Activism

Richmond Resident’s Nonprofit Honors African American Contributions

When A.J. Jelani was growing up in project housing in San Francisco, his family couldn’t afford Christmas gifts, so his sister found an old toy gun, rubbed Vaseline on it to make it shiny and new, and made it a gift from Santa. Jelani said he showed off the gift to his friends, but added, “I never want any child to feel the way I did.”

Published

1 year ago

January 24, 2024

Oakland Post

A.J. Jelani. Courtesy photo.

By Mike Kinney

Jelani said he showed off the gift to his friends, but added, “I never want any child to feel the way I did.”

Today, Jelani is a Richmond resident who serves as president of the Belding-Woods Neighborhood Council and his highly active in the community. He’s known for mentoring neighborhood children and organizing memorable Christmas giveaways and block parties for hundreds more.

One of his more recent contributions is the nonprofit organization A.J./Sealcraft, which honors African American individuals, organizations, groups, and businesses who contributed to empowering fellow African Americans to improve their communities, much like Jelani has done.

Recipients of the award have included Michelle Milam, the City of Richmond’s highly active Crime Prevention manager, as well as Lt. Ernest Loucas for their community service.

The Belding-Woods Neighborhood Council votes each September on who will be honored for the annual award. Nominations are based on outstanding community service to the Belding-Woods neighborhood, Richmond, or West County.

Jelani said God guided him to design the seal, an image he copyrighted in August 2013.

A.J./Sealcraft recognizes and honors the wide variety of contributions by African Americans, to ensure that their history is both told and recognized, Jelani said.

The organization’s seal is an expression of faith, culture, history, and hope. The drawing places the African continent inside of the U.S.

“I was inspired by the plight of the enslaved African people and the continued present-day loss of history and contributions to America,” he said.

Jelani noted how African Americans helped build many of the important structures in the Bay Area, such as BART and Downtown Napa. He would know, as he was a union member and survey engineer working on those projects.

“We helped build this country,” he said, referring to the Africans brought here as slaves. “The new movement is to respect yourself and your people and be proud of who you are.”

Interested in nominating someone for the A.J. Sealcraft organization or contributing to the nonprofit? Contact Jelani at (510) 932-2072 (leave a message) or email sealoftheafricanamerican@gmail.com.

“We give awards to those who truly try and make this world a better place to live for all,” he said.

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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.