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SPAAT Honors the Excellence of Oakland’s Student-Athletes at the 5th Annual Oakland ESPY Awards

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The Oakland Athletic League (OAL) has a history of grooming phenomenal athletes such as NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton, MLB Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, Track & Field Olympian Jim Hines and countless others. The Student Program for Academic & Athletic Transitioning (SPAAT) hosted its 5th Annual ESPY Awards on June 10 to celebrate the academic and athletic achievements of Oakland’s student-athletes.

Held inside the California Ballroom in Downtown Oakland, more than 200  guest grooved to the the sounds of the Minor F Jazz Quartet on the red carpet as students and their family members were greeted by Montera Middle School Cheerleaders.

Don Henry Noble, a McClymonds graduate of 1966 said as he observed the night unfold. “I wish we had something like this in the 60’s.This is a beautiful thing,” he said.  “It’s the best thing Oakland Public Schools has and it’s only going to grow.”

Hosts Tyranny Allen & John Sasaki

Former member of “Digital Underground” and CEO of Marketing Kings Tyranny Allen and OUSD Communications Director John Sasaki hosted the Oakland ESPY Awards and special Blue Shield of California’s Black Employee Network partnered with SPAAT to sponsor $18,000 in academic scholarships

The OAL All-Academic team, comprised of 8 student-athletes who displayed the highest level of commitment to academics, were presented with $1,000 scholarships. High school student athletes of the Year Jada Delaney (Skyline) and Antonio Faeteetee (Fremont) were awarded $5,000 scholarships. In addition, Middle School Student Athletes of the Year Kevion Irvin (Claremont) and Kamaya Jackson (Edna Brewer) were each awarded $500 scholarships, thanks to NFL Executive and former OAL Athlete Kevin Winston.

“We strive to teach our students that you must work as hard in the classroom, as you do in your field of play and each year we see Oakland student athletes raise the bar,” said Harold Pearson, Executive Director of SPAAT. “Thanks to Blue Shield of California, the Oakland Promise and NFL Executive Kevin Winston, we were able to take it the next level and provide students with the financial assistance needed for them to pursue their higher education dreams.”

Kevin Parker, a Skyline graduate who has served as the Director of Player Development for more than 16 years at UC Berkeley was awarded the OAL Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award. He shared a touching story about how important it is to ask for help. MLB Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson was also honored.

In memory of SPAAT student Darryl Aikens, who passed away in 2017 from cancer just weeks year after graduating from McClymonds High School,  SPAAT Partnered with the Oakland Promise to present the first annual Darryl Aikens Memorial Scholarship. The $1000  awarded to Jamiana Akinjo, a fellow McClymonds student-athlete who is headed to UCLA in the fall.

Oakland A’s Legend Bip Roberts

“I am so proud of SPAAT’s ongoing efforts to provide Oakland students with the support they need to win on the court, on the field, and in the classroom.”  said Gary Payton. “As a former OAL student athlete, I know the work these students put in to balance their academics and athletics. Like many of these students, my family could not afford to  pay for my college education but my athletic abilities made room for me to attend Oregon State University, which led to my 13-year career in the NBA. Without the grades, none of it would have been possible.”

Payton also announced he would match the $5,000 scholarships for the Student Athletes of the Year at the 2019 Oakland ESPY Awards.

Here’s a full list of the 2018 Oakland ESPY Awards  honorees:

OAL Middle School Female Student Athlete of the Year: Kamaya Jackson, Edna Brewer Middle School, 4.0GPA, (Flag Football, Basketball, & Track & Field)

OAL Middle School Male Student Athlete of the Year: Kevion Irvin, Claremont Middle School, 4.0GPA, (Flag Football, Basketball, Track & Field)

OAL Middle School Male Coach of the Year: Godffrey David Brown, Greenleaf Elementary School, (Girls Volleyball, Basketball, Track & Field)

OAL Middle School Female Coach of the Year: Corin Yamasaki & Sarah Ben-Israel, Edna Brewer Middle School, (Flag Football, Basketball, Track & Field)

OAL Male High School Coach of the Year: Sean Kohles, Skyline

OAL Female High School Coach of the Year: Yesenia Mendez, CCPA

OAL Female High School Student Athlete of the Year: Jada Delaney, Oakland Tech, 4.0 gpa. She is  4-time OAL Golf Champion will attend Arizona State University in FALL 2018 as an Engineering Major.

OAL Male High School Student Athlete of the Year: Antonio Faaeteete, Fremont High School, 3.0 GPA.  He had over 2600 rushing yards during the football season and is headed to Rice University in the Fall.

OAL Alumni Outstanding Achievement: Kevin Parker and Rickey Henderson

OAL Most Valuable Players (students recognized for their leadership and sportsmanship in their perspective sports)

  • Antonio Fateetee, Fremont HS, Football; Charles Alberty, McClymonds HS, Football; Khirah McCoy, Oakland HS, Girls Basketball; Brooklin Sharpe, Oakland Tech HS, Boys Basketball; Tupou Paua, Skyline HS; Girls Basketball; Adam Crampton, Oakland Tech HS, Baseball; Jamie Burgasser, Oakland Tech HS, Softball; Josue Pereyra, Kipp King, Boys Volleyball; Juan Lopez, LPS, Boys Soccer;Jayden Kael, Skyline HS, Girls Soccer.

OAL All-Academic Team (students who displayed the highest level of commitment to academics)

  • Tupou Paua, Skyline HS, 4.0 GPA (Girls Volleyball)Victor Tolento Ventura, CCPA, 3.75 GPA (Boys Soccer)Kendall Prime, Oakland Tech HS, 4.71 GPA(Girls Soccer)Albert Mitchell, McClymonds HS, 3.85 GPA (Football/Track & Field)Yani Singer, Oakland Tech HS, 4.67 GPA (Track & Field); Henry Larkin, Oakland Tech HS, 3.2 GPA (Track & Field)Neisha Moore (Valedictorian),McClymonds HS, 4.17 GPA (Girls Volleyball)Donald Liu (Valedictorian), Skyline, 4.8 GPA (Track &Field)

More can be found from the event on SPAAT’s Facebook page.

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Activism

LA to the Bay: Thousands Protest in Mission District Against Immigration Raids, Travel Bans

Activists and allies alike gathered outside of the 24th Street Mission BART Station and City Hall to denounce the increased immigration raids happening in L.A. and Donald Trump’s decision to send hundreds of National Guard members to control protesters.

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Protestors walking the streets of San Francisco’s Mission District. Thousands of people walked in a protest against the increased immigration raids across the country and unrest in Los Angeles. Photo by Magaly Muñoz
Protestors walking the streets of San Francisco’s Mission District. Thousands of people walked in a protest against the increased immigration raids across the country and unrest in Los Angeles. Photo by Magaly Muñoz

By Magaly Muñoz

Thousands of people walked the streets of San Francisco’s Mission District Monday evening in protest of the recent ICE raids across California, and the escalating tensions brought by military intervention in Los Angeles over the last week.

Activists and allies alike gathered outside of the 24th Street Mission BART Station and City Hall to denounce the increased immigration raids happening in L.A. and Donald Trump’s decision to send hundreds of National Guard members to control protesters.

San Francisco non-profit Mission Action announced the protest plan Sunday night and led the amped crowd in cheers against anti-immigrant hate.

“La gente unida, no será vencida!” and “Move ICE, get out the Bay” chants were heard for a mile from 24th Street to 16th Street Mission BART and back around towards Valencia Street.

District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder attended the evening protest and applauded the community for their resilience in the streets over the last two days.

 

Protestors holding a Mexican flag for a rally in San Francisco. Thousands of people gathered at 24th Street Mission BART Station to participate in a protest about the increased immigration raids across the country. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

Protestors holding a Mexican flag for a rally in San Francisco. Thousands of people gathered at 24th Street Mission BART Station to participate in a protest about the increased immigration raids across the country. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

“It’s up to every single legislator [to stand up for the community], but first and foremost, the people, you all are gonna be the ones to make sure that Trump, ICE, and the military do not set foot in the Mission,” Fielder said to the crowd.

Fielder, along with two other Supervisors, also spoke at a press conference earlier in the day in front of City Hall with other officials and community leaders about the travel ban that went into effect last Wednesday and the immigration arrests from the week before. Speakers also denounced the more than 150 arrests made by local police during a protest Sunday night.

District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton said it was the public’s moral obligation to disobey unjust laws.

A protester holding an upside-down American flag at an anti-ICE and travel ban press conference in front of San Francisco City Hall. Thousands of people marched through the Mission District to protest against the increase in immigration raids across the state. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

A protester holding an upside-down American flag at an anti-ICE and travel ban press conference in front of San Francisco City Hall. Thousands of people marched through the Mission District to protest against the increase in immigration raids across the state. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

“The systemic oppression that has taken place now in the U.S. to remove our constitutional rights to assemble, to protest, to fight against moral and unjust rules and policies is put in place to tear us apart and to promote fear in everyone,” Walton said.

Around 15 people were detained by ICE at the immigration court last week, and at least half a dozen more by the time this story was published, immigration lawyers reported.

A new travel ban has also barred people from 12 countries, mostly from Africa and the Middle East, because the Trump administration said they “pose a very high risk to the United States.”

Community leaders said this action is continued discrimination against Black and Middle Eastern immigrants who are seeking opportunities in America.

An immigration lawyer urged people at the press conference to stay calm and meet peacefully because federal officials were going to be looking for reasons to escalate the tensions and arrest residents for simply attending protests.

“We have to remind ourselves; we all have a history. Our families survived discrimination before,” she said. “We will survive this, too. So long as we don’t let them divide us. Let’s fight this together.”

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of June 11 – 17, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 11 – 17, 2025

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Federal Raids Target Migrant Kids, Split Families

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Trump administration has reportedly removed at least 500 migrant children from their homes across the United States and placed them into government custody, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The Trump administration has reportedly removed at least 500 migrant children from their homes across the United States and placed them into government custody, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The children, many of whom were living with family members or other vetted sponsors, were taken during so-called “welfare checks” carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies. According to CNN, the operations are part of a larger campaign launched shortly after President Donald Trump returned to office, with federal authorities setting up a “war room” inside the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to review data on children who entered the country alone and were later released to sponsors. Officials have used the room to coordinate efforts between agencies, including ICE and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which oversees the custody of unaccompanied migrant children.

Trump officials claim the effort is aimed at protecting children placed in unsafe conditions or with unqualified sponsors, pointing to cases where children were released to individuals with criminal backgrounds or those involved in smuggling. Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the welfare checks have led to the arrests of some sponsors and the transfer of children into ORR custody. Federal data shows more than 2,500 children are currently in ORR custody. CNN reported that the average stay has grown significantly, from 67 days in December 2024 to 170 days by April 2025. Former Health and Human Services officials say new vetting rules—including income requirements, government-issued ID, and DNA tests—have made it far more difficult for parents and guardians, particularly those who are undocumented, to reclaim their children.

In some cases, reunifications that had already been scheduled were canceled. A recent lawsuit details how two brothers, ages 7 and 14, remain in government care because their mother cannot meet new documentation requirements under the revised policies. Mark Greenberg, a former senior HHS official, stated that the approach puts children in a difficult situation. “To the extent, the goal is to determine whether children are in danger or in need of help, this isn’t a good way to do that because it creates fear that anything they say could be used against their parent or family member,” he said. Immigration enforcement agents reportedly have visited children’s homes and asked about their journey to the U.S., school attendance, and upcoming immigration court appearances. Legal advocates say these visits, which sometimes include the FBI, are not standard child welfare procedures and can create fear and confusion among minors.

An FBI spokesperson confirmed the agency’s role, saying, “Protecting children is a critical mission for the FBI, and we will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to secure their safety and well-being.” Multiple outlets noted that the Trump administration has not provided clear evidence that large numbers of children are missing. Instead, it has referenced a Department of Homeland Security inspector general report from 2023 that noted more than 291,000 unaccompanied minors had not received notices to appear in immigration court. Former officials note that these figures do not necessarily indicate that the children are missing; some lacked updated addresses or were affected by administrative backlogs.

Within HHS, officials were instructed to expedite policy changes. Former ORR Ombudsman Mary Giovagnoli stated that a senior ICE official, Melissa Harper, was temporarily appointed to lead ORR. Her short tenure was followed by Angie Salazar, another former ICE official who now frequently communicates with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Trump’s team argues the Biden administration allowed thousands of unaccompanied children to enter the country without sufficient oversight. Jen Smyers, a former ORR deputy director, stated that all sponsors underwent thorough vetting, including Department of Justice background checks and reviews of the sex offender registry. “No amount of vetting is a predictor of the future,” she said. The Miami Herald recently reported that a 17-year-old foster child in Florida was removed from his home in shackles and transferred to ICE custody. The boy and his mother had crossed the border without documentation, but he had been living in a state-supervised foster placement. The case raised concerns about the state’s cooperation with federal enforcement and the message it sends to immigrant families. Concerns about federal custody of vulnerable children are not confined to immigration.

In North Carolina, a 7-month-old baby died after being left in a hot minivan by her foster mother, who now faces charges of negligent child abuse and involuntary manslaughter. In Hawaii, dozens of children have been forced to sleep in government offices and hotels due to a shortage of foster placements. In North Dakota, a foster couple has been charged in the death of a 3-year-old after surveillance footage showed the child being repeatedly assaulted. “These cases show what happens when systems meant to protect children fail them,” said Laura Nally, director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights Children’s Program. “There’s a growing concern that these welfare checks are being used to carry out mass detentions of sponsors and unnecessarily return children to government custody.”

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