! I now have two beautiful grandkids. At 61, this age and this stage, I am finally free indeed. Our Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul. I now know how to be still. I lay at his feet. I surrender and just rest. My life and every step on my path have already been ordered. So, I have learned in this life…it’s nice to be nice. No stressing, just blessings. Pray for the best and deal with the rest.

Nobody is perfect, so forgive quickly and love easily!”

Lewis’ book “Detour to Straight Street” is available on Amazon.

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Golden State Warriors Program Is Inspiring Next Generation of Female Engineers

Breaking down barriers and biases that deter young girls from pursuing STEAM subjects is essential for creating a level playing field and ensuring equal opportunities for all. By challenging stereotypes and promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity in STEAM fields, experts believe young girls can be empowered to pursue their interests and aspirations without limitations confidently. Encouraging mentorship, providing access to resources, and celebrating girls’ achievements in STEAM are all crucial steps in creating a supportive environment that fosters success.

Published

2 months ago

March 23, 2025

Oakland Post

Front Row: UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team Back Row: Girls, Inc. Participants. Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

The Golden State Warriors and e-commerce giant Rakuten are joining forces to inspire the next generation of female engineers through Building STEAM Futures, part of The City Calls campaign.

Organizers say the initiative is founded on the idea that science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) are crucial fields for innovation and progress, and empowering young girls to pursue careers in these areas is more important than ever. Studies consistently show that girls are underrepresented in STEAM fields, resulting in a gender disparity that limits potential and hinders diversity.

On Saturday, March 8, International Women’s Day, the Warriors and Rakuten hosted 20 middle school girls from Girls Inc. of Alameda County at Chase Center’s Above the Rim for a hands-on bridge-building experience. The young girls from Girls, Inc. of Alameda County had an opportunity to design, build and test their own bridge prototypes and learn the fundamentals of bridge construction from the Engineering Alliance and the UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team.

This STEAM experience for the girls followed the first session in January, where they took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Golden Gate Bridge, learning about its design and construction from industry experts. The City Calls campaign, tipped off with the unveiling the Warriors’ new bridge-themed City Edition jerseys and court design earlier this year.