Bay Area

National Coalition of 100 Black Women SF ‘Hats and Gloves’ Tea Returns

Published

3 years ago

March 28, 2023

The annual fundraiser gave guests an afternoon of sipping tea, sampling desserts and appetizers while exchanging stories, and sharing a special bond with other Black women in the community.

By Carla Thomas

Glamorous hats, St. John suits, Ferragamo shoes, and more glitzy fashion adorned some of the most powerful women in the San Francisco Bay Area at the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW) SF Golden Girls Hats and Gloves Tea.

Themed “Bridging the Generations,” the event was held in the Venetian Room of the Nob Hill Fairmont Hotel on Saturday, March 11, where more than 400 women celebrated the beauty, strength and resilience of Black women.

Frances Cohen, president of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW) SF chapter at the Golden Girls Hats and Gloves Tea. Photo by Carla Thomas.

The annual fundraiser gave guests an afternoon of sipping tea, sampling desserts and appetizers while exchanging stories, and sharing a special bond with other Black women in the community.

Guests also took pictures, participated in both silent and live auctions with proceeds benefitting the NCBW-SF’s educational, financial and civic programs. Due to the pandemic, the in-person tea event had been postponed for three years.

Ida Hurst is pretty in pink at the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW) SF Golden Girls Hats and Gloves Tea. Photo by Carla Thomas.

A passion-filled keynote speech by educator and community advocate Dr. Veronica Hunnicutt, founder of the Hunnicutt Foundation, encouraged established women to assist other women on their career, educational and political journeys.

“Were it not for the Honorable Doris Ward, I would not have had the numerous opportunities I’ve had,” Hunnicutt said. “Exercise your gifts, they will carry you far.”

Hunnicutt is also the author of the “Straight Talk,” book series to empower young Black men and women. Well known as an education change agent, she serves as dean for San Francisco City College’s Southeast campus in the Bay View district of the city.

During her speech, Hunnicutt humbly gave thanks to NCBW SF president Sharon Lee and shared the accomplishments of comrades and colleagues throughout the room. She also paid homage to her own mother for providing a solid foundation in life and for being a straight-forward parent.

Guests (l-r) Mary Cole, Barbara Henry and Mary Dixon show off their outfits at the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW) SF Golden Girls Hats and Gloves Tea, “Bridging the Generations.” Photo by Carla Thomas.

Honorees of excellence included Wanda M. Holland Green of The Hamlin School who was presented with the Education Award. Joi Jackson Morgan of Third Street Youth Center and Clinic received the Trailblazer Award, and the Community Service Award was presented to Shakirah Simley of the Booker T. Washington Community Service Center.

Ingrid Merriwether of Merriwether & Williams Insurance received the Entrepreneur Award and Aline Armstrong of the San Francisco Department of Public Health received the Health Award.

Dr. Veronica Hunnicutt praised her mother and Doris Ward in her keynote address for the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW) SF Golden Girls Hats and Gloves Tea. Photo by Carla Thomas.

The Art Award was presented to visual artist, Karen Seneferu, founder of “The Black Woman is GOD” exhibit and the Advocacy Award was presented to Healing 4 Our Families & Our Nation founder, Mattie Scott. The Golden Girl Award was presented to Cathy Davis of the Bay View Senior Services Agency and the Golden State Warriors received the Corporate Award.

NCBW SF President, Sharon Lee said, “I am so grateful to have the opportunity to have our Tea in person and honor eight individuals and one corporation who have demonstrated their commitment to supporting our community.”

Dr. Veronica Hunnicutt, CEO of the Hunnicutt Foundation keynotes the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW) SF Golden Girls Hats and Gloves Tea. Photo courtesy NCBW SF.

Health Committee Chair Carletta Jackson Lane said, “The thing I love most about our Tea is that it allows Black women to come together in one place to enjoy each other and celebrate each other as we raise funds for our community programming.”

Former president of the organization Maxine Hickman of Hickman Homes said, “our Tea gives us an opportunity to celebrate the best of us by awarding our honorees and raising funds for our year-round programming in education, health, economic empowerment, and public policy.”

The events program booklet featured an ad for the Doris Ward Workforce Job Training Program offering women ages 18-59 a paid leadership development skills course. For more information visit: ncbw-sf.org.

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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

2 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

1 week 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.