Community

President Dixon’s Vision for College of Alameda

Published

2 months ago

September 12, 2024

College of Alameda President Melanie Dixon

We seek to center community as the central tenet of our mission. Recognizing our role in creating access to educational opportunities and driving the economy is our geographic area. We have an obligation to communities historically and presently disproportionately impacted within and outside of the educational setting. Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) require greater attention from educational systems from primary through post-secondary. CoA is committed to anchoring our work in data, which informs priorities in educational offerings and support programming. Our data suggests we can no longer hold the “business as usual” mentality and the poverty, crime and housing insecurity rates in our service area would suggest the same.

With 58% of Peralta Community College District students taking classes at two or more colleges CoA is invested in serving all students irrespective of zip code. We’re strengthening our partnership with the Alameda Unified School District (AUSD), Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), and the charter and independent schools within our geographic area. Our focus with K-12 partners is expanding Dual Enrollment, which is intended to create access opportunities for black, brown and low-income communities. We’re also laser focused on industry partnerships to create career pathways for our students that lead to a promising or high wage career. Engaging the Alameda Chamber and the associated business community will be an ongoing activity in my role as the President. CoA knows, When We Collaborate, We Win for students, their families and community.

CoA is taking active steps to engage our most vulnerable students to fulfill our commitment to social and educational justice. Recently, CoA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sacramento State University to build a transfer pipeline to the Black Honors College, which is the first of its kind in the Nation. Our students deserve this access and transfer pathway is an area of focus for our institution. We were recently awarded a Rising Scholars Grant to support justice impacted youth through educational pathways that lead to career. Our interest is to disrupt the school to prison pipeline with the knowledge that men of color are underrepresented in higher education and overrepresented in prisons across the nation. We recently held a STEM Pilot – Summer Bridge Program, which was a partnership with Oakland Unified School District and CoA faculty, staff and leadership.

CoA will continue developing and refining programs to not only create access for disproportionately impacted students, but also nurturing their journey through completion. Below are some programs and serves available to our students:

Umoja Program – The Umoja Community gains meaning through its connection to the African Diaspora.
A2mend Chapter – African American Male Education Network Development
EOPS– Extended Opportunities Program & Services – For Low Income/First Generation Students
CalWorks – California Work Opportunities and Responsibility to Kids program
NextUp – Foster Youth Program
CARE – Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education Program
MESA -Math Engineering Science and Achievement – for first-generation, low-income, and under-represented college students.
SAS – Student Accessibility Services

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Activism

LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

Published

5 days ago

November 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.

STREAMED LIVE!
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Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

Published

1 week ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

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#NNPA BlackPress

OP-ED: The Illusion of Allyship. White Women, Your Yard Signs Mean Nothing to Me

NNPA NEWSWIRE – “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

Published

1 week ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

Political yard signs can symbolize intentions and allegiance. But this year, they’ve also symbolized betrayal. During this general election, Black women were led to believe that more White women would stand with us. Exit polls, however, told a different story. Despite overwhelming displays of support, more White women still chose to vote for the convicted felon, reality TV star, and rapist. White women answered the call but left us hanging at the polls.

A Familiar Disappointment

I live in DeKalb County, Georgia, and the abundance of Harris-Walz yard signs could’ve fooled me. But I’ve seen this before, back when Stacey Abrams ran for governor. White women showed up, put up signs, attended rallies, knocked on doors, and phone-banked. Yet, when it came time to vote, they let us down—not once but twice. I’ve been here for over 15 years, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that political signs are symbols without weight.

In every election, I’ve talked with White women. Most aren’t the primary earners in their families and vote along party lines, aligning with the preferences of their fathers and husbands. These conversations reveal a reluctance to break from tradition, even when their votes affect women and certainly when their votes impact the lives of people who look like me.

The Illusion of Solidarity—Symbols Are Not Enough

On social media, I’m seeing White women posting pictures of blue bracelets to “prove” they didn’t vote for Trump. “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

I’ve seen Black Lives Matter signs and black squares posted on Instagram to “prove” support for Black people, but we now know that was a lie, too. Will those same people who claimed Black lives mattered now take down their Harris-Walz signs and show their true selves?

Navigating these truths is a daily struggle for me—professionally and socially. White women often misuse their privilege, supporting us only when it’s convenient. Seeing overqualified Black women sabotaged or abandoned by White women at critical moments is a constant emotional challenge. It’s exhausting to live with this reality, especially when solidarity seems like something they pick up and discard at will.

One clever campaign ad from Harris-Walz that spoke directly to White women. “Your Vote, Your Choice” emphasized that their vote was private—independent of their household situation. Another was from Olivia Howell Dreizen, the “Vote Without Fear” campaign, which empowered women to consider the greater impact of their choices. But it seems many still couldn’t choose the roadmap to freedom—even when it was handed to them.

A Call for Action Beyond Words

White women, I want to believe you care, but actions speak louder than yard signs, bracelets, or Instagram posts. Show up in our communities, advocate in your workplaces, and stand up to dismantle the structures that uphold white supremacy. Only through real action will we know where you stand.

If you choose not to act, we see you—and we know exactly where you stand. Good luck these next four years.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.