Bay Area

WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

2 years ago

June 7, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Talia Benet is senior pastor of Taylor Chapel CME Church in Vallejo. Courtesy photo.

Pastor Talia Benet: An Advocate for Economic Development

The Pastor, Mother, Consultant, and Difference-Maker

By Antoinette Porter

Rev. Talia Benet has been making a difference in the African American Bay Area Community since 1984. For the past four years her impact has been felt as the executive director of the Health & Human Resource Education Center (HHREC) located in Oakland. HHREC was founded in 1984 and is funded by Alameda County Behavioral Health and the Mental Health Services Act. HHREC has six community-based programs that are rooted and centered in health and wellness. HHREC is committed to creating healthy communities by improving the overall health and quality of life of Bay Area residents. They focus on reducing the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, as well as eliminating racism and violence of all kinds. HHREC acts as a fiscal agent for the Alameda County Office of Ethnic Services, The African American Health & Wellness Steering Committee, and the Alameda County Workforce Education and Training Program with Ohlone College. Rev. Talia Benet is also the owner of a consulting firm that offers fund development strategy and provides grant writing services.

Benet is the senior pastor of Taylor Chapel CME Church located in Vallejo. Taylor Chapel CME Church has served the Vallejo community for over 74 years. Pastor Talia credits her mentor, Bishop Charley Hames, Jr. for preparing her for such a time as this.

She is the proud daughter of retired attorney and Navy Vietnam veteran Mansour Salahudin. She is also the honored mother of Sparkle Hicks, currently attending Chico State. Pastor Talia is engaged to retired Air Force veteran Michael Solomon.

“As far as impact, my goal is to build up the younger generation, coming behind me. I often tell them my job is to pray for them and teach them how to “skip” to the bank! The CME church has a rich history, but the youth must have a role and should be taught the value of community. It’s all about mentorship! At Taylor Chapel CME Church our young adult ministry takes the lead.”

This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

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5 days ago

March 7, 2026

Oakland Post

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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

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2 weeks ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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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

3 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.