Activism
Schaaf Seeks to Start $500 Million in Construction to Back Howard Terminal Real Estate Deal
How this spending was prioritized remains unclear, since community input was promised but bypassed. The name itself is somewhat misleading. The word “TOWN” in Town for All” stands for “Transforming Oakland’s Waterfront Neighborhoods,” but City staff makes no mention of it in its reports of Howard Terminal or the stadium.

‘The federal and state money they are using are tax dollars, and that money should be spent on our neighborhoods,’ says Councilmember Noel Gallo
By Ken Epstein
Mayor Libby Schaaf’s administration is seeking to create a nearly $450 million fund, called “TOWN for All,” to pour public resources into upgrading areas around the Port of Oakland’s Howard Terminal, transforming what is now an industrial landscape into one that would be suitable and safe for affluent residents, retail customers and baseball fans who are expected to come to billionaire John Fisher’s stadium, high-end condominiums and retail complex.
By comparison with the almost $450 million, the entire budget of the Oakland Unified School District last year was $705 million.
To begin implementing the infrastructure project, a resolution is on next Tuesday’s (March 1) City Council agenda to spend $11 million in city funds to hire as many as 16 new city staffers. The resolution includes a proposal to enter a Sole Source contract with Diablo Engineering Group for $5.5 million.
Annual salaries of the new staff would range from $253,030 to $412,375. The employees would be hired as funding becomes available.
How this spending was prioritized remains unclear, since community input was promised but bypassed. The name itself is somewhat misleading. The word “TOWN” in Town for All” stands for “Transforming Oakland’s Waterfront Neighborhoods,” but City staff makes no mention of it in its reports of Howard Terminal or the stadium.
The City officially describes the fund as “a comprehensive package of infrastructure improvements that will provide safer, more sustainable and more equitable access to the waterfront for all Oaklanders,” according to the city webpage: www.oaklandca.gov/projects/town-for-all.
But Mayor Schaaf was more blunt in a statement to KPIX-5 on Nov. 19, 2021:
“(This funding) supports a new waterfront ballpark for our beloved Oakland A’s. As part of our early deal with the A’s the city agreed to raise funds to pay for offsite infrastructure — today’s announcement is a significant milestone toward that commitment,” she said.
Mayor Schaaf did not respond to questions from the Oakland Post.
Projects that are part of the $450 million TOWN for All fund would be built over the next six years. By comparison, the funds for current transportation-related development for the entire city equals only $174 million for two years.
TOWN for All would build 1.4 miles of new transit-only lanes and 10 miles of new sidewalks, bike lanes and trails connecting Downtown, Chinatown, and West Oakland to the waterfront. Rail corridor and roadway construction would improve truck and cargo transport in and out of the Port of Oakland, designed to reduce traffic congestion and truck idling and improve safety.
In addition, OakPARK would create a “comprehensive suite of parking system upgrades and intersection improvements to manage on- and off-street parking and traffic,” according to a Feb. 17 agenda report by City staff.
The entire project currently totals $431.3 million, much from federal and state grants. The city anticipates that it has already raised $288 million, meaning that there is still a $104 million “funding gap,” according to the staff report.
The report also confirms that the City has not sought input from maritime and community stakeholders. “Staff has not engaged the public on these staff and contracting resolutions,” the staff report said. “A significant effort was made to engage the public in the development of the TOWN for All projects through on the ground surveys.”
Several City Council members are expressing concerns about this proposal that is going to council next week.
Councilmember Noel Gallo, who represents District 5 in East Oakland, was straightforward about his objections to TOWN for All, reiterating his position that the A’s should stay at the Coliseum rather than move to Howard Terminal.
Instead of spending funds for developing the waterfront for Fisher’s real estate deal, the money should go to the parts of Oakland that are languishing for lack for city resources, he said.
“East Oakland and West Oakland are in an (ongoing) state of emergency setting,” he said. “The priority should be taking care of children and the families in the neighborhoods and the schools. The federal and state money they are using are tax dollars, and that money should be spent on our neighborhoods, providing for the future of our kids and families.”
The Port should not be undermined by the city, Gallo said. “They hire people like my neighbors, who earn good salaries,” he said.
He emphasized that the Port is built on public land. “That land belongs to the public; that land is not for me to give. It is not the property of eight City Council members,” he said.
This is a “business transaction,” Gallo said. “(However), the A’s expect us to lay out everything, but they’re not saying what they’re giving,” he said, adding that they will not even say how they will use the half of the Coliseum they already own.
Councilmember-at-Large Rebecca Kaplan was asked by the Oakland Post whether the passage of the resolution to begin working on the infrastructure project would effectively bypass the City Council’s responsibility to approve or reject the Fisher real estate deal.
“I am not accepting what staff is recommending,” said Kaplan. “I am working to change it.”
Activism
Congress Says Yes to Rep. Simon’s Disability Hiring and Small Biz Support Bill
“As the first congenitally blind person to serve in Congress, I am incredibly honored to lead and excited to celebrate the House passage of the ‘ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act,’” said Simon.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
The House of Representatives unanimously passed the “ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act” on June 3, marking a major win for U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) and co-sponsor Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN-08) in their bipartisan effort to promote inclusive hiring and boost small business accessibility.
The legislation establishes a federal partnership between the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the National Council on Disability to help small businesses across the U.S. hire more individuals with disabilities and provide resources for disabled entrepreneurs.
“As the first congenitally blind person to serve in Congress, I am incredibly honored to lead and excited to celebrate the House passage of the ‘ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act,’” said Simon.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of cities, making them accessible for all will maximize local economic activity and broaden the job market to everyone who is seeking to contribute to their communities,” she continued. “Investments in business and talent in our communities shouldn’t be limited to just those who are not disabled. Full stop, period.”
Since taking office in January 2025, Simon has introduced six bills. The House has approved two of them: this measure and the “Assisting Small Businesses, Not Fraudsters Act.”
Simon, a lifelong disability rights advocate and former BART board member, has focused her career on improving access, from public transit to the job market.
Activism
The Case Against Probate: False Ruling Invalidates Black Professor’s Estate Plan, Ignoring 28-Year Relationship
Zakiya Folami Jendayi, beneficiary of Head’s estate, states that “The errors, ranging from misstatements of fact, omissions of critical evidence, and reliance on false arguments and testimony, formed the basis of Judge Sandra K. Bean’s ruling against me, Dr. Head’s previous student, mentee, sorority sister and long-time friend,and despite the fact that I was her chosen, power of attorney, Advanced Healthcare Directive agent, trustee, executor and sole beneficiary.”

By Tanya Dennis
Part 5
In a shocking miscarriage of justice, a California probate judge issued a Statement of Decision on March 28 riddled with numerous documented errors that invalidated the estate plan of esteemed Black Studies professor Dr. Laura Dean Head.
The ruling from the Alameda County Superior Court’s probate division in Berkeley has sparked outrage from advocates for probate reform, community members and civil rights activists, who say the decision reflects deep flaws in the probate system, blatant disregard for due process, and the wishes of the ancestors. Judge Sandra Bean’s ruling reflects a repeated outcome seen in Black and Brown communities.
Zakiya Folami Jendayi, beneficiary of Head’s estate, states that “The errors, ranging from misstatements of fact, omissions of critical evidence, and reliance on false arguments and testimony, formed the basis of Judge Sandra K. Bean’s ruling against me, Dr. Head’s previous student, mentee, sorority sister and long-time friend,and despite the fact that I was her chosen, power of attorney, Advanced Healthcare Directive agent, trustee, executor and sole beneficiary.”
Reading court transcripts, the most egregious violations according to Jendayi reveal a pivotal point in the ruling that rested on a letter from Dr. Stephan Sarafian of Kaiser Permanente, who misidentified Dr. Head as male, misstated the day, month, and year, and asserted Head lacked capacity.
Under cross-examination, he reversed his opinion and admitted under oath that he never conducted a mental evaluation, did not diagnose Dr. Head with incapacity, did not write the letter, and stated he merely signed it “in case it was needed in the future.”
Despite Sarafian’s perjury, on Oct. 17, 2024, the California Court of Appeal upheld the lower court decision that relied on Sarafian’s discredited letter to invalidate Dr. Head’s estate plan, ignored Jendayi’s requests to impeach his testimony and dismiss Sarafian’s testimony and letter that both the Kaiser Grievance Department and the Medical Board of California denounced.
In her ruling, Judge Bean agreed with the false argument by attorney Leahy, which alleged that Jendayi provided the names of the beneficiaries to Head’s estate attorney, Elaine Lee. Bean made this decision despite Lee’s sworn testimony that Dr. Head had met with her alone, behind closed doors, and made the independent decision to leave her estate to Jendayi.
According to court records, Judge Bean reversed the burden of proof in the undue influence claim before any of Jendayi’s witnesses testified, forcing Jendayi to disprove allegations that were never substantiated by witnesses or records.
Bean ruled: “Respondent took Dr. Head to her apartment where she assumed complete control of Dr. Head’s day-to-day care, medical care, and all aspects of her life.” Jendayi proved that statement was false.
Bean also ruled that Respondent controlled Dr. Head’s necessities of life, food, and hospice care, despite zero testimony or documentation supporting any of those claims.
The court reduced Jendayi’s role to “a friend who, at best, cared for Dr. Head during the final two months,” totally ignoring 28 years of friendship, testimony, evidence, letters of recommendation, emails, and medical records.
Exhibits confirming Dr. Head’s intent and capacity, including the discredited medical letter, Exhibit 90, were omitted or misrepresented in the judge’s final decision.
Jendayi says, “The injustice within the probate justice system is devastating, traumatizing and financially depleting. It’s nothing short of legalized crime!”
Jendayi is now appealing to the Supreme Court of the U.S. with a petition citing denial of due process, judicial misconduct, and systemic bias in probate courts.
Activism
Over 500 Join Interfaith Rally in Solidarity with Los Angeles Resistance to Trump Invasion
Over 500 people attended the Tuesday evening rally in Oakland, which was held simultaneously with a prayer vigil in Los Angeles, where rabbis, pastors, Muslim faith leaders, and indigenous spiritual leaders gathered to pray and speak out about the federal government’s abuses of power.

By Post Staff
n response to last week’s “invasion” of Los Angeles by armed and masked federal agents, East Bay faith leaders and community members, joined by Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, held an Interfaith vigil Tuesday evening at Oakland’s Fruitvale Plaza in support of Los Angeles residents and immigrant communities across the country.
Over 500 people attended the Tuesday evening rally in Oakland, which was held simultaneously with a prayer vigil in Los Angeles, where rabbis, pastors, Muslim faith leaders, and indigenous spiritual leaders gathered to pray and speak out about the federal government’s abuses of power.
Earlier on the same day, hundreds of protesters at San Francisco and Concord immigration courts shut down the courts after masked, plainclothes federal ICE agents detained people seeking asylum attending their court hearings.
“Too many families in Los Angeles torn apart by this invasion still do not have access to a lawyer — and that’s not an accident. We, the people, the community, are here to say, ‘Enough!’ We must keep organizing and demand that ICE and our government respect the rights of all people and uphold the principle of due process,” said Andrés Pomart with Trabajadores Unidos Workers United.
“We know that when we organize, we win. That’s why our communities – Black, Brown, and working-class – are coming together to support each other in solidarity. Together, as immigrant communities and as a united working class, we will not be divided nor intimidated nor live in fear,” Pomart said.
“Immigrant communities — yes, our immigrant communities — are the heartbeat of Oakland, enriching our neighborhoods with diverse cultures, languages and experience, and deserve the quality of life that every human being deserves. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. “Your city remains committed to protecting our immigrant neighbors,” said Mayor Lee.
“When Trump’s armed goons come for our families and communities, when they trample on our shared values of freedom and opportunity, when they make a mockery of our rights to due process, we are called to step up for our neighbors,” said Supervisor Bas. “This is not just an immigration story. It’s a story about who we are — and how we respond when our neighbors are under attack and when the president of the United States abuses his powers. When they come for one of us, they come for all of us.”
Said Kampala Taiz-Rancifer, the Oakland teachers’ union president, “It is time for us to say, ‘Not in our city.’ We will stop, we will block, we will drive out ICE. We will protect our classrooms. We will protect our streets. We will protect our homes. Together, we rise for the dignity of our families and our right to live without fear.”
“I feel that the president and the current administration is grossly overstepping and abusing their power,” Rabbi Chai Levy, speaking to KQED. “I feel that, as a religious person, communities of faith need to show up and stand in solidarity with immigrants who are threatened and afraid. “It’s important to show up as people of conscience and morality and say that we’re against what our government is doing.”
The vigil was hosted by Bay Resistance, and co-sponsoring organizations included the Alameda Labor Council, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Faith in Action East Bay, Restore Oakland, East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE), Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Oakland Rising, Faith Alliance for a Moral Economy, SEIU Local 1021, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ), SEIU United Service Workers West, Jewish Voice for Peace Bay Area, Jobs with Justice San Francisco, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, Urban Peace Movement, and Trabajadores Unidos Workers United.
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