I Hope This Día de Muertos Will Bring Me Closure

Día de Muertos is such an important day in the region of México my family is from, but when my grandparents brought their young families — including my parents — to the U.S., they just wanted to fit in. More recently, we’ve been reclaiming our culture, and its helped me connect with and celebrate my ancestry and honor loved ones who have died.

Día de Muertos occurs on Nov. 1 and 2 every year. Michoacan, the Pacific coast state in México that my maternal heritage originates from, has the most gorgeous displays and parades that celebrate the legacy of life. There are often floods of cempasúchils flowers and petals, folks dressed in calaveras, and monarch butterflies all over. Cempasúchil is the Aztec word for the marigold flower; calaveras are depictions of human skulls.

In the Michoacan island of Janitzio, alluring boats and lanterns guide visitors with infectious music to spend time with their loved ones during Día de Muertos. Loved ones bring offerings that are significant to the deceased.

This is not a practice that my family brought from México with them to the United States. My parents were very young when their families migrated to California; my mom was only 7 when her family came from Chavinda, Michoacan, and my dad was 5. My grandparents did their best to assimilate their families to their new home. Their goal was to blend in to the culture that was surrounding them.

Unlike México, America does not have a day that celebrates the dead. So growing up, my sister and I were not introduced to the traditions of our ancestral region.

That has since changed. As I started to learn more about the history of my family, my current city and my origins, I felt more connected with my roots. As a journalist and teacher, I feel a strong pull to research the truth about my surroundings.

I am a lifelong resident of Richmond, but I, to this day, learn more and more about the rich history of this essential city. Equally, I learn more about the importance of my origins. As a promise to keep the legacy of my partner’s and my own families alive, we have committed to name our children after names from the Purépecha natives, the Indigenous people who lived in the same area of what is now Michoacan.

Over the last three years, I have lost five family members very close to me: my grandfathers, one of my grandmothers, and two of my uncles. My grandmother’s death, being recent, was the hardest to accept.

I really miss her. I miss her infectious laugh, her sense of humor, her undeniable love.

I truly believe that this Día de Muertos could bring me some closure.

Celebrating the sacrificial, yet long and beautiful, life that my grandmother had through the practice of creating an altar and providing offerings for her can allow me to let go of the pain. I might not be able to see her anymore, but I can remember her.

I can reminisce on all the love that she has provided for me and the generations that will follow me. That is the point of Día de Muertos. She is a legacy matriarch that will be loved and honored by all that can hear about her.

My family’s altar will be filled with her photo, cempasúchils, a rosary, tortillas and pan dulce. She will be remembered forever.

My hope is to one day visit Janitzio and continue to honor her and the rest of my family there as well.

Problems at Stege Elementary, Now Temporarily Closed, Had ‘Happened Too Long’

During summer repairs, environmental hazards — including asbestos — were found last month at Stege Elementary School in Richmond. The repairs were halted and the school temporarily closed with a stand-in campus to be set up elsewhere. The closure took families by surprise. But the reason why did not.

Saving Stege, a group of community members invested in making the local community more knowledgeable about conditions at Stege Elementary, hosted a Stege Elementary Family Meeting on Thursday at Booker T. Anderson Community Center.

Throughout the day, Lakisha Mitchell-Keith, a school site council member, gave recurring 20-minute presentations about the conditions of the regular campus and how the district intends to rebuild the school.

“What has happened now is that the heart of Richmond has been activated,” says Mitchell-Keith. “We’re rallying around the families and the parents, because they need our support.”

The day the closure was announced, West Contra Costa Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Kenneth “Chris” Hurst said Stege would be closed for the start of the 2024-25 school year.

“This will ensure the safety of students and staff, and allow our facilities department to begin the Stege rebuild project ahead of schedule,” he said in an update on the district website.

In another update the following day, he announced plans to bus the Stege students to the Lovonya DeJean Middle campus, which will have separate sites “with limited interaction between the school communities.”

The update continued, “Sufficient space is available to ensure both communities can operate effectively and independently.”

Hurst also said lunch would continue to be provided to all students and parking areas designated for Stege families, though “due to bus transportation, traffic is expected to be minimal.”

The sudden relocation of the campus was a surprise to families. However, the hazardous materials found on the campus in July was not news to the Stege community.

Last year, The Pulse reported that the school board identified Stege as “one of the schools most in need of renovation” and that it was slated for “demolition to make way for site improvements in the future.”

Stege was closed “days after the district was sued for failing to address and remedy 45 complaints of poor building conditions at the school,” EdSource reported. The lawsuit, which was filed July 19, “ alleges the school has moldy walls, broken tiles, and classrooms exceeding 90 degrees with windows that won’t open.”

There have also been reports of “toilets overflowing with sewage,” “missing fire extinguishers,” exposed wiring and “pest and vermin infestations running amok,” among other issues, according to the East Bay Times.

“It’s time for everybody, every board member, the superintendent, every district employee to recognize that this is happening. It’s happened too long,” says Mitchell-Keith. “You asked for the parents to get involved; 50 of them wrote letters complaining. You asked for the community to get involved; we went to a meeting and could barely ask questions.”

Mitchell-Keith is referring to the Williams Complaint letters that Stege staff and families wrote in the 2023-24 school year. A Williams Complaint is a Uniform Complaint Procedure complaint, regarding instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils and staff.

Families and staff wrote several Williams Complaint letters to the district. The facilities team in the district then was required to look into the issue.

In a settlement from the district, the site visit report concluded that the overall facilities passed with a 92.69% rating. The systems, cleanliness, restrooms/fountains, safety, structural, and external conditions were all rated well. The only problem areas indicated were interior and electrical.

Yet the sudden closure of the campus and the shift to prioritize the rebuild of Stege indicates it was not in compliance as the Williams settlement originally indicated.

The current Stege building was constructed in 1943. The hope of Saving Stege is to have Stege be a state-of-the art campus matching the new Michelle Obama and Lake elementary campuses.

“We are working behind the scenes with the powers that be to get this done,” says Michele Jackson, a Saving Stege member and chair of the education committee for the NAACP El Cerrito branch. Jackson is also a Stege alumna and a retired community member. “We’re trying to build relationships. We’re not trying to hit anybody over the head, but we are telling the truth.”

Both Mitchell-Keith and Jackson said it is an equity issue that the district does not plan to build Stege in the same manner as Obama and Lake elementaries. When asked why, the facility team told Mitchell-Keith that funding was an issue.

In November of 2020, voters passed Measure R, a $545 million bond measure, to improve several WCCUSD campuses.

The Stege community is left in a state of limbo wondering why a school with about 39% of its student population identified as African American is being overlooked. It is the only district school in which Black and African American students together make up the largest portion of the enrollment.

The district will host a community meeting Aug. 14 to present the temporary relocation plan to the Stege community. It will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Booker T. Anderson Community Center, 960 S. 47th St., and on Zoom. Space will be limited at the center, but people can RSVP here to reserve a spot.

San Pablo Names Park for City’s First Black Mayor

The San Pablo City Council on Feb. 20 commemorated the naming of McNeil Park in honor of Leonard R. McNeil, a 30-year public servant who died five years ago.

McNeil Park was the top name recommended by the Community Services Standing Committee from a list of six nominations across three categories: historic names; places and features; and individuals, groups or organizations.

“We are here representing family and friends who are in full support of naming this amazing open space after our dad,” said Carmen McNeil, joined by her brother, Yusef McNeil. “His dedication to the city just flooded. It’s so amazing to think about all the ways — the blood, the sweat, the tears, the dedication to the city of San Pablo.”

McNeil was first elected to San Pablo City Council in 1988 and became the city’s first Black mayor in 1992. He is an alum of Richmond High, started the first Black Student Union at CSU Fresno, and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1968.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in government at Cal State Sacramento and — at the age of 66 — a master’s in political science at SFSU. He was also nominated for the Western Association of Graduate Schools’ Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award for a work that “explored the possibilities and challenges of African-Americans and Latinos coalescing for political and social change,” according to his obituary by the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, which he co-founded. McNeil was a distinguished professor of political science at Contra Costa College as well and earned a vocational education credential from UC Berkeley.

Among the other four speakers at the Feb. 20 meeting was Genoveva Calloway, a colleague of McNeil’s on the City Council from 2004 to 2012.

“San Pablo will be adding to the history of San Pablo in honoring his legacy,” said Calloway, who was the first Latina mayor of San Pablo. “I was inspired by his commitment to the community, his leadership, and his mentorship.”

Both council members worked together to build collaboration between the council and the school district. They created opportunities for youth services including reviving the youth commission, expanding the police department’s youth and education services, and developing a truancy strategy for schools.

Calloway said that McNeil “provided the leadership” on the council to make Helms Middle a full-service community school. Together, they were able to make six elementary campuses into full-service community schools as well: Montalvin Manor, Dover, Edward M. Downer, Tara Hills, Lake and Bayview.

Additionally, Calloway and Mayor Patricia Ponce said McNeil worked to keep Lake Elementary open when the district was scheduled to close it.

“It was an honor to know Leonard. Thanks to him, there are over 400 little people that still have their school,” Ponce said. “Not once but twice, their school was saved and now is currently being reconstructed. Personally, I will forever be grateful.”

There were over 20 written submissions in support of the naming of McNeil Park.

San Pablo City Council meets every first and third Monday of each month.

Teacher and Her Students Agree: Layoffs Not the Answer to WCCUSD Budget Woes

As a teacher, I am beyond sick and tired of West Contra Costa Unified budget cuts.

I am a seventh-year teacher at Kennedy High in Richmond. I teach 70 students computer science in the form of digital arts and web design, and I teach 90 students the art and skill of journalism, which I am learning myself in my current master’s program at UC Berkeley’s journalism school.

My students receive articulated credit. That means they are able to transfer the credit they receive in high school to junior colleges and select universities. I am a very dedicated teacher. I care very deeply about my students and the skills that they are able to carry on with them.

I cannot, however, stand the bureaucracy of the systems that work against us. How can the district consider cutting staff? It is insulting at a school like Kennedy to think that this is a solution.

We suffer from various vacancies. Not all classrooms are fully staffed. We are missing office staff. We are missing campus security staff. We just got health center positions filled. We are bleeding from a wound that they intend to puncture again.

“If we had every student that is truant show up to class, we would be out of a deficit,” said the Interim Associate Superintendent Business Services, Kim Moses, during the first WCCUSD budget forum meeting on Jan 16. She made similar remarks during subsequent meetings.

Jabbing at that same wound, they have no solution to the main issue at hand.

If a student doesn’t show up for class, a Student Attendance Review Team would meet with them and their family to discuss the reasons and possible solutions. But at Kennedy, we don’t have an active SART. We are also one of the schools with the highest cases of truancies. 

And what are we doing to encourage students to come to school? We have three vacancies in teacher positions, there are nearly five teachers out daily, and there are mental health and personal issues not being addressed for students. And, yes, there are many great things happening at Kennedy with student groups, but we as a system could be doing more for them.

It is hard. It is hard for them to want to show up in this environment.

I asked my own students their thoughts. Here is what they said:

We’re already understaffed already, so why take more teachers away and out of a job while we’re also unable to even get teachers to fill in a spot? I understand students aren’t coming, but taking away teachers will quite literally do the opposite of that. They should seek something else — any other alternative — because this is no way a solution at all. Cutting the budget only equals worsening the problem and so they should try to look for another answer. This school is going to hell because of their careless stupid decisions, so I doubt they’ll change. They don’t actually care about any of the youth here, that’s for sure.
— Willow Martinez, 16

I do not believe school staff should be laid off. It’s honestly very stupid that they’re considering laying off people, basically for no reason. Teachers along with other school staff do not get nearly enough money. They get paid once a month; laying them off would actually make them financially stressed, more than they already are. Currently, people don’t even want to become teachers because they get paid nothing, and they don’t want to go through the burden of going into debt and living off of basically nothing throughout all of their teaching careers. Also, laying off teachers would not only rob them of money, it would also rob the students of their education. Students have been taking classes online because we don’t have enough teachers, so they don’t learn the same way. Some people have even had to take freshman classes as sophomores because the district didn’t care enough about hiring teachers. They have failed students and their education.
— Mariana Calvario, 16

Staff shouldn’t be laid off. I think later they’ll find difficulty in hiring teachers and they won’t be able to replace the few good ones we have. We really already don’t have enough teachers, we have so many less classes and opportunities compared to other schools and they’re just taking more away. We were missing a French class the past two years, and now, we’re missing Spanish. I wish they’d in fact hire more teachers and add more classes to take. Some teachers’ classes are also already overloaded because they have more students than the limit, sometimes there aren’t even enough chairs in a class. Do they just want a better building for look and aesthetic, or do they want an actual education for the kids? I understand it might be over their budget but they shouldn’t get rid of the few teachers. Another point is they give teachers classes to teach that they’re not specialized in or things they have never taught before. We lack teachers and better classes, so I disagree with layoffs.
— Lourdes Mendoza Ramos, 16

I witness numerous teacher absences every day. Although I do enjoy a day without my teacher, I understand that their positions are essential in order to gain an education. I find it hard to make sense of the idea that more teachers will be laid off when we have little in the first place. How will the district continue to keep classrooms operating with fewer educators? A lot of my teachers are well liked and provide entertaining lessons that make school a lot easier to be engaged in. I understand that these layoffs will affect all working school staff. As a student, the idea of fewer school staff may seem fun but actually may cause harm to our school. This might influence the students in my school to become even more disrespectful and have little regard for their education. I am saddened to hear that many school staff will become unemployed as a lot of them have done well in their jobs. I am fortunate to have formed connections and friendships with the security, janitors and working adults on campus. I believe neither the kids nor school staff will benefit from this decision. Unfortunately, it always comes down to money. I do not blatantly blame the district, but I only wish things could be better.
— Angela Taylor Ortiz, 16

I believe that there should be no layoffs. Maybe the district could invest in eco-friendly power sources and run the school entirely on solar energy. I think the school should create “Go Fund Me” accounts in order to help raise money for sports teams, travel, food and classroom materials. I think students and staff could clean up classrooms to save money on custodial work.
— Jalen Kelly, 14

My students make some great points. Our district did not even consider the most obvious solutions. Why aren’t we focusing more on our SARTs? Why aren’t we using the energy stored in the solar panels on our campuses to save on energy? Why aren’t we spending less on consultants that aren’t directly helping student achievement?

The district should pay staff — specifically, teachers — more, not less. The district needs to address the issues laid out above instead of cutting positions. The district needs a more functioning budget process because we should not be in this position every school year.

It’s Official: Bye, Bad Bunny

My Spotify Wrapped put me in the top 0.5% of Bad Bunny’s listeners worldwide in 2023. But after his new album, “Nadie Sabe lo Que va Pasar Mañana,” which was released Oct. 13 — two days before my birthday — I know I won’t be there this year.

That’s because he insulted Mexicans — my people — and other areas of Latin culture in his new music.

When Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, or Bad Bunny, first released singles in 2018, I was not the biggest fan. His lyrics were repetitive, vulgar and monotone. However the more I listened to it, the more I enjoyed it. Bad Bunny was able to merge my love of American trap music with the fluidity and romance of Spanish in a way that no artist had done before. 

And there is nothing wrong with the beats that he introduced in 2023. I, however, don’t trust artists that dismiss or bully other artists. Latin artists should support and uplift one another.

Bad Bunny has done the opposite, and artists today have gotten canceled for less.

His song “Telefono Nuevo” contains lyrics that, in English, mean, “It’s 2024, who the hell uses Psycho Bunny? This is not The Simpsons, you’re not Gordo Tony Y’all are ‘puppets’ Y’all have a yacht to pee in the corner.” He was dissing Mexican American band Fuerza Regida. 

I didn’t catch the undertones of these lyrics when I first heard it. I wouldn’t be upset by this but a TikToker, Felix Martinez, made a video on this inspecting these short couple of verses. He said Bad Bunny was not only speaking about Fuerza Regida but the entire Mexican region in his insults. Bad Bunny insults the way a region dresses, gives false impressions, and calls us mindless puppets — that hurts to the core.

Bad Bunny’s insult of Fuerza Regida hit me personally, as a Mexican American. Although Martinez said he might be reaching with his interpretation of Bad Bunny’s lyrics, his analysis resonated with me. I am not a puppet. I do not pee in the corner. My style is not out of touch. Many of my Mexican friends agree that these lyrics are insulting and not hitting the right vibe.

Bad Bunny was nominated alongside Grupo Frontera for regional Mexican song of the year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards for “Un x100to.” After the verses in “Telefono Nuevo,” I am extremely happy they did not win the award, no matter how much I loved “Un x100to.” 

Bad Bunny has also insulted a fellow Puerto Rican artist in J Balvin, and he stretched out a middle finger to Colombians in “Vuelve Candy B.” In one part, translated to English, he says, “Hey, I come from Puerto Rico, where the real ‘bichotas’ come from / Funny thing, those that say they’re from the streets are the snitches.” Colombian artist Karol G coined the term ‘bichota,’ meaning badass b—. 

My theory is that his anger stems from fans wanting something different than trap from Bad Bunny. An AI song reproducing Bad Bunny’s voice by TikToker @flowGPTmusic went viral. It was not what Bad Bunny intended for his new album. 

He made that very clear to his fans, saying, “si a ustedes les gusta esa m!#&^@ de canción que está viral en tiktok salgansen de etse grupo ahora mismo. Ustedes no mercen ser mis amigos y por eso mismo hice el nuevo disco, pa desaserme de gente así. Asi que chu chu fueraa.” That means “If y’all like that viral crap TikTok song, get out of this WhatApp group chat. Y’all don’t deserve to be my friends, and that’s why I made this new album to get rid of y’all. In that case bye, get out.

Maybe Bad Bunny needs more co-writers in his album like before. “Un Verano Sin Ti” was incredible in my opinion and there were also nearly 20 writers in those songs while in “Nadie Sabe lo Que va Pasar Mañana” it was only a couple.

I have never been this heartbroken by an artist. I blame the #KardashianCurse. (Bad Bunny dated Kendall Jenner.) It seems when any famous celebrity dates one of the Kardashian or Jenner sisters, they end up not doing so well. Look at Kanye West, Reggie Bush, Lamar Odom, Travis Scott even. 

My hope was that Bad Bunny would apologize to his Mexican fan base by the end of 2023. That didn’t happen. As it stands now, he at least lost one extremely loyal fan. I mourn my concert T-shirts, croc charms, beanie, and accessories. An unfollow on social media and WhatsApp removal will come shortly after. So here is to the good and past times. Bye, Bad Bunny.

San Pablo City Council, Congressman Honor Retiring Police Chief

The San Pablo City Council commemorated the retirement of Police Chief Ron Raman at its Dec. 18 meeting. Raman served as the chief for six years and had a career of nearly 30 years.

Raman was recognized by the council in a proclamation recognizing his leadership and dedication to the city of San Pablo.

“You shared with me when I first met you about a coin. Every coin has two sides to it, and that’s life. You were on the good side, and you’ll always be on the good side,” said Vice Mayor Arturo Cruz. “I prayed that God would have guardian angels here today, and they are all lined up behind you. You’re the archangel that led them through the past six years. I appreciate that so much. God bless you.”

The city of San Pablo swore in Raman as its ninth chief of police on Aug. 30, 2017. He previously served as a captain for Pittsburg Police, where he worked for 21 years. His career started in 1996.

Raman is living the legacy of his grandfather before him. Raman’s grandfather was commissioner of police in the Fiji Islands. Raman was the first Fijian chief of police in the United States.

Rep. John Garamendi wrote a letter in which his spokesperson Harpeet Sandhu read during public comment. Below is an excerpt from the letter:

It is with great pleasure that I recognize Chief Raman upon his retirement following 30 years of outstanding meritorious service of law enforcement…

Chief Raman began his law enforcement career with the Concord Police Department as a community service officer. … He has implemented the best recruitment strategy [in San Pablo], resulting in being fully staffed for his 92-member department.

Chief Raman has impacted many lives throughout his work in the department, and his ability to foster relationships with the community has made a lasting difference in the city of San Pablo. On behalf of the people of California 8th Congressional District, please accept my sincere gratitude for many years of service and my best wishes in your well-earned retirement.

“You have demonstrated tremendous leadership over these last couple of years. When you look at our data, where we started, where we’re at, we’ve made significant progress,” said council member Abel Pineda. “We’ve had some challenges, but you stayed committed with us. We journeyed this path together. All of us, not just here on council but city executive leadership, city staff, and our community as a whole.”

Part of Raman’s successes in San Pablo, according to the city’s proclamation and Garamendi’s letter, is that he, with the help of his team, was able to reduce violent crime by 29% and Part I crime by 23%. Part I crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny theft, grand theft auto and arson.

“Being a police chief for the last six years has really been the highlight of my career. Being in law enforcement is a calling for me. It’s embedded in my blood,” said Raman. “My grandfather was a commissioner of police in the Fiji Islands; he was the first Indian-born commissioner of police in the Fiji Islands. Unfortunately, he passed away right before I became the chief of police here, so he never got to see that happen, so I’m sure he knows about it now.”

In public comment, five speakers echoed appreciation for Raman’s service and support.

Capt. Brian Bubar will serve as the interim chief of police following Raman.

San Pablo City Council meets every first and third Monday of each month.

Pinole Looks at Using Urban Design to Prevent Crime

Pinole City Council heard from its staff Sept. 20 about the role urban design can play in crime prevention.

The information provided regarded the city’s plan to establish a crime prevention through environmental design strategy.

“Comic Cards, Etc. has been vandalized and robbed seven times this year. They have never broken into the building,” said Kelly Akagin, owner of Comic Cards, Etc. “It was $600 to replace a window each time.”

Pinole Community Development Director Lilly Whalen said the key elements to CPTED are taking away criminal opportunities, showing offenders that the neighborhood is cared for, and building relationships among neighbors.

“Planning design is taught in the police department,” says Police Chief Neil Gang. “It allows for houses and properties to be more defensible.” (Also on Sept. 20, Gang was named Pinole’s interim city manager, a role he begins Oct. 1.)

CPTED measures include creating natural access control, territorial reinforcement, and natural surveillance. Examples of this include the placement of bushes around a property to deter crime or neighbors overlooking the safety of a building. The program is centered on an economic development tool that focuses on the exteriors of buildings.

City staff profiled rebate programs that offer financial incentives in Sacramento, San Rafael and Riverside; façade improvement grant programs for Alameda, Dubin, Long Beach and Roseville; and cities with combined façade and CPTED programs such as the city of Campbell River in Canada and Escondido and Eureka here in California.

Of those, the closest in size to Pinole is Eureka. In façade improvement rebates and CPTED grants to improve the appearance of commercial buildings and promote security for businesses, Eureka received up to 25% of total costs up to a maximum of $10,000, plus 100% of the CPTED eligible security improvement costs, up to $2,500.

“Where in Pinole would this program be most effective and helpful?” asked council member Norma Martinez-Rubin. “How can we build success rates?”

To which Gang responded, “The program would be more helpful to the Fitzgerald corridor and commercial areas.”

The CPTED program takes into consideration the following components and considerations: goals for the program, participant eligibility, geographic area, eligible activities, process, program management, and budget.

The next steps for CPTED include identifying goals to draft a program structure, work with Townsend Public Affairs to provide grant writing, exploring a combined CPTED and façade improvement program for the city’s Economic Development Strategy.

Council member Cameron Sasai motioned to approve the program aiming to improve the pool of applicants and improve the crime rate. The motion was seconded by Maureen Toms and approved unanimously.

The next Pinole City Council meeting will be held Oct. 3.

San Pablo City Council Hears Housing Plans

San Pablo city staff presented its environmental impact report on the housing element of the city’s general plan, and San Pablo Economic Development Corporation presented its homeownership program to the City Council on Sept 5. 

A draft of the city’s environmental impact report on the housing element was first presented to the City Council on Aug. 18, 2022. It was amended before being presented to the state, as all cities are required to do. 

A city’s general plan is its blueprint for future developments. The housing element is the long-range plan to expand housing and affordability. The environmental impact report analyzes potential consequences of the housing plan, ways to reduce or avoid them and alternatives.

“We need to be mindful to dream of ideas to better our city,” said Mayor Abel Pineda. “We want to ensure that we have the best possible situation.”

On Sept. 18, the second draft will be resubmitted to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for review. If all goes according to plan, on Dec. 19, the city planning commission will hear the new report for review and there will be another City Council hearing Jan. 8, 2024. 

City staff missed the deadline to submit the housing and community development portion. According to city staff, almost all Bay Area communities missed the Sept. 30, 2022, deadline. Reportedly, only one or two Bay Area communities met it. 

The hope for city staff is that the second draft of the environmental impact report will be compliant and certifiable.

In addition to the impact report focusing on housing, the council reviewed the annual services and updates from the city’s economic development corporation. One of the topics of discussion for the EDC was its homeownership program. 

The goal of the homeownership program is to educate first-time home buyers in a series of 12 webinars and put them in connection with professionals. 

Council member Arturo Cruz asked if the EDC was working in partnership with Lao Family Community Development, which also provides housing services in San Pablo. EDC’s Leslie Choi said they are working together and that the program is offered in 20 or more different languages.

There were 137 inquiries in the last cycle. 

Council member Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado asked what the planning and outreach looked like, saying, “I feel like understanding these programs are a little bit difficult because of our demographics.” To which Choi responded that engagement is the goal of the program. 

Participants are able to receive a San Pablo Loan Assistance for Sustainable Housing, shared appreciation loan, a Workforce Initiative Subsidy for Homeownership grant or both. The SPLASH loan is up to 20% of the home value for a 30-year term with 3% per year simple interest. The WISH grant will match up to $29,000 with a 4:1 match and 100% forgiven for 5 years.

Out of the 137 inquiries, two families received the SPLASH loan and three families received the  WISH grant. The process took 18 and 20 months, respectively.

“SPLASH and WISH are now at a different place from the last presentation, investment in education needed to be made,” said Pineda. “There were lessons learned. The housing crisis continues to impact what you all can do.”

“We will continue to work with companion programs,” said Choi. “From workshops, we will present and evolve.”

Pinole Council Looks at Water Conservation and Fire Prevention

East Bay Municipal Utility District introduced its watershed master plan at the Aug. 15 Pinole City Council meeting.

The plan is to protect 29,000 acres in the Briones, San Pablo, Upper San Leandro, Chabot and Pinole Valley reservoirs, providing drinking water and a healthy habitat for plants and animals.

The utility district also has goals to conserve 70 million gallons of water per day by 2050, recycle 20 million gallons of water per day by 2040 and have sustainable groundwater storage supply, the last of which it is working toward with this plan.

Currently, EBMUD produces 9 million gallons of water per day. Its current plan evaluates drinkable reuse in existing and future projects in Pinole, Hercules and Rodeo.

“One of the things we’ve been working on for many years is how we can prepare or respond to an emergency. The biggest emergency that we are looking to respond to is the earthquake,” said EBMUD general manager Clifford Chan. “After the earthquake, we expect that several thousands of our pipes will break. That will impact water service to our customers.”

The emergency planning focuses on the larger pipelines first and creating manifolds, or pipe fixtures branching into several openings for drinkable water, for certain fire hydrants.

“Assuming that we need to go to the point of having service through hydrants at collection areas that there’s been damage within neighborhoods, I am wondering if East Bay MUD knows where the newest distribution pipes and the least vulnerable infrastructure would be located,” said Mayor Pro Tem Maureen Toms. “Should we be looking at several sites?”

EBMUD said it would like to work with the city and county to determine where the manifolds would be placed.

“We collaborate with other agencies, service areas,” said EBMUD engineer Florence Wedington. “We draft regulations to make it safe for everyone to drink and to meet the standards.”

“We did a survey in 2012, and one of the results was that climate action is really important to our city,” said Mayor Devin T. Murphy. “Issues around the drought and water usage showed a huge interest from Pinole residents. The drought and water issues are imminent. One of the imperative actions we want to take as a council is with your point of distribution program.”

Residents are also concerned with the quality of the pipelines and their makeup.

Pinole resident Rafael Menis asked during public comment, “How many pipelines are made of hazardous materials?”

“Roughly, a third of the pipes are cast iron, a third are steel, and a third are asbestos cement. Our standard material that we are using today is a ductile iron pipe,” responded Chan.

In addition to water, fire was also on the council’s agenda — or, rather, fire prevention.

“Expect to see more goats as fire prevention,” said City Manager Belinda Espinosa. About 40 goats are used to consume dry grass around Pinole, thus reducing the amount of brush that could fuel a potential fire.

A few weeks ago, goats got loose in the 1800 block of Shea Drive, a residential area of Pinole, and video of the incident went viral locally.

The Pinole Police Department was called to wrangle the loose goats to get them back on the grasses of Pinole, though one officer said on video, “There’s nothing we can do until the herder gets here.”

“When the goats were loose, it was like a swarm or a school petting zoo. CalTrans was asking, ‘How did they get out?’” council member Anthony Tave said. “However, I believe fire prevention should continue that program.”

The city hopes to be preventative in fire protection versus reactive when a fire breaks out.

Pinole City Council meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Meetings begin at approximately and are held at council chambers at 2131 Pear St. but may also be attended via Zoom. The agenda and staff reports are made available online by 4:30 p.m. the Thursday before the meeting.

Program Helps Low-Income Seniors Get Healthy Food

The city of Richmond is helping more than 200 older people access healthier food through the state Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.

Started in 2011 through the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the goal of the program is to provide fresh and nutritious local food from farmers’ markets to low-income seniors aged 60 years or older.

To receive a voucher, a person needs to show proof of age, state residency and income. The income limit is $26,976 annually for an individual and increases with household size.

Each year, qualifying seniors are given vouchers good until November for $50 at certified farmers’ markets including those in Brentwood, Concord, Danville, Martinez, Orinda, Pinole, Richmond, San Ramon as well as at the Diablo Valley and downtown farmers’ markets in Walnut Creek.

Most of Richmond’s vouchers were given out at the Richmond Annex Senior Center.

“In the prior year, 150 vouchers were given to seniors,” said Tania Swartz, recreation program coordinator at the center. “[The Richmond Annex] this year requested an additional 50 vouchers. We distributed 200 vouchers total this year.”

The city of Richmond has an additional 50 vouchers at the Civic Center Senior Center, totaling 250 vouchers for low-income seniors in the city.

All markets accepting the vouchers will have a “WIC/SFMNP accepted here” sign. Seniors are able to purchase fruit, vegetables, herbs and raw honey with the vouchers but not flowers, potted herbs or vegetables, nuts or processed packaged foods.

“My favorite part of the program is helping connect seniors with resources that they need,” said Swartz.

Swartz said the county offers another way for older people to get food they might not be able to afford. In Contra Costa County, seniors 55 or older that meet income guidelines can get free groceries twice a month at Corrine Sain Senior and Family Community Center and Southside Church of Christ, both in Richmond. Corrine Sain is at 515 Silver Ave., and Southside is at 1501 Florida Ave. Both locations are open the second and fourth Friday of every month from 10:30-11:30 a.m. People are asked to bring photo ID and proof of address such as a utility bill.

Many more local food assistance programs can be found through Get Food Richmond, including community produce programs, drive-thru food distribution, food pantries and soup kitchens. Proof of residency is required for these programs.

The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program will return in May 2024.

Lucha Libre Wrestling Returns to Richmond

Luchadores wearing colorful and skintight outfits complete with masks, pants with spikes, and high boots battled in the ring and entertained the crowd during “Revolution in Richmond, CA,” which brought Mexican-style wrestling to MLK Park on Aug. 4.

The sold-out event gathered nearly 200 spectators. Organizers said this was the first lucha libre event held in the city in 15 years. According to wrestlingdata.com, the last professional wrestling event in Richmond before this was in 2011.

Lucha libre is a Mexican form of choreographed wrestling that dates back to the early 1900s.

The crowd at the event was as culturally diverse as the city itself. The event brought out two city officials, Mayor Eduardo Martinez and City Council member Doria Robinson. Martinez welcomed the crowd in a wrestling mask during an intermission saying he would like to see more lucha events.

“I like seeing all these people out here enjoying themselves,” said Martinez. “The city and the city coming together as one, the people and the administration. We are one Richmond.”

Go To Work Fitness, Rich City Rides and Pro Wrestling Revolution all collaborated on the event. Performers from Pro Wrestling Revolution put on five matches that thrilled the audience; some were one-on-one, others were group matches, and some were two-on-two.

While most of the wrestlers were male, one woman, named Karisma, fought against one of the men.

“I was seeing how women’s wrestling was starting to come up,” said Karisma, a Revolution wrestler in her sixth year, referring to when she started. “It was still super undervalued and underappreciated. And that lit a fire under me.”

The relationship between Go To Work Fitness’s Evan Francis and Pro Wrestling Revolution’s Gabriel Ramirez began as that of student and teacher, respectively. Ramirez said Francis learned from him before transferring to the PWR training academy. Later, they reconnected to put together the lucha libre event.

“It’s something that he’s been wanting to do for a very long time,” Ramirez said, referring to Francis. “His roots are obviously very deep rooted in Richmond, and it has always been a goal for him to bring lucha libre to Richmond.”

Along with Go To Work Fitness, Rich City Rides and Pro Wrestling Revolution, Lions Club, Moving Forward 510, The Voice Party and Urban Tilth also helped promote the event to bring Richmond residents together in a positive environment.

“The people are ready for entertainment. They are ready for fun things, things that are exciting,” said Francis. “I am glad that I was a part of the coalition that brought everything together. We took a chance tonight. It was a roaring success. We made history, and I’m proud.”

Audience members enjoyed the energy in the ring and the excitement in the crowd. Kids in the audience were called to join the wrestlers in the ring to dance for a song.

“It was a perfect opportunity for the community to get together. It’s wonderful,” said Yvonne Michael. “I like wrestling. It would be a good thing for the city to do more events [like this] every two to three months so we can come together as one.”

For some people, the event took them back to their childhood.

“My dad took me to my first lucha libre event in San Jose,” said David Padilla, an audience member. “I saw old luchadores like Mil Máscaras. It can be serious, but it could also be silly. To see a match where everyone is having fun, especially the kids, it feels really cool.”

Most people came to Lucha Libre in groups, including friends Aaron Juarez, Juan Contreras and Itzel Sanchez.

“[Lucha libre] was very fun to see, very thrilling and exciting,” said Contreras. “I am glad I came. It was also very funny at the same time. We are starting to get events for people to come out and see.”

“I think [Aaron, Juan and I] connected with a lot of the characters,” said Sanchez. “A lot of them were like Richmond versus Berkeley or Fremont. Richmond is already a not really known city, so this is kinda fun.”

Fans and organizers alike expressed a desire to see similar events in the future. This one already saw the mayor of Richmond in the ring — in a lucha libre mask, no less. Who knows what could happen next time?

Weekend Closures on I-80 Start Friday

San Pablo City Council focused heavily on transportation Monday with two major items given the spotlight.

CalTrans presented its Bay Area Summer 2023 Paving Project for Interstate 80. As part of an effort to improve highway operations, for four weekends CalTrans employees will reinforce the concrete pavement for a 26-mile stretch both westbound and eastbound on I-80 from the State Route 4 separation to the Carquinez Bridge.

Construction on the heavily trafficked highway will begin Fridays at 9 p.m. and stop Mondays by 5 a.m. and cost a total of $50 million.

That will start July 21 and also occur Aug. 4 to 7, Aug. 18 to 21 and Aug. 31 to Sept. 5. That last falls over a Thursday through Tuesday for the extended Labor Day Holiday.

CalTrans recommends the usage of State Route 4, Highway 680 and I-5 as detours. There will be 25 signs for eastbound traffic and 11 for westbound traffic reminding travelers of the closure.

The CalTrans project is provided by the State Highway Operations and Protection Program and Senate Bill 1 funding. SB1 is a legislative package totalling $5.4 billion to invest in California roads, freeways and bridges.

This project notification is being shared with affected cities through council meetings, radio and television stations, targeted media advertisements, social media, press releases and traffic advisories.

Council member Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado thanked the CalTrans team for its robust outreach effort to inform the public. Vice Mayor Patricia Ponce asked the City Manager, Matt Rodriguez, if San Pablo would be sharing any information. The city will share the I-80 date closures on its social media, newsletters and website to spread awareness of the project.

For more information on the I-80 detours this summer, visit cc80pave.com.

The second transportation item that was highlighted affects residents more locally.

The council considered an ordinance amending a San Pablo zoning code. The ordinance regarded off-street parking requirements for family day care homes.

San Pablo Community Development Director Libby Tyler said the Child Care Law Center asked the city to amend off-street parking per section 1597.45 of the code.

The amendments would remove additional parking requirements for small or large daycare out of the home.

Small family daycare is considered to be one that cares for eight or fewer children; large family daycare, seven to 14 children.

The Planning Commission, which met and voted June 27, and the City Council both voted unanimously to approve the change to the ordinance for the zoning code given the recommendations by the city staff.

The zoning amendment and resolution can be found on the city’s website.

Richmond Has Fun at RPAL Carnival

Richmond celebrated over Father’s Day Weekend with the Richmond Police Activities Juneteenth Carnival.

The RPAL carnival began in 2017 as a back-to-school event and fundraiser for the organization. Since then, it has grown to encompass Juneteenth as well.

“The Juneteenth Carnival became an idea when RPAL and the Juneteenth committee thought it would be great exposure to connect both events and make an even bigger opportunity for the families in the community,” RPAL’s Dawn Moultrie told the Pulse in an email.

Hundreds of people visited the carnival from June 16-18. On the last night of the carnival alone, about 250 people were in attendance.

The carnival featured activities for the whole family, including a funhouse, a glass house and rides like an accelerated drop, a Ferris wheel, a chair swing ride, carousels, bumper cars and a Gravitron — a spinning wheel in which centrifugal force allows riders to be supported by the walls of the ride.

While it was a Richmond community event, the carnival drew people from elsewhere in the East Bay as well.

Alex Fenn, a teacher from Berkeley, brought her daughter and her friend after her daughter heard about the carnival.

Richmond also honored Juneteenth with a parade starting at the Booker T. Anderson Center and ending with a festival at Nicholl Park on June 17.

“I went to the other Juneteenth event. I would love to see this every year and every month. I would like to see more fun rides,” said Angel Boughton of Richmond, referring to the festival.

Boughton’s younger sister, Falacia, joined her party at the carnival. Falacia, an RPAL member, talked about her favorite ride, the Rip Cord.

“I like the drop. I was like 50 feet,” she said.

Families also played games such as balloon darts, ring toss, basketball and fish hook for prizes.

Jeb Verr and his family were passing by when they saw the carnival. “We had a lot of fun,” they said in unison.

“My friends at RPAL did a presentation on [the carnival],” said Samiah Gonzalez who came with her sister and cousin.

Groups of all ages, including teens and young families, teens enjoyed a fairly windy but clear evening near the Civic Center. According to the carnival workers there were nothing but good vibes from the attendees.

“I saw [the carnival] from my house,” said Damair Davis. I’m here with my grandma.”

He said he was planning to ride the Ferris wheel and wished others well.

“I hope everyone has a good Juneteenth,” Davis said.

For International Women’s Day, Richmond ‘Embraces Equity’

Richmond celebrated International Women’s Day on March 11 with the 16th annual Sisters in Solidarity event, placing an emphasis on equity and community service.

The event, held at Richmond Memorial Auditorium, gave many women and allies an opportunity to network and support each other. It also championed the fight for gender equality, living up to the theme, “Embrace Equity.”

The 22 sponsors provided prizes that were raffled off.

The keynote speakers were City Manager Shasa Curl and Deputy City Managers LaShonda White and Nickie Mastay. All spoke on the topic of equity.

“The person that might be able to create space for you professionally might not look like you, and we really should be open to that,” Curl said. “When we get [into] these roles, what we should try to do is create space for other people that are traditionally underrepresented.”

The theme of the event was modeled after the International Women’s Day theme, according to Trina Jackson-Lincoln. For Jackson-Lincoln and the planning committee of Sisters in Solidarity, embracing equity means imagining a gender-equal world.

White said that, when seeking opportunities, “men will go without knowing everything and will apply and will move. Women sometimes will wait until they have everything lined up. You don’t. You really have everything you need from being women, from being mothers, from being wives.”

Most of the 250 people in attendance were women, but men were there too. Allies like them are equally responsible for supporting and advancing the lives of women in Richmond.

In a poem, former Richmond poet laureate David Flores said women are “more than mothers and wives, carriers of knives that rip through walls and glass ceilings. Healing mind, body and soul. Warriors for truth. Seeking, speaking and naming what we need to grow from tiny seed out of darkness to light that she lives in.”

Deborah Burkes, founder of the North and Greater Richmond Blues Foundation, said it was her first time attending Sisters in Solidarity, and she was excited to see how it honors women.

“Some of the things that I heard Jovanka Beckles speak about the rich history of African Americans in Richmond, we focus on that, on the music side,” Burkes said, referring to the former City Council member.

The planning committee focused on recognizing public safety and community service. The committee recognized 25 women in public safety, both police and firefighting officials.

They also recognized five women for community service in achievement, advocacy/leadership, innovator and mentorship/service. Three of the honorees were in attendance: Naomi Williams, Myrtle Braxton and Jenny Baslile. They had friends and family cheering them on.

The planning committee consisted of community leaders Yenny Garcia, Tiffany Harris, Nava Mizrahhi, Lea Murray, Jill Rodby, Queen Graham, Linda Whitmore, and Beckles. It was chaired by Jackson-Lincoln.

“We started planning in November,” Jackson-Lincoln said. “As we got closer, we started meeting more. Initially it was once a month, then twice a month, then every week. This time we wanted to pull more of the community in, so that’s why we had the community services award.”

Jackson-Lincoln also said she invites the community to be a part of the Sisters in Solidarity planning committee.

Here’s what a vote for Measure P would do

Richmond voters are being asked on the November ballot to boost rent control measures so that tenants in controlled units would experience no more than a 3% rent hike. 

If Measure P is approved, it would keep those tenants from potentially receiving a much higher rent increase that is based on the consumer price index. In Richmond, landlords can raise the rent to 100% of inflation, which is the percentage increase in the consumer price index — currently, 5.2%. Measure P would decrease that to either 60% of inflation, or a flat 3% increase in monthly rent, whichever is lower. 

In a city where nearly half of the households are renters, the measure stands a good chance of passing on Nov. 8. 

Councilwoman Gayle McLauglin, who pushed to put it on the ballot, noted that residents have gone from a recession to a pandemic to inflation. And housing in the area is expensive — the median rent in Richmond, she said, was about $2,000 per month.

According to the 2020 census, the median rent was $1,574 per month, which was about the same as the state average, and the median income was $72,463 a year, about $6,000 lower than the state average. The city’s poverty rate was 14%, which was slightly higher than the state’s rate.

Measure P points out that because of the high inflation rate, unless tenants are offered more protection, they could see “an unprecedented rent increase” at a time when the costs of goods and services also are rising. 

City Council voted to put the measure on the ballot in July, with those aligned with the Richmond Progressive Alliance supporting it, along with Demnlus Johnson III, and Nat Bates and Mayor Tom Butt dissenting.  

Opponents of the measure — including the Association of United Richmond Housing Providers, the California Apartment Association and the East Bay Rental Housing Association — argue that the cap should be temporary and include a sunset clause. 

“Measure P is prompted off of the inflation we are experiencing right now,” said Mike Vasilas, co-founder of United Richmond Housing Providers. “It is an anomaly. It is the highest it has been in four years.”

Vasilas said the cap would make it harder for a landlord to afford upkeep of a property, which would push some small property owners out of the city. 

But proponents point to the high cost of living in the Bay Area and the growing number of homeless people as reasons for the city to clamp down on rent increases. 

“An increase in rent adds to an increase in homelessness,” said Edith Pastrano, at the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, which supports Measure P. “Not finding affordable places to live is going to [create] high pressure.”

Richmond established rent control in 2017, two years before the state passed the Tenant Protection Act. Under state law, rents can’t go up more than 10% ,or no more than 5% plus the inflation rate, whichever is lower.

Measure P would supersede the state’s rent-control law and would replace the city’s current rent cap, which is 6% of monthly rent or 100% of inflation, whichever is lower. 

This story was updated to correct information about the state law.

Rydin Road RV camp cleared; residents say they felt forced to leave their homes

By Saturday, the last 28 people living in vehicles on Rydin Road were relocated by Richmond’s Public Works and Police departments. 

Non-functioning vehicles and the remaining recreational vehicles were moved to Safe Organized Spaces, under Interstate 580. Residents are temporarily being housed in motels in the surrounding area including in Pinole, Pittsburg, and Brookside Shelter in Richmond. Former Rydin Road residents can work on their vehicles from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily at SOS.

“I have been informed by City staff that the last RV has left Rydin Road,” Mayor Tom Butt posted on Facebook Saturday. “All previous campers have been relocated into suitable housing or shelters. Next is Hensley/Castro with some 100 campers. Good work, City staff! You did it!”

Rain Citro resents being forced to leave Rydin Road after he and his partner were told by the city to leave the gun range on Goodrick Avenue and relocate to Rydin Road three years ago. 

”It feels like it was a mistake, we were happy out there,” Citro said. “Due to circumstances beyond my control, medical reasons, we needed to get closer to civilization.” 

James Foster said the same thing happened to him. And like Citro, he would have preferred to stay at Rydin. 

“I was directed here by law enforcement. I was in a residential area. They suggested and recommended that I come to Rydin Road,” Foster said.

Many people who had been living on Rydin had already left by mid-September, after the city imposed a Sept. 30 deadline. At its Sept. 20 meeting, City Council pushed back that deadline to Oct. 21 for residents with extenuating circumstances. 

Lina Velasco, director of community development, told the council that relocating Rydin residents is only a short term intervention. The city is in the process of drafting a strategic plan to address homelessness. The council is slated to adopt that plan by February.

Velasco said people have a few options: a shelter bed in Oakland’s Fremont Hotel, Glo independent living program or a shelter bed provided by the county upon request. The city also is open to work with other assistance programs. 

Relocating to a shelter doesn’t suit Jessi Taran, who wants to keep living in her colorfully painted bus.

“I choose to live on my bus. I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me. This is what I want to do. I don’t agree with our current economic paradigm, “ she said. “I don’t feel like it is a good deal for me to give up my life for an apartment. I’m disabled. To me, this is the best solution. I am being fiscally responsible living within my means. I shouldn’t be punished for that.”

Taran is among those who created a sense of community at Rydin. She had a kiosk at the center of the encampment out of which she distributed donated food, water and solar energy. 

According to the city’s point-in-time count this year, the people who live in RV encampments on Rydin Road and on Castro Street, which also will soon be cleared, are among 632 unhoused residents in Richmond. Rydin residents are getting some relocation money, with $50,000 being equally distributed among them. 

Kathleen Sullivan, former director at Greater Richmond Interfaith Program and now a Homeless Task Force member with the city, suggested using the money to help Rydin residents get their vehicles repaired, licensed and insured. She said it would be beneficial for the city to partner with an auto repair business to make the vehicles movable.

Foster agreed that fixing his vehicle would be a better solution. He wants to know what the options are for people who do not want a shelter bed.

Taran said a tiny home community where residents gain training in a marketable skill would be a better solution. 

“Instead of being homeless, they would be a skilled workforce. It would draw industry to the area. It would provide housing,” she said. “Once they get a job they could either choose to leave, or choose to give a third of their income to the housing community. It would pay for itself.”

Richmond Teacher Is ‘Very Happy’ UCs Dropped the SAT, ACT

The University of California has removed the SAT and the ACT from its freshman admission requirements. As a teacher who lives and works in Richmond, a majority-minority community, I am very happy with this decision.

These tests inherently have racial biases against minority students, as well as disadvantages for low-income students, who often cannot afford a tutor or test preparation. Many of their counterparts have years to prepare, getting the opportunity to learn the language these tests use from a very early age. Plus, they are from families who can afford tutors who can help them get higher scores.

Standardized tests have provided a remarkably similar outcome to the lack of Affirmative Action. Instead of making universities and colleges more diverse and inclusive, as intended, they exclude many minority students and strike those who do get in with imposter syndrome.

Many Black and Brown youth doubt their accomplishments when they reach colleges and universities, questioning whether or not they belong. The SAT and ACT do not make it any easier, regardless of how the students do on them.

And it doesn’t stop there. It doesn’t help to tell students that they can do well if they really apply themselves. It is not helpful to say everyone can and should pull themselves up by their bootstraps, as the cliché goes; it is oppressive.

Students need to feel supported. Instead, they are often disregarded and discouraged by their supposedly “more articulate and educated” peers. Minorities often feel like they have to work two or three times as hard just to feel like their work is adequate. Minority students shouldn’t have to feel pushed down or like they don’t belong. When you have to work three times as hard to only get a B — while it seems others are putting in less effort for an A — you feel like you’re not good enough.  

The problems extend far beyond the education system. I would be remiss to overlook the killings of George Floyd in Minnesota and countless other Black people across the country. Not only do Black students have to work extra hard to do well academically, they also have to navigate the traps and pitfalls created by systemic racism, including the lack of economic opportunity, only to be met by gatekeeping tests geared to the white middle class.

How is that fair? It’s not.  

Having grown up in Richmond, I believe if all colleges and universities had removed the SAT and ACT as part of their admissions processes it would have changed the trajectory for me and many of my close peers.

We were incredibly involved, active and academically inclined in high school. We all aspired to go to colleges and universities around the nation. Some of us were accepted into the schools of our choice but weren’t offered enough aid to go. Some had to settle for different schools. I am sure we could have received better scholarship packages if it weren’t for the SAT and the ACT. 

Even after getting help and taking the SAT multiple times, I didn’t get the score I wanted. The phrasing of the questions was just really different from anything I had ever experienced. It left me feeling like I wasn’t good enough to go Cal. Luckily, for me, that feeling didn’t last. After I connected with classmates and friends on campus I was able to feel worthy and not like an outsider.

Now, the pandemic has proven something most teachers agree on: Students are better off with less testing. Many of us know there are more effective ways to teach and learn. I am a firm believer in project-based learning.

For example, after three years of preparation, my students are able to produce a website. This makes them more confident and ready for the real world. Also, Junior Achievement hosted an event early this year when students had to try to solve a community issue using technology. They competed to have their ideas come to fruition. My students were nervous at first but soon became confident enough in their ideas to present them to an auditorium full of people.

 Most testing, like state testing, has been suspended these last couple of months in an attempt to reduce students’ stress levels during the pandemic.

With that said, some tests really can help students. Advanced Placement tests, in particular, allow students to get ahead of the curve in higher education. Most of the tests students take during their K-12 experience, however, do not provide an advantage like AP tests do.

California proved that the California High School Exit Exam, once required to graduate, was expendable when then-Gov. Jerry Brown suspended it in 2015.

I am glad we are finally moving in the right direction with other unnecessary tests.

The UC Needs To Drop the SAT, Says This Richmond Teacher

When considering prospective students, colleges and universities need a way to quickly assess their level of competency in English and mathematics. That has long been the SAT — formerly known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test — among other things. But is that the best way?

A lawsuit filed in December on behalf of the Compton, Calif., school district and other parties is demanding that the University of California stop requiring SAT or American College Test (ACT) scores for admission, setting off an ongoing debate at the nine-campus system and beyond.

The SAT is a standardized exam, meaning everything about the test — the questions, scoring, administration, etc. — is meant to be consistent. On the surface, that might sound fair, but it’s not, something more people are finally starting to realize.

I teach digital arts and web design at Kennedy High School. I never felt right telling my students to measure their success with an exam such as the SAT.

I have had several strong students for whom the SAT just did not reflect their capabilities. One in particular last year was brilliant, self-directed, and in the top 10% of her class. She took AP classes and pushed her classmates to do better and think differently. She always did well on projects and on many tests, but not on the SAT. This is the reality of many students in cities like Richmond.

When I was in school, I found it hard to believe that the SAT could demonstrate my strengths as a student. In fact, although I was top of my class, studied as much as I could, and prepared with a proper instructor, I did not do as well on the exam as I wanted to.

When I took the SAT, the maximum score was 2400, but my top score was only around 1600.

The creators of this exam ignore the needs and conditions of urban communities when making the test. Whether that’s intentional or not, I don’t know.

The SAT uses unfamiliar language and does not account for the anxiety that such an exam can cause the students already experiencing fight or flight, which is exacerbated by the pressure that comes from having to prove yourself through one exam.

Plus, students from a city such as Richmond try to do their best to prove they can “make it out.”

They try to do well on the test so they can get accepted to the best college or university. That means making sure to have enough time to study and prepare for the SAT while not leaving behind classes or any personal obligations.

This test, first given to high school students in 1926, has roots in racism and class inequality. Only those who can afford a daily tutor or have lived their entire lives preparing for this exam are the ones that do well on the SAT. African American and Hispanic/Latino families are far more likely to be low-income, which makes them far less likely to be able to prepare for the test and, thus, far less likely to do well on the test.

The disadvantages these students face aren’t just at home. The SAT requires knowledge of the academic English that only the top schools are able to cover, while many schools are trying to get students to grade-level English. Even at the “best” urban schools, this task is incredibly daunting.

This method excludes so many of the students that take the exam. It gives students little, if any, chance of success if they think outside of the box, are more artistic, or are better at showing their talents through projects.

On College Day at Kennedy High, the seniors take the SAT while the juniors and sophomores take the PSAT, a practice version of the test.

Each year, I encourage my juniors and sophomores to do well on the PSAT for a chance at a $10,000 scholarship. Although I do not agree with the exam, I can only hope that my students are able to get as much as they can out of the practice.

I have felt completely hypocritical pressuring my seniors to do well on the SAT, so during the most recent College Day, I opted out of administering the test. Instead, I led the freshmen through college and career readiness workshops that I think can better help them to be successful.

Some of these were meant to help students build community or do well on the courses required for admission to a UC or Cal State school.

I am very happy that the UC system is finally considering dropping the SAT as an admissions requirement. That kind of move by such a large and prestigious body could have really positive consequences across the U.S. educational system. I only wish it had done it sooner.

WCCUSD Weighs Closing Crespi Amid Concerns over Space, Costs and More Across Schools

West Contra Costa Unified School District is considering closing Juan Crespi Middle School in El Sobrante, opened in 1965, because of what Supt. Matthew Duffy called “a shortage of space.”

In December, Duffy met with the principals of Crespi and Pinole Middle schools to discuss the possibility of combining the two middle schools into one.

The potential closure of the 7th and 8th grade school comes as the district grapples with challenges involving spending, declining enrollment and a legal requirement to provide facilities to charter schools.

Two new charter school, Invictus and Voices, which both took up residence at the two middle schools at the beginning of 2018-19 school year, are requesting more space for 2019-20.

As news of the meeting and the potential closure got out, fears and tensions flared among school staff and community members.

Duffy addressed the issue at the Jan. 23 district school board meeting.

“We have two middle schools, and both schools are having their space eaten up,” he said.

Invictus, on the Crespi campus, and Voices, at Pinole Middle are expected to grow by approximately 160 students each this coming school year and to increase to 500 to 640 over the next several years, Duffy said. Neither Crespi nor Pinole Middle has the space for these projected incoming students.

As a result, Duffy has looked at combining Crespi and Pinole, which are reportedly experiencing a drop in enrollment.

Duffy says he knows the meeting caused some confusion but that it was intended to be a proactive discussion about the district’s options.

“District-wide, we are seeing declining enrollment, and that’s been an ongoing situation,” Marcus Walton, the district’s communications director, said by phone. “It’s a little more acute at Pinole and Crespi because you have demonstratively smaller student populations in bigger spaces, which causes a tension in itself.”

Parents largely were not part of the discussion as Duffy and the district offered them little opportunity to voice their opinions.

When asked by board member Consuelo Lara what outreach has been made to families, Duffy said he sent just one letter about the requests for space. The letter also invited families to participate in the board’s discussion as the district “continues to look at all options across the district to find a solution to these pressing challenges.”

Some people apparently decided to take the district up on that offer. Five members of the public commented on Crespi’s potential closure at the meeting. Some said they were concerned about parent and staff outreach and a lack of transparency.

“I want to make sure that we’re not doing transparency and community engagement for name only,” said Emma Erbach, executive director of United Teachers of Richmond. “These are folks that have spent years of their life in this school and they deserve a say in what their community is going to look like if hard decisions are going to be made.”

Don Gosney, a member of the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee, asked the board to look at why families are leaving the district. “How about learning where these schools intend to draw their students from, [then] speak to these parents and learn why they think it’s imperative to flee from our schools,” he said.

Walton said that, for now, Duffy is only exploring the possibilities and the district never set a plan in motion to shut down Crespi.

“It’s nothing that was ever set in stone. There wasn’t a complete plan, because we can’t plan until we explore the options,” Walton said.

At a meeting with parents in the Crespi library on Tuesday attended by about 40 people, Duffy attempted to reframe the issue, saying the challenge faced by the district is much bigger than the “Crespi/Pinole Middle situation.”

He even offered a personal apology for some of the information that led community members to believe the district had planned to close Crespi.

“We had some conversations about all sorts of things that might take place in the future,” Duffy said. “Those conversation got boiled down in the public sphere as the closure of Crespi.”

Duffy went on to describe another dilemma: The district has more schools than it does physical campuses, if you include charter schools, to which the district owes facilities by law.

After a few years of being able to manage the extra load, Duffy said the district hit a wall when, last year, out of extra space and money, the district made the decision to host charter schools at Crespi and Pinole Middle, which then had available space.

“It’s difficult and has been a challenge for sure. And we’ve heard that all through the year,” he said.

Now, the charters are requesting more space, and Duffy says that, under the law, the district must accommodate them.

“Pinole Middle and Crespi have space to share for one more year, but after that, we can’t do it,” he said, adding that the district needs to figure out its long-term plan.

Duffy say the problem may have been compounded by an ordinance recently passed by the city of Richmond prohibiting schools from being built in commercial areas. “Now that a charter school can’t go build at Hilltop, can’t go rehab a building,” he said, “they’re using the state statutory processes to ask us for facilities. It puts more pressure on us.”

Rachel Arrington has one daughter in the 8th grade at Crespi and another in 5th whom she has expected to send there from nearby Murphy Elementary.

Arrington said she’s heard from her older daughter that students from both schools sharing the campus talk about the situation.

Like others in the room, she believes she sees the writing on the wall, despite Duffy’s words.

“I appreciate the district being proactive, but, at the end of the day, I didn’t hear any guarantees. We believe in this school, and we need to fight for this. As a parent, that’s what I want to do.”

Though Duffy repeatedly stated that here is no plan to make changes for the 2019-20 school year, he offered Crespi parents little other assurances.

“We still have these schools that we’re going to owe some space to. That’s going to be the challenge for us,” he said.

UPDATE: At a study session on Thursday hosted by the school board to discuss facility challenges in the district, Superintendent Matthew Duffy recommended the board not consider closing Juan Crespi Middle School unless its enrollment drops below 350.

Voters Approve Tax Aimed at Helping Kids

For the first time in the city’s history, Richmond youth are set to have a local government department dedicated to serving them.

Kids First Richmond, the ambitious initiative that required passage of three separate local measures, passed its last test on Nov. 6 when voters approved an increase in the real estate transfer tax to fund the program.

According to Measure H’s official language, the transfer tax will not affect properties sold for less than $1 million, but will raise the transfer tax by the following amounts: 1.25 percent for property sold for $1 to $3 million, 2.5 percent for $3 to $10 million, and 3 percent for properties over $10 million.

At least part of that revenue will go towards implementation of Richmond Kid’s First. The plan is to roll out the program over the next few years, eventually allocating up to 3 percent of the city’s general fund over the next decade. The fund will be administered by a city-operated Department of Children and Youth.

Hopes were high at the RYSE Center on election night as supporters of the measure watched returns come in.

Isaiah Grant, 18, was part of the effort to get Measure H passed. He and his friends hiked up the hills of Point Richmond and El Sobrante and knocked on doors to inform people about the tax measure.

“A lot of people were supportive about it,” Grant said. “When we would canvass, it was usually a house that had kids. When we told them it helped youth they were like ‘Oh, it must be beneficial for my kid.’”

Even though the RYSE team, which Grant was a part of, made a big push in local politics this year, some youth at the election night watch party said they didn’t see the point in voting.

Tearra Brintley, 19, said she is disappointed by our two-party system and the back and forth between Republican and Democrat held chambers. She said she doesn’t see a point in helping that wheel keep turning.

“Even if I did vote and I go vote for things that people didn’t want me to vote, what was the point of it?” Brintley asked.

Marques Egan, 18, said he doesn’t think the items on the ballot are going to make substantial changes.

“For the Obama election, I would’ve voted, if I could, because it was the first Black president,” he said. “That changed history, but for the senators I think it’s just gonna repeat itself.”

Although Brintley and Egan did support Measure H by canvassing, they seem to be frustrated by the constant cycle they see in politics.

“This generation just does not care,” Egan said. “For us, it is just an obligation. We do not really look into politics and we do not know what is going on unless we look at a meme or something.”