City Government

Richmond Promise ‘Scholar Celebration’ Coming to Civic Center Plaza

Nearly 500 student dreams for the future will become a higher education reality when the Richmond Promise celebrates its annual ‘Scholar Celebration’ on Saturday, Aug. 3 from 1-4 p.m. at Richmond’s Civic Center Plaza. The Scholar Celebration presents an opportunity for the organization to usher in its newest class of approximately 500 college-bound scholars, in an event that’s free for the community to join. The celebration, which will feature a college quad-style vibe, will have games, food trucks, community resources and booths with local colleges and universities.

Published

11 months ago

July 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Photo courtesy of Gerry Serrano.

By Kathy Chouteau

The Richmond Standard

The Scholar Celebration presents an opportunity for the organization to usher in its newest class of approximately 500 college-bound scholars, in an event that’s free for the community to join. The celebration, which will feature a college quad-style vibe, will have games, food trucks, community resources and booths with local colleges and universities.

Christopher Whitmore, Richmond Promise’s executive director, said the organization looks forward to the Scholar Celebration every year “because it gives us a chance to celebrate our newest class of Richmond Promise scholars with the entire Richmond community.” He said the event offers a great reminder that working towards postsecondary success remains a priority for Richmond students and families.

Richmond Promise launched in 2016 via a $35 million, 10-year investment by Chevron Richmond. The funds are part of a $90 million community benefits agreement between the City of Richmond and Chevron related to the $1 billion Refinery Modernization Project.

The organization’s scholars are supported through a $1,500 college scholarship that’s renewable for up to four years, as well as essential wraparound services.

To date, Richmond Promise has supported more than 3,300 young people from Richmond as they progress “to and through” higher education. Currently, more than 1,300 scholars are working toward their associate’s and bachelor’s degrees at approximately 200 colleges and universities nationwide while being served by the organization. Among these students are others pursuing career technical education certifications.

The organization said that most of its scholars identify as people of color, first-generation college students and those from low-income backgrounds.

Those wishing to sponsor Richmond Promise’s Scholar Celebration can contact Christopher Whitmore at cwhitmore@richmondpromise.org. For more info regarding the scholarship, click here. Richmond’s Civic Center Plaza can be found at 2569 Nevin Ave. in Richmond.

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Oakland Post: Week of June 4 – 10, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 4-10, 2025

Published

4 days ago

June 7, 2025

Oakland Post

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Remembering George Floyd

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing.

Published

1 week ago

June 2, 2025

Oakland Post

Mural showing the portrait of George Floyd in Mauerpark in Berlin. To the left of the portrait the lettering "I can't Breathe" was added, on the right side the three hashtags #GeorgeFloyd, #Icantbreathe and #Sayhisname. The mural was completed by Eme Street Art (facebook name) / Eme Free Thinker (signature) on 29 May 2020. (Wikimedia Commons)

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA Newswire

“The president’s been very clear he has no intentions of pardoning Derek Chauvin, and it’s not a request that we’re looking at,” confirms a senior staffer at the Trump White House. That White House response results from public hope, including from a close Trump ally, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The timing of Greene’s hopes coincides with the Justice Department’s recent decision to end oversight of local police accused of abuse. It also falls on the fifth anniversary of the police-involved death of George Floyd on May 25th. The death sparked national and worldwide outrage and became a transitional moment politically and culturally, although the outcry for laws on police accountability failed.

The death forced then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to focus on deadly police force and accountability. His efforts while president to pass the George Floyd Justice in policing act failed. The death of George Floyd also put a spotlight on the Black community, forcing then-candidate Biden to choose a Black woman running mate. Kamala Harris ultimately became vice president of the United States alongside Joe Biden. Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison prosecuted the cases against the officers involved in the death of Floyd. He remembers,” Trump was in office when George Floyd was killed, and I would blame Trump for creating a negative environment for police-community relations. Remember, it was him who said when the looting starts, the shooting starts, it was him who got rid of all the consent decrees that were in place by the Obama administration.”

In 2025, Police-involved civilian deaths are up by “about 100 to about 11 hundred,” according to Ellison. Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African-American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing. During those minutes on the ground, Floyd cried out for his late mother several times. Police subdued Floyd for an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.