Listen Up Bay Area

This week, Armand sits with Oakland Parks and Recreation Director and Assistant Director, Nicolas Williams and Dana Riley. Their program and its partners work to provide best in class, relevant and equitable programs and services, while meeting the specific needs of people and communities both at the neighborhood level and regionally throughout the City of Oakland. They achieve this mission through intentional engagement and by removing the barriers that prohibit equitable opportunities for all. For more information on this program, click here, or call them at 510.238.PARK (7245)

Armand learns more about the Laurel district Street Fair in Oakland from Co-Director, Candi Martinez Carthen and Executive and Artistic Director with Prescott Circus Theatre, David Hunt. The Laurel Street Fair World Music Festival is an admission free, all ages community fundraiser and celebration of art, cuisine, dance and music from around the globe. It is produced by a small and dedicated team of Oakland natives and Oakland residents who love the Laurel and care about creating positive events that bring the community together over and over. Funds raised from the festival go directly back into the Laurel District community; helping to provide public art projects, graffiti and trash removal, street-scape improvements, facade improvements and to help promote the many wonderful small businesses that make the Laurel District so special. Prescott Circus Theatre works to promote the skills and self-confidence children need to thrive on stage and in life. Each year, they engage over 200 Oakland public school students through free after-school, weekend, and summer programs in partnership with Oakland schools, teaching circus artists, and other Bay Area organizations. Their programs include circus art training  combined with healing centered and youth development practices. Click below to learn more about Prescott and the Laurel Street Fair: Laurel Street Fair: http://www.laurelstreetfair.com/ Prescott Circus Theatre: www.prescottcircus.org and www.instagram.org/prescottcircus  

Armand sits in the studio with California Conservation Corps Director, Dana Howard. The purpose of the California Conservation Corps (CCC) is to protect and enhance California’s natural resources and communities while developing young adults into citizens with character, credentials and commitment.   For more information about this program, click here.

This week Listen Up Bay Area puts a spotlight on the Stanford Cancer Institute (SIC), whose mission is to promote health equity and eliminate cancer health disparities in the Greater Bay Area. They partner with surrounding communities to promote cancer risk reduction, investigate the underlying causes of poor outcomes, and develop solutions to address them, with a particular emphasis on reaching minority and medically under-served populations. Armand talks with SIC's Associate Director of Educational Initiatives and Partnerships, Pamela Ratliff, and Chief Executive Officer, Carla Pugh  For more information, make sure to click here. 

Armand had the pleasure of speaking with friend of KBLX and Lend-A-Hand Founder & Executive Director, Dee Johnson. Their mission is to enhance the quality of impoverished children, youth, and families by offering resources not otherwise available including educational, cultural, social, and sporting activities as well as basic needs. Lend A Hand Foundation is celebrating its 20th Year Anniversary of the Backpack Program.  The program began in 1999 providing 200 backpacks with supplies in front of the Henry Robinson Multi-Service Center at the corner of 16th & Clay to now having provided over 85,000 backpacks with supplies. For more information about this program, click here. Email:  info@lendahandfoundation.org Phone:  510 553-1262

Armand has an intimate and personal conversation with KTVU Fox 2's Dave Clark and Mizpah Brown-Rich, Co-founder of Joshua's Gift. Joshua’s Gift was inspired by each family’s journey, committed to supporting individuals and families affected by autism. Joshua's Gift will financially support the social needs of families living with autism and develop a society that invitingly accepts, respects and includes individuals on the autism spectrum. To learn more about this organization, click here.

This week, Armand talks over the phone Marlies Perez Project Director for the California Medication Assisted Treatment Expansion Project. The mission of the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is to provide Californians with access to affordable, integrated, high-quality health care, including medical, dental, mental health, substance use treatment services and long-term care. Their vision is to preserve and improve the overall health and well-being of all Californians. The California Medication Assisted Treatment Expansion Project is investing in opioid prevention, treatment, and recovery services statewide. DHCS has a media campaign, Choose Change California, to help people seek and receive treatment for opioid misuse. For more information about this program, click here.

This week, Armand sits down with Lorrain Taylor, Founder and CEO of 1000 Mothers to Prevent Violence. 1000 Mothers to Prevent Violence is a grassroots organization dedicated to providing ongoing compassionate support to families and friends of homicide victims. 1000 Mothers' mission is to ease the detrimental impact of violence on homicide victims-survivor’s families and friends by providing ongoing compassionate support and services. To learn more about this organization, click here.

Armand sits in the studio with Brije Gammage, Executive Director of Fam First Family. Created in 2006 with official formation in 2011, Fam 1st Family is focused on the under-served youth, aiming to build new generations of innovative thinkers to create solutions for the future of Oakland & the World. The foundation’s mission is to educate, empower, and elevate youth by mentoring them on the importance of Self-esteem and Knowledge.  For more information about this foundation, click here. 

This week, Armand sits down with Chef Joshua Hernandez and Teresa Goines, Founder and CEO of Old Skool Cafe in San Francisco. Old Skool Cafe is a faith-based, violence prevention program that provides job training, employment, and a second chance at life by way of an evening jazz restaurant run by at-risk, formerly incarcerated, and foster care youth ages 16-22.They address root causes of youth violence, hopelessness, and poverty and provide a safe and supportive environment for youth to interact with strong positive adult mentors who help them regain their footing and build work and life skills. To learn more about this program, click here.

This week, Armand sits with Pastor Daren and Lady Monnique Barron of World Conquerors Church. Pastor Daren L. Barron, MBA, was born and raised in Oakland, California and has shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with thousands domestically and globally, receiving hundreds who call World Conquerors Church their home. Pastor Barron’s mission is to Build families, Impact communities, and Reach the World through World Conquerors. For more information on Pastor Barron's work through WCC, click here.

Armand talks with Tracey Chew Bullock, Board member of the Autism Society - San Francisco Bay Area. Autism Society SF Bay Area's role in all of this is to grow a stronger Bay Area autism community -- where families can have robust access to information, resources and fellow community members to help them along their journey.  To learn more about this organization, click here.

This week, we hear from Laura deTar, Program Director at Fresh Approach as she sits down with Armand to discusses the community-based organization working to connect low-income communities to the produce available at farmers’ markets. Fresh Approach is working towards creating long-term change in local food systems, by connecting California communities with healthy food from California farmers and expanding knowledge about food and nutrition.   To learn more about Fresh Approach, click here.

This week, Armand had the pleasure of speaking with Shonda Scott, CEO and founder of 360 Total Concept, a certified management consulting firm with offices in California and Washington DC. Shonda has received global and national recognition; most recently, in 2018 Shonda was inducted into Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame. Prior to becoming a Hall of Fame Inductee, Shonda was recognized by Enterprising Women Magazine as 2017 Enterprising Woman of Year.    For more information about Shonda Scott's 360 Total Concept, click here.

This week, Armand sits down with Marlon Richardson, aka Unlearn the World, Senior instructor and Dr. Elliot Gann, Executive Director at Today's Future Sound (TFS). TFS directly addresses a lack of culturally responsive educational, therapeutic, and social interventions for people of all ages by bringing our mobile music production studio to their door.  For more information about Today's Future Sound' programs, click here. You can also find them on Instagram or check their work out on their YouTube page.

This week, Armand had the pleasure of speaking to Steven Cong, Interim Director of Public Allies' Bay Area chapter. Public Allies is an American nonprofit organization that operates an AmeriCorps program and is dedicated to young-adult leadership development. Its mission is to create a just and equitable society and the diverse leadership to sustain it. For more information on how to apply for Public Allies, click here.  

This week Armand talks with Michael Blecker, Executive Director of Swords to Plowshares. Swords to Plowshares works to prevent and end veteran homelessness is, and their services for homeless veterans operate with a trauma-informed approach.    For more information on this organization, click here.

Armand Speaks with Maria Daane, Executive Director & Mark Fishler, Development Director at Parents Helping Parents (PHP). When a parent has a child with a disability, they have a huge learning curve regarding systems of care, child's behavior, inclusion in the community, working with their school, community providers and resources, etc.  PHP is there to provide the information, tools and support to the parent so they can advocate for and build a bright life for their kids. For more information, click here.

This week, Armand sits down with Life Courses Co-Founder, Nicole Felix to talk about the organization, which serves middle school students from low-to-moderate income families. Life Courses focuses on the transformation of undeserved families by providing them exposure to financial education, entrepreneurship training and global mobility to rise above their current environment. To learn more about this organization, click here.

This week, Armand sits down with Jonathan Guy and the student leaders of Castlemont High's Pacific Bridge Club. PBC started during the summer of 2017 out of Castlemont High School. PBC focuses on taking 9th-12th grade men and women from East Oakland to developing nations to improve their life long experiences.   To learn more about this organization, click here.