Activism

Longshore Workers, Teachers Join Forces to Save Public Schools and Port of Oakland.

“This isn’t just about what is happening in Oakland — this is about what is happening to the country,” said former ILWU Local 10 president Trent Willis, welcoming people to the meeting. Condemning those who “put greed in front of education,” he said, “We’re up against the same billionaire, John Fisher,” who not only wants port land but is among the owners of charter schools that want school property.

Published

3 years ago

March 19, 2022

Oakland Post

Among the speakers at the joint longshore/teacher unity meeting were ILWU Local 10 leaders (L to R): Secretary Treasurer Ed Henderson, President Farless Dailey and Trent Willis, former IWU Local 10 president. Photo by Craig Gordon

By Ken Epstein

Finding common cause, longshore workers — members and leaders of ILWU Local 10 — met this week with Oakland teachers, parents and community members to kick off a united fight to stop developer John Fisher’s takeover of public property at Oakland’s working seaport and to halt the push to close Oakland schools and sell or lease the properties to private businesses.

Nearly 100 ILWU members and supporters of Oakland’s fight to stop school closures attended a meeting at the ILWU union hall in San Francisco Wednesday evening to begin planning joint actions in coming weeks and months and to expand their coalition to other unions and groups.

“We know we have a common cause. Stand with us in our fight, and we will stand with you,” said Aaron Wright, ILWU business agent.

ILWU speakers strongly criticized state and local political leaders as “minions of the billionaires,” especially Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, State Senator Nancy Skinner, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom, as well as members of the school board and city council.

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of June 4 – 10, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 4-10, 2025

Published

6 days ago

June 7, 2025

Oakland Post

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Activism

Remembering George Floyd

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 2, 2025

Oakland Post

Mural showing the portrait of George Floyd in Mauerpark in Berlin. To the left of the portrait the lettering "I can't Breathe" was added, on the right side the three hashtags #GeorgeFloyd, #Icantbreathe and #Sayhisname. The mural was completed by Eme Street Art (facebook name) / Eme Free Thinker (signature) on 29 May 2020. (Wikimedia Commons)

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA Newswire

“The president’s been very clear he has no intentions of pardoning Derek Chauvin, and it’s not a request that we’re looking at,” confirms a senior staffer at the Trump White House. That White House response results from public hope, including from a close Trump ally, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The timing of Greene’s hopes coincides with the Justice Department’s recent decision to end oversight of local police accused of abuse. It also falls on the fifth anniversary of the police-involved death of George Floyd on May 25th. The death sparked national and worldwide outrage and became a transitional moment politically and culturally, although the outcry for laws on police accountability failed.

The death forced then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to focus on deadly police force and accountability. His efforts while president to pass the George Floyd Justice in policing act failed. The death of George Floyd also put a spotlight on the Black community, forcing then-candidate Biden to choose a Black woman running mate. Kamala Harris ultimately became vice president of the United States alongside Joe Biden. Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison prosecuted the cases against the officers involved in the death of Floyd. He remembers,” Trump was in office when George Floyd was killed, and I would blame Trump for creating a negative environment for police-community relations. Remember, it was him who said when the looting starts, the shooting starts, it was him who got rid of all the consent decrees that were in place by the Obama administration.”

In 2025, Police-involved civilian deaths are up by “about 100 to about 11 hundred,” according to Ellison. Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African-American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing. During those minutes on the ground, Floyd cried out for his late mother several times. Police subdued Floyd for an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.