Bay Area

Jayda Curry – God, Family, Hoop

Published

3 years ago

March 6, 2023

Oakland Post

UC Berkeley Athletics

By Y’Anad Burrell

The UC Berkeley Cal Bears Women’s Basketball team has a new fireball of energy and excellence by way of sophomore Jayda Curry. While she is a star basketball player, her motto is GOD, FAMILY, HOOP — in that order.
Jayda was born in Corona, California, and has played basketball since age four. Growing up, she would play golf with her father occasionally, but Jayda gravitated to basketball along with her sister Layla Curry, who plays for LMU. Jayda chose a unique academic track studying American Studies with an emphasis on Interdisciplinary Studies (ISF), where students choose the classes they would like, which can cross multiple disciplines.
Jayda shared that her priorities in life are consistent and have not changed even with her popularity as a star basketball player. Her faith in God keeps her grounded, and she has an extensive gospel song playlist on her phone and a routine of not listening to rap music before Noon every day. Instead, her music therapy playlist has many songs from several religious genres of music and a short list of her favorite artists: Marvin Sapp, Jessica Reedy, Jonathan McReynolds, Kirk Franklin and many others.
Athletes often have the challenge of balancing their mental health and sports careers, and Jayda found a balance through journaling, something she has done for a long time, well before entering college. Finding a healthy balance with academic success is often, as well, a challenge for athletes. Jayda attributes her success in this area to good time management. Staying tenacious about studying and completing school assignments while on the road with the team has become a habit that gives Jayda academic success while performing at a high level on the basketball court.
Jayda cherishes her love for family and shares how deep down she is truly a ‘kid at heart.’ A Lego wonderland moment and enjoy hanging out with family, teammates, and friends is the best for Jayda on any given day.
Jayda has many athletes that she admires. To name just a few, they are
Candice Parker, Sirena Williams, Gabi Douglas, Steph Curry, Damion Lillard and many more. It was no surprise to hear that she would like play for the WNBA one day, but succeeding in college is just as important to Jayda.
Jayda is well on her way to gracing the national stage while fulfilling her dreams and aspirations, given the path she has chosen and thus far managed well. Soon she may be another big name in basketball for other up and comers to admire.
But her fashion career is happening in real-time, not in Jayda’s future. She launched an apparel collection that can be found in Oakland stores and online at www.jaydacurry.com. Jayda’s collection will also be available in stores in her hometown of Corona.

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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

4 days ago

March 1, 2026

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.