Berkeley

UC Berkeley Students Tackle Climate Change in Richmond

Published

11 years ago

November 24, 2013

By Kathleen McClay, UC Berkeley News

Residents of Richmond on the northeastern edge of San Francisco Bay expect climate change to present their city with major challenges –- from rising sea levels to higher temperatures, flood risks and increased energy and water consumption –- in coming years.

For help meeting these challenges, the city is turning to planning students at UC Berkeley.

Jason Corburn, an associate professor with the Department of City and Regional Planning, in the College of Environmental Design, and at the School of Public Health, is leading the campus effort, which expands on the Richmond Health Equity Partnership, a city initiative to improve the health of Richmond residents.

“We have more than 30 students, divided into five teams, working collaboratively with community-based organizations and the city to analyze local greenhouse gas emissions and develop mitigation and adaptation strategies,” says Corburn. “We are especially focused on Richmond’s vulnerable, low-income communities, which make up a majority of the city’s population.”

The goal, he says, is primarily to help Richmond develop a Climate Action Plan to mitigate or adapt to climate change in a manner that fairly distributes climate adaptation and mitigation responsibilities across all segments of the community.

There is another goal, too: “We’re teaching our students to be in the world, not just of it,” says Corburn, adding that the world’s ever-growing cities are making city planning “the issue of the 21st century.”

Richmond City Manager Bill Lindsay is thrilled about the collaboration. “This symbiotic relationship will provide Professor Corburn’s students hands-on experience working in public policy, while Richmond accesses the leading minds of one of the nation’s premier academic institutions,” he said in a recent city announcement about the project.

Students from Corburn’s “Environmental Policy and Regulation” class formally moved into action on Wednesday with introductions by Richmond city staff to community residents and leaders.

The students outlined the key areas they will be exploring –- transportation and neighborhood health patterns, city waste and water usage, flooding projections and potential energy conservation measures –- and start collecting citizen input.

In late December, the students will present draft recommendations to city officials, and will help refine the plan before Richmond finalizes it in 2014.

“What I really enjoy about the class is that it allows me to bring together my interests in a variety of often-separated fields, from community development and land use to health equity,” said Stefani Cox, a second-year graduate student in city planning. “I hope that the research we are gathering will help the city of Richmond develop a comprehensive climate action plan, as well as useful community engagement strategies for the process.”

A state mandate requires cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020. In 2009, Richmond completed its first-ever inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2010, UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy offered the city recommendations for developing its Climate Action Plan. Now, City Manager Lindsay is asking Corburn and his students for a hand.

Environmental protection is not a new issue for Richmond, which is home to heavy industry and a busy shipping port, and crisscrossed by freeways and railroad tracks.

Today, the city is developing a reputation for environmental leadership. It became one of the first cities in the country to include an energy and climate change element in the Richmond General Plan, providing baseline greenhouse gas emission levels by which to measure its progress.

Likewise, it was one of the first cities in the United States to adopt a health and wellness element in its general plan to examine social, economic, physical and environmental links to health inequalities and poor health.

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Bay Area

Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley Celebrates 90th Anniversary

Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., who has served as Progressive Missionary’s pastor since September 1977, said the church also delights in the fact that it has hosted only five pastors in its 90-year history, including Pastors James E. Moore, H. A. Green, F. Douglas Farrell, and Edward Stovall, who served for 37 years.

Published

6 days ago

May 16, 2025

Oakland Post

Progressive Missionary Baptist Poster. Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., Pastor of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley with his wife, Kay Frances Stuckey.

By Oakland Post Staff

The Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley is celebrating its 90th church anniversary on Sunday, May 18 at 10 a.m. at 3301 King Street in Berkeley.

The celebration will feature Pastor Darnell Manuel of the Union Baptist Church in Vallejo as guest speaker, along with many other special presentations.

Those who wish to share in Progressive’s history can purchase a 100-page full-colored souvenir book for $25.

The church boasts a number of notable people who either regularly attended or became members of the church since its inception, including former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor, and one of the organizers of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Helen J. H. Stephens.

Pastor Stuckey often remarks how longevity flourishes at the church — it boasts 13 centenarians (people who have reached 100 years or more). Currently, it has one centenarian who is still surviving, Mrs. Dorothy Chambers, and 14 members who have reached 90 years or more.

Recently, on Feb.17, the pastor and his wife Kay Frances, celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.

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Activism

Faces Around the Bay: Author Karen Lewis Took the ‘Detour to Straight Street’

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.

By Barbara Fluhrer

I met Karen Lewis on a park bench in Berkeley. She wrote her story on the spot.

I got married young, then ended up getting divorced, raising two boys into men. After my divorce, I had a stroke that left me blind and paralyzed. I was homeless, lost in a fog with blurred vision.

Jesus healed me! I now have two beautiful grandkids. At 61, this age and this stage, I am finally free indeed. Our Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul. I now know how to be still. I lay at his feet. I surrender and just rest. My life and every step on my path have already been ordered. So, I have learned in this life…it’s nice to be nice. No stressing, just blessings. Pray for the best and deal with the rest.

Nobody is perfect, so forgive quickly and love easily!”

Lewis’ book “Detour to Straight Street” is available on Amazon.

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Golden State Warriors Program Is Inspiring Next Generation of Female Engineers

Breaking down barriers and biases that deter young girls from pursuing STEAM subjects is essential for creating a level playing field and ensuring equal opportunities for all. By challenging stereotypes and promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity in STEAM fields, experts believe young girls can be empowered to pursue their interests and aspirations without limitations confidently. Encouraging mentorship, providing access to resources, and celebrating girls’ achievements in STEAM are all crucial steps in creating a supportive environment that fosters success.

Published

2 months ago

March 23, 2025

Oakland Post

Front Row: UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team Back Row: Girls, Inc. Participants. Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

The Golden State Warriors and e-commerce giant Rakuten are joining forces to inspire the next generation of female engineers through Building STEAM Futures, part of The City Calls campaign.

Organizers say the initiative is founded on the idea that science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) are crucial fields for innovation and progress, and empowering young girls to pursue careers in these areas is more important than ever. Studies consistently show that girls are underrepresented in STEAM fields, resulting in a gender disparity that limits potential and hinders diversity.

On Saturday, March 8, International Women’s Day, the Warriors and Rakuten hosted 20 middle school girls from Girls Inc. of Alameda County at Chase Center’s Above the Rim for a hands-on bridge-building experience. The young girls from Girls, Inc. of Alameda County had an opportunity to design, build and test their own bridge prototypes and learn the fundamentals of bridge construction from the Engineering Alliance and the UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team.

This STEAM experience for the girls followed the first session in January, where they took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Golden Gate Bridge, learning about its design and construction from industry experts. The City Calls campaign, tipped off with the unveiling the Warriors’ new bridge-themed City Edition jerseys and court design earlier this year.