Activism

Stop Hate. Spread Love: California Black Media Campaign Unveiled at L.A.’s Taste of Soul Fest

A report released by California Attorney General Rob Bonta in June revealed hate crimes inspired by racism and homophobia showed a 33% uptick in reported incidents in the state in 2021. Hate crimes against Blacks were the most prevalent, according to the report. There were 513 crimes committed against Blacks in 2021, 13% more than the 456 in 2020.

Published

3 years ago

November 6, 2022

Oakland Post

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

The “Stop the Hate. Spread the Love,” initiative spearheaded by California Black Media (CBM) and others, was introduced to the Los Angeles community at the 17th annual Taste of Soul Family Festival on October 15.

Representatives of the campaign maintained a booth at the daylong, multicultural event that drew over 300,000 people to a two-mile stretch of Crenshaw Boulevard in South Los Angeles to celebrate the Black cultural experience – as well as the traditions of other ethnic groups — through food, music, and art.

Brandon Brooks, CBM’s campaign project manager, said attending the festival was a good way to familiarize people with Stop the Hate and organizations that are geared toward combatting hate incidents and hate crimes in the Golden State.

“We brought together a lot of partners to give information on how to combat and address hate — outside of law enforcement,” Brooks said.

Representatives from local and state government departments including the City of Los Angeles’ Civil + Human Relations & Equity Department, the California Secretary of State, the California Department of Social Services, and the California Civil Rights Department were at the three-table booth with Brooks and CBM Executive Director Regina Wilson.

“Having those representatives on hand was a must,” Brooks said. “If you or I experience hate we might not be comfortable with calling the LAPD or sheriff’s department, so who can we actually really call,” Brooks asked rhetorically, speaking to this CBM reporter. “You can actually call the civil rights department; you can call social services. A lot of people don’t know that. These organizations are there to be a resource or an olive branch to start that dialogue. You may need some help. That’s these organizations’ job.”

Becky L. Monroe, the California Civil Rights Department’s deputy director for strategic initiative and external affairs, said working to eliminate hate crimes and the attitudes and circumstances that contribute to them is about saving lives.

“It is critical that people know what their options are if they are targeted for hate and know that we can take action and that we can stop hate and spread love,” Monroe said.

CBM is in the early stages of its Stop the Hate public information campaign. The media and advocacy organization’s goal is to publish a series of stories that educate Black Californians and state residents from other backgrounds about each other’s lives, cultures and traditions as it promotes an appreciation for diversity and fosters deeper inter-ethnic understanding.

CBM has four events or festivals planned within the next year that promote the message of the Stop the Hate campaign.

“Regina’s goal is to really break bread and bring people together,” said Brooks, referring to CBM’s executive editor.

The initiative is funded by a joint venture of the California State Library and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs. The Ethnic Media Grant Project has awarded nearly $6 million in grants to 50 ethnic media outlets and organizations serving communities that are historically vulnerable to hate crimes and hate incidents.

The program’s aim is to enhance public awareness of the Stop the Hate Program being run by the state’s social services department.

Festival attendees who visited the Stop the Hate booth were able to meet representatives from media publications Al Enteshar, Carib Press, Ethnic Media Services, Impulso News, and Indian Voices.

The booth was sponsored by CBM, Ethnic Media Services, the Civil + Human Relations & Equity, the NAACP, and the California Civil Rights Department.

Brooks said CBM’s Taste of Soul booth was successful because it introduced people to the Stop the Hate initiative and individuals gained more information about fighting hate crimes and reporting hate incidents.

“When you say hate crimes or hate incidents, we, as a collective, really need to figure out how to address this topic,” he said. “We really wanted to bring resources and information to the community.”

Los Angeles Sentinel Executive Editor Danny J. Bakewell Jr., whose newspaper organizes Taste the Soul and is a CBM partner, said the festival aligns with “Stop the Hate. Spread the Love.”

“That is what Taste of Soul is all about,” Bakewell said to CBM’s videographer. “Spreading the love, right here in our own community on Crenshaw Boulevard.”

“California Black Media was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.”

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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

Published

6 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Activism

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

2 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.