Bay Area

Probate Court Reform Organizations Gaining Political Support

Published

6 years ago

September 12, 2019

On Thursday, August 8th, Alameda County Advocates against Probate Court the neglect and abuse of the elderly and dependent adults, gathered at Board of Supervisor Nate Miley’s Castro Valley Office to discuss “next steps” on how to protect the county’s most vulnerable citizens, our aging population.

Nationwide, seniors are prisoners of County-appointed guardians taking total control over their lives and exploiting their wards for personal profit. Judges, conservators, guardians & attorneys are forcibly removing elderly wards from their homes, isolating them from their families and systematically emptying their bank accounts. Allegations of murder with psychotropic drugs and isolation tactics have emerged.

After viewing “The Guardians”, a film that graphically depicts abuse of elders and the disabled, County Supervisor Nat Miley, Berkeley City Councilman Ben Bartlett, Senator Bob Wieckowski and recently added Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf’s, Commission on Aging, Director Sylvia Stadmire, have come aboard to assist probate reform advocates .

Supervisor Miley held a meeting to discuss next steps regarding probate reform with Randy Morris, Social Services Director, Public Defender Brendon Wood’s representatives, Roger Spencer & Yousef Elias, District Attorney, Nancy O’Malley representatives, D.A. Sabrina Farrell & Jeff Israel, County Counsel, and Ms. Victoria Wu. Conspicuously missing was the Legal Assistant for Seniors agency which advocates point to as a major source of the abuse they have witnessed in Alameda County.

In February of 2019, Attorney Tom Coleman attended a meeting with Presiding Judge Wynne Carville to discuss the alleged reports of financial and psychological abuse by LAS. At that meeting Judge Carville advised Mr. Coleman, that Legal Assistant for Seniors would no longer work with Alameda County Courts, however LAS still conducts business within the court system. Agencies and advocates are uniting to understand why.

“It’s time for an “all-out campaign” to expose and bring attention to those who are not being responsible for the care of the elderly. Judges, conservators, attorneys, guardians are public servants required to take an oath to serve with honor and integrity. That is not occurring!” states Venus Gist, founder of Care4People Court and SHOUT OUT JUSTICE co-founded with advocate/reporter Tanya Dennis.

Linda Kincaid & Richard Calhoun, founders of CEDAR CA said, “Deputy DA Sabrina Farrell and Investigator Jeff Israel stated unequivocally that all cases submitted to the DA’s office were thoroughly investigated. They said they did not find any crimes in any of the cases although advocates have proof of perjury and fraud in multiple cases.” Alameda County advocates utilize the documentary film, The Guardians by filmmaker Billie Mentz, featured at 2018 Alameda Film Festival as a teaching aid.

The Guardians depicts a retirement community in Las Vegas, Nevada where the elderly are removed without cause from their homes with court orders because they have assets. The Guardians can be viewed on Netflix. “Unfortunately, what happened in The Guardians, is occurring in Alameda County and we want it stopped”, said advocate Venus Gist.

The Probate Court Reform Movement SHOUT OUT JUSTICE, Alameda County Care Alliance, CEDAR CA, Care4People Court, Ms. Cynthia Perrilliat, of Warren Publishing, and Ms. Antoinette Warren, Advocates for Seniors and members of Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland have their separate organizations, but they are joining together to create one voice to protect the Alameda County elderly community. Probate Court Reform Movement hold protests outside the Berkeley Probate Court every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Tanya Dennis

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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

1 week ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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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.