Activism

Surge of Support for Vote ‘No’ on Recall of Mayor Sheng Thao

Prominent local political leaders have issued strong statements urging voters to oppose the recalls, including Rep. Barbara Lee, State Senator Nancy Skinner, Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, and Sandré R. Swanson, a former member of the California State Assembly (see their statements elsewhere in this issue of the newspaper).

Published

1 year ago

October 15, 2024

Oakland Post

Mayor Sheng Thao spoke Sunday, Oct. 6 at a campaign rally to reject the billionaire-backed recall on the Nov. 5 ballot. Photo courtesy of Oaklanders Defending Democracy.

By Post Staff

Since its official launch on Sunday, Oct. 6, the campaign to reject the recall of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has received a surge of support. Many local organizations with deep roots in Oakland and very prominent elected officials are getting the word out, saying Oakland is not for sale.

Oakland City Councilmember Carroll Fife also condemned the recalls. “The financial and morale cost of these recalls is more than our city can bear. In the face of a budget deficit, a $10-million-special election would be painful in more ways than one. Ten million (dollars) could go a long way to addressing some of the issues in Oakland people care about.”

Said William Fitzgerald, campaign spokesman of Oaklanders Defending Democracy, which opposes the mayor’s recall, “One rich guy in Piedmont thinks he could buy himself a mayor of Oakland. What we’re seeing this week is a tidal wave of support rejecting the premise that the ultra-wealthy can hijack the democratic process. The facts are clear: Mayor Sheng Thao has massively reduced crime in Oakland and is bringing business opportunities to the Town.”

Pastor Servant BK Woodson, a steering committee member of the “Respect Our Vote – No Recalls!” coalition, said, “It is entirely reasonable to fear the continuing accumulating of power into fewer and fewer hands. History is replete with examples of the despotism, destruction and harms that oligarchs, dictators and demigods bring into the lives of ordinary people.

“The privilege to struggle to make these United States of America a more perfect union has taken the form of this consequential election. In Alameda County we must reject the recalls and elect our forward-thinking and progressive candidates,” Pastor Woodson said.

Oakland Rising Action wrote on its website, “(The) recent recalls have been led by a small group of millionaires and conservatives, and their agenda is to undermine our democracy.”

The Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club wrote on its Facebook page, “Deny the Lies.”

“Crime increased during the pandemic, and Oakland and Alameda County were not spared. Both recalls have claimed otherwise and placed the blame on District Attorney Pamela Price and Mayor Sheng Thao, even while crime is on the decline,” the club wrote.

Other organizations opposing the recall of Thao include the Alameda County Democratic Party, SEIU 2021, Alameda Labor Council, Oakland Tenants Union, Nor Cal Carpenters, East Bay for Everyone, Local 21, Oakland Firefighters 55, eVolve California, National Union of Healthcare Workers, John George Democratic Club, Latine Young Democrats of the East Bay, APEN Action, Block by Block Organizing Network and East Bay Young Democrats.

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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

3 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.