Episode 88: Oral Lee Brown Foundation

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Oral Lee Brown Foundation Programs and Events

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“We have to give them something to do. You know, if you're just sitting there and this is what you see, this is who you become..”- Phyllis Opara

Welcome to our one-hour special on the importance of education especially to the low income youth in our communities. We explore how the combination of the covid-19 pandemic and economic meltdown has impacted the support services of an Oakland legacy education organization the Oral Lee Brown Foundation.

In this episode our featured voices are the Executive Director Phyllis Opara and Board of Directors member Philip Palmer along with foundation Alumni members Rotha So and Albert Jenkins. Our guests share how Miss Brown’s promise to Oakland's most at-risk youth if they stayed in school and got admitted to college she would pay for their college education has changed the lives of hundreds of children over the Oral Lee Brown Foundation’s 30 plus years of operation.

Phyllis Opara

Phyllis Opara was of Born in Oakland, CA. She is the proud mother of two girls, Tomora Morris and Michelle Morris and two sons Lamonte Morris and Emeka Opara, the grandmother of four amazing grandchildren, Xavier, David, Montana and Dakota the light of life but also called Mom and Noni to a host of other children and young adults.

Phyllis received her Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education from Merritt College in Oakland CA as well as a Bachelor of Science in Human Development at Cal State East Bay, Hayward, CA. and minored in Business.

While it was Phyllis degree in Human Development that helper her to better understand her journey her master’s studies in Public Administration has led her to oversee the Oral Lee Brown Foundation.

Over the past 30 years, Phyllis has, taught in Oakland Public School, worked at the City of Oakland and rose through the Oral Lee Brown Foundation from Administrative Asst. to the Executive Director.

Phyllis has a passion to see the less fortunate thrive in anything they set their heart and mind to do, and she is always ready to lend a hand.

Phyllis has a love for learning, attending her church, traveling and always enjoying her family and friends.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to??his??purpose.??Roman :28

Albert Jenkins

Albert is an Experienced Sales Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the retail industry. Skilled in Sales, Teamwork, Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Social Media. Strong sales professional with a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) focused in Finance, General from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.

Rotha So

Rotha is a first-generation Cambodian-American born in Oakland and I come from a family of refugees. I became a part of the OLBF as a sophomore in high school and give tremendous credit to the foundation for my successes thus far. After obtaining my bachelor’s degree at UC Davis, I was able to drive my education forward and achieve a graduate degree in Social Work. While being a mother to my four-month old daughter, I currently work as a social worker for Alameda County and serve members of my own community. My continuous goal is to support other BIPOC families reach self-sufficiency in order for BIPOC communities to thrive for generations to come. The emphasis is on social and emotional growth in the context of family and community.

Phil Palmer

Phil Palmer is currently a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Drysdale Properties, he specializes in commercial real estate sales and finance; he also handles residential transactions. Phil joined Drysdale Properties after twenty years of working as a commercial banker. He has worked with numerous community banks and was a Co-Founder of Community Bank of the Bay, California’s first Federally certified community development bank.

Prior to working in the banking sector Phil served seven years as Legislative Assistant for housing and economic development to U.S. Senator Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. of Connecticut. He has extensive experience working with governmental agencies and large organizations. Moreover, he’s made presentations on housing and community development issues at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, at the World Bank, “Encuentros Conference,” and to the Insurance Committee of the California State Legislature.

Phil is graduate of The Boston University. His community services work includes serving on the Board of Directors of the affordable housing developer, Resources for Community Development in Berkeley, California. He’s also a member of the Board of the Oral Lee Brown Foundation that provides free tutoring, and four-year college scholarships for children from low-income neighborhoods in Oakland.

Oral Lee Brown Foundation

In 1987 Oral Lee Brown adopted the entire first grade class from Brookfield Elementary School in Oakland, CA. Her vision was to support these at-risk students in whatever ways essential to gain a quality education. She annually deposits $10,000.00 and began her quest to educate her “babies”.

Through the years Oral Lee Brown has adopted many more young students and helped guide them through school and on to college. Not only is she supporting the children financially for their future education, but she provides after school and Saturday School to tutor and mentor with the students. The foundation also provide other programs and services to help the students thrive.

Ms. Brown meets with parents, school officials, and mentors to help provide students with a well rounded academic and social program. She provides picnics, dinners, parties, outings, and cultural events on a regular basis. Ms. Brown sponsors an annual Scholarship Gala and celebrates the advances of the students in the Foundation. Of the original twenty-three students, nineteen graduated and enrolled in college.

Donation/Volunteer

For more information about the Oral Lee Brown Foundation please visit our website:
Support the education of our youth and make a donation
Become a Volunteer: and if you wish to volunteer at the Oral Lee Brown Foundation as a tutor or mentor, please e-mail us at olbstaff9901@yahoo.com.
To shop our Swag: https://oralleebrownfoundation.org/shop-olbf-swag
To find out more about our services & programs mentor & tutoring students in the foundation check out this video

Videos

To find out more about the Oral Lee Brown Foundation Please Check Out These Videos and the interview with Rev McKnight

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“Now I come back to my city and I see the beauty in my city. Now I see the hidden gems and the diamonds, and I see, all the other gold that’s been covered over by the filth and the violence and the hate and the drama and the hurt and the pain. Now I can see the beauty in it. I see why even Ms. Brown can see beauty in us and let us know like, Hey, you’re actually some jewels. You’re actually gold. You’re actually a scientist. You’re actually the next president. But if it wasn’t for her ideas and her insight and her vision on what she saw and when she was around, none of this would happen.”

— Albert Jenkins,Alumni,Oral Lee Brown Foundation

Thanks to our Sponsor

Voices of the Community is supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation, dedicated to a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically. More at www.irvine.org

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