Bay Area
Proclamation Recognizing February 2023 as Black History Month
WHEREAS, through courage, perseverance, faith, and resolve against incredible prejudice and hardships, Black Americans have positively influenced, enriched, and advanced every aspect of American life; and the continuing fight for civil rights, equality, and respect motivates every American to strive for a more promising, peaceful, and just future.

From Vallejo Weekly
By cityofvallejo
WHEREAS, through courage, perseverance, faith, and resolve against incredible prejudice and hardships, Black Americans have positively influenced, enriched, and advanced every aspect of American life; and the continuing fight for civil rights, equality, and respect motivates every American to strive for a more promising, peaceful, and just future; and
WHEREAS, during Black History Month, we honor the extraordinary contributions made by Blacks throughout the history of our Nation including the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, and the current Vice-President of the United States, Kamala Harris, and we renew our commitment to liberty and justice for all by supporting freedom, diversity, equity, and inclusion; and
WHEREAS, the 2023 theme is Black Resistance.
Since arriving on these shores, Blacks have resisted historic and ongoing oppression in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms, and police killings. The resistance has been to advocate for a dignified self-determined life in a just democratic society in the United States and beyond. The 1950s and 1970s in the United States were defined by actions such as sit-ins, boycotts, walk outs, strikes by Black people and white allies in the fight for justice against discrimination in all segments of society from employment to education to housing. Black people have had to consistently push the United States to live up to its ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all. Systematic oppression has sought to negate much of the dreams of the griots, like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston and the freedom fighters, like Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman, Marcus Garvey, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Huey P. Newton, and Fannie Lou Hamer fought to realize. Black people have sought ways to nurture and protect Black lives, and for autonomy of their physical and intellectual bodies through armed resistance, voluntary emigration, nonviolence, education, literature, sports, media, politics, and legislation*; and
WHEREAS, the City of Vallejo has benefited from the contributions of African Americans who settled in Vallejo from the early 1800’s to present including Alfred Coffey, Johnnie M. Thomas, Alonzo Gholikely, James Owens, Alvin Logan, Sam Brown, Charles A. Toney, James Williams, Charles McGree, Collia Scruggs, Reverend C.H. Toney, Ellsworth Courtney,
Haskell Forte, Bernice McGriff, Sargent Johnson, Walter Freeman, Ernest Gains, B.W. Williams, Dick Bass, Grace Logan Patterson, Jesse M. Bethel, Philmore Graham, Lewis Brown Sr. , Bernard Tyson, Jimmie Jackson, Foster Hicks, Osby Davis, Earl Stevens, C.C. Sabathia, H.E.R. (Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson), and numerous others; and
WHEREAS, This month, we celebrate the cultural heritage, diverse contributions, and resilient spirit of African Americans; and we commend the heroes, pioneers, and common Americans who tirelessly fought for and firmly believed in the promise of racial equality granted by our Creator, enshrined in our Constitution, and enacted into our laws, so let us pledge to continue to stand against the evils of bigotry, intolerance, and hatred so that we may continue in our pursuit of a more perfect America.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT PROCLAIMED that I, Robert H. McConnell, Mayor of the City of Vallejo, and the Vallejo City Council, hereby proclaim February 2023 as Black History Month, and we call upon public officials, educators, and everyone to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities; and we urge all organizations to embrace the spirit of Black History Month yearround by supporting and practicing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
* https://asalh.org/black-history-themes/
Dated: February 14, 2023
ROBERT H. McCONNELL, MAYOR
Vice Mayor Rozzana Verder-Aliga
EdD, District 1
Councilmember Tina Arriola District 6
Councilmember Peter Bregenzer District 5
Councilmember Mina Loera- Diaz District 3
Councilmember Diosdado “JR” Matulac District 2
Councilmember Charles Palmares District 4
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

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Activism
Juneteenth: Celebrating Our History, Honoring Our Shared Spaces
It’s been empowering to watch Juneteenth blossom into a widely celebrated holiday, filled with vibrant outdoor events like cookouts, festivals, parades, and more. It’s inspiring to see the community embrace our history—showing up in droves to celebrate freedom, a freedom delayed for some enslaved Americans more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

By Wayne Wilson, Public Affairs Campaign Manager, Caltrans
Juneteenth marks an important moment in our shared history—a time to reflect on the legacy of our ancestors who, even in the face of injustice, chose freedom, unity, and community over fear, anger, and hopelessness. We honor their resilience and the paths they paved so future generations can continue to walk with pride.
It’s been empowering to watch Juneteenth blossom into a widely celebrated holiday, filled with vibrant outdoor events like cookouts, festivals, parades, and more. It’s inspiring to see the community embrace our history—showing up in droves to celebrate freedom, a freedom delayed for some enslaved Americans more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
As we head into the weekend full of festivities and summer celebrations, I want to offer a friendly reminder about who is not invited to the cookout: litter.
At Clean California, we believe the places where we gather—parks, parade routes, street corners, and church lots—should reflect the pride and beauty of the people who fill them. Our mission is to restore and beautify public spaces, transforming areas impacted by trash and neglect into spaces that reflect the strength and spirit of the communities who use them.
Too often, after the music fades and the grills cool, our public spaces are left littered with trash. Just as our ancestors took pride in their communities, we honor their legacy when we clean up after ourselves, teach our children to do the same, and care for our shared spaces.
Small acts can inspire big change. Since 2021, Clean California and its partners have collected and removed over 2.9 million cubic yards of litter. We did this by partnering with local nonprofits and community organizations to organize grassroots cleanup events and beautification projects across California.
Now, we invite all California communities to continue the incredible momentum and take the pledge toward building a cleaner community through our Clean California Community Designation Program. This recognizes cities and neighborhoods committed to long-term cleanliness and civic pride.
This Juneteenth, let’s not only celebrate our history—but also contribute to its legacy. By picking up after ourselves and by leaving no litter behind after celebrations, we have an opportunity to honor our past and shape a cleaner, safer, more vibrant future.
Visit CleanCA.com to learn more about Clean California.
Activism
OPINION: California’s Legislature Has the Wrong Prescription for the Affordability Crisis — Gov. Newsom’s Plan Hits the Mark
Last month, Gov. Newsom included measures in his budget that would encourage greater transparency, accountability, and affordability across the prescription drug supply chain. His plan would deliver real relief to struggling Californians. It would also help expose the hidden markups and practices by big drug companies that push the prices of prescription drugs higher and higher. The legislature should follow the Governor’s lead and embrace sensible, fair regulations that will not raise the cost of medications.

By Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook
As a pastor and East Bay resident, I see firsthand how my community struggles with the rising cost of everyday living. A fellow pastor in Oakland recently told me he cuts his pills in half to make them last longer because of the crushing costs of drugs.
Meanwhile, community members are contending with skyrocketing grocery prices and a lack of affordable healthcare options, while businesses are being forced to close their doors.
Our community is hurting. Things have to change.
The most pressing issue that demands our leaders’ attention is rising healthcare costs, and particularly the rising cost of medications. Annual prescription drug costs in California have spiked by nearly 50% since 2018, from $9.1 billion to $13.6 billion.
Last month, Gov. Newsom included measures in his budget that would encourage greater transparency, accountability, and affordability across the prescription drug supply chain. His plan would deliver real relief to struggling Californians. It would also help expose the hidden markups and practices by big drug companies that push the prices of prescription drugs higher and higher. The legislature should follow the Governor’s lead and embrace sensible, fair regulations that will not raise the cost of medications.
Some lawmakers, however, have advanced legislation that would drive up healthcare costs and set communities like mine back further.
I’m particularly concerned with Senate Bill (SB) 41, sponsored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), a carbon copy of a 2024 bill that I strongly opposed and Gov. Newsom rightly vetoed. This bill would impose significant healthcare costs on patients, small businesses, and working families, while allowing big drug companies to increase their profits.
SB 41 would impose a new $10.05 pharmacy fee for every prescription filled in California. This new fee, which would apply to millions of Californians, is roughly five times higher than the current average of $2.
For example, a Bay Area family with five monthly prescriptions would be forced to shoulder about $500 more in annual health costs. If a small business covers 25 employees, each with four prescription fills per month (the national average), that would add nearly $10,000 per year in health care costs.
This bill would also restrict how health plan sponsors — like employers, unions, state plans, Medicare, and Medicaid — partner with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to negotiate against big drug companies and deliver the lowest possible costs for employees and members. By mandating a flat fee for pharmacy benefit services, this misguided legislation would undercut your health plan’s ability to drive down costs while handing more profits to pharmaceutical manufacturers.
This bill would also endanger patients by eliminating safety requirements for pharmacies that dispense complex and costly specialty medications. Additionally, it would restrict home delivery for prescriptions, a convenient and affordable service that many families rely on.
Instead of repeating the same tired plan laid out in the big pharma-backed playbook, lawmakers should embrace Newsom’s transparency-first approach and prioritize our communities.
Let’s urge our state legislators to reject policies like SB 41 that would make a difficult situation even worse for communities like ours.
About the Author
Rev. Dr. VanHook is the founder and pastor of The Community Church in Oakland and the founder of The Charis House, a re-entry facility for men recovering from alcohol and drug abuse.
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