Richmond Pulse November 2023

Salesian High Wallops De Anza High by More Than 40 Points See Pg. 3

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November 2023

City of Richmond Officially Stands With People of Palestine

The Richmond City Council passed a resolution in support of the people of Palestine 5-1, with one member dissenting and one absent. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy)

BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY

A

fter hearing over five hours of public comment, the Richmond City Council passed a resolution in solidarity with the Palestinian people of Gaza at its Oct. 24 meeting.

The council voted 5-1, with council member Cesar Zepeda voting against and Claudia Jimenez absent. Several amendments were made to the resolution, among them acknowledging the 1,400 Israelis killed by Hamas on Oct. 7, calling for the release of Israeli hostages, and expressing empathy for all victims.

Mayor Eduardo Martinez, who coauthored the resolution with Vice Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, said it was necessary for the city to take a stance on this. He pointed to other international issues Richmond has taken stances on — divesting from South Africa because of apartheid in the 1980s and, last year, in support of Ukrainian people — based upon financial or moral reasoning.

“Both instances are worthwhile,” Martinez said. Because American tax dollars are being used to fund the Israeli military, he said, Americans have an “immediate moral obligation to condemn Israel’s acts … and apartheid state.”

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The crowd cheered and booed Martinez. Some screamed out, calling him a “Nazi” and accusing him of antisemitism.

The adopted resolution says Israel is engaging in ethnic cleansing and collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza.

Collective punishment is defined as withholding electricity, water, food and aid in the resolution.

Speakers both in favor of and against the resolution spoke at the meeting after several Bay Area organizations sent out calls for help to pass or stop the resolution.

The Jewish Community Relations Council, which called the resolution “biased and inflammatory” ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, provided talking points in its call to action that criticized language used in the resolution. Some attendees shared the same concerns as JCRC’s points, saying the resolution is one-sided and does not contain completely accurate information. Many speakers who identified themselves as Jewish or Israeli American said the resolution made them feel unsafe.

Martinez acknowledged the fear of Jewish and Israeli American community members but stood by the resolution.

“Jewish people deserve to feel safe. I won’t deny them their very real sense

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of fear,” he said. “I reject the notion that speaking out against the actions of Israel’s military and right-wing government is antisemitic.”

Those who spoke in favor of the resolution, including organizations that sought the help of community members to pass the resolutions, said Palestinian voices were often ignored by the media and governments. Many Palestinian speakers thanked the council for giving them a voice in this resolution.

The Asian Pacific Environmental Network and East Bay Democratic Socialists of America spoke as allies. APEN provided talking points for advocates of the resolution that praised Richmond’s “brave and necessary act of solidarity” and condemned war crimes by Israel. Some Jewish allies said the resolution targeted not the Jewish community but Israel itself.

Martinez said the one-sidedness of the resolution only seemed that way because of how long Palestinian voices were ignored.

McLaughlin said there is a mainstream media blackout that ignores Palestinian voices and instead focuses on Israeli voices.

“This resolution is a breakthrough of that mainstream media blackout,” McLaughlin said. “We need more break-

In Pictures: Richmond Chess Festival Back for Year Four See Pg. 4

throughs.”

“Until the rights of Palestinians are addressed in this conflict,” she said. “We will see more hostilities.”

Council member Doria Robinson shared her experience visiting Ramallah, Golan and Gaza and said she doesn’t think Americans understand what is happening, partly because of the “dominant narrative” that tells them to only have empathy for Israelis.

“When you see what’s happening there, you can’t unsee it,” Robinson said. “ We’ll never ever get anywhere if the only people who are allowed to be humans are Israelis.”

Zepeda, the lone vote against the resolution, proposed amendments to add mentions of healing as a community and create a more complete resolution.

McLaughlin refused his amendment.

Zepeda said he received over 800 calls and emails about the resolution and nobody was against standing with Palestine.

Contra Costa Supervisor John Gioia, who represents Richmond, released a statement before the meeting asking the council to help bring together the Jewish and Muslim communities rather than voting on the resolution. He said the original resolution would “only contribSee Council, pg. 6

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November 2023

Q&A: Sikh Richmond Man Reflects Seven Years After Brutal Hate Crime Attack

BY DANIELLE PARENTEAU-DECKER

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aan Singh Khalsa was stopped in his car while driving in Richmond on Sept 25, 2016, when two Texas men, then aged 25 and 31, attacked him. They punched him and used a knife to saw off his hair, stabbing him in the right hand as he tried to protect his head, which led to the partial amputation of his pinky finger.

Khalsa is Sikh, so his faith calls on him to never cut his hair. The two men, Colton Tye LeBlanc and Chase Little, pled no contest to felony aggravated assault and hate crime charges and were sentenced to three years in prison, though they served less time.

Recently, Khalsa sat down with Richmond Pulse to take a look back at the aftermath of the attack and to share what things have been like for him in the years since. This conversation has been lightly edited.

Richmond Pulse: Do you still deal with feelings of depression or anxiety because of what happened to you?

Maan Singh Khalsa: Yes. Every time I pass over the overpass where the incident happened — it just comes to me that that’s where it all happened, so I try to avoid it, but you know, I still live here, so every time I go there, it (brings) up things. Other than that, emotionally, I am OK, stable, but I do get frustrated. I don’t know if you want to call that depression, but I do get frustrated because I’m dropping things, my phone, screens break, glasses break when they fall from my hand…. Trying to tie my turban, my arm turns numb. Holding things for a little bit, my arm doesn’t support that, so my arm turns numb. That frustrates me.

RP: Are there any other physical or psychological effects you’re still experiencing?

MSK: Not much besides where the pinky finger is, that arm turns numb doing things. It’s very tingly, so I can’t have a grip, and if I’m driving, holding the steering wheel for a while, my right arm turns numb. My wife is telling me that my memory is affected, definitely shortterm memory. I forget things and still drop things because of my missing pinky finger.

RP: After you were attacked, were there sources of support — people or organizations — that you were able to turn to at that time that helped you?

Maan Singh Khalsa: There was crowdfunding. I got about $10,000 from there.

That helped.

RP: Can you talk more about how your faith has helped you and how it affected how you responded to the attack?

RP: Who started that?

MSK: Sikhism is a very profound religion.

Like every other religion, they guide people. Our holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, is the life guru. If you read that, basically, you have a question in your mind, you’ll get the answer if you read it wholeheartedly. It walks you through every part of your life, so when you’re down, it builds you up. It gives you strength. … It’s very encouraging if you read the holy book because it’s like you’re talking to your guru. … I go to El Sobrante, the Sikh temple, sometimes … They do early morning meditation. Sometimes, I go in Fremont. That charges you up. …

They do meditation or singing with a lot of congregation of people. That definitely helps. It’s a great vibe with the music and singing the hymns. … If something happens to you, it’s for a reason even if you’re beaten or down; it’s like a test from the god that gets you through that. Something better will come up. I haven’t read the Bible but in the Bible, they say lot of things similar. If you look at all religions, you look at the similarities to guide people through their life during hard times, to build character, not to differentiate this religion as better, that is better.

The similarities, that’s what you should look at. And all people are same. We’re all children of God. The Bible says God created human in his own image, and similarly in our holy book, Guru Granth Sahib, the sentence is that the soul is the same as the light as the god. So it’s the same thing, basically same principles.

Every religion teaches love of humanity, but people, I don’t know how they get so (much animosity) in them, jealous (of) other people … Nature is diverse, so are human beings, but basically, they all have the same thing, same light, same energy, so I don’t know why so much animosity.

MSK: Somebody in the community.

RP: Have there been any organizations that have been helpful to you?

MSK: No. RP: Did you try to find somewhere and couldn’t?

MSK: No, actually, there were some organizations within our community that used my pictures and other stuff to raise funds for awareness, but they didn’t help me. They didn’t reach out to me. They took my pictures, (but) they wouldn’t help. They don’t ask. They just use pictures and collected several thousand dollars from the public. They … raised awareness of violence against Sikhs or something like that, but they didn’t even ask me or reach out to me. No help.

RP: Have there been any resources that actually did help you?

MSK: No, nobody helped me. For my eye, I still go see the doctor… It still flares up from time to time because that’s where they hit me, so some nerves, there’s damage. … Stress or stuff like that, it flares up, and it all turns red. But other than that, I’m all good now.

RP: When things do get hard, what are some things help you cope?

MSK: There’s nothing like that. I mean, it’s hard to explain. I’m OK. I can say that. I’m just getting through things. But I don’t know how to answer or explain that.

Everything is OK. It’s just my wife and I. She’s very helpful and supportive in every way.

RP: Are there other people or anything else in your life that helps you cope?

MSK: My meditation that I do every day, my prayers morning and evening. That definitely helps. Other than that, I’m not much involved in the community anymore. We’re keeping to ourselves. It’s basically shut me off from everything.

That’s what happened. ’Cause I used to be working for a nonprofit and going, traveling everywhere. I stopped doing that and just stay home.

RP: Nowadays, do you feel like people treat you badly because of your religion or how they see you?

MSK: Once in a while, very rare, but people are more aware now about the Sikhs and the Muslims and all, but you know, human beings are human beings.

You can’t change them (laughed), but it’s your perspective. It should always be positive. You should always stay positive.

That’s what I learned from reading our holy book. What keeps me going is staying positive.

See Hate Crime, pg. 6

Contra Costa County Seeks Member for Transportation Advisory Group

Have questions, comments, or want to get involved?

Contact Richmond Pulse at

BY KILEY RUSSELL | BAY CITY NEWS

info@richmondpulse.org www.richmondpulse.org

C

ontra Costa County is looking for an individual to serve as the public representative on the Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s Citizen Advisory Committee.

The person selected will serve a fouryear term and must live in an unincorporated part of the county.

Additionally, the person chosen will need to attend virtual committee meetings at 6 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month and review agendas and information packets prior to the meetings.

The deadline to apply is Nov. 30.

This citizen advisory committee reviews transportation programs and plans throughout Contra Costa County. It offers advice and makes recommendations to the full Contra Costa County Transportation Authority Board of Directors.

The committee’s reviews include looking at transportation projects and programs funded by the county’s half-cent transportation sales tax.

The committee is also set up to provide citizen perspective and involvement in the county’s Measure J-funded Transportation Expenditure Plan and Growth Management Program. Committee members have the opportunity to influence transportation and growth issues in

the county as well as other jurisdictions through presentations received from transportation experts, advocates and professional staff.

Application forms are available from the Contra Costa County Clerk of the Board of Supervisors or by calling (925) 655-2000.

Completed applications are due no later than Nov. 30 and should be sent to the Department of Conservation & Development, 30 Muir Road, Martinez, CA 94553 (Attn: Robert Sarmiento).

Individuals also could email transportation@dcd.cccounty.us with “CCTA CAC County Representative Application” in the subject line. •

Community News, Youth Voices

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Salesian High Wallops De Anza High by More Than 40 Points

BY JOE PORRELLO

S

alesian College Preparatory High thrashed De Anza High by a score of 55-13 on Oct. 13 in Hercules.

The De Anza football Dons are playing this season’s home games at Hercules High while their own field gets renovated.

Both teams’ play illustrated why they came in with opposite records; the Pride at 5-1 and the Dons at 1-5.

The Pride have been road warriors yet to suffer a loss away from home (5-0).

Salesian went up six points quickly, using a long run to break the plane on the game’s fourth play.

After a quick three-and-out on their first offensive drive, the Dons punter couldn’t corral the snap; the ball sailed over his head and got recovered by the Pride on the one-yard line, who then rushed it in the next play for their second touchdown.

De Anza High’s early hole would grow.

Following a surprise onside kick and recovery, Salesian connected on a long passing touchdown the ensuing play, their second in two offensive snaps.

The Pride scored first-play touchdowns on four separate occasions, and senior Ethan Alfonso recovered two onside kicks.

“I just stay energized and try keeping my team energized the whole game,” he said.

Not even halfway through the first quarter and already down 21 points, the Dons fumbled on a first play of their own, and Salesian turned the mistake into another six points, making the score 27-0.

The only punt of the game from either team came at the end of the first quarter, when De Anza’s punter again had a tough snap to handle and barely got the kick off.

The Dons would fight back, though their momentum was short lived.

De Anza managed to force three Pride turnovers in the second quarter and finally put points on the board using a touchdown via air hauled in by senior Davion Dunkley.

“We made a lot of mistakes; we need to clean that up for sure,” said Pride senior quarterback Marco Turqueza.

The other senior pass thrower in Salesian High’s two-quarterback system, Byron Aguilera, said his team’s confidence almost got the best of them.

“I know, coming into this game, we saw their record and we underestimated them,” he said.

The Pride are using a two-headed approach behind center after the team’s starting quarterback went down with an injury in their previous game.

Aguilera said, as seniors, he and Turqueza are ready to guide their team by controlling the offense and leading by example.

“It’s a lot of responsibility, but it’s a

November 2023

WCCUSD Makes Media Policies More Restrictive

BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY

I

Salesian Pride defenders celebrate after recording a sack in the first quarter of their Oct. 13 win over De Anza in Hercules. (Photo by Joe Porello)

good responsibility,” he said.

Salesian High senior running back Luis Dejesus noted filling the shoes of their injured starting quarterback will be a team effort.

“Everybody has to step up,” he said.

The Dons cut the deficit to 13 when Dunkley took the halftime kickoff to the house for his second touchdown. Then, their special teams employed a successful onside kick themselves.

That would be the end of any comeback for the Dons, who turned the ball over twice and gave up a pair of touchdowns over the remainder of the third quarter.

It was a sloppy game overall, with the Dons recovering four fumbles on defense and losing three on offense.

“We just gotta build on it; we have a young team,” said Dunkley.

The senior led his team for the game in carries (10), touchdowns (2), receptions (4), and receiving yards (52), as well as being second in tackles (7) and recovering a fumble.

Pride head coach Chad Nightingale had high praise for the Dons and their star player.

“De Anza has a lot of talent,” he said. “(Dunkley) is a heck of a player.”

Dunkley, one of De Anza High’s bright spots of the season, paces the Dons for the season in rushing yards, receiving yards and touchdowns.

After their fifth loss two weeks ago, the Dons will now finish with their first overall losing record in six years.

De Anza had only a pair of Tri-CountyRock League losses in their last two seasons combined.

On the flipside, Salesian already has as many wins as last season. But the Pride are used to winning football games in recent history.

In the last 20 years, the Pride have only three overall losing seasons and a 70-23 record in league play.

With multiple lopsided losses this

season, the Dons have been outscored 192 points by their opponents, while the Pride have a +170 point differential.

Salesian and De Anza are unalike in almost every way.

The Dons have surrendered at least 30 points in five of seven games and scored over 20 only once, while the Pride have scored 30 points in five of seven games and given up 20 points only once.

Salesian is currently first out of 14 teams in the North Coast Division 6 standings.

In the TCRL standings, the Pride are second to only undefeated El Cerrito.

But Nightingale doesn’t want his team to get ahead of themselves; in his 28 years coaching, he has learned the value of patience.

“What I do really appreciate about this team is that they’ve been really good about taking the games one at a time,” he said.

De Anza High coaches and players say that having their home games at Hercules High doesn’t feel like a disadvantage or bother them.

Dunkley said he played on the field when he was younger, and the Dons’ only win of the season came there during an official road game against Hercules High.

The Pride are likely headed for the playoffs, while the Dons are playing for pride. •

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n response to a national article profiling West Contra Costa schools, the district is tightening up how its employees interact with the media.

Superintendent Kenneth Hurst announced at the Oct. 25 WCCUSD board meeting that an internal investigation had been conducted to determine if district policies were followed when a reporter documented challenges WCCUSD schools faced post-COVID. Hurst would not publicly name the publication or reporter because the district considers the article an “irresponsible portrayal” of students and did not want to increase traffic to the article.

However, the summary alongside the agenda item mentions a USA Today article.

Several articles published by USA Today in June feature the students and teachers of two elementary schools — Downer Elementary in San Pablo and Nystrom Elementary in Richmond — navigating challenges with behavior, staffing shortages and teacher burnout.

A reporter spent half a year observing the school site, according to one of the articles, and had some keep journals to document their experiences.

Hurst’s report at the meeting called the inclusion of certain content in the article “concerning.” His report said challenges faced by the WCCUSD community are a priority.

“We want to be very clear that anytime we hear about concerning experiences that our students are having in WCCUSD,” the report reads, “we share those concerns alongside our community and our families.”

The findings of the investigation prompted the district to recommend various actions that it believes will protect the privacy of students. Several current board policies were found to need better implementation.

After finding out that the reporter was not supervised by an administrator consistently when in classrooms, the district will require an administrator to consistently be present when a reporter is around students and staff. Every new administrator has and, as new ones are hired, will be trained in the district’s media policies.

Board Policies 112, 4119.21 and 4119.23, which set guidelines for professional standards, media relations and releasing confidential information, were found in the investigation to need better implementation and led the district to develop a “guiding matrix for permissible and appropriate speech by WCCUSD educators on panels and with the media.”

Recommendations are also made to WCCUSD to decline interviews that “do not appear to be in the interest” of the district or community. Acceptance of interviews for staff that are not the superintendent, board president or director of communications will be determined depending on the case.

Trustee Mister Phillips did not know why the district was limiting who he could talk to.

“What right do you have to tell elected officials who they can talk to?”

Phillips said.

Board President Demetrio GonzalezHoy said he didn’t believe the recommendation was meant to come across that way. •

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Community News, Youth Voices

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November 2023

Richmond Chess Festival Back for Year Four

Two young men think deeply about their next moves on the chess board while playing at the fourth Richmond Chess Festival, hosted Oct. 14 by the West Coast Chess Alliance.

STORY AND PHOTOS • JOE PORRELLO

T

he West Coast Chess Alliance held its fourth Richmond Chess Festival on Oct. 14.

The chess tournament is on the second Saturday of October in accordance with and to celebrate National Chess Day. This year, Richmond Spirit and Soul held its 15th annual festival on the same day. Loud music from the festival could be heard inside at the tournament, but the players played on, seemingly unbothered.

Roughly 50 players from a wide range of ages were split into groups of four based on skill level in what is referred to as a quad-style tournament.

Each player in a quad plays all three opponents; a win earns one point, a draw equals half a point, and a loss nets zero points.

Whoever tallied the most points in their quad earned a trophy, with 12 pieces of hardware being handed out to individual winners.

Two trophy winners were brothers Aaron and Blake Tsang, sixth and ninth graders, respectively. Their mother, Judy, praised the tournament.

“It’s awesome. This is our second year,” she said. “I think it’s great that the kids are learning and I’m grateful for coach TC Ball for putting the event together.”

Everyone who played received a medal, though event organizers assured them that it was not for participation, but a medal they genuinely earned.

According to WCCA founder and director TC Ball, aka “The Black Knight,” there were half as many players as last year because of a technical oversight with the online player registration process.

Ball said he and event organizers set a limit of 100 players, but a small number of people secured many registration spots and some did not show up.

WCCA tried to get the word out that walk-ups would be welcome to fill the empty slots but ended up with a number of unused tables.

“Because it’s free, some people take advantage of that,” he said. “A similar tournament to what we’re doing here — if you went anywhere else — would be between

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$25-40.”

Boards, pieces, and clocks were provided for players, who abided partly by official U.S. Chess Federation rules — like having to move a piece if it is touched.

“One of the benefits of chess is learning discipline, and discipline is not touching a piece until you’re ready to move it,” said Ball. “It teaches you patience. It teaches you how to develop a plan of action.”

Ball highlighted some other positive aspects of chess he has seen throughout his 40 years working in community chess, including as a certified USCF instructor.

“There’s a lot of purity in it because it’s a game of total disclosure; nothing is hidden,” he said. “I tell my students all the time, ‘Respect your opponent, because they will see what you see.’ ” “I remember when my daughter was still very young we would bring her to tournaments like this and build her confidence.”

Now, Lope’s daughter is a California women’s chess state champion; he is himself a Chess Expert, an official ranking that comes slightly below Grandmasters, the highest level of USCF rating.

The WCCA gives its students wristbands that say “Grand Master In training,” as motivation.

“I wear one because even though I’ve been playing for 40 years, I’m still learning,” said Ball.

Another advantage of chess Ball mentioned was gaining skill sets that can be applied in other areas of life, like openness to improvement, being humble, improved focus and concentration, how to win and lose, and how to think — the latter of which he said is especially important for children.

“Nobody talks about how to think until you get to graduate school,” he said.

Working in the biochemistry field previously himself, Ball said chess promotes a scientific way of thinking: The chess board is like a laboratory where one can test their game strategy, or hypothesis.

Multiple parents with kids in the tournament agreed chess is a great way to get children temporarily off of screens.

Ball said one of the greatest things about chess is how

it enhances diversity and inclusion.

“It’s gender-neutral. It’s not about strength or how fast you are,” he said.

Jose Vasquez-Medina uses chess as a way to bond with son Matteo, and has brought him to multiple past chess tournaments in the area.

“It’s an amazing opportunity, right?” he said. “It’s great that these events are happening in our community.”

Norma Contreras was in attendance representing the Richmond Police Department and both of her daughters participated in the event.

“I grew up in (Richmond), so I’m happy to bring my daughters here and incorporate them in the community,” she said. “It’s awesome to have them interact with other kids.”

One of Contreras’ daughters playing in the event, Erandy Scarlette Cano, said she recently developed a liking for chess after learning the rules only to help her older sister practice for the tournament.

She was nervous before the event began, but now Erandy is looking forward to more similar tournaments.

The WCCA holds chess events at San Pablo Library every Friday and at Hercules Library the first Wednesday of every month and works in 10 different Bay Area schools.

Ball said chess had a big resurgence in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that apps to play live opponents remotely saw a large increase in user traffic.

“Part of it relates to ‘Queen’s Gambit,’ the Netflix series; that did more for chess than Bobby Fischer,” he said, referring to the famed grandmaster.

Moving forward, Ball and WCCA are helping make an official school chess league in the Bay Area for elementary, intermediate, and high schools.

“I really see it growing,” he said. “Hopefully in a year or two, we’ll be taking students to Northern California Regional Tournaments.”

As of now, Ball says regional chess tournaments in the area lack West Contra Costa County representation.

Community News, Youth Voices

www.richmondpulse.org

November 2023

Adults and kids competed according to their skill level in a tournament at the Richmond Chess Festival, which was held downtown at CoBiz.

Erandy Scarlette Cano receives a medal after taking part in her first chess tournament.

Before the event began, players had time to practice and warm up for the real thing, as Jose Vasquez-Medina and son Matteo do here.

A West Coast Chess Alliance.instructor works with kids after the Richmond Chess Festival tournament concluded on Oct. 14.

Chess is a way to bring people together, including family like Norma Contreras, who works for Richmond Police, and her daughters.

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Community News, Youth Voices

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November 2023

Coming Up and Coming Out as a Little Gay Latino in the Bay

BY JOSEPH DE LA CRUZ

I

was 8 years old when I first heard the word “gay” from a bully. I didn’t fully understand. All I knew was it was something I didn’t want to be.

I was walking from school to my parents’ restaurant.

It was safe, it was close, and I was responsible. This bully came up to me. When I looked back on it as a kid, I blamed myself for not walking fast enough. The kid accosted me, slapped me and pushed me to the ground.

But not without calling me “gay.”

When you’re the kid of Mexican immigrant parents with a feeling you might be different from other kids around you, you do everything to make sure you’re as normal as can be.

Why? Because from a young age, you’ve been told about your parents’ struggles. How they came from this mythical land named Mexico, with its rich culture and history. With the food that your mom cooks you after a long day. The place where your abuela and abuelo are.

You’ve been told how your parents came to the United States, to California, because they wanted something better for their children, for you. For them, you do everything you can to be a normal kid, even though you know deep down, you’re not doing it right.

When you’re a kid, you are taught what is right and what is wrong. When you come from a Mexican family and are raised Catholic, your rights and your wrongs are amplified because there is this figure — God — that is watching you. Pórtate bien, Dios te está viendo. If he is watching, does he know I feel wrong? Does he know that when I watch “The Little Mermaid” or “Pocahontas,” I want to kiss Prince Eric and John Smith? Can he see that I don’t like getting bullied?

My mom telling my teacher and principal about the bullying solved that issue for the time being. But it didn’t solve the other issue. Being gay was something I didn’t want to be. It wasn’t until I was getting older, hitting puberty, that the feeling I had of being different was starting to really present itself in my life.

I was having feelings of wanting to be kissed by a boy.

To find the love I had seen in Disney movies with a boy.

At 13, I got on Google and found out the meaning of

"As far as the possibility of being gay, there was no better — no safer — place I could’ve come to that realization to than the Bay Area,” writes the author. (Photo by Monica Mendoza)

the word “gay.” This horrible word that had followed me from my childhood into my teenage years. The word alone made me feel like there was a weight on my chest that no matter how I tried would not get off me.

Then, at 16, I transferred from to the famous Oakland School for the Arts. I was with kids with whom I felt safe. Kids who were undeniably themselves This whole time, I had a voice that had to be heard.

While I was still too shy to speak with that voice, it came out in my writing.

Latin culture is getting there when it comes to being gay. In 2007, photos came out of Christian Chavez of the Latin pop band RBD marrying a man. He was being blackmailed because being gay was this big crime. My bully’s voice came back to me: You’re gay. The weight came down on me again. People were disappointed. How could Chavez, a man kids and teens looked up to, be gay? How could he? When RBD expressed support for Chavez, the weight on my chest got lighter.

My mom was my rock throughout my teenage years.

She made sure I knew that no matter what, she would love me. She knew there was something I wanted to say, a mother’s intuition. She didn’t rush me or force it out of me; I think she knew she had to be patient and let me figure it out on my own. When I finally came out at 16, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I couldn’t carry the weight on my chest, that feeling that there was something wrong with me. I couldn’t let my bully win.

My mom was the first person I told. She held me while the weight on my chest finally dispersed. She asked if I

Council...

Hate Crime...

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 2

ute to divisiveness.”

McLaughlin and council member Melvin Willis signed a statement earlier in the week with other California officials that stands with the children of Gaza and calls for peace.

The next Richmond City Council meeting is Nov. 7. •

RP: Are there other ways that you’d like to talk about in which your life changed as a result of the attack?

MSK: Yes. I’m not as active, physically, as I used to be, going out, running, doing things. Things change, definitely. I wish I could be back to the way I was, but this is life, so you got to adapt, keep going.

RP: You had once said to your attackers, “I still consider you my brothers.” Do you still feel that way, and is there anything now that you would like to say to them?

MSK: You know, I’ve forgotten all that. It was an incident that happened as a bad dream. Nothing against them. They’ve done what they did. They were not in (their right mind) because they were drunk and there were also a lot of hate going on especially with the Trump era coming up — I don’t know what was going on with people’s minds, but that phase has gone. People are more sensitive

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wanted her to help me find a boyfriend.

When I started to let people know that I was gay, reactions ranged from showing me love and to not being shocked. My friends wouldn’t think twice about it.

I finally felt how 8-year-old me should’ve felt going to school: safe.

I was a sophomore in high school when Prop. 8 was voted in, banning gay marriage in California. Then, when I was 21, gay marriage became legal in all 50 states, just in time for me to walk with my school’s gaystraight alliance at the SF Pride parade. I think about how it is easy for me to walk down the street and not worry about getting harassed just because of who I am.

I think about how the Bay and California seem to be in their own protective bubble. About how hard it is for others in different parts of the world. How hard it has to be for our trans brothers and sisters, especially those of color. I think about how good I have it in the Bay Area, and I’m thankful for my home.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www. cavshate.org/. •

now. They’re more compassionate. … I’ve forgiven them. Things happen. We move on. We learn from our mistakes. … They suffered a lot as well, I believe. They lost their jobs, and they served some sentence in the prison. They were sentenced for three years, served year and a half. I wish them good luck in their life. I have no hard feelings for them anymore.

RP: I know this can’t be easy to talk about, but is there anything else you would like to say?

MSK: I would just like to tell everybody, no matter whether it’s India, whether it’s America or any other country, people should live peacefully and harmoniously… God’s message to everybody is to serve humanity. There’s so much misery in people’s lives, and if you’re in a comfortable position, you should help them out. No matter caste or religion or the community, whatever they are, all humans are alike. So if you can, you should help out every human being you can.

That’s my only message is serve humanity.

Be friendly. Don’t be (hostile) to anybody.

Just show love to everybody.

Any victim of or witness to a hate incident or crime in California can report it and receive support any time at CAvsHate.org.

You can also call 833-8-NO-HATE; (833) 866-4283 Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. If outside of those hours, you can leave a voicemail, or you can call 211 to report hate and seek support. You can currently submit reports online in 15 languages and, when calling the hotline, you can get access to support in over 200 languages. If you want to report a hate crime to law enforcement immediately or you are in present danger, please call 911.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/. •

Community News, Youth Voices

www.richmondpulse.org

November 2023

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Community News, Youth Voices

www.richmondpulse.org

November 2023

Online Hate ‘Bleeds Into Real Life,’ Promotes School Bullying

BY JULIA MÉTRAUX

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any high schoolers are glued to social media, which can be great for building connections with others, but, as Dashka Slater, author of “Accountable,” points out, it also exposes adolescents to content that can fuel hate.

“About half of that extremist content online focuses on race or ethnicity,” Slater said at an Oct. 27 Ethnic Media Services briefing on school bullying and hate. “This invariably bleeds into real life.”

Over the past few years, school bullying has been on the rise. Forty percent of students reported being bullied on school property, according to a 2023 survey from the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and around 18% have been the target of cyberbullying in the past year. Research has shown that even when people leave K-12, the impact of school bullying can still affect mental health in the long term.

“People living at the intersection of two marginalized social identity groups…are particularly at risk for real harm,” said Becky Monroe, the deputy director of California Civil Rights Department’s strategic initiatives and external affairs.

The California Department of Education defines bullying as a form of violence, which can be physical, verbal, psychological and/or sexual. The department also finds that one effective method to confront school bullying could be raising awareness of the forms it takes and the direct impact it has on students.

Anti-bullying work in schools can also help students realize how they are treating their peers can be cruel, a form of violence, and possibly even a hate crime. Of kids who are bullying others, “it’s very easy to feel like these

Santa Barbara NAACP president Connie Alexander-Boaitey said in an Ethnic Media Services briefing that bullying faced by Black students, including being called the n-word, “is a constant.” (Screenshot captured by Julia Métraux )

are bad, racist kids who are doing this or bad, transphobic kids or whatever,” Slater said, but it’s much more important to educate these students.

Throughout the briefing, panelists spoke about the importance of addressing school bullying happening between racial and ethnic groups. Santa Barbara NAACP president Connie Alexander-Boaitey said Black students are frequently bullied through language, which sometimes escalates physically. “[There is] a pervasive calling of the n-word by young Latino students to Black students,” Alexander-Boaitey said. “It’s every day.”

Black leaders in Santa Barbara have tried to address bullying faced by Black students, Alexander-Boaitey said, but their concerns are often brushed off.

“The eraser culture that says now, ‘We don’t really need to talk about that. Oh, it was just a single incident,’ ” Alexander-Boaitey said. “But it is a constant.”

Being the target of anti-Black racism can have a sizable impact on a Black student’s mental health, AlexanderBoaitey continued, contributing to the statistic that “10% of Black youth at some point might consider suicide or attempt.”

Anahí Santos, the youth wellness coordinator at One Community Action, has also seen the harms of bullying within the Latinx community in Santa Maria Valley, not-

ing that white or white-passing Latinx students sometimes target newly arrived youths from Central America or Mexico.

“There have been times when we’ve had to take them to school, right before school starts,” Santos said, in supporting these youths. “We have to wait in line with them to get to the classroom.”

As a result of this bullying, Santos says, “Our own community is hurting itself, so that we can then have the prize that we’re whiter or who’s the whitest.”

While students can learn these beliefs through hatefilled content online, they also can by the views of the people around them, highlighting the importance of adults to reckon with hate-filled beliefs they may have.

“When there is tension and an increase in acts of hate in the greater community, [this] will be reflected in schools and among students as well,” Monroe said.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www. cavshate.org/. •

Kay-Activists Tease Tankers in Richmond

BY RUTH DUSSEAULT | BAY CITY NEWS

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hat started two years ago as a club for Black and Brown kayakers, has turned into a league of activists who want to do something rather than nothing about climate change.

Thirty-two kayakers buzzed a berthed oil tanker at the Chevron Oil Refinery on Oct. 15. As the fog lifted, a company security guard with a megaphone told the paddlers to back up beyond a 100-yard safety zone. Ten boaters got brave and darted closer, teasing authorities to escalate. In the end, the activists did not stop the departure of a 2 p.m. oil tanker. But they will try again.

“I think next time we’re going to get a little closer to their departure time,” said one of the group’s organizers Alfredo Angulo, 23.

The Rich City Rays is a collection of hobbyists and seasoned kayakers that perform their first amendment rights on water. They acted at Lake Merritt on Earth Day in 2021 and again in support of Greenpeace International, as that legacy environmental group fought a sevenyear slap lawsuit in the U.S. District court in Northern California and eventually won in 2022.

The originators of Rich City Rays grew up in Richmond, drinking the water and breathing the air emanating from the century-old petrochemical plant, the city’s largest employer.

“All the people that have lived in Richmond for the last 120 years have been in the shadow of this refinery,”

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Rich City Rays, a group of kayaking activists, protest fossil fuels at Richmond’s Chevron Refinery on Sunday. (Matt Leonard, Rich City Rays via Bay City News)

said Angulo. “They have experienced every fire event, all the benzene emissions, every oil spill.”

Angulo is a first generation Mexican American who grew up in Richmond before earning his political science degree at UC Berkeley. He spoke as his colleagues dragged their vessels from the water at Richmond’s Miller Knox Shoreline Park. Wooden flag stands were cobbled onto boats with bungie cords, upholding colorful banners inscribed with the big asks of Generation Z — End Fossil Fuels, Pollute No More, Rise Up for Climate Justice.

“There’s this understanding that we need to move

away from oil and gas for the health and safety of our community, but also as the climate crisis strengthens and our communities are being more exposed to the negative effects of climate change, we need to move away from oil and gas to stop this climate chaos. The world is on fire, and Chevron plays a massive role in driving the crisis.”

Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. •