Activism

Oakland Private Industry Council Hosts Gala to Uplift Community Health and Opportunity

The congregation, which only last year marked its 100th anniversary, hopes the upcoming prayer walk will amplify their plea to diocesan leaders to reconsider the sale of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.

Published

6 months ago

September 10, 2025

Oakland Post

By Carla Thomas

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Oakland will hold a special prayer service followed by a fundraising walk on Sept. 14 at 11:30 a.m., as parishioners work to raise awareness about the uncertain future of their historic parish.

Following the 10 a.m. mass, participants plan to circle the block along Lakeshore Avenue several times in a show of unity, concern, and faith. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland, which filed for bankruptcy earlier this year in response to several hundred claims of past sexual abuse by church members, may sell a number of parish properties to help satisfy settlements. Our Lady of Lourdes, located at the eastern end of Lake Merritt, is among the churches at risk. Should the property be sold, the multicultural congregation, largely comprised of people of color, would be dispersed, and the iconic building could face demolition or redevelopment into commercial or residential space, according to church members.

For parishioners, this possibility represents not only the loss of their spiritual home but also the potential erasure of a neighborhood landmark. The church’s architecture and location near the historic pergola make it a familiar sight to Oakland residents and visitors. An historical plaque on the adjacent Parish Hall states the building hosted the first known catholic mass in the East Bay, held in 1772 by a Franciscan priest of the Portolá Expedition during the Spanish exploration.

For many, saving the church means preserving not only a place of worship but also an important piece of Oakland history.

On March 17, the Diocese of Oakland filed its Third Amended Plan of Reorganization, to provide compensation for survivors of child sexual abuse, and reorganizing the diocese to enable it to continue serving the East Bay. The diocese potentially plans to create a settlement trust of nearly $200 million in preparation to compensate over 350 claims of abuse.

According to the diocese’s website, properties deemed non-essential or underutilized are determined by their legal, real estate, and financial advisors and any sale of property is ultimately approved by the Diocese of Oakland Bishop.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Related Topics:Oakland Private Industry Council PIC Oakland

Up Next

Sacramento: Lawmakers Hear From Health Advocates on “State of Black Maternal Health”

Don't Miss

PRESS ROOM: The Conservation Fund Saves Historic Edistone Hotel from Wrecking Ball

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

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

4 days ago

March 1, 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.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

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.