Bay Area

Oakland Cuts Funding to Community Programs Organized by Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project

Acta Non Verba,a youth urban farm project fighting food insecurity and diet-related health issues in Oakland, recently lost its city funding despite protests by community members and other local organizations such as the Sugar Freedom Project last month. ANV, which has two farms, one in West Oakland and one in East Oakland, was backed by the 2017 tax on sugar-sweetened beverages of 1 cent per fluid ounce. The intended beneficiaries of this tax were programs like ANV’s that are helping combat the intake of sugary processed foods and diet-related health issues. ANV farms serve a further purpose in that the produce from their farms is used to create Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) bags which they freely distribute to community members who need them.

Published

1 year ago

August 6, 2024

Oakland Post

A lack of access to healthy foods leads to an increased consumption of processed foods which tend to be higher in sodium, and artificial sugars. These diets can lead to many negative health effects, the most common being diabetes. About 10% of the adult population has diabetes. In 2018, African American people were twice as likely to die from diabetes than white people.

By Daisha Williams

ANV, which has two farms, one in West Oakland and one in East Oakland, was backed by the 2017 tax on sugar-sweetened beverages of 1 cent per fluid ounce. The intended beneficiaries of this tax were programs like ANV’s that are helping combat the intake of sugary processed foods and diet-related health issues.

ANV farms serve a further purpose in that the produce from their farms is used to create Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) bags which they freely distribute to community members who need them.

During the Oakland City Council meeting on July 18 the city stood firm on its decision despite pushback from the community.

Cutting these funds negatively affects parents, children, and unhoused individuals.

Rachel Parker, the CSA manager and one of the full-time workers at the West Oakland farm said, “The soda tax was a perfect opportunity for the city to do right by its citizens and they failed to deliver.” She and many other people left that meeting feeling both frustrated and infuriated at the city failing to keep its word.

The cut in funding has detrimental effects on the community because there are many neighborhoods in Oakland that are considered food deserts. A food desert is defined as a neighborhood where at least a third of the population lives more than half a mile from the nearest grocery store. African American and low-income households tend to make up these neighborhoods.

In 2021, 900 neighborhoods in the Bay Area had limited access to food. With the prices of produce continuing to increase, even when distance isn’t a problem, for many people fresh produce is simply out of their budget.

One of the workers prefers the term “food apartheid.” A desert is something that occurs naturally but the fact that certain neighborhoods cannot access healthy food is intentional.

These effects are just a fraction of the things that ANV is trying to remedy with their work. ANV wants to continue supplying the community with fresh, organically grown produce but cannot do so without the proper funding. They are accepting donations and have created a “pay it forward” campaign in order to help them continue to serve the community.

In addition to the farms, ANV has programs catered toward youth, the biggest being Camp ANV, a six-week overnight camp where kids are able to get out of an urban environment, connect with nature, learn how to use food as medicine, develop cooking skills as well as gain skill in archery. They also have an adult camp held each fall to fundraise for their youth camp called Camp for Grown Folx.

ANV turns no child away from the camp due to lack of funds because they believe that this is an experience that every kid should be able to have.

They use the produce from these farms to put together CSA bags that they distribute at no cost to community members who need them.

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Activism

OP-ED: AB 1349 Puts Corporate Power Over Community

Since Ticketmaster and Live Nation merged in 2010, ticket prices have jumped more than 150 percent. Activities that once fit a family’s budget now take significant disposable income that most working families simply don’t have. The problem is compounded by a system that has tilted access toward the wealthy and white-collar workers. If you have a fancy credit card, you get “presale access,” and if you work in an office instead of a warehouse, you might be able to wait in an online queue to buy a ticket. Access now means privilege.

Published

1 week ago

January 9, 2026

Oakland Post

Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

By Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

As a pastor, I believe in the power that a sense of community can have on improving people’s lives. Live events are one of the few places where people from different backgrounds and ages can share the same space and experience – where construction workers sit next to lawyers at a concert, and teenagers enjoy a basketball game with their grandparents. Yet, over the past decade, I’ve witnessed these experiences – the concerts, games, and cultural events where we gather – become increasingly unaffordable, and it is a shame.

These moments of connection matter as they form part of the fabric that holds communities together. But that fabric is fraying because of Ticketmaster/Live Nation’s unchecked control over access to live events. Unfortunately, AB 1349 would only further entrench their corporate power over our spaces.

Power over live events is concentrated in a single corporate entity, and this regime operates without transparency or accountability – much like a dictator. Ticketmaster controls 80 percent of first-sale tickets and nearly a third of resale tickets, but they still want more. More power, more control for Ticketmaster means higher prices and less access for consumers. It’s the agenda they are pushing nationally, with the help of former Trump political operatives, who are quietly trying to undo the antitrust lawsuit launched against Ticketmaster/Live Nation under President Biden’s DOJ.

That’s why I’m deeply concerned about AB 1349 in its current form. Rather than reining in Ticketmaster’s power, the bill risks strengthening it, aligning with Trump. AB 1349 gives Ticketmaster the ability to control a consumer’s ticket forever by granting Ticketmaster’s regime new powers in state law to prevent consumers from reselling or giving away their tickets. It also creates new pathways for Ticketmaster to discriminate and retaliate against consumers who choose to shop around for the best service and fees on resale platforms that aren’t yet controlled by Ticketmaster. These provisions are anti-consumer and anti-democratic.

California has an opportunity to stand with consumers, to demand transparency, and to restore genuine competition in this industry. But that requires legislation developed with input from the community and faith leaders, not proposals backed by the very company causing the harm.

Will our laws reflect fairness, inclusion, and accountability? Or will we let corporate interests tighten their grip on spaces that should belong to everyone? I, for one, support the former and encourage the California Legislature to reject AB 1349 outright or amend it to remove any provisions that expand Ticketmaster’s control. I also urge community members to contact their representatives and advocate for accessible, inclusive live events for all Californians. Let’s work together to ensure these gathering spaces remain open and welcoming to everyone, regardless of income or background.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

January 2, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Big God Ministry Gives Away Toys in Marin City

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grow up.

Published

3 weeks ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

From top left: Pastor David Hall asking the children what they want to be when they grow up. Worship team Jake Monaghan, Ruby Friedman, and Keri Carpenter. Children lining up to receive their presents. Photos by Godfrey Lee.

By Godfrey Lee

Big God Ministries, pastored by David Hall, gave toys to the children in Marin City on Monday, Dec. 15, on the lawn near the corner of Drake Avenue and Donahue Street.

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Around 75 parents and children were there to receive the presents, which consisted mainly of Gideon Bibles, Cat in the Hat pillows, Barbie dolls, Tonka trucks, and Lego building sets.

A half dozen volunteers from the Big God Ministry, including Donnie Roary, helped to set up the tables for the toy giveaway. The worship music was sung by Ruby Friedman, Keri Carpenter, and Jake Monaghan, who also played the accordion.

Big God Ministries meets on Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA Their phone number is (415) 797-2567.