In a deep East Oakland church, anxious community members learn safety tips and constitutional rights

As news of a federal immigration crackdown in the San Francisco Bay Area spread on Wednesday, groups across the region prepared to respond and support community members.

One such gathering Wednesday evening in deep East Oakland was a “know-your-rights” safety training and town hall.

Organized by Rev. Cheryl Ward, longtime pastor and founder of Cheryl Ward Ministries , and hosted by Amos Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church , the event featured speakers from the Anti Police-Terror Project , Oakland Rising Action , and the Oakland/Berkeley chapter of Black Women Organized for Political Action .

“The question is not, are we prepared if they come. It is, when they come,” Ward told The Oaklandside before the meeting.

Attendees, ranging from teenagers to older adults, listen