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Rep. Barbara Lee Speaks at U.N. Commemoration of Abolition of Slavery, Transatlantic Slave Trade

Lee is one of few members of Congress to have delivered remarks on behalf of the United States at the General Assembly.

Published

4 years ago

April 4, 2022

Oakland Post

Rep. Barbara Lee at the U.N. general assembly on Tuesday morning.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations and Congressional Representative to the United Nations, delivered remarks Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly Plenary Meeting on the Commemoration of the Abolition of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Lee is one of few members of Congress to have delivered remarks on behalf of the United States at the General Assembly. A full video and transcript of her remarks can be found below.

Full remarks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5_jHrzj7Ec

“Good morning. Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Mr. Secretary General.

“Mr. President, I have the unique honor of addressing you on this important occasion as both a Member of Congress and one of this year’s United States Congressional Delegates to the United Nations General Assembly.

As we commemorate the abolition of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, let us reflect on the profound words of self-emancipated enslaved person, abolitionist, orator, global luminary, and diplomat, Frederick Douglass.

“Abolition of slavery,” he said, “had been the deepest desire and great labor of my life.” These words prompt our remembrance of the victims and descendants of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.

“The transatlantic slave trade forced millions of people from their homes, families, societies, and countries, and subjected them to exploitation and dehumanization, creating a global enterprise of unparalleled wealth for Western nations and fueling the global economy. Chattel slavery remains an immoral and indelible stain on the history of the United States, the Western hemisphere, and the collective chronicle of our inhumanity.

“We acknowledge the myriad atrocities of slavery, and continue to grapple with the racial, ethnic, gender, economic, social, and political hierarchies it created. And yes, we must honor the victims of slavery by dismantling its institutional remnants, such as racism, discrimination, economic inequity, marginalization, and systematic underdevelopment.

“The United States must address the multidimensional legacies of slavery through an unprecedented commitment to racial equity, justice, and inclusion within our borders and throughout our global affairs.

“We have demonstrated our commitment nationally through a government-wide approach to addressing systemic inequity. Today, the President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden, will sign the Emmett Till Antilynching Act of 2022, recently passed by the United States Congress.

“It has been over 120 years since Congress’ first attempt to criminalize the horrendous act of lynching and yes, today, it will be finally made a federal hate crime.

“Members of both House and Senate have supported legislation that acknowledges and address the remnants of our racialized past stemming from the institution of chattel slavery.

“Legislation like H. Con. Res. 19, urging the establishment of a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation; H.R. 40, a Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans; and H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act are all examples of how Congress is grappling with the need for systemic change and redress.

“And last year, President Biden signed into law, making Juneteenth – that’s June 19th – a national holiday. It was on this day in 1865, that Union soldiers arrived in Texas to announce that Black people were free. Now, this was two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This announcement was made in Galveston, Texas, which is the home of my grandfather and my great-grandmother.

“Now on the global stage, we championed the establishment of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and supported the International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement.

“And I, personally, fought for our participation in the movement to establish the beautiful Permanent Memorial Honoring the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade right here in a prominent spot at the United Nations. And I was honored to witness the establishment of the International Decade for People of African Descent.

“Despite these promising efforts, there is still so much work to do to achieve full equity in the United States and globally. And so, we must embrace this momentous occasion as a clarion and dynamic call to engage and to move forward.

“Thank you very much.”

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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

5 days 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.