Bay Area

Oakland and Richmond Mayors Announce 2020 Census Challenge

Published

6 years ago

July 15, 2020

Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland and Mayor Tom Butt of Richmond have agreed to a friendly intercity challenge: get as many of their residents to respond to the 2020 Census as humanly possible.

The challenge between the East Bay mayors comes as residents have just over a month left to respond to the 2020 Census as the nation approaches the Aug. 10 reporting deadline.

The two cities’ self-response rates are currently neck and neck. Oakland’s self-response rate is 63.3% and Richmond’s is 63.4%. For both cities, the goal is to achieve a self-response rate of 100%.

“An accurate census count is critical for Oakland to receive its fair share of federal funding for vital public services,” said Schaaf. “Bring it on Richmond, let’s make sure everyone gets counted! Just 10 questions can make a huge difference in our community.”

For Schaaf and Butt, getting their communities fully counted is essential to secure their respective city’s fair share of federal funds for the next 10 years.

Those dollars fund critical services like hospitals and clinics, school lunches, road repair and more. It’s safe, confidential, and there is no citizenship question on the 2020 census.

“Completing the 2020 Census is all about equity of resources and further improving quality of life in our city,” said Butt. “Let’s show Oakland how it’s done! Complete the Census and help bring federal funding to Richmond for the next 10 years.”

Although Oakland is about 3.8 times the size of Richmond, both cities are considered “hard-to-count” communities with populations that are at risk of being undercounted. That makes it even more important to get the word out that the Census is still going and that anyone can respond online at www.my2020census.gov

Everyone can also respond to the Census through regular mail using a paper questionnaire that was mailed to all households with a regular mailing address in mid-April. Another easy way is to call 844-330-2020 (Español: 844-468-2020) and complete the census form with the help of an assistant. The phone lines are supported in 12 non-English languages, with the full list available at https://2020census.gov/en/ways-to-respond/responding-by-phone.html.

The winner of the friendly challenge will accept a gift basket of local goods from their opponent. The winner will be announced on August 10, 2020.

Submitted by Christopher Whitmore

Chief of Staff | Office of Mayor Tom Butt

Posts by Submitted by Christopher Whitmore

Related Topics:featured Mayor Libby Schaaf Mayor Tom Butt

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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

3 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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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.