The other day I was thinking maybe I am getting old. Isn’t it old people who long for “the good old days?” For me, the good old days means when people largely got along. Not that we didn’t have our issues like persistent racism and poverty in the United States. But I don’t remember ever...
Bonilla and Estrada: ‘Opportunity Housing’ policy needs to be city-wide
This month, San Jose’s General Plan Task Force will vote on a recommendation regarding an “Opportunity Housing” policy. If the Envision San Jose 2040 Task Force would like to increase housing supply and help end inequities that we have had in San Jose for generations, it should recommend the City Council implement Opportunity Housing city-wide....
Vargas: Race-based affirmative action in college admissions still needed
With Prop 16 officially on the November ballot, affirmative action is once again in the headlines. When we talk about affirmative action in higher education today, we often talk about it narrowly in the context of explicitly race-based programs benefiting Black and Latinx applicants. However, there are myriad forms of affirmative-action programs in higher education...
Asawa: Why students need to be taught financial literacy
The rapper 21 Savage is starting a financial literacy program in Atlanta. Why isn’t the rest of America doing that? Approaching my senior year in high school, the one thing I can remember being taught about personal finance was how to write a check. I learned that in fourth grade. To be honest, I’ve forgotten....
Bramson: Linking up with affordability
What makes San Jose great? The verdant parks, wild spaces and plentiful sunshine. The diversity and richness of its culture and history. The boundless innovation and abundance of some of the world’s most creative and thoughtful people and companies. There’s no shortage of possibilities, which is why our city consistently ranks as one of the...
Brown: Setting the facts straight on Republic Urban
In its recent article, “Lawsuit against San Jose college district moves forward,” San José Spotlight left out important information and details regarding the lawsuit that Republic Urban Properties, LLC, has filed against San Jose – Evergreen Community College District. For example, omitted from the article is the fact that on Feb. 21 the district secured...
Ackemann: Caltrain’s Doom Loop
Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic we’ve all become “doomscrollers,” a phenomenon where people obsessively scroll social media for the latest bad news. “Doom loops” are an economic phenomenon where every decision a business or organization makes to try and break a bad cycle serves to reinforce it. That’s the case with Caltrain. Basically, in trying to fix...
Philbrick: Leadership in times of crisis
As our country continues to reel from COVID-19 and the pandemic of systemic racism, effective leadership is needed to bring a sense of justice and hope to this grieving nation. Effective leaders understand and give voice to the needs, concerns and hopes of others. They adapt, persevere and strive for fairness and equity. They also...
From the editor: Welcoming a new leader in our newsroom
I’m excited to announce that San José Spotlight has hired a seasoned managing editor to lead our award-winning newsroom. Simar Khanna joins our team after a distinguished 25-year career in Bay Area journalism. Simar spent 16 years at the San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Examiner where she served as an editor in nearly every...
Staedler: San Jose’s public outreach process needs improvement
Over the last several years, how many times have you heard about a San Jose policy decision that was being heard by a committee or commission at the “last minute”? The latest community outreach kerfuffle is the city’s staff recommendation to establish an Opportunity Housing policy, as heard by the city’s General Plan Task Force last week. The...