A Public Memorial Honors Legendary Coach John Beam in Oakland
The city of Oakland paid tribute to its beloved football coach, John Beam, as a public memorial was held in his honor on Wednesday. The event, attended by family, students, and community members, marked an emotional day for the city, still reeling from Beam's tragic death last month at Laney College.
Coach Beam's legacy lived on through a "light the path, light the field" walk, where participants followed the same route he used every day from Laney College to the Eagles Football Stadium. The walk was a poignant reminder of his impact on the community, particularly among young people who saw him as a mentor and father figure.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee praised Beam's unwavering commitment to his students, saying, "He believed in our young people, even before they believed in themselves." Tania Mitchell from Laney College echoed these sentiments, expressing her own love for the coach: "He loved Laney, he loved his students. He loved Oakland. He loved his job. He loved making a difference."
To honor Beam's memory, Laney College placed 2,000 paper lanterns along the route of the walk, symbolizing the light and inspiration he brought to countless lives. As one attendee noted, Coach Beam was more than just a coach – he was a beloved figure who embodied the values of dedication, compassion, and advocacy.
A Celebration of Life for Coach Beam will take place on January 10, 2026, allowing friends, family, and colleagues to pay their respects once again. The accused shooter, responsible for his untimely death, is set to appear in court next week, but the city's focus remains on celebrating Coach Beam's enduring legacy.
The city of Oakland paid tribute to its beloved football coach, John Beam, as a public memorial was held in his honor on Wednesday. The event, attended by family, students, and community members, marked an emotional day for the city, still reeling from Beam's tragic death last month at Laney College.
Coach Beam's legacy lived on through a "light the path, light the field" walk, where participants followed the same route he used every day from Laney College to the Eagles Football Stadium. The walk was a poignant reminder of his impact on the community, particularly among young people who saw him as a mentor and father figure.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee praised Beam's unwavering commitment to his students, saying, "He believed in our young people, even before they believed in themselves." Tania Mitchell from Laney College echoed these sentiments, expressing her own love for the coach: "He loved Laney, he loved his students. He loved Oakland. He loved his job. He loved making a difference."
To honor Beam's memory, Laney College placed 2,000 paper lanterns along the route of the walk, symbolizing the light and inspiration he brought to countless lives. As one attendee noted, Coach Beam was more than just a coach – he was a beloved figure who embodied the values of dedication, compassion, and advocacy.
A Celebration of Life for Coach Beam will take place on January 10, 2026, allowing friends, family, and colleagues to pay their respects once again. The accused shooter, responsible for his untimely death, is set to appear in court next week, but the city's focus remains on celebrating Coach Beam's enduring legacy.
he was like such an inspiration to me personally my little sis looked up to him so much too and it breaks my heart that he had to go 
I love how the city came together to celebrate his life 2k lanterns is amazing right? i wonder what kind of impact Coach Beam's presence had on ppl's daily lives did he have a favorite player or something? 
Laney College should consider creating a scholarship in his name, that would be incredible 
my little sis is actually gonna attend the celebration of life in jan next year and i'm so hyped for her 
she's really close to coach beam's daughter and they're planning a tribute project together 
those 2000 paper lanterns are so symbolic of the impact coach beam had on people's lives like he wasn't just a coach but a real person who cared about his students and community so much 
it's amazing how oakland is keeping his memory alive with that light the path walk, i wonder if anyone will continue that tradition after he's gone 
just heard about this public memorial 4 legendary coach John Beam in Oakland and i'm literally shook 
he sounds like such an amazing person, always putting his students 1st & believing in them even when they didn't believe in themselves 
i'm so glad the city is focusing on celebrating his life & legacy instead of getting bogged down by the shooting 
the 2,000 paper lanterns are literally the perfect way to honor him 
can't wait 4 the Celebration of Life on Jan 10, 2026 
. Remembering John Beam's impact on the community and those he mentored as a coach is really beautiful. The way they honored him with that "light the path, light the field" walk was pure genius – it's not every day you get to see that kind of love and appreciation for someone like that displayed in public 
. That's the kinda leadership and mentorship we could all learn from.
. I'm definitely going to make sure to attend the Celebration of Life on January 10th... gotta give this guy the sendoff he deserves 
. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one. But at the same time it's amazing to see how much Coach Beam meant to people here in Oakland. He was more than just a coach, he was like a big ol' dad figure to all those kids who looked up to him. And now he's gone way too soon 
. But it's great to see the community coming together to celebrate his life and legacy - 2000 paper lanterns is a pretty cool touch 
Meanwhile, I'm like, what about justice for Coach Beam? His shooter should be held accountable, right? 
So yeah, I don't know... this memorial thing is kinda complicated for me...
barbara lee said it best "he believed in our young people, even before they believed in themselves"