-
Dec 26, 2023 | 
richmondconfidential.org | Julia Haney |Panashe Matemba-Mutasa |Choekyi Lhamo |Yichong Qiu
When Adamaris Cabrera was in high school, she was in “boss mode,” taking classes at Contra Costa College and working multiple jobs to become a first-generation college graduate. She wanted to make her immigrant parents proud. College was her ticket to success. Or that’s what she thought. “As a first gen, all we hear growing up is, ‘Go to college,’” she said. “That’s the only way out.”But after a particularly challenging anatomy test, Cabrera decided she had had enough.
-
Dec 21, 2023 | 
richmondconfidential.org | Yichong Qiu
A junior at Kennedy High School in Richmond, Willow, a transgender and pansexual student, had experienced a hard time in freshman year, being bullied both verbally and physically. Once, Willow recalled, a boy tried to hurt them by hammering nails upright into their chair. “So I would sit on them and I would obviously poke myself or stab myself on them,” said Willow, who uses the pronoun they. A friend noticed the nails and pulled Willow away.
-
Dec 20, 2023 | 
richmondconfidential.org | Daniel Hennessy |Yichong Qiu
Elsa Stevens was so stressed about an impending rent increase at her senior housing complex in Richmond that she debated whether she should get a costly CT scan that her doctor had recommended. She did go through with the scan, which eased one worry. But the rent increase at Heritage Park at Hilltop, which offers affordable senior housing, has upset her holidays. “For Christmas, their present is a 5% rent increase,” said Stevens, who has lived at Heritage Park with her husband for 10 years.
-
Dec 15, 2023 | 
richmondconfidential.org | Yichong Qiu |Veronique Eshaya
Andrea Pierce, who has lived in south Richmond for more than 60 years, is contemplating moving to a better environment for her grandchildren. “It is just not a good place anymore,” Pierce said about Richmond. “Even though I have been here 60-plus years, I have watched it change.”Many people align with Pierce’s views. According to the National Community Survey released in 2021, only 1 in 4 respondents found Richmond to be a good place to raise children.
-
Nov 16, 2023 | 
richmondconfidential.org | Amaray D. Alvarez |Yichong Qiu |Choekyi Lhamo |Fernando Rocha Andrade
“People of Richmond” is a regular series in which reporters pose a question to people in the community. Answers are presented verbatim, though sometimes edited for brevity. Q: Would you cross a picket line of striking workers to receive routine health care? “No I stand with the workers of Kaiser. My mom is a nurse so I understand their struggles.” (Kayla Chin, customer service manager, pictured above)“If I need to see a doctor, I’m going to go see a doctor.
-
Oct 25, 2023 | 
richmondconfidential.org | Amaray D. Alvarez |Yichong Qiu
Following a hot debate, with over 300 residents weighing in on the issue, the Richmond City Council voted 5-1 Wednesday morning for a resolution affirming Richmond’s support and solidarity with the Palestinian people of Gaza. “The fact that you’re here tells me this is a Richmond issue,” Mayor Eduardo Martinez told the crowd, which spilled from the council champers into an auxiliary room and included more than 100 speakers present and and an additional 200 commenters on Zoom.
-
Oct 24, 2023 | 
richmondconfidential.org | Fernando Rocha Andrade |Yichong Qiu
Richmond is hosting its largest career fair in the post-pandemic era Wednesday afternoon, with over 50 employers meeting job seekers at the Richmond Convention Center. Companies that will be recruiting at the event include PG&E, BART, U.S. Postal Service, Tesla, Amazon and Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences. The care industry will be well-represented, with employers trying to fill positions in child and senior care as well as in medical professions.
-
Oct 23, 2023 | 
richmondconfidential.org | Yichong Qiu
Standing on either side of the portable nets, pickleball players swing their paddles, creating a “pop-pop-pop” symphony at Booker T. Anderson Park, the only outdoor place to play pickleball in Richmond. Booker T. Anderson Park now features two permanent pickleball courts and four multi-use courts for both tennis and pickleball.
-
Oct 17, 2023 | 
richmondconfidential.org | Fernando Rocha Andrade |Daniel Hennessy |Yichong Qiu |Choekyi Lhamo
“People of Richmond” is a regular series in which reporters pose a question to people in the community. Answers are presented verbatim, though sometimes edited for brevity. Q3: Do you think Richmond’s plan to create an alternative response team to handle mental health calls will be successful? “It could be successful – I mean, it depends on how well it’s funded; how well it’s staffed. But, as a concept, I think it’s an interesting and a good one.” (Karin Rosman, retired, pictured above)“Definitely.
-
Oct 1, 2023 | 
richmondconfidential.org | Yichong Qiu |Choekyi Lhamo |Amaray D. Alvarez |Fernando Rocha Andrade
“People of Richmond” is a regular series in which reporters pose a question to people in the community. Answers are presented verbatim, though sometimes edited for brevity. Q: Do West Contra Costa kids have enough sports and recreation opportunities? “I feel like there’s a lot of sports opportunities. It’s just about looking for it. She’s into ballet. She’s a different kind of sport. So it’s harder to find that type.
