Events

“Speak What You Expect,” Says Author Tawana Williams

Published

12 years ago

August 6, 2014

Born without arms and impaired use of her legs, motivational speaker and “UNarmed But Dangerous” author Tawana Williams has persevered through adversity. After doctors told her mother she wouldn’t walk or live past two weeks old, Williams not only overcame those obstacles but she surpassed them and now travels around the country sharing her story of struggle and triumph.

Since 1996, Williams has spoken at multiple churches, schools, prisons, daycares, and organizations motivating millions. She has authored five books, including “UNarmed But Dangerous,” “Mind Interrupted,” “Motivation for the Soul,” “Da-Bomb!” and “I’m Different but I Can.”

Her hope is to help others learn how to live a “no excuse” lifestyle.

As a wife, mother, author, mentor, artist, advocate, TV personality and CEO of Tawana Williams Outreach, Inc., she recently came to Oakland to give her inspiring testimony and show others that anything is possible.

From learning to tie her shoelaces, to changing her daughter’s diaper and braiding her hair, to drawing remarkable portraits all using her feet, when Williams wanted to do something she didn’t let anything stop her.

“I don’t care how hard it is, I kept trying it,” she said speaking at the Herbert Guice Academy in Oakland.

Refusing to view her physical condition as a disability, Williams has become self-sufficient and has never looked for a handout.

“I seldom think about my limitations because I’m focused on my possibilities,” she says in a statement on her website.

Using her experiences as a motivator, Williams empowered and challenged her audience to “speak what you expect” and never give up on your dreams. Her words of wisdom related to all generations and encouraged people to “make it happen for yourself.”

Having battled with a drug addiction and a stroke in which she suffered some memory loss, Williams’ motivational words resonated with those people dealing with health issues. She encouraged them saying, “Whose report are you going to believe about yourself? What do you believe about yourself?”

“Remove the word ‘try’ and say ‘do,” Williams said.

“I know that this will make lives better. It’s about being able to help people,” said Martha Brown, a member of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Oakland, who organized the speaking event.

For anyone that has not experienced Williams telling her inspiring story, her words of advice are something to live by. Reprogram your mind and tell yourself yes, she said. Be confident; stay focused with no distractions; get a mentor; and make no more excuses.

“Speak what God tells you about yourself,” Williams said. “Move in your greatness.”

For more information about Tawana Williams, visit www.tawanawilliams.com.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

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5 days ago

March 7, 2026

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

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March 1, 2026

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

3 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.