By Carla Thomas
For educator, childcare provider and children’s author Tarsha Jordan, Bonita the Bumblebee is much more than a colorful storybook
character. The cheerful bee has become a teaching tool, a comforting friend and a creative way for children to explore their emotions, navigate life changes and discover the world around them.
Jordan’s inspiration for Bonita grew from her lifelong commitment to children and education.
With more than 30 years of experience as an educator and administrator, she operates Kindergarten Readiness Academy, a licensed family childcare program in Oakland’s Longfellow neighborhood.
The academy prepares young children socially, emotionally and academically for school.
Her firsthand experience has
given Jordan a deep understanding of how children communicate, what captures their attention and
how stories can open conversations
young readers may not otherwise
know how to begin.
Jordan describes her mission as
developing lifelong learners who
love reading while introducing children to relatable characters. Bonita fulfills that mission by addressing
real-life experiences in language
children can understand.
In “Bonita The Bumble Bee
and the Quarantine,” Jordan helped
young readers process the uncertainty and isolation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. In a later
book about returning to school, Bonita guided children through changing routines, expectations and emotions. Designed to promote socialemotional development and mental health awareness, editions were made available in English, Spanish
and Mandarin.
Bonita’s impact becomes even
more immediate when children
meet the character in person. Jordan
recently hosted a Mommy and Me
children’s tea party at Bay Street
Emeryville, where Bonita buzzed
around the event, greeted young
guests and brought the literary character to life.
“The children can interact with
the character, experience the excitement of seeing a familiar literary friend come to life and develop an
even stronger connection with reading,” Jordan said.
For children of color, that connection carries another important dimension: representation. Children benefit from seeing themselves reflected in books, educational environments, imaginative characters and the people creating
those stories.
Jordan also believes Bonita expands children’s imaginations and encourages them to envision new
possibilities.
“When children of color see authors that look like them creating books, building educational programs and bringing original characters into their communities, they are exposed to the possibilities beyond
the story itself,” Jordan said. “They
can begin to imagine themselves as
writers, educators, entrepreneurs,
artists and creators.”
Founded to introduce STEAM,
(science, technology, engineering,
the arts and mathematics) to children in transitional kindergarten through third grade, Bonita The
Bumble Bee also addresses neurodivergent behaviors.
Known to young learners as
“Teacher Tarsha,” Jordan combines
Bonita’s whimsical personality
with hands-on experiments and activities for children ages 3 to 8. The experiences promote early literacy,
strengthen problem-solving skills
and give children tools for managing their emotional health.
Jordan holds master’s degrees
in education and public administration and is pursuing a doctorate in education. Her academic preparation and extensive classroom experience help her create programs that are both engaging and developmentally meaningful.
“We’re hoping to take Bonita
to the next level and welcome new
partnerships,” Jordan said.
Visit BonitaTheBumbleBee.
com.
nity leaders, who said organizers had not adequately consulted local stakeholders. They were also concerned that the gathering, which included plans for a DJ and vendors, would disrupt
the Leimert Park Sunday Marketplace and other scheduled activities.
Leimert Park is widely regarded as the cultural heart of Black Los Angeles. Its weekly marketplace, food vendors and drum circle have long provided an economic and cultural gathering place for Black residents. That
history, compounded with lingering concerns about gentrification and the city’s declining Black population, intensified sensitivity
to the event’s promotion.
“This is a historic Black district
which we fought for and built up,
its arts district, its cultural hub,”
KBLA radio host Dominique DiPrima told a local L.A. news station. “You’re saying that you’re going to “take over” is sort of like the last stand for Black LA is problematic.”
In another widely circulated
video, a woman warned organizers, “We don’t want you to come into Africa Town,” adding that
they would be “met with resistance from the Black community.” A separate Black social media user suggested, “We should call ICE,” drawing condemnation amid federal immigration enforcement concerns affecting Latino communities.
Barrio Athletics said it did
not condone “racism, violence
or hate.” Black and Latino community organizers later joined the group for what local L.A. radio station KJLH described as a “tough but necessary conversation.”
KJLH posted a video of the discussion.
Following “careful conversation with community leaders,” Barrio Athletics relocated the
run to Elysian Park “to respect
Leimert Park and the surrounding
community.”
Bass denied claims that she had
ordered the move, saying she had
not known about the dispute before its resolution.
“Bringing people across racial,
cultural and neighborhood lines
together has been the foundation
of my life’s work,” Bass said,
“and it continues to guide how I
lead this city today.”
NOTICE AND DIGEST
ORDINANCE AMENDING AND REENACTING ORDINANCE NO. 13561 C.M.S. FOR
THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION TO ENABLE QUORUM WITH A MAJORITY
OF APPOINTED MEMBERS, ESTABLISH ITS AUTHORITY TO CREATE STANDING
COMMITTEES, ALLOW THE COMMISSION TO APPOINT THE CHAIRPERSON, AND
OTHER CLARIFYING EDITS
This Ordinance would amend and restate Ordinance No. 13561 C.M.S. to update the enabling legislation of the Cultural Affairs Commission. The Ordinance would clarify the authority of the Cultural Affairs Commission to create standing committees subject to City Administrator approval, make other clarifying edits regarding the scope of the Commission, allow the Commission to appoint the chairperson directly, and revise quorum to a simple majority of appointed members but no fewer than four members.
Notice of Publication
This Ordinance was introduced at the City Council meeting, Tuesday evening, July 21, 2026, and passed to print 6 Ayes; 2 Excused: Fife and Jenkins. Final adoption has been scheduled for the City Council meeting Tuesday evening September 15, 2026, 3:30 P.M., at One Frank H.
Ogawa Plaza, Council Chamber, 3rd floor, Oakland, California, and via Teleconference.
Three full copies are available for use and examination by the public in the Office of the City Clerk at One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 1st floor, Oakland, California.
ASHA REED, City Clerk
Publication Date: Friday, September 11, 2026.
(One Time)
NOTICE AND DIGEST
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE FORGIVENESS OF OUTSTANDING AND FUTURE RENT BALANCES IN AN AMOUNT OF UP TO $40,000 FOR SEMINARY POINT, LLC,
PURSUANT TO A GROUND LEASE WITH THE CITY, CONTINGENT ON THE SALE
OR TRANSFER OF THE LEASEHOLD INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY TO A QUALIFIED PURCHASER; AND MAKING CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT FINDINGS This is an Ordinance (a) authorizing the forgiveness of the outstanding rent balance of TwentyNine Thousand Dollars ($29,000) and future rent up to Eleven Thousand Dollars ($11,000) for Seminary Point, LLC, pursuant to a ground lease with the City, as of the date of, and contingent on, the sale or transfer of the leasehold interest in the property to a qualified purchaser and (b) making California Environmental Quality Act findings.
Notice of Publication
This Ordinance was introduced at the City Council meeting, Tuesday evening, July 21, 2026, and passed to print 6 Ayes; 2 Excused: Fife and Jenkins. Final adoption has been scheduled for the City Council meeting Tuesday evening September 15, 2026, 3:30 P.M., at One Frank H.
Ogawa Plaza, Council Chamber, 3rd floor, Oakland, California, and via Teleconference.
Three full copies are available for use and examination by the public in the Office of the City Clerk at One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 1st floor, Oakland, California.
ASHA REED, City Clerk
Publication Date: Friday, September 11, 2026.
(One Time)
THE POST, September 9 - 15, 2026 Page 8 postnewsgroup.com Blacks and
Latinos Clash
Over LA’s Barrio
Run ...
Continued from page 2
By Krista Chan
The legacy of lynchings and racial terror in the American South persists in 2026 amid several suspicious deaths of young Black Americans that families say local
authorities have inadequately investigated.
The most prominent case is
that of Nolan Wells, an 18-yearold Black man whose body was found July 6 on Horn Island, off
the Mississippi Gulf Coast, after a Fourth of July trip with three White friends.
The NAACP joined the legal team representing Wells’ family alongside civil rights attorney Ben Crump. The family has raised
questions about discrepancies surrounding Wells’ final hours, including why his phone was found with one of his friends. An independent autopsy found that his “manner of death remained undetermined.”
At a vigil commemorating
Wells’ 19th birthday, the Rev. Jamal Harrison Bryant said, “To go from Medgar Evers to Emmett
Till, to Nolan Wells, the blood
stops here.”
Till’s 1955 murder helped galvanize the Civil Rights Movement, but thousands of lynchings went unreported. According to
the Equal Justice Initiative, 4,084
racial terror lynchings occurred
across 12 Southern states from
1877 to 1950. White perpetrators
were rarely held accountable.
The Congressional Black Caucus has urged U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel to launch an independent federal review of Wells’ death. That request comes as the
Trump administration has dismantled diversity, equity and inclusion programs and shifted the Justice
Department’s civil rights priorities.
Wells’ case is not isolated.
Crump is also representing the
families of Daniel Erving and Tyler Smith — three 18-year-old Black men who died within three
months.
Erving, of Sachse, Texas, died
April 14 at Lake Ray Hubbard after jumping from a railroad bridge with friends. His death was ruled
an accidental drowning, a finding
his mother disputes.
“The autopsy report shows my
son had an unobstructed airway, so
my son did not drown,” Tameca
Erving said.
Two people were later charged
with tampering with evidence after allegedly discarding his clothing and cellphone.
Smith, of Lexington, Kentucky, died July 4 from what police described as an accidental self-inflicted gunshot. His family disputes that account. Police records indicate that the recovered firearm did not match the shell casing found at the scene. A 20-year-old
man has been charged with tampering with evidence.
Crump has described the three
cases as a troubling pattern requiring national attention.
On Aug. 3, Tasia Fortune, a
29-year-old Black mother of four,
was found hanging from a tree behind a vacant home in Jackson, Mississippi. Her mother, Christy
Spivey, insists her daughter did not
take her own life.
Fortune’s death follows two
other cases involving Black people found hanging from trees in Mississippi within the past year.
In September 2025, Demartravion “Trey” Reed was found hanging at Delta State University, and Cory Zukatis was found hanging
in Vicksburg. Authorities ruled
both deaths suicides.
This history explains why these
deaths evoke fear and distrust. Fortune’s case remains under investigation, while the Justice Department and FBI have not publicly announced an independent review
of Wells’ death.
About the Author
Krista Chan is a civic technology professional and Chinese medicine student in Oakland. She
writes and organizes around global
peace and racial justice.
Opinion:
Legacy of Racial
Terror Lives on in
U.S. South
Revitalized East Oakland
Park Honors the Legacy of
Tyrone Carney, Killed in
Vietnam War
Tarsha Jordan’s Bonita the
Bumblebee Brings STEAM
Learning to Life
Nolan Wells. File photo.
A bust by sculptor Dana King at Tyrone Carney Park in the Sobrante Park neighborhood of East Oakland honors U.S. Marine Corps PFC Tyrone Carney who died while serving in Vietnam in 1968. Photo Courtesy of OBL.
Tarsha Jordan and Tarsha Jordan’s Bonita the Bumblebee. Photos by Carla Thomas.
By Carla Thomas
After remaining closed for
more than two decades, Tyrone
Carney Park reopened Thursday
Aug 27, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating a $5 million investment in recreation, wellness and community space in East Oakland.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee,
District 7 Councilmember Ken
Houston, city leaders, community partners and residents gathered at the half-acre park, located at 10501 Acalanes Drive, to commemorate its long-awaited revitalization. “Revitalizing and reopening
Tyrone Carney Park strengthens
the Town by expanding youth programs, supporting job training, and improving public health,”
said Lee said. “Oakland is on
Continued on page 9