Activism

Organizers Demand Justice for Jalani Lovett, Protest Violence Across California

Terry Lovett, Jalani’s mother, has been fighting for a proper investigation into her son’s death for four years. She has repeatedly reached out to Bonta, asking him to act since the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) refuses to investigate itself. Organizers say that, despite his campaign promises to step up investigation of in-custody deaths, Bonta has refused to take any action on Jalani Lovett’s case.

Published

6 months ago

August 25, 2025

Oakland Post

Outside Attorney General Rob Bonta's office, Kathryn Wade of Antioch, Malad Baldwin's mother, Jalani Lovett’s sister, Yvette Martin, Jalani Lovett’s mother, activist Terry Lovett, and an unnamed supporter protest violence across California and demand justice for Jalani Lovett. Photo courtesy of Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

On Aug. 19, families impacted by police violence and organizations from several cities across California rallied in front of the Attorney General’s offices to protest Rob Bonta’s failure to investigate the murder of Jalani Lovett.

Born and raised in Oakland, Lovett was arrested in 2019 and died in 2021 after being held in Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail.

He was in the custody of the notorious 3000 Boys sheriff’s gang, a group linked to the deaths of many other inmates. And while his body showed signs of severe physical trauma, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department labeled Lovett’s death as a drug overdose, although he no access to drugs while in solitary confinement.

Terry Lovett, along with a coalition of police-accountability organizations, families impacted by police violence, trade unions, and concerned community members that support her, organized the state-wide day of action. The organizers rallied in front of Bonta’s offices in San Diego and Los Angeles, and delivered a scroll of over 1,200 signatures of Californians who demand transparency to the office in downtown Oakland.

Lin, an organizer for Oakland Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (OAARPR), said the demands include that Bonta hold a meeting with Terry Lovett to discuss her findings from her own investigation into Jalani’s death, the removal of all security holds on Jalani’s records, and access to all reports and records involving Jalani’s death.

“Jail isn’t supposed to be a death sentence,” said Terry Lovett about her son. “Just because he was in jail doesn’t mean you had the right to take his life. You are still supposed to have rights in prison, and the Attorney General’s job is to protect those rights.”

She added that Californians can’t afford to ignore this violation of her son’s rights. “An injury to one is an injury to all.”

Lovett emphasized that this fight isn’t just about her son, but part of a broader fight against the terrible violence experienced by California prisoners. “California prisoners have the highest rate of in-custody deaths in the country, with a staggering 120 deaths listed as ‘unnatural causes’ in 2025 alone,” said Lovett. Anyone can end up in prison like her son, Lovett said, and that all Californians have reason to be worried about the issue. Jelani’s sister, Yvette Martin, was also present.

Terry Lovett is supported by ILWU Locals 10 and 34, OAARPR, Dignity & Power Now, The Racial Justice Coalition of San Diego, Open Police Archives and Oakland Jericho, and BART workers from the ATU Local 1555.

Many families that have lost a loved one to police violence from around the Bay Area attended the rally, including Kathryn Wade, and Denise Friday, among others.

Kathryn Wade, the mother of Malad Baldwin, who was beaten by law enforcement in Antioch, cried as she explained the harassment and beatings of her son at the hands of law enforcement. “We need justice for everyone” she said with her grandson, Sirlod, age 8. “My grandson has no father because of the racism and harassment in these systems. Justice for Jelani.”

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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

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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.