Activism

Richmond Promise Distributes Laptops to College-Bound Students

Funded via Richmond Promise’s Grant from the City of Richmond’s Department of Children & Youth, the organization handed out nearly 40 laptops provided by Oakland-based Tech Exchange, which in part provides free refurbished computers and digital literacy training to low-income families. Another, roughly, 15 laptops will be distributed to scholars soon.

Published

2 years ago

October 4, 2023

Oakland Post

Richmond Promise students receive computers in green bags from Tech Exchange. Photos courtesy Richmond Promise.

By Kathy Chouteau | Richmond Standard

Richmond Promise teamed up with Tech Exchange to host a laptop distribution event for college-bound scholars at the Richmond Main Public Library on Sat., Aug. 26.

College-bound scholars, who completed their Richmond Promise “Summer Bridge” onboarding, indicated an interest in receiving refurbished laptops for use in college.

Students receiving Pell Grant, Cal Grant B and the California Chafee Grant for Foster Youth also received priority in the laptop distribution process.

Emani Mason, a recent Kennedy High graduate, headed to UC Davis this fall, shared the distribution was “very exciting and helpful.”

“I was having a lot of trouble finding a computer that would help me in college and be affordable because I am a low-income student, so it was a matter of getting the right tools on the computer and the right price range,” said Mason.

Richmond Promise Executive Director, Chris Whitmore, emphasized that, “Providing access to technology is so important when we talk about empowering Richmond students to have success in college and beyond.” Whitmore expressed gratitude to Tech Exchange for helping the organization bridge the digital divide.

Richmond Promise is an organization that provides postsecondary access and success—and since its origins in 2016—has supported more than 3,300 young people from Richmond “to and through” higher education.

Currently, more than 1,500 scholars per year pursue their associate and bachelor degrees, and career technical education certifications nationwide supported by Richmond Promise scholarships.

The organization traces its roots to a $35 million, 10-year investment from Chevron Richmond, with the aim of building a culture of postsecondary access and success throughout the city.

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Activism

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

1 week 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.