Andre Taylor did his best to steel his nerves. Brave face. Inner monologue reminding him that his raps were sharp.

But Taylor’s 16-year-old vocal chords involuntarily quavered. His palms felt cold. His first performance loomed, moments away.

Didn’t matter. The lyrics, honed over long hours wouldn’t fail him.

“… just imagine all the people in the hood goin’ wild/and my momma screamin’, ‘that’s my child …’” Taylor rapped to a small but enthusiastic audience.

Taylor was one of hundreds of youths, community members and civic leaders who turned out for the RYSE Center’s 2nd Annual “Back to School Summer Jam” on Aug. 21. RYSE is Richmond’s most renowned community youth center. The center was opened in 2008 after County Supervisor John Gioia and several local community groups secured funding for what was at the time a vacant 6,600 square foot vacant county building.

“The RYSE center is where I come to find a positive place to work on my creativity,” Taylor said. “I have confidence now that I can rise to be anything I want to be.”

RYSE serves hundreds of kids as a comprehensive youth center, including education programs for media arts. On Saturday, several local youths toted cameras and microphones, conducting interviews and recording the festivities.

Supervisor Gioia was one of several local leaders who attended. Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, Police Chief Chris Magnus and City Council candidate Eduardo Martinez were also on hand.

Richmond has been plagued by crime and high drop-out rates in local schools for years. Gioia said the RYSE center is key to the city’s future. The concept for the RYSE center, which has a youthful, idealistic staff and colorful graffiti-style murals adorning its walls – inside and out – was first outlined by local youth organizers after four high school students were killed by gunfire in December 2000. The deaths “galvanized youth and adult allies to address the root causes of violence in and around their communities,” according to RYSE’s web site.

Gioia, whose embrace of the grassroots movement helped secure funding and resources for the center’s eventual fruition, said RYSE has lived up to the expectations.

“It’s great to come out and really support young people, that’s what this is about,” Gioia said. “The center was designed to put young people in positions of leadership, and for them to decide what kind of change needs to occur in the community.”

The Saturday event also drew several public and private resource providers offering health, education and nutrition services.

In addition to Taylor’s performance, other young artists delivered musical performances and artwork by RYSE center youths was on display.

Despite his brief bout with nerves, Taylor showed no poverty of ambition.

“I’m going to be famous, and I’m not going to let anything stop me,” he said, smiling.

This evening 24 neighborhoods in Richmond will join National Night Out, an annual nationwide event in which the community partners with the police to promote crime prevention. Neighborhoods will host block parties so that residents can get to know one another and work together to promote peace and safety.

In 2009, National Night Out involved over 36 million people in 14,625 communities from all 50 states in the United States, as well as its territories, and some Canadian cities and military bases worldwide. National Night Out 2010 is expected to be the largest ever, according to the National Association of Town Watch, the nonprofit and crime prevention organization that introduced the event in 1984.

Police women at Richmond Heights block party on National Night Out 2009. Photo courtesy of Mandy Swirsding.

“Richmond has been celebrating this event for at least 20 years,” said Michelle Milam, crime prevention manager for the Richmond Police Department. “Without the help and participation of our residents working with us, we can truly never be effective resolving crime.”

This year the kick-off party will start at the Target Store on Macdonald Avenue at 5 pm.  There will be balloon artists, face painting, free hot dogs and hamburgers, police K-9 demonstrations, appearances by the Richmond Fire Department demo unit and McGruff the Crime Dog and live performances by The East Bay Center for the Performing Arts.

“Neighbors will get the chance to pick up good food, and pick up literature form the neighborhood council or the neighborhood watch group or the police department,” said Milam

The celebration will then break into three caravans made up of law enforcement, community and elected officials who will visit a dozen block parties in the city’s three geographic police beats. After touring neighborhood parties throughout the city the caravan will gather again at the Iron Triangle Community Garden on the corner of Macdonald and Harbour Way around 8:30 pm for an end party.

According to Milan in Richmond each neighborhood works very hard to plan their block party. “We have really great neighborhoods in Richmond and they are great because the people make them great,” she said.

For two hours it was as if all that surrounded Joel Alcaraz, 10 and Greg Lope, 33, had disappeared. Divided physically by a chessboard and mentally connected by the game, they competed at the Contra Costa College Community Chess Tournament this past Saturday.

“If I beat him, he is just a kid, but if I loose, I got beat by a kid,” Lope joked lightheartedly after the game. Lope won, but it was tough and he knew it would be — he had seen Alcaraz play before.

The Chess Tournament had 28 participants from ages 6 to 50. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

Lope and Alcaraz were two of the 28 participants of the fourth tournament organized by the West Coast Chess Alliance, a nonprofit community-based chess advocacy group. Co-directors, Trendell Ball and Will Delaney are promoting chess by teaching it in Bay Area schools, nonprofits and community centers. Some of the participants were their students. Contra Costa College supported the event by providing the facilities and the chessboards. Players all ages were welcome and registration was free.

The turnout at the tournament included a very diverse crowd of people: The youngest participant was 6 years old and the oldest was 50. Some were Richmond residents and some came from surrounding cities. “Chess is a great equalizer,” said Ball. “You can compete on an equal basis with anybody.”

The event was a “quad tournament” in which players are divided in groups of four. Each participant has to play all the members of their group, so they play three games. “The quad is a fun way to play,” said Ball because it’s a friendly format for beginners. “Players talk and get to know each other in their group. Plus you have more winners.”

Gabriel, 6, was the youngest winner. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

There were seven quads (groups of four) and seven winners in this tournament. The kids who won went home with a trophy. “Young people love the trophies,” said Ball.

Jaqueline Leal, 10, didn’t win this time but she wants to compete again, “so I can win the trophy.” Leal learned to play at Girls Incorporated of West Contra Costa, a nonprofit involved in education and advocacy for girls. She says she likes how chess makes her focus and she likes the challenge of competing. At home she plays chess with her 13-year-old brother and she writes down moves and strategies to win.

Do Nguyen, 17, who is from a family of Vietnamese immigrants, learned to play a year ago and has started studying chess moves, too. He sometimes plays Chinese chess with his dad or his brother. Like many other players he likes the challenge and the social aspect of the game. “You go to tournaments and you meet new people,” he said. “You get challenged pretty much every time you’re playing and every time is different.”

Joel Alcaraz, 10, was the only child who asked to be put in a quad with adults. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

At this tournament, chess players were divided by age. Alcaraz was the only child who asked to be put in a quad with adults. He didn’t care about winning, “I want to learn,” he said. If Alcaraz had played kids his age or older, he would have definitely won said the organizers.

The parents of some of the participating children were at the tournament. Joel Alcaraz’s father, Noi Alcaraz, was one of them. He taught his son to play chess when he was four. “He used to play with me before, but I never win now,” he said, laughing, “I tell him, you’re not learning anymore when you play with me.”

For Alcaraz, it’s great to see his son be so passionate about chess — it was his dream to be a great chess player but “I didn’t have the chance to excel,” he said. Now his son plays chess online and although the family lives in Vallejo, his father takes him to the Berkeley Chez Club every Friday.

Family members take pictures and video of their children at the tournament. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

Silvia Naldoza, the mother of 8 year old participant Vans Naldoza, said that her son learned to play just a month ago when she persuaded him to join College for Kids at Contra Costa College. Naldoza said her two sons play chess at home. “I know it really challenges their mind. It’s like a mind marathon and I want them to have their brain exercised,” she said.

“Chess can be used to promote positive self-esteem in a student because it’s a thinking game and a lot of the youth today aren’t being challenged enough in terms of thinking,” Ball said. His nonprofit is about promoting the positive values embedded in chess. “There are a lot of academic crossovers,” he said, but the group also wants to promote community and family chess playing.

Some family members competed at the tournament. Brother and sister Mauricio and Julissa Morfin from Peres Elementary School in Richmond both competed in different quads — Mauricio won the trophy. Father and son David and Gabriel McDonald competed in separate quads too, and both of them won. At six years old, Gabriel was the youngest winner.

Other adults who do community work with youth were there to support the kids, including Doretha Morris, the executive director of Girls Incorporated of West Contra Costa County. Eight girls, ages nine to 14, were competing.  For Morris, chess is a really positive thing. “It’s all about increasing their analytical and critical thinking skills. I know that chess will really help them in math as they go along with school,” she said.

One of the winners Mauricio Morfin, 11, and proud sister Julissa, 9. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

Carlos Taboada, who runs the chess team at Richmond High School and is a school counselor, came to support two of the kids from the school’s chess club and his own son David. “It is very valuable activity to cultivate mental discipline in the students,” he said of chess.

“We think that chess can improve academic skills,” said McKinley Williams, president of Contra Costa College, who attended the tournament. Williams said he’s read research that shows how chess can improve mathematical reasoning, critical thinking and attention span. “It’s a great support for someone that is involved in academic pursues,” he said.

Williams is such a supporter of chess that now the campus has a few outdoor tables with chess boards. “We wanted to make the college a place where people can come and play chess casually,” Williams said. A couple years ago, he even invited to campus Maurice Ashley, the first African-American to attain the title of International Grandmaster of Chess in 1999.

According to Ball, on top of the academic values, chess promotes educational values that can be very useful to youth. “It’s about thinking strategically. You need those type of skills in general to navigate in life,” Ball said.

Laurel Darnel, 13, one of the winners. Photo by Veronica Moscoso

Laurel Darnel, 13 was one of the tournament winners from of Girls Inc. She enjoys basketball but she enjoys chess, too. She plays at the computer for two or three hours a week when she is at home. “You really need to know how to focus to play chess, and it’s the same in life — you need to focus on things and know where you want to be,” Darnel said.

According to Ball, some life skills can be taught through chess; for example, taking responsibility for your actions. “When you make a move on the chess board there are consequences that can be good or bad that you have to deal with,” Ball said. He said that chess can also be used to teach kids about being persistent. “If you keep playing and making moves, you can get yourself out of a bad situation.” One very important lesson, he said, is to think before you act. “Think about the consequences of your actions before you make a move that is going to be detrimental to yourself,” Ball said.

One of the outdoor tables with chessboards at Contra Costa College. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

One of the missions of the West Coast Chess Alliance is to bring chess to minority groups. The alliance has programs at Perez Elementary School, Girls Incorporated, College for kids in Contra Costa College, Cornado YMCA and at the West Oakland Library. “A problem that youth has, and particularly those that are considered at-risk, is they aren’t making good decisions,” Ball said. “Chess, the game itself, is all about making decisions.”

Teenage singers, dancers, a saxophone player and a band gave their best at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium last Friday during the Richmond’s Got Talent show, a competition for a $500 first place prize. The event meant to inspire creativity and promote talent among youth.

Haley Slamon, second prize winner, singing “When You're Good to Mama” from the musical Chicago. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

“Faith and hope is what we intend to inspire in our young people,” said emcee AJ Jelani, in a speech kicking off the event. Jelani, who was also the coordinator of the event, is the acting president of the Belding Woods Neighborhood Council, which organized the talent show in an effort to steer middle and high school teens away from crime and violence by giving them a peaceful, creative summer activity.

An audience of about 200 people cheered and applauded the fifteen performances, including some that went far beyond amateur level. One of them was the performance of Haley Slamon, who sang “When You’re Good to Mama” from the musical Chicago. She showed coolness in her singing and stage presence. “I started singing when I was three or four but I haven’t taken professional singing ever,” said Slamon who has performed in front of large audiences before.

Other contestants were very new at performing, including 16-year-old Derlante Sims. “I just wanted to try for the first time on the stage,” he said. Sims loves music and singing, and he chose to perform “Summer Time” by Sam Cook. “The song makes me feel warm on the inside, so I wanted to sing that and let everybody know how it made me feel,” Sims said.

David Hernandez, performing the choreography that earned him third prize. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

David Hernandez, almost 12, was one of the youngest performers, and enchanted the audience with his hip-hop moves during a solo dance performance. “He created the choreography himself, ” said his mother, Patricia Valdivia after he finished his act. “I’m very nervous and very excited for my child,” she said, pointing out that her son was talented but he never had a mentor.

After he finished performing Hernandez said that he would be happy if he wins, but if he didn’t he’d be happy, too, “because I danced, and I’m happy when I dance.”

Although there was more hip-hop than any other music during the event, Kalin Freeman played Michael Jackson’s “I’ll Be There” on his alto saxophone, an instrument he learned to play at Richmond High School. “If I win this, it’s a step for me to do something better,” he said. Freeman dedicated his performance to his uncle Clinton, who had recently passed away.

Alia Washington co-hosting with emcee AJ Jelani. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

Most of the contestants showed confidence on stage. Some singers came down to dance and interact with the public. The audience kept getting more and more enthusiastic as the event progressed, and a few even participated, like when one audience member stepped up to the stage to rap.

Spontaneous participation was encouraged. When Lady-T, a professional young singer from Oakland, performed, some dancers from the group MalFUNKtion, who were competing in the contest, volunteered to accompany her song with their moves. Jelani, the emcee, constantly made people laugh and made them repeat “faith and hope,” throughout the show. He called nine year-old Alia Washington up onto the stage to help him co-host, too. During the show, the competitors showed no sign of rivalry. They were supportive of each other, clapping, cheering and singing along.

The group Angels of Praise dance to the song "Make me Over." Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

When the time came to select the winners, the judges gave the third place prize to David Hernandez for his solo hip-hop dance. Second place went to singer Haley Slamon. First place went to MalFUNKtion, a hip-hop dance troupe of eight male dancers, whose elaborate choreography showed hard work. The winners received trophies as well as cash prizes.

In another spontaneous move, individuals from the audience donated money for a fourth, fifth and sixth prizes that went to saxophone player Kalin Freeman, singer Ramell Jones and Ponopoly, a hip-hop band composed of three boys and one girl. All of the participants got certificates for competing in the talent show.

The audience enjoyed the show and was supportive of the performers. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

As she received her trophy, Slamon said how impressed she had been by the performances of those who had been onstage for the first time. “I’m so proud of everyone and so happy that I got to be a part of this,” she said as the crowd cheered.

The performers and the audience left the venue in high spirits. “I think events like this make the children feel that they are important,” said Patricia Valdivia, the mother of second place winner David Hernandez.

“Richmond needs to speak up and let everybody know that we have talent too,” said Sims.

Lu Parker, 82 came to see fifth place winner Ramell Jones perform—he is a friend’s grandson. Parker said there were more people that she expected and that she had fun. “I just enjoyed this show. It was beautiful to see all the talent,” she said.

Teens in the audience enjoy the performances. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

Audience member Jackie Thompson said she was there to show support for the youth. “I know they need the support of the community,” she said. Thompson’s grandson was murdered in Richmond in 2003, and she said she is aware of the importance of networking with young people. “When they do something good we need to support them, so I’m here,” she said.

Mayor Gayle McLaughlin attended along with her husband Paul Kilkenny, as did city council member Ludmyrna Lopez and her baby son.

Officer Reyes-García of the Richmond Police Department, who was monitoring the site during the event, said, “It was a real joy to see the kids performing and do what they really enjoy.” Reyes-García thinks events like this bring the neighborhoods together.

All the competitors received certificates of appreciation for participating in the show. Photo by Veronica Moscoso.

“We need to show the world that the youth has talent, especially in a city like Richmond,” said Raina Hinchee, one of the singers from sixth place winning band Ponoply. “A lot of people when they hear ‘Richmond,’ they just want to push away, but showing that this city has talent is really, really crucial.”

Politicians, dancers, a Corvette convoy, horses and more paraded from 21st Street and Cutting Boulevard to 37th Street and MacDonald Avenue celebrating the annual Juneteenth Festival this Saturday morning. The festivities continued in the afternoon at Nichol Park, where people gathered to enjoy live music, food and sneak a peak at about 40 community and business booths that were offering their services.

The Juneteenth Festival is a commemoration of the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln’s emancipation proclamation. The announcement in Texas made the enslaved legally freed in all the United States. Juneteenth is now a recognized holiday in 37 states. Although this is a celebration of African American heritage, in Richmond everyone felt welcome to join.

“Pride and purpose, that’s what Richmond is all about,” said Mel Davis, a member of the National Brotherhood Alliance, the group that organized the event, while standing in front of Nichol Park and speaking by microphone to the crowd.

It was a family event for the city residents and from visitors like Eric Assata who lives in Oakland. “I came to have a good time. It’s a close getaway,” he said while holding hands of three little girls, who were his granddaughter, grandniece and niece.

“It’s like Cinco de Mayo for us,” said Martin Hernandez, who was born in Mexico. “We want to share with them this important day,” Hernandez said referring to African Americans.

“It’s good that it’s multicultural. We have to celebrate each other,” said Lynda Moore, a Richmond resident who commemorates Juneteenth every year with her family. She likes this event because “people come together and don’t act crazy,” she said.

Although there was a heavy police presence, those attending the event seemed to be calmly enjoying the performances and the diverse booths. The booths represented everyone from shoes and jewelry sellers to sports teams like the West County Spartans Football, but most of them were for community organizations like the Brookside Health Center, a non-profit primary care clinic.

Gregory Madison used to live in Richmond and came from Oakland to the Juneteenth celebration for the first time in five years. “I’m glad to see that it’s still going strong,” he said.

Point Richmond is known for its tight-knit neighborhood and historic charm. But for six months spanning spring to fall, the streets feature an added flair: Fresh fruits and vegetables, fair-type goodies, and easy music.

For the second straight year, the Point Richmond Farmers’ Market is on from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Wednesday night.

“It’s a big social event,” said Councilman Tom Butt, who took in much of the May 12 kickoff from a sidewalk bench, where he chatted with constituents and friends. “It brings not only the community together, but brings people from outside the community into the community.”

The Point Richmond Stroll was paired with the market’s opening night. Traffic was blocked off for the event and local artwork was on display.

The Point Richmond Farmers’ Market will be held each Wednesday evening through Oct. 27.

For more information, visit http://www.pointrichmond.com/

Will Haynes has no problem telling you what’s on his mind. Just ask him.

Or don’t. He might tell you anyway.

“What am I concerned with?” Haynes asks rhetorically, “I am concerned with getting myself out there to change the world.”

No aim is too high for the brash, quick-witted 16-year-old, who is a junior at Kennedy High School. He loves history (“my favorite, no doubt,” he says) and is inspired by the titans non-violent resistant.

“I read about Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Ghandi, and yeah, I want to be that kind of person,” Haynes says. “When we talk about people like that those guys, I pay attention to that.”

Haynes admits his attention has wavered on a few other subjects. His grade-point-average is about 2.5, he sheepishly confesses, glaringly-low for someone of his sizzling intellect.

“I am not even sure why it is where it is, but it won’t be there much longer,” he assures.

While Haynes has some work to do on his grades, no one can consider him to be underperforming in another pursuit: Writing, filming, producing and distributing Web videos.

Dozens float around youtube.com, amassing thousands of views. Haynes has taken on prejudice, violence, stereotypes and other weighty topics. Sometimes, his videos are spare and hard-hitting, focused solely on his face, a curious mix of youth and wisdom (Think a young Lawrence Fishburne), enhanced by his sweatervest-and-bow-tie ensemble.

Haynes inside the RYSE Center for youths in Richmond.

Other times, he stretches his multimedia skills to create visually-appealing effects.

Most of the filming takes place in his bedroom.

Haynes is one of the promising young Richmond students who frequents the RYSE Center off of McDonald Avenue in Richmond. The center was selected for the location in late 2005 when Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, youth nonprofit groups and others settled on a 6,600 square foot vacant county building.

Today, it serves hundreds of kids as a comprehensive youth center, including education programs for media arts, where Haynes unsurprisingly excels.

Haynes was born in Oakland, but his family moved to Richmond when he was a small child. Two years ago, they moved to Hercules, but Haynes insisted on staying in the local school system. The youngest of four, Haynes gives a reason for commuting back to his hometown to attend Kennedy grounded in a sense of dedication beyond his years.

“I’d really rather be here in Richmond than making a change somewhere else where I am not needed as much,” he says. “I want to do more with my life, and I want to do it now and in the future.”

Haynes says his inspiration for his anti-violence – or, as he prefers it, “pro-peace” – video was Dan Reilly, a multimedia instructor at the RYSE Center.

“There was a lot of bad news about violence in Richmond, and he said ‘hey, do a video about this, about stopping the violence.’”

Reilly remembers it similarly. As someone who has worked closely with Haynes for more than a year, Reilly said he knew his protege had the flair and panache to make an impact.

“Violence in Richmond is a serious issue,” Reilly said. “And strong voices speaking out against it are important. Will is very adept at delivering messages about serious issues in an appealing, powerful way.”

Despite the sometimes solemn subject matter, Haynes maintains that his real forte is comedy. Chris Rock and Bill Cosby are his idols.

He hopes to go to UCLA to study film.

But for now, Haynes says he still has work to do in Richmond – and on raising his GPA.

“A lot of people my age aim to do a certain job, but I am not doing that,” he says. “I am aiming to be a certain kind of person.”

Visit www.rysecenter.org to see more work by local youths.

Go here for more work by Will Haynes.

Editor’s Note: This video project was produced by UC Berkeley Graduate Daniel McGlynn. It is a visual exploration of the Point Molate area on Richmond’s shores. The area, which served as a former Navel Fuel Depot, has been the center of an intense debate. Upstream Point Molate LLC, a development corporation, has long hoped to build a casino here with its partner, the Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians. Below are a few words from McGlynn.

The proposed casino project at Point Molate will have a profound impact on the landscape. The Point is not necessarily beautiful or majestic; relics of its past lay rusting and falling apart. Gates and fences restrict access.

There is something about the place – decades of Bay Area history is folded and refolded into the land – that is valuable. A casino would certainly change that.

- Daniel McGlynn

***

For additional information on the proposed project, see these recent articles:

Prospective Point Molate builders secure fresh extension

Broker claims city owes $1.5 million for Point Molate

Click above to see the sights and hear the sounds of the Saturday block party, which was sponsored by the city’s Office of Neighborhood Safety.

There’s something invigorating about a dose of silly.

That may be the thinking that drives local resident Michael Beer, the not-so-diabolical mastermind behind the fourth Annual Richmond Silly Parade. The event has unfolded in a comedy of the desultory and absurd, like a kaleidoscope against a monochromatic sky.

Beer, as you might imagine, doesn’t do serious very well.

When asked to say a few words about the parade, Beer’s response was: “Amber, cinnamon, footloose, wisecrack, tenderloin.”

“Sorry, you asked the wrong person,” Beer added. “I happen to collect words, an offshoot of my poetic activities. I have trunks full of them.”

As for “fourth Annual,” that’s a bit of an April Fool’s joke itself; this is the debut of the silly soiree in Richmond.

The parade came off with very little seriousness – just the way it was planned – on April 10. The gray sky was dull and cold, with winds and stinging rain drops discomfiting Beer’s already cartoonish visage.

A band played Spanish favorites down 23rd Street near McDonald Ave, and an eight-foot “Mother Earth” figure, with a cardboard face and stylish shawl wrap, sauntered down the street.

The only hint of decorum was a policeman who sat mostly impassive on his motorcycle, smack dab in the middle of the intersection.

More than 100 people were on hand. And, seriously, the vast majority of them were unfailingly silly.