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Kwanzaa is a seven-day celebration of family, community, and culture. It's an African American holiday; born of the first harvest celebrations of Africa. In a custom similar to Hanukkah, Kwanzaa is marked by candle-lighting and gift giving. This Kwanzaa opening ceremony was held at Youth Uprising in Oakland in 2009: Greg Hodge, who ran for Oakland's District Three City Council seat in 2008, is also Minister Greg Hodge of Wo'se Church in Oakland. In this video , he talks about the importance of language and names in Kwanzaa. Greg, as usual, offers great words of wisdom: If you're looking for a good guide for the preparation of Kwanzaa-related cuisine, check out the new website Cuisine Noir . Stay tuned and Happy Kwanzaa!

Oakland lawyer turns Oakland artist - Thomas McDonnell Just when Charlie Sheen, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, and Michael Jackson's doctors need him, Thomas McDonnell, a well-known Oakland, California criminal defense attorney every bit as good as Gloria Allred, quit the practice. Thomas McDonnell Thomas is now a digital artist (and very happy) specializing in creating art using scanners. But why McDonnell - who comes from a family of lawyers, based in Oakland and the San Francisco Bay Area – quit practicing law is a fascinating story. I know a lot of lawyers - from Oakland City Attorney John Russo and Personal Injury Lawyer Robert G. Shock, to Alameda County Counsel Richard Winnie and Peralta Community College Chancellor Elihu Harris - and many talk about what they like and dislike about the practice. Quite a few quit. Some go into politics; others take a completely different turn. That's Thomas. I met with my friend and fellow singer at The Alley on Grand Ave...

Pernell Harris, a friend of mine and a fixture in the Oakland fitness community and in the Oakland entertainment community, passed away today, Christmas morning, in his sleep. He was 40 years old. Pernell Harris Pernell starred in the Fox Television Series 24 in 2001 as 'Agent Harris'. In my video interview in 2006 , Pernell talks about his experience working with the cast of 24 including Kiefer Sutherland: Pernell was Assistant General Manager at Gold's Gym on Grand Avenue in Oakland, and worked as a Sales Manager at 24-Hour Fitness in downtown Oakland. Harris was also a singer. in 2006, he released an a album called Say-No-ism and which you can hear all of the tracks here. Pernell was a good man who will be missed by many.

I received an email from Sean Sullivan who's on the board of directors of the Oakland-based Khadafy Foundation for Non-Violence, regarding a breakfast this Friday, December 18th 2009. The event, called the Chicken & Waffle Holiday Breakfast, starts at 8am and goes until 10 am, and is something that you should attend. It's just $25 per person and the ticket goes to the foundations' work. The founder of the organization is Marilyn Washington Harris, who lost her 18-year old son, Khadafy on my birthday - August 4th, 2000 - as he was just riding his bike in West Oakland. Ms. Harris channeled her grief into the creation of Khadafy Foundation for Non-Violence to provide support services to anyone who's lost a child or loved one to violence.  Marilyn Washington Harris I think Sean already expressed it better than I can in his communication to me; here's what he wrote: Seasons Greetings, As the holiday season approaches, this will not be a merry time fo...

I received this email from Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums' Oakland Community Task Force late Sunday night: Hear Mayor Dellums report on stimulus funding (some of which will fund task force-related recommendations). Oakland has received $65 million in stimulus funding, including half from competitive grants. A preliminary review of selected cities indicates that this makes Oakland second after Chicago (my emphasis) in the amount of competitive funding received. And Oakland is not, by any means, the second largest city. Congratulations to the Mayor, the wonderful city staff led by task force member Margaretta Lin, and other task force members who participated in the planning process and grant writing. Ok. Great.  The Mayor's giving a City Council report tonight on Economic Stimulus money to Oakland for ...$65 million?  Wow.  But here's the question: where are the jobs? Oakland is a city of just around 400,000 people; the Chicago Metro area's about 4 millio...

The Associated Press' material can be a howler at times. The latest funny was this title: "Tiger Woods alienates black community with white lovers" which was conceived and written by a writer at the AP who presents his take on what the "Black Community" is and who represents it by turning to the old mainstream media standard, the legendary Tom Joyner. Now, I love Tom Joyner, so it's not his fault; I'm aiming at the AP's 39-year-old Jesse Washington , who, while African American, has no idea what the "Black Community" is. Jesse Washington In a time when interracial dating is common, and black women with white men in commercials are more common than the opposite, its downright silly to complain about Tiger Woods' choice of female companions, blonde, brunette, or polka-dot, Rachel Uchitel, Jaimie Grubbs, Jamie Jungers, Kamile Moquin, Cori Rist, or Mindy Lawton. Besides, why would any woman regardless of color want to be compare...

The Oakland Adams Point Action Council, a group of neighbors that live in the Adams Point area next to Lake Merritt, is having its Holiday Party Tuesday, December 8th at 7 PM the Bellevue Club 525 Bellevue Avenue. They're asking you to bring cookies and other "nibbles" to share, but come-on. It's a holiday party, so someone bring spiked egg nog and grilled chicken. There's a Kentucky Fried Chicken nearby on Lake Park, right next to the Grand Lake Theater, for goodness sakes!