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Oakland Rallies for Sonya Massey, Police Slaying Victim

When Sonya Massey was killed by police in Illinois last month, her death prompted outrage, grief, and terror across the nation. Oakland responded with not one, but three rallies held during the last week of July. Massey met an unfair and unjust death on July 6 near Springfield, Illinois. Fearing a possible intruder in her home, Massey had called 911 for help. In the ensuing exchange, Sangamon County Deputy Sean Grayson shot and killed her.

Published

1 year ago

August 19, 2024

Oakland Post

People place flowers and other items on the altar for Sonya Massey in front of the mural of police victim Breonna Taylor at 15thand Broadway at the Anti Police Terror Project’s response to a national call for action on July 28. Photo by Daisha Williams.

COMMENTARY

By Daisha Williams

Massey met an unfair and unjust death on July 6 near Springfield, Illinois. Fearing a possible intruder in her home, Massey had called 911 for help. In the ensuing exchange, Sangamon County Deputy Sean Grayson shot and killed her.

Massey was a 36-year-old Black woman, a mother, and a person suffering from a mental health crisis. She was exactly the type of person that communities should support, not destroy.

The In Our Names Network issued a national call to action for Sunday July 28. On this day, cities across the country rallied in Massey’s name. Oakland has never been quiet when it comes to police brutality, and this was no different.

In Oakland, the Anti Police Terror Project (APTP) held a vigil in response to this call. People gathered in Downtown Oakland in front of the mural of police victim Breonna Taylor on 15th Street and Broadway. People were quiet, somber as they gathered. APTP provided supplies for people to write notes to place on the altar. Cat Brooks, co-founder of APTP, shared powerful testimony.

She detailed the horrendous situation while driving home the fact that Massey had done nothing at all. At no point had Massey been threatening, Brooks said, she was only asking for help. Brooks revealed that even after 15 years of organizing for people lost under similar circumstances, this situation hit her a little harder.

After speaking, Brooks performed libations, a ritual intended to invite ancestral spirits into a space. People called out the names of dozens of activists, children, and family that our communities have lost.

From the Breonna Taylor mural the group walked to Oscar Grant Plaza while chanting ‘Say Her Name.’ At the plaza, Brooks called up a number of speakers to the mic, including Oscar Grant’s mother, father, and uncle. After the speakers were done, they transitioned into an open mic segment, inviting anyone who felt moved to speak.

The APTP vigil was an incredible demonstration of community support. There was an ASL interpreter present to ensure that the space was accessible for everyone. There were healing justice coordinators there to support as well.

People from every race and background were present, including many people wearing keffiyehs, a Palestinian scarf symbolizing resistance. There were people of all ages, children there with their grandparents. This felt like a group made up of every part of the community.

The next day, Monday July 29, the second rally for Massey occurred at Lake Merritt Amphitheater from 6-8 pm.

After a short statement from one of the unnamed organizers, and a ceremony performed by Awon Ohun Omnira (Voices of Freedom), the remainder of the event prioritized the voices of the community. Most of those people were not polished speakers, they were regular community members sharing how Massey’s killing had affected them.

This grassroots event felt more raw, shining a light on the ways that brutality ripples through our community. When one Black person is murdered, that pain is shared with the community. It showed the unique ways that we are all affected, but also the similarities, the common fear, grief, and anger.

Jumia, one of the organizers said that “It healed something in me but opened something up at the same time.” I think that describes how many people at this vigil were feeling.

Black women take on a lot of this pain, especially because they often carry the burden of consoling the community as well as themselves while trying to keep themselves safe in a world that is unsafe.

Later last week on Friday, Aug. 2, the third vigil held to honor Massey was held at Fruitvale Village in Oakland at 1 p.m. The event began with this writer, as the organizer of the event, sharing some words and performing libations.

I then called up some speakers including Nairobi Barnes, the 2023 Oakland Youth Poet Laureate and representatives from CURYJ. The event closed after holding space for an open mic section.

Three events in one week shows how much the murder of Sonya Massey affected the Black community. In the two weeks following her death a dozen more lives were lost to the hands of police brutality nationwide.

As long as this keeps happening, Oakland will keep chanting, filling the streets, screaming, and crying for lost brothers and sisters.

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post: Week of November 5 – 11, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 5 – 11, 2025

Published

17 hours ago

November 7, 2025

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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Michael: The King of Pop’s Story Returns to the Big Screen

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making.

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film will arrive in theaters on April 24, 2026, with the singer’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stepping into the spotlight to portray his legendary uncle.

The trailer wastes no time rekindling the aura of Jackson’s genius. Opening with a studio scene between Jackson and his longtime producer Quincy Jones, played by Kendrick Sampson, the clip builds from a quiet, familiar rhythm to the electrifying pulse of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Viewers catch glimpses of the singer’s childhood, flashes of “Thriller,” and the silhouette that redefined pop culture. Each frame reminds fans of why Jackson remains unmatched in artistry and influence. The cast surrounding the late pop king’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, reads like a who’s who of Black entertainment and music history. Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, Nia Long portrays Katherine Jackson, and Larenz Tate takes on the role of Motown founder Berry Gordy. Laura Harrier portrays music executive Suzanne de Passe, while Kat Graham embodies Diana Ross. Miles Teller plays attorney John Branca, a towering entertainment lawyer and longtime Jackson confidant who later became co-executor of his estate. The film’s journey to release has been as complicated as the icon it portrays. Production wrapped in 2024, but legal hurdles over depictions of past controversies forced extensive reshoots and editing delays. Even so, Fuqua’s film now appears ready to reclaim the narrative, focusing on Jackson’s creative ambition and humanity beyond tabloid noise. IndieWire reported that the film had faced “a massive legal snafu” over a disputed storyline but was retooled to center the music and legacy that defined generations.

Maven. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson

“Michael” promises more than a chronological retelling. It aims to explore how a child star from Gary, Indiana, became the world’s most influential entertainer. The script, written by Oscar-nominated John Logan, traces Jackson’s early years with the Jackson 5 through the triumphs and isolation of global superstardom. With Fuqua’s cinematic eye and producer Graham King—who brought “Bohemian Rhapsody” to life—joining forces with estate executors Branca and John McClain, the film is positioned as both a tribute and a restoration of Jackson’s cultural truth. Branca’s work behind the scenes has long shaped Jackson’s posthumous success. After the singer died in 2009, Branca and McClain took control of the estate burdened by debt and turned it into a global powerhouse worth billions. Under their stewardship, Jackson’s projects have generated more than $3 billion in worldwide ticket sales and landmark deals, including a $600 million joint venture with Sony earlier this year. At its heart, though, “Michael” is a story about artistry that transcends scandal. It offers a reminder that, despite the noise surrounding his life, Jackson’s music still bridges continents and generations. The trailer’s closing moments capture that spirit. As the beat of “Billie Jean” swells and Jaafar Jackson moonwalks into a spotlight, audiences are left with a familiar feeling—the awe of witnessing something timeless return home.

“Michael” opens worldwide in theaters April 24, 2026. See the official trailer here.

Stacy M. Brown

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Donald Trump Is the Biggest Loser

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Published

2 days ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By April Ryan

The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives (AR-02), says, “Last night was electric, and it was unquestionably a wave.” Democrats won big in what is widely considered a repudiation of Trump’s 9 months at the White House in his second term.

In the state of Virginia, which produced the first big election night win and saw the election of the first woman governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, 56% of Virginia’s residents disapprove of President Trump. In New Jersey, 55% of state residents disapprove of the president; in New York, 69% disapprove; and in California, 63% disapprove of the president. The Trump brand or his support for any candidates did nothing to benefit those he endorsed in this election. They actually lost in each race he publicly put his name behind. Trump endorsed former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who lost the New York mayor’s race in his run as an independent. And New Jersey Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who ran for governor with the presidential endorsement, also lost his prospective race.

The next question is, will the democratic momentum be sustainable? Jones further explained, “This can become a 2026 tsunami, but turning a wave into a tsunami takes energy. A lot of energy. It doesn’t just happen. The conditions are there. Now we have to work!”

Some Democrats would argue that the work is already underway. The pushback against Trump’s national redistricting efforts received a thumb in the eye from California voters. Prop 50, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s counterbalance to President Trump’s redistricting efforts, passed in California last night. Although Trump’s name was not on the ballot last night, his Republican policies were. The United States has now entered the longest government shutdown in its history. Forty-two million Americans are not getting SNAP benefits. Economists are acknowledging that the government shutdown is contributing to the rise in delinquent debt in the student loan, automotive, and credit card industries. These items are among the negatives Americans are protesting against.

Compounding Trump’s political problems is a tariff battle that’s directly impacting pocketbooks. The day after the elections, the Trump administration was arguing before the US Supreme Court in favor of the president’s tariff powers. Meanwhile, President Trump‘s poll numbers are underwater, standing at a 37% national disapproval rate