Press Room

Kaiser Permanente Joins White House in effort to vaccinate 70% of U.S. Adults by July 4

Health system commits $10 million in community grants, announces sweepstakes ahead of July 4 goal

Published

3 years ago

June 19, 2021

Christy Price

Kaiser Permanente, Oakland. Wikimedia commons.

OAKLAND, Calif. — Kaiser Permanente, the nation’s largest integrated, nonprofit health care provider, is joining the White House for its National Month of Action sprint to vaccinate 70% of adults in the U.S. against COVID-19 with at least one shot by July 4. By launching several programs and incentives to engage unvaccinated individuals, Kaiser Permanente is aiming to increase confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine and provide easy access to receive it.

With a presence in eight U.S. states and the District of Columbia, Kaiser Permanente is well positioned to accelerate this final vaccine push by connecting with millions of Americans who are not yet vaccinated.

“The U.S. vaccination effort has been a tremendous and inspiring undertaking, and Kaiser Permanente is proud to have played our part to quickly and safely protect Americans from the most immediate threat to the health of our nation. From standing up mass vaccination sites to deploying mobile clinics that have reached the most vulnerable populations, we’ve made every effort to vaccinate our communities,” said Kaiser Permanente chair and Chief Executive Officer Greg A. Adams. “There are still many Americans who have yet to be vaccinated, and we’ve designed these new programs to increase vaccination rates so we can reach the critical milestone of 70% vaccination rate by July 4.”

Kaiser Permanente’s new initiatives include:

ImmUNITY sweepstakes: Open to anyone age 12 and older who has been vaccinated by Kaiser Permanente and all vaccinated Kaiser Permanente members — regardless of where they got vaccinated — this sweepstakes will encourage vaccination while also supporting a full and healthy return to life’s activities. One thousand people will win Be Well Rewards that include wellness retreats, healthy home meal deliveries, personal training equipment, gym memberships, and family trips to theme parks and national parks.
Influencer and social media campaign: Reaching an online audience of 18- to 30-year-olds, this campaign will deliver relevant messaging from trusted voices and social influencers. Activities will include social engagement programs with existing partners, including the Cloud9 esports team.
Member and community education: Continued outreach to Kaiser Permanente members and broader communities will deliver trusted messaging on COVID-19 vaccination and safety that expands the organization’s ongoing work to prioritize outreach to Black, Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and other disproportionately impacted communities.
Publication of a vaccine confidence toolkit: This toolkit focuses on improving vaccine access and equity and highlights Kaiser Permanente’s proven approaches, including the use of trusted messengers and population health strategies to encourage vaccination. The toolkit is intended to share best practices to help other health systems and vaccine providers accelerate vaccination rates.
Population-based care: For unvaccinated eligible people, Kaiser Permanente is using culturally relevant emails, mailings, and texts to encourage vaccination. Messages are tailored to individuals and populations including from our providers and employees who reflect the people of their community.
Personalized physician outreach: When unvaccinated Kaiser Permanente members see their physician and care team in person, we are using prompts to discuss vaccination in a personalized venue. When patients come to our pharmacies and labs, they can use conveniently placed posters with QR codes to access our vaccine clinics that are now available on a walk-in basis.

Kaiser Permanente has been effectively vaccinating its employees, members, and communities for the past six months. With its scale and extensive experience in population health, the organization has partnered broadly with cities, states, and other municipalities, as well as with community organizations and federally qualified health centers, to safely and equitably administer nearly 7 million shots. As some of the first eligible to receive vaccinations, Kaiser Permanente’s health care workers, with support from our labor partners, played an essential role in encouraging others to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“We are making it easier than ever for people to get the vaccine. Our own clinics are open on a walk-in basis in addition to scheduling appointments. We are also in our communities with pop up clinics at parks, community centers, and churches just to name a few options,” said Stephen Parodi, MD, executive vice president of The Permanente Federation.

According to the White House, 63% of adult Americans had been vaccinated as of June 2, including 73% of Americans age 40 and over. COVID-19 cases and deaths have plummeted as a result, with cases falling more than 90% since January 20, 2021. Deaths are down over 85% in that time period. Nearly 600,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began in early 2020.

Throughout the pandemic, Kaiser Permanente has engaged with its members, communities, labor partners, and fellow health care providers to provide the most current information about COVID-19 and to encourage measures to prevent the virus’s transmission. Notable efforts include supporting the Ad Council’s multicultural COVID-19 education campaign; and publishing the Kaiser Permanente COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Toolkit to highlight approaches to improve vaccine access and equity. Kaiser Permanente’s vaccine equity strategy is rooted in the organization’s 75-year history of identifying and addressing health inequities in the medical system, public health arena, and society at large.

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.5 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health.

Christy Price

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Activism

PRESS ROOM: Oakland Pic Hosts New Year’s Career & Resource Expo

OPIC CEO Pastor Raymond Lankford expressed his enthusiasm for the event, stating: “This Career Fair is not merely a gathering of employers and prospective employees; it’s a platform for opportunity, growth, and community collaboration. We are thrilled to bridge the gap between Oakland’s talented residents and the employers who recognize their potential. Together, we are building a stronger Oakland.”

Published

10 months ago

February 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Connecting Employers and Talent in Oakland and Beyond

OAKLAND, CA – Oakland Private Industry Council, Inc., is hosting the New Year’s Career & resource Expo on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at 12 noon at the Oakland Coliseum – Eastside Club – 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland CA 94621.

This exciting event brings together over 70 employers, all seeking to hire Oakland residents with various skill levels to fill a wide range of employment opportunities. Additionally, a collaborative of resource agencies will be in attendance, providing further assistance to job seekers.

For more information or to request media access, please contact Yawo Tekpa at yawot@oaklandpic.org.

OAKLAND PIC HOSTS NEW YEAR’S CAREER & RESOURCE EXPO

Who: All job seekers, with all ages and experiences welcome
What: Connecting Employers and Talent in the Community
When: Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 12 noon
Where: Oakland Coliseum – Eastside Club – 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland CA 94621.

OPIC INVITES YOUR ORGANIZATION TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR UPCOMING NEW YEAR’S CAREER & RESOURCE EXPO!!!

Dear Esteemed Employer & Community Organization Partner,

Oakland Private Industry Council, Inc. (OPIC) is excited to wish you a warm welcome into 2024! A new year, a new HOPE!!!

We enthusiastically invite your organization to participate in our NEW YEAR CAREER & RESOURCE EXPO at the OAKLAND COLISEUM!!!

DATE: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2024

TIME: 12:00 NOON – 3:00 P.M.

LOCATION: OAKLAND COLISEUM – EAST SIDE CLUB

ADDRESS: 7000 COLISEUM WAY, OAKLAND CA 94621

Participating Employer & and Community Resource Partners will receive one six-foot table and two (2) chairs for this event. Additional information, including event details and logistics, will be forwarded after you sign-up.

Please confirm your attendance by completing the online registration link below by JANUARY 31, 2024 at the latest.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bfv0LXBexc26AeE_cosSoQrpYrx2HXOIwn1bG47chwU/edit

Thanks to our invaluable network and partnership, we are giving HOPE to many community members through quality employment opportunities and supportive resources.

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact Yawo Tekpa, Assistant One-Stop Operator/Events Coordinator, at (510) 419-0392 office/ (510) 499-6657 cell.

Sincerely,

Raymond Lankford Yawo S. Tekpa,

CEO Assistant One-Stop Operator/Events Coordinator

raymondl@oaklandpic.org yawot@oaklandpic.org

Oakland Post

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Black History

The Tina Turner Musical Excites in San Francisco

The Broadway musical about the late Tina Turner was developed in 2016, previewed in England in 2018, brought to Broadway in New York from 2019 to 2022, is now touring nationally, ending it’s San Francisco run on Aug. 27. It will run from Aug. 29- Sept. 3, in San Jose at the San Jose Center.

Published

1 year ago

August 28, 2023

Oakland Post

Naomi Rodgers portrays Tina Turner in the Broadway production of “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.” Courtesy photo.

By Lee Hubbard

“Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” brings the life of the soulful rock star to vibrant life onstage at the Golden Gate Theater in San Francisco.

The three-week run was well received, unfolding the story of Tina Turner, the Queen of Rock n’ Roll, who started out as a talented child whose given name was Anna Mae Bullock.

Her life story was made into a successful movie starring Angela Bassett as Turner in 1993, where it was met with worldwide acclaim and newfound stardom for Bassett and a refocus on Turner’s career.

The Broadway musical about the late Tina Turner was developed in 2016, previewed in England in 2018, brought to Broadway in New York from 2019 to 2022, and is now touring nationally, ending its San Francisco run on Aug. 27. It will run from Aug. 29- Sept. 3, in San Jose at the San Jose Center.

The two-hour and 45-minute production opens with Turner, born in Nutbush, Tenn., with a young Anna Mae Bullock, portrayed by Ayvah Johnson, singing in a church. Johnson has a strong and very mature voice and gets the crowd excited in the scene opening, prompting her mother, Zelma (Roz White), to tell her to tone it down.

Abused by her husband, Zelma takes her daughter, Alline (Paris Lewis), to St. Louis and leaves Bullock to be raised by her father and grandmother, Gran Georgeanna (Ann Nesby).

The now-grown Bullock, played by Naomi Rodgers, moves to St. Louis to reconnect with her mother and sister. There is a slight resentment from her mother, but Tina’s sister bonds with her, and the two are happy. Alline wants to get her out of the house and away from doing daily chores.

Out one night, the two sisters go to a nightclub where they meet Ike Turner (Roderick Lawrence) and his band, the Kings of Rhythm. Anna Mae jumps on stage and mesmerizes the crowd; the rest is history. Ike sees a star and goes to Zelma to ask permission to have Anna Mae join his band.

Bullock joins and becomes the female lead. Ike then renames her Tina Turner, and the two have a rocky friendship, relationship, marriage, and music career that spanned the 1960s and most of the 1970s. She garnered several No. 1 hits with Ike Turner and then as a soloist with Grammy-winning producer Phil Spector.

After divorcing Ike, Turner is at a low point, but her career gets a second wind in the 1980s after she meets a young producer, and she goes to Europe to record. An emancipated Tina Turner recorded the hits “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” “Private Dancer,” and “The Best,” making her a household name in her own right.

As Tina, Rodgers has a commanding stage presence, and she is a star. Full of energy, she is relentless on the stage. She meshes well with Roderick Lawrence, who, as Ike Turner, is also a compelling figure.

“Ike was a complex and broken man,” said Lawrence in an interview. “He went through a lot of trauma as a young man. He was a man who started Rock n’ Roll and never got the credit for it.”

He also had an eye for talent. At one time, Turner had Jimmy Hendrix in his band, but he kicked him out for using drugs. It would be his own drug use that would turn Ike Turner into a batterer and abuser in his personal relationships.

Once he got the role as Ike Turner, Lawrence wanted to make sure he didn’t go back and watch “What’s Love Got to Do With It.”

“He had everyone taken from him and a lot of things taken from him,” continued Lawrence.

As a result, Ike was always on edge, leading to his drug usage and worsening things in his musical and personal life. Ultimately, at the end of Zelma’s life, in real life and in the play, Ike asks Tina for forgiveness.

“I was able to sit down and talk to his family members, who saw the play,” said Lawrence. “He was like an August Wilson character, a very complex man, and I wanted to make sure I really made him more well-rounded.”

Lawrence said he is pleased with his portrayal of Ike and the reception of the play in San Francisco and across the country, where it will be running through the spring of 2024.

“The reception to the play has been great,” continued Lawrence. “It has been phenomenal.”

“Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” is playing at the Golden Gate Theater at 1 Taylor Street in San Francisco through August 27 and from Aug. 29-Sept. 3 in San Jose at the San Jose Center. For more information on the play,

https://www.san-francisco-theater.com/theaters/golden-gate-theater/tina-the-tina-turner-musical.php

Oakland Post

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Arts and Culture

Pinole Valley High Student Wins County Poetry Out Loud Competition

The 2023 Contra Costa County Poetry Out Loud event was hosted by Contra Costa County Office of Education and Contra Costa County, serving as the countywide culmination of the 1,200 students who participated in Poetry Out Loud at their respective schools and districts.

Published

2 years ago

February 23, 2023

Oakland Post

Harper Iles, left, and Kayla Morales each hold the scholarship checks they received for winning in the Poetry Out Loud competition on Feb. 11. Photo courtesy of Contra Costa County Office of Education.

By The Richmond Standard

With expressive recitations of works by Emily Dickinson and Stephen Dunn, Harper Iles, a sophomore at Pinole Valley High, won Contra Costa County’s 2023 Poetry Out Loud event at Las Lomas High School on Saturday, Feb. 11.

The win earned Iles a $200 scholarship and she will now compete at the state level.

Keyla Morales, a junior at Contra Costa School for the Performing Arts in Walnut Creek, earned second place and received a $100 scholarship.

Six participants faced off at the Saturday morning event, including Kinger Huang of Las Lomas High, Enzo Martinucci of El Cerrito High, Aaron Yi of Independence High and Isabella Zendejas of Deer Valley High.

“Poetry Out Loud is so much more than just a poetry reading,” Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said. “Studying and performing poetry in front of a live audience gives students confidence, comprehension, and life skills they will draw upon throughout a lifetime. As a poetry major, I enjoyed the competition and was inspired by these scholars. Thank you to the coach, volunteer judges, and teachers who helped these students thrive on a competitive level.”