Activism
S.F. Black Wallstreet Hosts Black Print Gala
The ‘Black Print’ Juneteenth Gala highlighted the success of S.F. Black entrepreneurs and small businesses. An upscale affair, community members showed up in their best couture and were serenaded by soul jazz saxophonist Shawn Raiford. During the program a fireside chat included former NBA player for the Warriors, Baron Davis.
![At the San Francisco Black Wall Street Foundation's Black Print gala at the SF Conservatory, Susan Brown, Willie Brown Foundation, podcaster Kimberly Caldwell, and Majeid Crawford of SF Bloc. Photo by Carla Thomas.](https://www.postnewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/sf-black-wall-street-featured-web.jpg)
By Carla Thomas
On Friday, June 14, the San Francisco Black Wall Street Foundation hosted their annual Black and Gold Gala at the San Francisco Conservatory at One Sansome St. in San Francisco.
The ‘Black Print’ Juneteenth Gala highlighted the success of S.F. Black entrepreneurs and small businesses. An upscale affair, community members showed up in their best couture and were serenaded by soul jazz saxophonist Shawn Raiford. During the program a fireside chat included former NBA player for the Warriors, Baron Davis.
Majeid Crawford, CEO of SF BLOC graciously hosted Susan Brown of the Willie Brown Foundation, podcaster Kim Caldwell, publicist Jackie Wright, and author Dr. Tyree L. Robinson at his organization’s table.
Guests dined on chicken, salmon and gourmet desserts. A performance by entertainer Joe led the audience to sing along to his greatest hits during a full-fledged video and light show.
Guests also had the opportunity to strike a pose behind a glass enclosure bearing VOGUE on it. Each photograph taken inside the enclosure resembled being on the front cover of an issue of Vogue magazine. The palatial setting also featured a high-end bar area and sitting area with DJ Shell Heart. The gala was catered by Tease Southern Kitchen.
Chassity Gantt, employed by Code Tenderloin, said she had a great time and reunited with mentors in her life. Robinson shared two new books he authored in 2023, and Jackie Wright shared her day with Mario Van Peebles at Channel 2 and Channel 7 on social media.
Crawford was happy to bring community advocates and leaders together in honor of deserving awardees and the great work of Black Wall Street.
SF Black Wall Street Foundation was established in 2021 to ensure that Black San Franciscans are fully represented and included in the city’s economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.
SF Black Wall Street provides advocacy, strategic partnerships, and culturally relevant programming to ensure Black San Franciscans receive investments, technical support, and access to sustainable opportunities.
The organization created the Black Millionaire Development Program with support from the Human Rights Commission, the Dream Keeper Initiative, and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development.
The Black Millionaire Development Program assists owners of start-ups and established micro-ventures with business planning, licensing, setting up systems and processes, and networking to increase the likelihood of success.
The program aims to increase the number of microbusinesses in the Black community, stabilize existing micro-businesses, connect business owners to service providers, increase networking and support among participating entrepreneurs, and increase the number of nontraditional business owners. Since launching, the BMDP’s mission has been to strengthen the Black entrepreneurial ecosystem in San Francisco one entrepreneur at a time.
“The Black Millionaire Development Program (BMDP)’s mission is to level the playing field for current and aspiring Black entrepreneurs by equipping them with the skills and knowledge to grow or
start their businesses.
“This Juneteenth, we are honoring the spirit of our ancestors by unapologetically reclaiming space, pursuing joy, investing in our healing, fighting for justice, and financial freedom,” said co-director Tinisch Hollins with co-director Gwen Brown.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of September 4 – 10, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 4 – 10, 2024
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Activism
Oakland Post: Week of August 28 – September 4, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of August 28 – September 4, 2024
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Activism
A New Coalition Says: ‘Respect Our Vote – No Recalls!’
Opposing the recalls of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price and labeling the efforts as a new form of voter suppression, the coalition, “Respect Our Vote – No Recalls!” kicked off its organizing efforts last Saturday, Aug. 17, with a mass, public meeting, attended by over 100 people in East Oakland at At Thy Word Ministries Church, 8915 International Blvd. in East Oakland.
![Jess Inson, Rev. B.K. Woodson, Sr., Stewart Chen, and Mariano Contreras answer questions at the kickoff meeting of “Respect Our Vote – No Recalls!,” Saturday, Aug. 17, at At Thy Word Ministries Church, 8915 International Blvd. in East Oakland. Photo by Ken Epstein.](https://www.postnewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/respect-our-vote-featured-web-1.jpg)
By Ken Epstein
A broad, diverse coalition has come together to mobilize local communities to vote against the recalls of two East Bay reform-minded leaders, who could potentially be thrown out of office in November after serving less than two years in office.
The recall effort is a result of multi-million-dollar campaigns that the coalition says are fueled by fearmongering with funding from a Piedmont financier and promoted by a public relations campaign in the corporate media.
Opposing the recalls of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price and labeling the efforts as a new form of voter suppression, the coalition, “Respect Our Vote – No Recalls!” kicked off its organizing efforts last Saturday, Aug. 17, with a mass, public meeting, attended by over 100 people in East Oakland at At Thy Word Ministries Church, 8915 International Blvd. in East Oakland.
Servant B.K. Woodson, Sr., pastor of the Bay Area Christian Connection in Oakland and chair of the coalition, links the surging national movement to reject the fearmongering and hateful agenda advocated by Donald Trump and the rightwing authoritarian proposals of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 to their own battle against the efforts to unseat progressive leaders in Oakland and Alameda County.
“This is a powerful moment, (and) across the nation you can feel it,” he said. “There’s joy, there’s hope, there’s expectation. We Oaklanders are at the center of the universe right now because the joy that’s bubbling up against the antipathy and the anger and the mindlessness, the battle for hope is being waged right here (against those) who profit by our poverty.”
“This is the inaugural event of ‘Respect Our Vote – No Recalls!’ because we want all people’s votes to be respected,” Pastor Woodson continued. “We are a diverse coalition, and we are open to more.”
The coalition already has the participation of the Wellstone and John George Democratic clubs, the Latino Task Force, and the Asian Americans for a Progressive Alameda, as well as active involvement of African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, whites, and others, he said.
“(Together), we want to expose what’s happening,” Woodson said. “The vehicle of recall (was intended to be) a people’s device against entrenched power (but) has been co-opted by billionaires,” who have funded these campaigns.
Those attending the meeting raised concerns about Foundational Oakland Unites, a political action committee that received $605,000 from Piedmont financier Philip Dreyfuss, which contributed $480,000 to back the Sheng Thao recall.
Dreyfuss also contributed to recall Price. A political action committee, Supporters of Recall Pamela Price, which Dreyfuss helped create, received about $400,000 to pay for signature-gathering, as well as a $200,000 loan.
Other speakers at the rally included Stewart Chen, president of the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council; Carmen Peng of Asian Americans for Progressive Alameda; Jess Inson, lead organizing fellow for Oakland Rising Action; Chaney Turner, chair of the City of Oakland’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission; and Mariano Contreras, member of the Latino Task Force and co-chair of the African American Latino Action Alliance.
Contreras said in past decades, voter suppression was mostly designed to keep African Americans, immigrants, and poor people from being able to vote.
“(But) now we’re seeing a new type of voter suppression, the denial of our vote after we cast it,” he said.
“The recall process was (originally) designed to ensure that elected officials would represent the interests of their constituents. But the recall process has been hijacked by shadowy, conservative money that finds defeated candidates (and others) who are willing to deny you and me our vote as we originally cast it,” he said.
“This is a new, dangerous voter suppression that exists right here in our city,” he said, adding that: “We are seeing the use of fear and misinformation to attract spokespeople to promote attacks and charges that are nothing more than smokescreens to roll back progressive alliances that have been built in our local government.”
Chen said that there has been a “false narrative” about rampant crime, which is a “bunch of baloney.”
There have long been problems with crime in Oakland, and the recalls against Price and Thao began shortly after they were elected and before they had a chance to do much, he said. “Unequivocally, the people who lost wanted their candidates to win. These are sour grapes.”
“This is undemocratic. We have to stand together, unite together,” Chen said. “That’s why I’m here.”
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