Activism

Women’s Council of Associated Real Property Brokers’

This year commemorates the landmark enactment of the Fair Housing Act 54 years ago on April 11, 1968. WC of ARPB is the local chapter of the Women’s Council of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) and an affiliate of the Associated Real Property Brokers, the local chapter of NAREB, which is the country’s oldest, minority real estate trade association.

Published

4 years ago

April 19, 2022

Oakland Post

Attending the Prayer Breakfast on April 2, 2022, were: Back row: Cathy Adams, president of OAACC, Ria Cotton-Landry, immediate past president of Women’s Council of Associated Real Property Brokers, Tammy Willis, president of Women’s Council of Associated Real Property Brokers, Shonda Scott, CEO of 360 Total Concept, Councilmember Treva Reid, City of Oakland District 7. Front row: Imani Breaux-Smith, president of Associated Real Property Brokers, Councilmember Caroll Fife, City of Oakland District 3, Ray Carlisle Sr., CEO of NID Housing Counseling and Pastor Maria Reems, Center of Hope Community Church.

Host 100 at Prayer Breakfast to Kick-Off Realtist Week

The Women’s Council of Associated Real Property Brokers (WC of ARPB) held its Annual Prayer Breakfast to kick off Realtist Week, April 3-9, 2022, in observance of the trade association’s dedication to increasing Black wealth through homeownership.

Realtist Week activities in Oakland, CA, are grounded in NAREB’s intent to increase the economic futures of Black Americans, by building black wealth through homeownership. The week-long series of events is designed to reach Oakland’s Black residents where they live, work, and socialize.

In addition, Realtists expect to meet with policymakers and elected officials to ensure that affordable and sustainable homeownership is supported legislatively, through regulatory or other city planning means.

Homeownership for Black Americans has been on a steady decline since 2004 when it reached its peak of nearly 50%. As of the fourth quarter ending 2021 as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, the Black homeownership rate hovered nationally at 44.6% compared to the non-Hispanic white homeownership rate of just above 74.2%.

“Realtist Week events and activities raise awareness that Black homeownership not only strengthens the economic fabric of our city, but also increases the desirability of Oakland’s many neighborhoods,” said Cathy Adams, president of Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce (OAACC).

It is appropriate that NAREB’s Realtist Week takes place during National Fair Housing Month which commemorates the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the federal legislation making it illegal to discriminate in housing based upon race, color, sex, national origin, religion, familial status, or disability.

WC of ARPB and ARPB scheduled a series of activities to heighten the community’s and policymakers’ awareness about the importance of affordable homeownership as the best and most effective wealth-building tool. Events and activities included were:

Annual Prayer Breakfast -Realtist Week Kickoff 4/2
Realtist Fitness Bootcamp Mon 4/4 9 at Tip Top Shape 472 9th Street Oakland
Virtual City of Oakland Mayoral Candidate Town Hall Tuesday 4/5
Brunch & Learn to discuss how Cryptocurrency and Blockchain affect the Real Estate Industry
TownCONNECT Homeowner & Homebuyer Expo Sat 4/9 at the Black Cultural Zone, 7101 Foothill Blvd Oakland FREE Event, Complimentary lunch, Live DJ, Kids Activities, Raffles & More

Formed in 1947, NAREB’s founding motto of Democracy in Housing continues to serve as its purpose and focus. NAREB’s 2 Million New Black Homeowners (2Mn5) program was initiated to reverse the wealth drain among Black Americans.

While the country continues to experience economic recovery that same recovery has bypassed most Black Americans. NAREB’s approach to increasing Black Wealth incorporates financial education, homeownership preparation and counseling, outreach to the faith-based community along with expanding Black consumers’ knowledge base about the importance of advocating for public policies that support and increase affordable and sustainable homeownership.

WC of ARPB and ARPB joins NAREB chapters nationwide participating in Realtist Week. For more detailed information about the association and Realtist Week, contact Tammy Willis, president of Women’s Council of ARPB, 510-460-0248 and twillisbroker@gmail.com

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

New Poll: Oakland Voters Overwhelmingly Want to Vote on Proposed Stadium Deal

Don't Miss

COMMENTARY: The World Needs More Voices of Peace and Love

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

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

2 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

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

1 week 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.