Activism
Though Thousands of Miles Away, Tyre Nichols’ Death Affected Oaklanders
Like many other cities nationwide, Oakland was heavily impacted by Tyre Nichols’ death on January 10 in Memphis, Tenn., three days after being brutally beaten by multiple police officers. The officers allegedly pulled Nichols over for reckless driving. What followed was revealed on January 27 when the footage of the body cameras that the officers were wearing was released.
By Daisha Williams
Post News Group Intern
Like many other cities nationwide, Oakland was heavily impacted by Tyre Nichols’ death on January 10 in Memphis, Tenn., three days after being brutally beaten by multiple police officers.
The officers allegedly pulled Nichols over for reckless driving. What followed was revealed on January 27 when the footage of the body cameras that the officers were wearing was released.
The officers first verbally degraded Nichols, who remained calm and respectful. The officers involved originally claimed that Nichols had attempted to run from them; the footage shows this to be false.
Five police officers were charged with Nichols’ murder on January 26. All five of those officers were Black men. One other officer was fired days later, and several more are under investigation.
The Memphis Fire Department also dismissed a lieutenant, and two Emergency Medical Technicians who had been at the scene lost their jobs for failure to administer aid to Nichols.
Oakland has always been an epicenter for social justice and advocacy.
George Galvis is the executive director and co-founder of CURYJ, pronounced “courage,” which stands for Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice.
In response to a question about how the Nichols case affects Oakland communities, he responded “I think it’s important to think that there are many Tyre Nichols’ and while in this particular moment there is righteous outrage, as there should be for the blatant and egregious murder of a young Black man for a fraudulent traffic stop, we have many, many cases here in the Bay Area that we perhaps have more agency over as Oaklanders.”
Galvis also talked about the reputation the Bay Area, and California as a whole has. Although it is liberal in comparison to other places, many people assume that oppression doesn’t exist here.
Nichols’ death reminds Oaklanders of its distant and recent history with police terror and brutality.
In 1966, the Black Panthers were founded here, and one of the main things they fought against was police brutality.
In 2009, Oscar Grant was shot by a BART officer at Fruitvale Station. A BART ride away, multiple San Francisco Police officers shot Mario Woods 41 times in 2015.
Police have killed 64 people in Oakland alone in the past decade, over 60% of those being Black people. (http://www.antievictionmappingproject.net/opd.html) Due to this there have been many events in Oakland in response to Nichol’s death.
On January 29, there was a protest in downtown Oakland organized by the Anti Police-Terror Project. On February 6, there was a rally at Oakland Technical High School led by Youth Vs Apocalypse and CURJ.
Other organizations in Oakland are doing similar things such as the Anti Police Terror Project (ATPT) and the Love Not Blood Campaign.
In an interview about legislation to make police accountable, Cephus “Uncle Bobby” Johnson, the director of the Love Not Blood Campaign, told California Black Media “What happened to Tyre impacted so many in California. It re-traumatized many of the families,” said Johnson. “Many families’ wounds have been reopened. Many families’ hopes that there has been some progress have been totally erased,” continued Johnson.
In hopes of preventing members of the community from hurting more than necessary, the Love Not Blood campaign sent out a letter when the footage of Nichols’ beating was released.
The letter said, “The video of Tyre Nichols is horrific so think in advance about how you may begin to feel, and your thoughts, and make sure that you honor those thoughts and take the steps to cope with the trauma.
“If you do decide to watch the video or consistently listen to the news of Tyre Nichols’ murder be sure to not be alone when watching or listening consistently.”
If you would like to be more involved in Oakland’s fight against police brutality, you can find more information on the websites of any of the organizations mentioned.
Activism
Former U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee Reflects on Her Career as She Bids Farewell to Congress
“Together, we have raised our voices and pushed the envelope for peace, justice and equity. It has been the honor of a lifetime to provide constituent services, deliver federal investments to my district, speak out, and often times be the only one to take tough votes against the tide. I have, and will continue to, fight for working families, the middle class, low income and poor people,” said Lee On her final day in Congress.
By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
Outgoing Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) expressed deep gratitude to her constituents and marked the end of her 26-year career in public service.
Lee, who is succeeded by Lateefah Simon, a civil rights and racial justice activist, praised people in her community for their support. She also highlighted her dedication to promoting peace, justice, and equity.
“Together, we have raised our voices and pushed the envelope for peace, justice and equity. It has been the honor of a lifetime to provide constituent services, deliver federal investments to my district, speak out, and often times be the only one to take tough votes against the tide. I have, and will continue to, fight for working families, the middle class, low income and poor people,” said Lee On her final day in Congress.
Throughout her tenure, Lee earned a reputation as a principled lawmaker known for taking bold and sometimes unpopular stances. One of her defining moments came in 2001 when she was the sole member of Congress to vote against the Authorization for the Use of Military Force in response to the September 11 attacks. This decision led to death threats but ultimately cemented her legacy of courage.
Lee’s leadership extended beyond her district, where she fought for social justice, the rights of low-income communities, and global health initiatives. She was a key figure in pushing for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). She was a vocal critic of the Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal funding for abortion services.
The Congresswoman also faced significant challenges in her career, including a failed Senate bid in 2024. Yet, Lee’s efforts have paved the way for more excellent representation, with more Black women now elected to Congress. She worked closely with organizations like Representation Matters to encourage more women of color to run for office.
Lee says she looks to the future, confident that the next generation of leaders will continue her unfinished work, particularly on issues like military force and reproductive rights.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025
Activism
OP-ED: Like Physicians, U.S. Health Institutions Must ‘First, Do No Harm’
Coupled with their lack of government and healthcare-related experience, we are concerned these nominees will significantly undermine public health, increase the number of uninsured people, worsen health outcomes, and exacerbate health disparities. Physicians observe Hippocrates’ maxim to “First Do No Harm,”, and we urge Trump administration officials to do the same. It is critical that the leadership of HHS and its agencies make decisions based on facts, evidence, and science. Misinformation and disinformation must not guide policymaking decisions and undermine evidence-based public health strategies. Spreading these falsehoods also erodes trust in our public institutions.
By Albert L. Brooks MD
Special to The Post
Presidential administrations significantly impact the health and wellbeing of our patients and communities.
Through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the agencies within it, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the National Institutes of Health, this new administration will decide how financial resources are allocated, dictate the focus of federal research, and determine how our public health care insurance systems are managed, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Vaccines for Children program, Medicare, and Medicaid.
The decisions made over the next four years will impact all Americans but will be felt more acutely by those most underserved and vulnerable.
As physicians, we are greatly concerned by the nominations announced by President Trump to critical healthcare related positions. Many of their previous statements and positions are rooted in misinformation.
Coupled with their lack of government and healthcare-related experience, we are concerned these nominees will significantly undermine public health, increase the number of uninsured people, worsen health outcomes, and exacerbate health disparities. Physicians observe Hippocrates’ maxim to “First Do No Harm,”, and we urge Trump administration officials to do the same.
It is critical that the leadership of HHS and its agencies make decisions based on facts, evidence, and science. Misinformation and disinformation must not guide policymaking decisions and undermine evidence-based public health strategies. Spreading these falsehoods also erodes trust in our public institutions.
Vaccines, in particular, have been a target of disinformation by some HHS nominees. In fact, research continues to confirm that vaccines are safe and effective. Vaccines go through multiple rounds of clinical trials prior to being approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for administration to the public.
Vaccines protect against life-threateningdiseasessuch as measles, polio, tetanus, and meningococcal disease and, when used effectively, have beenshowntoeliminateorsubstantiallyreducediseaseprevalenceand/orseverity.
Because of vaccine mis- and disinformation, there has been a resurgence in vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough, endangering those who are too young or unable to be vaccinated.
Several nominees have spread disinformation alleging that fluoride in public drinking water is harmful. In fact, fluoride in drinking water at the recommended level of 0.7 parts per million, like we have in our EBMUD water, is safe and keeps teeth strong. Because of public health interventions dating back to the 1960s that have resulted in 72.3% of the U.S. population now having access to fluoridated water, there has been a reduction in cavities by about 25% in both children and adults.
We also encourage the next administration to invest in our public health infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical role of public health agencies in preventing and responding to health crises in our communities.
Health departments at the state and local levels rely on federal funding support and technical assistance to develop public health response plans, implement public health strategies, and work with on the ground organizations to serve hard to reach communities. Public health agencies are critical for protecting everyone in our communities, regardless of income-level, insurance status, or housing status.
Health officials should also work to protect the significant improvements in insurance coverage that have occurred since the passage of theACAin 2010.According to HHS, the numberofuninsuredAmericansfellfrom48millionin2010to25.6millionin2023.
California has led the way by investing in Medi-Cal and expanding eligibility for enrollment. In fact, it reached its lowest uninsured rate ever in 2022 at 6.2%. Voters affirmed this commitment to expanding and protecting access to care in November by passing Proposition 35, which significantly expanded funding for California’s Medi-Cal program. The administration should advance policies that strengthen the ACA, Medicaid, and Medicare and improve access to affordable health care.
Regardless of the president in power, physicians will always put the best interests of our patients and communities at the forefront. We will continue to be a resource to our patients, providing evidence-based and scientifically proven information and striving to better their lives and our community’s health. We urge the new Trump administration to do the same.
Albert L. Brooks MD is the immediate past president of the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association, which represents 6,000 East Bay physicians.
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