Always working for justice in our community here in oakland. Grew up here and has been in oakland all his life. Welcome, paul cobb. It is a pleasure to be here today. Tell us about your background. I was born in oakland. My parents come from oklahoma and mississippi, but i was born in oakland. I have attended schools in oakland, and i have had the opportunity to travel all over the country as a journalist and an activist and as a participant in the civil rights struggle and as an advocate for change. You told me earlier you had not taken a course in journalism but you are gifted in writing . I did not take any courses in journalism. I always got great grades in english and in writing and in composition. And i remember, as a youngster, i was a spelling bee champion. So ive always. Nobody could beat new scrabble, you in scrabble, right . Nobody could beat me in scrabble. When you realized you had that gift, what led you to working in the community . Well i always, my mother used to tell