Bay Area

Oakland Peacemakers Planning Major “Circle of Peace” Event April 8

Following an African model, a wide coalition of Oaklanders will hold a peace vigil at Lake Merritt on Saturday April 8. The Circle of Peace is an action called for by Adamika Village, pastors, church congregation members, county and city employees, community-based organizations, mental health professionals, small business owners and individual citizens.

Published

3 years ago

April 3, 2023

Oakland Post

According to event coordinator Tanya Dennis, the intent of the Circle of Peace is to “shift Oakland’s energy from violence to one of peace.” The event will begin with the calling of ancestors via djembe drums, spoken word and music, followed by a press conference for city and county proclamations and words of support.

By Post Staff

Following an African model, a wide coalition of Oaklanders will hold a peace vigil at Lake Merritt on Saturday April 8.

The Circle of Peace is an action called for by Adamika Village, pastors, church congregation members, county and city employees, community-based organizations, mental health professionals, small business owners and individual citizens.

According to event coordinator Tanya Dennis, the intent of the Circle of Peace is to “shift Oakland’s energy from violence to one of peace.”

The event will begin with the calling of ancestors via djembe drums, spoken word and music, followed by a press conference for city and county proclamations and words of support.

Three years ago, Adamika Village CEO Daryle Allums and Black Leaders Coalition CEO Tanya Dennis acknowledged the European model of society did not work for Black folks and from that came “The African Way” philosophy centered around the Black family and peace.

Their 10-point “peace in the streets” campaign is dedicated to ending violence in Oakland and restoring the family unit.

Thus far, Adamika Village has experienced success and takes partial credit for the 12% reduction in violence Oakland experienced in 2022 through Credible Messengers, their Peace banner project on International Boulevard and their peace messaging and beautification of blighted areas of Oakland.

Another success is the recent approval of funding by Alameda County for their “Havens for Black Healing,” a Black Mental Health Initiative launched by the Oakland Frontline Healers collaborative of which Adamika was the creator and now lead facilitator.

Adamika Village’s “Circle of Peace” vigil is their first outreach to the entire community of Oakland in a quest to find and implement solutions to end violence in Oakland.

“After decades of low levels of homicides, with COVID-19, we witnessed a 50% increase in violence in 2021, with over 100 homicides, and 2022 was even worse,” Allums said.

“It didn’t help that EDD scams put money in the wrong hands, allowing the purchase of more guns, which led to more violence when the money dried up for those use to living high on the hog.

“Desperation set in and so what we’re experiencing now is unprecedented predatory behavior with “bipping,” the breaking of car windows at a pandemic level aimed at vulnerable citizens such as elders, tourists and women being targeted. It’s gotten to a level that no neighborhood is immune, and everyone is living in fear.”

For these reasons, Dennis says, the April 8^th Circle of Peace has caught fire and resonated with the public. “People are tired of living behind closed doors and shuttered windows in fear. They’re grateful and ready to join us to do something, and our Circle of Peace is the first event to bring like-minded people together.”

Acknowledging that symbolism without action is futile, Adamika’s collaborative partner, the Violence Prevention Coalition, will host a citywide town hall June 24, 2023, at Laney College.

“The only way we’re going to end this wave of violence is to join together and take action with holistic solutions,” says Dennis “We recognize that many of our citizens are desperate for lack of alternatives and resources like access to mental health services and housing.

“The solution is to provide those resources so people don’t have to resort to violence. Sure, there are predators who are taking advantage, there always will be, but we want those who would change if they had a choice to know we’re here working with them to provide solutions.”

The public is invited to register and join by calling 510-929-7699 or email uractivist@gmail.com or click on the QR code on the flier. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1h86vv8TYLBovgUBfYtlBVY0gPGUDlCbVBAKWnDbWkM8/edit?usp=drive_web

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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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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

2 weeks 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.