In a deep East Oakland church, anxious community members learn safety tips and constitutional rights

"One such gathering Wednesday evening in deep East Oakland was a "know-your-rights" safety training and town hall. Organized by Rev. Cheryl Ward, longtime pastor and founder of Cheryl Ward Ministries, and hosted by Amos Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, the event featured speakers from the Anti Police-Terror Project, Oakland Rising Action, and the Oakland/Berkeley chapter of Black Women Organized for Political Action."

""The question is not, are we prepared if they come. It is, when they come," Ward told The Oaklandside before the meeting. Attendees, ranging from teenagers to older adults, listened intently and asked questions throughout the two-hour session, with some jotting down notes. Most of the community members said they were residents of East Oakland or grew up in the neighborhood. Other local organizations, like Bay Resistance, have held similar trainings on Zoom to mobilize community members from across Oakland and other Bay Area cities."

Community groups in East Oakland held a 'know-your-rights' safety training and town hall to prepare residents for potential federal immigration enforcement. Rev. Cheryl Ward organized the event at Amos Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church with speakers from the Anti Police-Terror Project and Oakland Rising Action. Attendees ranged from teenagers to older adults; many were East Oakland residents. Organizations such as Bay Resistance have held similar Zoom trainings to mobilize residents across the Bay Area. Department of Homeland Security confirmed Customs and Border Protection agents were being sent to a Coast Guard base near Oakland; the scope of operations remained unclear.

Read at The Oaklandside