Editiorial - Minority Businesses...after January 8By Michael Carter, Sr., Oakland Post Online Editor I happen to be on 17th street in downtown Oakland on Tuesday, and heard a very discouraging conversation. I did not want to be eavesdropping but it was channel 3/11 NBC and they were interviewing Rev. ElTyna McCree, who by the way has been on television, radio, and newspapers for last few months discussing the many issues surrounding crime, violence and economic development in Oakland. Rev McCree first told them that she was not in a mood to be interviewed, as she was facing a deadline for a 3 days notice for back rent at her place of business that she had been trying to pay for 90 days. The interviewer asked her how the foot traffic had been since the January 7th riot which left the merchants on 17th Streets windows kicked and broken out, and the entire street between Franklin and Harrison looked like a war zone. Most of the stores remained boarded up for at least a week, and signs were posted "you broke our windows but not our spirits", Rev. McCree then showed them a business next door to her that had just been closed. The owner had just remodeled the week prior to the riot, her windows were broken and business took a sharp decline. Rev McCree said how hurtful it is that she has been doing business in downtown Oakland for 30 years without a grant, loan, or any help from anyone other than friends and colleagues. She pointed out how many businesses are able to get huge loans,. default on them and the City allows them to get away with it, she also said she has seen numerous women owned businesses that got women's initiative money and do not even stay open 3 years. Bart board members showed up at her store and promised help but never returned. I was pleased that the news reporter and the cameraman took so much time to listen to her story and offered to try and come up with ways to give her and other women owned businesses on the street assistance. Rev. McCree ended her interview by stressing that the only way micro businesses will receive assistance from the stimulus package is that people just come in and shop, She stated that money will never trickle down to us through the governments hands. It will only come through people circulating their dollars into their own communities. To assist Rev. McCree in keeping her doors open you may call 510-435-7070, or email her at eltynastravels@sbcglobal.net _______________________________________________________________________ Friday, April 3, 2009 14:13:19 
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