Activism

OPINION: Black and Asians Are United No Matter What the New York Times Says

Blacks and Asians may not have done anything at the level or speed as the Times expected to happen over the past year. But it doesn’t mean “nothing” is happening. Communities around the country, Black and Asian, are working together because we all want the same thing– a sense of peace and safety where we live and work.

Published

4 years ago

January 5, 2022

Oakland Post

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. Listen to his show on Facebook on EmilGuillermo.Media. Or on www.amok.com.

By Emil Guillermo

On CNN, Lisa Ling showcased one group in Oakland where Black youth are working with other young Asian Americans to provide escort services for elderly Asians. It’s no big deal, unless you’re among the elderly, scared by what is happening in our neighborhoods.

It’s an example of the grassroots efforts that show a real unity among Blacks and Asians. And it defies what you may have read in the New York Times.

Recently, that paper published the article “In Fight Against Violence, Asian And Black Activists Struggle to Agree,” subtitled, “Calls for unity have ebbed over disagreement on one main issue: policing.”

Really?

Since there is no central Black/Asian forum nationally, enterprising reporters are left to do a kind of journalism that on the surface seems legit, but all it does is put a fine point on nothing.

It’s done this way. Come up with a hypothesis. Talk to a selected group of historians, activists, commentators, which of course, shows the bias of the reporter. Present the group’s individual opinions — note I said opinion, not facts — and let all that become the driver of the hypothesis.

Present what you have with the sharpest point possible. Voila, a news story.

Was the Times truthful? Partially, but it also magnified its view into something larger than it is.

And a sense of justice when we are done wrong. Ask Angelo Quinto’s family.

Last Christmas, Quinto, a 30-year-old Filipino American Navy veteran from Antioch was having a “mental episode” when his family called the police seeking assistance. Quinto was cuffed and held face to the ground.

Sound familiar? It was the “George Floyd” police move, and Quinto was under the knee of an Antioch cop. Quinto lost consciousness, then died later at a hospital. Was that good policing?

The police have denied doing anything wrong and have escaped any responsibility so far. But Quinto’s family is seeking a wrongful death suit against the City of Antioch.

The family called the police for help, not for them to kill their family member. The family has hired John Burris, the noted Oakland civil rights attorney.

Blacks and Asians are working together.

Recently, there has been a rash of crimes committed by Blacks on Asians, notably in San Jose, Calif. But when these crimes happen, they don’t generally reflect the sentiments of communities, just the criminals. You can’t use that to fan the narrative of “communities at war.”

In a Twitter thread, here’s the reaction of the group #StopAAPIHate, which has monitored crimes against Asians during the pandemic.

“By focusing on the divide between AAPIs and Black communities over policing, this [New York Times] article adds to an all-too common and often exaggerated narrative of tensions between AAPIs and other communities of color,” the group tweeted.

“According to our recent survey, AAPIs believe the top three solutions to anti-AAPI hate are actually education, community-based initiatives and civil rights enforcement,” the thread added.

Policing is an issue, sure. But not as significant a divide among us as the Times makes it sound.

It’s different from the hot rhetoric of the mainstream that stumbles over the word “defunding” as if it means abolition of police, vs. “retraining,” or the “reallocating of resources,” which actually helps people get what they need when they call police.

Here’s the question that must be asked: Why do police so often become the “bad guys”?

It’s an issue we must pursue in 2022. Together.

But don’t be mistaken: Black and Asian communities are working together. We want the same thing — a sense of peace and safety where we live and work. And a sense of justice when we are done wrong.

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. Listen to his show on Facebook on EmilGuillermo.Media. Or on www.amok.com

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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

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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.