Community

When Gavin Newsom Showed Up for My Community

In this last month, Newsom will be blamed for everything from the fires (PG&E is a better culprit if Mother Nature isn’t good enough for you); to the coronavirus (You saw how Republicans in lock-step with Trump enabled the virus to grow in 2020. Hundreds of thousands of Americans died needlessly); And you can throw in climate change (though Newsom has been one of the most forthright about addressing climate change. The Republicans? Climate deniers all).

Published

3 years ago

August 12, 2021

Isabelle Price

Governor Gavin Newsom at a Meeting, Photo courtesy of ca.gov website

California Gov. Gavin Newsom needs friends right now. I’m not a “friend.” But as a journalist he once invited me to coffee to talk about some columns I wrote, which included negative swipes about his policies. He reached out. We chatted. He’s still not a “friend.” But if I was on the street homeless, I know he wouldn’t be as cruel as some of his past policies might have indicated at first.

He would have at least given me some new cardboard.

Maybe made sure I had access to public services. But he’d help.

Since that meeting (he was mayor of San Francisco), he’s climbed to the highest office in the state.

Me? I’m talking to you directly.

I’ve written about him sparingly, but I did write a couple of years ago when we were both in attendance at the funeral of Alice Bulos.

Bulos was the “Godmother of Filipino American Politics.” You didn’t make political lumpia without the help of Alice Bulos. By lumpia, I mean that Filipino version of the egg roll, stuffed with anything you want. Cabbage? Tofu? Collards? You can put anything in a lumpia wrapper. Then you flash fry it crispy, add the secret dipping sauce. Have no party without them.

Lumpia. That’s how Bulos put together coalitions of different groups in politics.

You need Alice’s lumpia recipe.

At her funeral, Newsom towered over most of the Filipino Americans who were in attendance. He was like the whole string bean in the lumpia. But he came. He went to Mass. He walked out with the casket. And then he hung out with all of us outside the church. Took selfies. It was the same old Gavin. He was only lieutenant governor back then. But he wanted to be governor. Was he “campaigning” us? No, he was being personal. And real. He had to be there for all that Alice Bulos meant.

He showed up for her. And for us.

Right now, Newsom could use Alice’s recipe. He’s up for a recall vote that’s about to turn nasty as we get to the final month before the election which will be held on Sept. 14.

Republicans will do worse than Newsom on any of the big issues. And they’ll ignore all the little issues real folk care about.

Republicans do have a full roster of people among the more than 45 candidates who want the job. Some are talk show hosts. Having been one myself, I know the ones running can’t be serious. Running for office is just a publicity stunt. Lord help us if they win. Look at Trump. But they suck votes away from Newsom and wreak havoc on government when it already has enough problems on its hands– like fires, climate change and the coronavirus.

Start caring about this election. This is no slam dunk. In a UC Berkeley/Los Angeles Times poll, among likely voters, 47% want the recall; 50% are for Newsom.

That’s way too close with a month away.

Newsom needs people to show up by marking up their mail-in ballots (arriving by the middle of August), sending them in, or by voting in-person on September 14.

Don’t let voter apathy and more stringent coronavirus restrictions have an impact. A Republican running for fun, or a Trump wannabe isn’t what California needs right now.

My Filipino American friends who were at Alice Bulos’ funeral know how critical this all is.

They haven’t forgotten when Newsom showed up for us.

Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist and commentator. He vlogs at www.amok.com and on Facebook Watch. Twitter @emilamok.

Isabelle Price

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Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2024

Oakland Post

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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Biden’s Legacy Secured with Record-Setting Black Judicial Appointments

His record surpasses previous efforts by his predecessors. President Jimmy Carter appointed 37 Black judges, including seven Black women. In stark contrast, Donald Trump’s first term resulted in only two Black women appointed out of 234 lifetime judicial nominations. The White House said Biden’s efforts show a broader commitment to racial equity and justice.

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

iStockphoto.

By Stacy M. Brown
WI Senior Writer

President Joe Biden’s commitment to diversifying the federal judiciary has culminated in a historic achievement: appointing 40 Black women to lifetime judgeships, the most of any president in U.S. history.

Biden has appointed 62 Black judges, cementing his presidency as one focused on promoting equity and representation on the federal bench.

The White House said Biden’s efforts show a broader commitment to racial equity and justice.

Meanwhile, Trump has vowed to dismantle key civil rights protections, including the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

“Having the Black woman’s experience on the federal bench is extremely important because there is a different kind of voice that can come from the Black female from the bench,” Delores Jones-Brown, professor emeritus at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told reporters.

Lena Zwarensteyn of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights told reporters that these district court judges are often the first and sometimes the final arbiters in cases affecting healthcare access, education equity, fair hiring practices, and voting rights.

“Those decisions are often the very final decisions because very few cases actually get heard by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Zwarensteyn explained.

Biden’s nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court further reflects his commitment to judicial diversity. Jackson became the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court.

Patrick McNeil, spokesperson for the Leadership Conference, pointed out that over half of Biden’s Black female judicial appointees have backgrounds as civil rights attorneys and public defenders, experience advocates consider essential for a balanced judiciary.

Meanwhile, Congress remains divided over the expansion of federal judgeships. Legislation to add 66 new judgeships—approved unanimously by the Senate in August—stalled in the GOP-controlled House until after the election. House Republicans proposed distributing the new judgeships over the next decade, giving three administrations a say in appointments. President Biden, however, signaled he would veto the bill if it reached his desk.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., argued the delay was a strategic move to benefit Trump’s potential return to office. “Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to expand the power of the presidency and giving him 25 new judges to appoint gives him one more tool at his disposal,” Nadler said.