Community
Mary V. King Remembered with Fund for Expectant Families and Newborns

The Alameda Health System Foundation (AHSF) has raised more than $70,000 to support equipment and program needs of the Family Birthing Center in the new Highland Hospital Acute Care Tower.
The funds, secured by AHSF’s Mary V. King Fundraising Committee, will further increase access to maternal and child health care services for Alameda County residents of underserved communities. Residents of these communities typically face numerous barriers to access including lack of information on the benefits of prenatal care and breastfeeding.
The Mary V. King Memorial Fund was established in late 2016 to honor the legacy of lifelong Oakland resident and former Alameda County Supervisor Mary V. King.
King continuously sought to improve the lives of Alameda County residents, and had a passion for children and families. Funds from the memorial fund will support patient care services and family education programs such as CenteringPregnancy® prenatal classes, expert inpatient and outpatient lactation support, and long-term pediatric care.
In recognition of the funds raised by the committee, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to commend the name of the ninth-floor family room as the Mary V. King Family Room. This is the first room to be named in the new Highland Hospital Acute Care Tower.
“Mary’s dedication to the women and children in our communities is unmatched,” said Donna Linton, chair of the AHSF board of directors and Mary V. King fundraising committee member. “We hope to honor her legacy by eliminating health inequities and reducing the occurrence of birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.
The Mary V. King Fundraising Committee, made up of community leaders Bernard Beal, Henry Gardner, Calvin Grigsby and Donna Linton, originally set a goal of securing $50,000 in support of expectant families and children. Having exceeded that number, the committee’s new goal is $100,000.
“Highland Hospital prides itself on being a Maternal-Child Health Center of Excellence for all in our community,” said Delvecchio Finley, Alameda Health System CEO. “We are grateful for the tremendous impact these funds will have on our ability to provide top-quality clinical care and support for mothers and babies, regardless of status or ability to pay.”
In 1988, Mary V. King became the first African-American woman to be elected as an Alameda County Supervisor and was re-elected twice. King was known for her dedication to her constituents in East Oakland, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Ashland and Dublin.
Her legacy in social services for low-income residents promoting health, education and youth violence prevention can be found in the Mary V. King Health Education Center named in her honor at the Eastmont Wellness Center in Oakland.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

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OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association
For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.
As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.
Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.
We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.
Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.
The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.
We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.
Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association
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