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Recognizing Peralta Colleges as Black-Serving Institutions: A Call to Action for SB 1348

As Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District, I am excited to endorse California Senate Bill SB 1348, which proposes a state-level designation for Black-Serving Institutions of Higher Education. This bill is a critical step toward recognizing and supporting the significant role that institutions like ours play in serving Black students and fostering their success.

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Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson
Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson

As Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District, I am excited to endorse California Senate Bill SB 1348, which proposes a state-level designation for Black-Serving Institutions of Higher Education. This bill is a critical step toward recognizing and supporting the significant role that institutions like ours play in serving Black students and fostering their success.

Our incredibly diverse district in the East Bay includes Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College. Over 30% of our students identify as Latinx, and all four colleges are either designated as Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) or are on the path to that designation. 20.8% identify as Asian American or Pacific Islander, again with our colleges designated as Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) or on that path. The HSI and AANAPISI designations and resulting grants allow our colleges to support these historically marginalized communities with programs tailored specifically for these student cohorts.

Frustratingly, there is no such designation for Black-Serving Institutions. And there should be. Research shows Black students face unique challenges in their educational journey. They are more likely to delay attending college after high school, more likely to attend college part-time, less likely to earn a degree, and more likely to take on a more significant amount of student debt than other student groups.  Collectively, 19.1% of students at the Peralta Colleges identify as Black, surpassing the 10% enrollment threshold required by SB 1348. This statistic is not just a number; it reflects our ongoing need for creating and sustaining educational environments where Black students can excel.

Merritt College, in particular, holds a significant place in this narrative. It was here, nearly 60 years ago, that the Black Panther Party was founded, a pivotal moment in the history of social justice and equity movements. Our commitment to these values continues to be a cornerstone of our mission. Our specialized programs, such as Umoja and Sankofa, are a testament to this commitment. They are designed to provide tailored resources and a nurturing academic environment for Black students, echoing the spirit of the Black Panther Party’s founding.

SB 1348 is more than a legislative measure; it acknowledges the vital contributions of institutions that serve Black students with excellence. By recognizing the Peralta Colleges as Black-Serving Institutions, we can better align state resources with our efforts to support and uplift our students. This designation will validate our colleges’ hard work and enhance our ability to provide targeted support and opportunities. Our community has a rich history from the founding of the Black Panther Party to the appointment of California’s first Black chancellor in a multi-college district (Dr. Donald Godbold, hired in 1980). However, there is more work to be done to fulfill our mission of advancing social and economic transformation for Black students in the Bay Area. We encourage policymakers and stakeholders to take an active role in supporting SB 1348. This bill is not just a legislative measure; it’s a beacon of hope. It is an opportunity for each of us to reaffirm our commitment to Black excellence and equity in education and to ensure that institutions like Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College continue to flourish and support the Black students who are integral to our communities and our future.

Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson

Chancellor, Peralta Community College District

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of February 19 – 25, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 19 – 25, 2025

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Activism

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Lateefah Simon to Speak at Elihu Harris Lecture Series

The popular lecture series is co-produced by the Oakland-based Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Peralta Community College District. Jeffries’ appearance marks the 32nd lecture of the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, which has provided thousands of individuals with accessible, free, high-quality information.

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U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (left) and Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) (Right).
U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (left) and Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) (Right).

By Scott Horton

United States House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8) will be a speaker at the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series on Friday, Feb. 21.

The event will be held at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, 10 Tenth Street in Oakland, at 7 p.m.

The popular lecture series is co-produced by the Oakland-based Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Peralta Community College District. Jeffries’ appearance marks the 32nd lecture of the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, which has provided thousands of individuals with accessible, free, high-quality information.

The overarching goal of the lecture series is to provide speakers from diverse backgrounds a platform to offer their answers to Dr. King’s urgent question, which is also the title of Jeffries’ latest book: “Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community?”

In addition to Jeffries, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) will also speak.

“Certainly, now is a time for humanity, in general, and Americans in particular to honestly and genuinely answer Dr. King’s question,” said Dr. Roy D. Wilson, Executive Director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Executive Producer of the lecture series.

“Dr. King teaches that time is neutral but not static. Like the water in a river, it arrives and then quickly moves on,” continued Wilson. “We must urgently create conditions for listening to many different answers to this vital question, and generate the development of unity of action among all those who struggle for a stronger democracy.”

In his book, Jeffries shares his experience of being unanimously elected by his colleagues as the first African American in history to ever hold the position of House Minority Leader.

In January 2023 in Washington, Jeffries made his first official speech as House Minority Leader. He affirmed Democratic values one letter of the alphabet at a time. His words and how he framed them as the alphabet caught the attention of Americans, and the speech was later turned into a book, The ABCs of Democracy, bringing Congressman Jeffries rousing speech to vivid, colorful life, including illustrations by Shaniya Carrington. The speech and book are inspiring and urgent as a timeless reminder of what it means to be a country with equal opportunities for all. Jeffries paints a road map for a brighter American future and warns of the perils of taking a different path.

Before his colleagues unanimously elected him Minority Leader in 2022, Jeffries previously served as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as an Impeachment Manager during the first Senate trial of the 45th President of the United States.

Jeffries was born in Brooklyn Hospital, raised in Crown Heights, grew up in the Cornerstone Baptist Church and he is a product of New York City’s public school system, graduating from Midwood High School. Jefferies went on to Binghamton University (BA), Georgetown University (master’s in public policy) and New York University (JD).

He served in the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012.

Admission is free for the Feb. 21 Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series featuring Congressman Jeffries. Please reserve seats by calling the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center at (510) 434-3988.

Signed copies of his book will be available for purchase at the event.

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Alameda County

After Years of Working Remotely, Oakland Requires All City Employees to Return to Office by April 7

City Administrator Jestin Johnson recently told city unions that he is ending Oakland’s telecommuting program. The new policy will require employees to come to work at least four days a week. These new regulations go into effect on Feb. 18 for non-union department heads, assistant and deputy directors, managers, and supervisors. All other employees must be back at work by April 7.

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Oakland City Hall. File photo.
Oakland City Hall. File photo.

By Post Staff

The City Oakland is requiring all employees to return to the office, thereby ending the telecommuting policy established during the pandemic that has left some City Hall departments understaffed.

City Administrator Jestin Johnson recently told city unions that he is ending Oakland’s telecommuting program. The new policy will require employees to come to work at least four days a week.

These new regulations go into effect on Feb. 18 for non-union department heads, assistant and deputy directors, managers, and supervisors. All other employees must be back at work by April 7.

The administration may still grant the right to work remotely on a case-by-case basis.

In his memo to city unions, Johnson said former President Joe Biden had declared an end to the pandemic in September 2022, and that since then, “We have collectively moved into newer, safer health conditions.”

Johnson said “multiple departments” already have all their staff back in the office or workplace.

The City’s COVID-era policy, enacted in September 2021, was designed to reduce the spread of the debilitating and potentially fatal virus.

Many cities and companies across the country are now ending their pandemic-related remote work policies. Locally, mayoral candidate Loren Taylor in a press conference made the policy a central issue in his campaign for mayor.

City Hall reopened for in-person meetings two years ago, and the city’s decision to end remote work occurred before Taylor’s press conference.

At an endorsement meeting last Saturday of the John George Democratic Club, mayoral candidate Barbara Lee said she agreed that city workers should return to the job.

At the same time, she said, the city should allow employees time to readjust their lives, which were disrupted by the pandemic, and should recognize individual needs, taking care to maintain staff morale.

The John George club endorsed Lee for Mayor and Charlene Wang for City Council representative for District 2. The club also voted to take no position on the sales tax measure that will be on the April 15 ballot.

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