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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.

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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.
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.

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.

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of February 19 – 25, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 19 – 25, 2025

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U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Lateefah Simon to Speak at Elihu Harris Lecture Series

The popular lecture series is co-produced by the Oakland-based Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Peralta Community College District. Jeffries’ appearance marks the 32nd lecture of the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, which has provided thousands of individuals with accessible, free, high-quality information.

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U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (left) and Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) (Right).
U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (left) and Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) (Right).

By Scott Horton

United States House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8) will be a speaker at the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series on Friday, Feb. 21.

The event will be held at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, 10 Tenth Street in Oakland, at 7 p.m.

The popular lecture series is co-produced by the Oakland-based Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Peralta Community College District. Jeffries’ appearance marks the 32nd lecture of the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, which has provided thousands of individuals with accessible, free, high-quality information.

The overarching goal of the lecture series is to provide speakers from diverse backgrounds a platform to offer their answers to Dr. King’s urgent question, which is also the title of Jeffries’ latest book: “Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community?”

In addition to Jeffries, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) will also speak.

“Certainly, now is a time for humanity, in general, and Americans in particular to honestly and genuinely answer Dr. King’s question,” said Dr. Roy D. Wilson, Executive Director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Executive Producer of the lecture series.

“Dr. King teaches that time is neutral but not static. Like the water in a river, it arrives and then quickly moves on,” continued Wilson. “We must urgently create conditions for listening to many different answers to this vital question, and generate the development of unity of action among all those who struggle for a stronger democracy.”

In his book, Jeffries shares his experience of being unanimously elected by his colleagues as the first African American in history to ever hold the position of House Minority Leader.

In January 2023 in Washington, Jeffries made his first official speech as House Minority Leader. He affirmed Democratic values one letter of the alphabet at a time. His words and how he framed them as the alphabet caught the attention of Americans, and the speech was later turned into a book, The ABCs of Democracy, bringing Congressman Jeffries rousing speech to vivid, colorful life, including illustrations by Shaniya Carrington. The speech and book are inspiring and urgent as a timeless reminder of what it means to be a country with equal opportunities for all. Jeffries paints a road map for a brighter American future and warns of the perils of taking a different path.

Before his colleagues unanimously elected him Minority Leader in 2022, Jeffries previously served as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as an Impeachment Manager during the first Senate trial of the 45th President of the United States.

Jeffries was born in Brooklyn Hospital, raised in Crown Heights, grew up in the Cornerstone Baptist Church and he is a product of New York City’s public school system, graduating from Midwood High School. Jefferies went on to Binghamton University (BA), Georgetown University (master’s in public policy) and New York University (JD).

He served in the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012.

Admission is free for the Feb. 21 Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series featuring Congressman Jeffries. Please reserve seats by calling the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center at (510) 434-3988.

Signed copies of his book will be available for purchase at the event.

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Activism

Actor, Philanthropist Blair Underwood Visits Bay Area, Kicks Off Literacy Program in ‘New Oakland’ Initiative

These community activations were coordinated with the San Francisco-based non-profit program “Room to Read.” Ray said he is also donating his time to read and take pictures with students to encourage their engagement and to inspire them to read more. The inspirational book “Clifford Ray Saves the Day” highlights Clifford Ray’s true story of saving a dolphin.

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Blair Underwood (left) and Barbara Lee (right). Courtesy photo.
Blair Underwood (left) and Barbara Lee (right). Courtesy photo.

By Paul Cobb
New Oakland Series
Opinion Part 3

The Post mentioned three weeks ago that a number of our local luminaries were coming together to support the “New Oakland” movement. As this current national administration continues to eliminate our “legacy” institutional policies and programs left and right, most communities find themselves beyond “frozen” in fear.

Well, esteemed actor, long-time Bay Area supporter, and philanthropist Blair Underwood returned to Oakland this week to speak with city leaders, community trust agents, students, the Oakland Post, and local celebrities alike to continue his “New Oakland” initiative.

This week, he kicked off his “Guess Who’s Coming to Read” literacy program in some of Oakland’s middle schools. Clifford Ray, who played the center position of the 1975 World Champion Golden State Warriors, donated close to 1,000 books. Ray’s fellow teammate Charles “The Hopper” Dudley also gave Converse sneakers to students.

These community activations were coordinated with the San Francisco-based non-profit program “Room to Read.” Ray said he is also donating his time to read and take pictures with students to encourage their engagement and to inspire them to read more. The inspirational book “Clifford Ray Saves the Day” highlights Clifford Ray’s true story of saving a dolphin.

Underwood also spent quality time with the Oakland Ballers ownership group and visited the amazing Raimondi Park West Oakland community revitalization site. In the 1996 TV film Soul of the Game, Underwood played the role of the legendary first Black Major League Baseball player Jackie Robinson and commended the Ballers owners.

“This group of sports enthusiasts/ philanthropists needs to be applauded for their human capital investment and their financial capital investment,” Underwood said. “Truly putting their money and passion to work,” Underwood said.

Underwood was also inspired by mayoral candidate Barbara Lee’s open-minded invitation to bring public-private partnership opportunities to Oakland.

Underwood said he wants to “reinforce the importance of ‘collaborative activism’ among those most marginalized by non-empathic leadership. We must ‘act out’ our discomfort with passionate intentions to create healthy change.”

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