Happy Black History Month! At our last Council meeting, we celebrated Black History Month by honoring Black changemakers in Oakland making our communities more free, safe & joyous. My office is thrilled to recognize District 2's Oakland LGBTQ Center co-founders Joe Hawkins & Jeff Myers. The Center is the first Black-founded and led all-inclusive multi-service LGBTQ center in California.

I'm so thankful to our donors and the residents of Oakland and District 2 for your strong support. I want to personally thank you for your generous contribution to my re-election campaign to the Oakland City Council. I am honored and humbled to have you by my side. 

I am also proud to share that our campaign has raised over $100,000 to-date from over 350 donors! This is a strong show of support for our progressive #PeoplePoweredGovernment. 

Happy Lunar New Year! Chức mừng năm mới! 恭喜发财

I am eager to welcome the Year of the Water Tiger, which I hope brings abundance to you and your loved ones, as well as big changes, healthy risk-taking, and transformation for those who accept the invitation.

I hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy as we begin a new year amid the latest COVID surge. Here is what you need to know about the City of Oakland proof of vaccination requirement that begins on February 1st. 

As we remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this weekend, let's recommit ourselves to his work to eliminate poverty. 

“There is nothing new about poverty. What is new, however, is that we have the resources to get rid of it,” said Dr. King at his Nobel Peace Prize address in 1964.

With this goal of sharing our vast resources to achieve equity, I am relaunching an effort I first introduced in 2020 to modernize Oakland's outdated, flat-rate business tax.

Dear San Antonio Neighbors, 

I appreciate each of you for your advocacy around public safety and homelessness issues in our San Antonio neighborhood, which we know have serious impacts on our livelihood and community well-being. 

As your Councilmember, I have passed city policies and increased resources to address homelessness, violence prevention and public safety. My team and I have repeatedly elevated your concerns and requests to the City Administrator and Department Directors responsible for implementing city policy and budget decisions, and we are working together —along with county and state governmental partners — to address these urgent issues. 

We are pleased to report progress in the following areas and have been taking immediate action to address the challenges in San Antonio, which are unsustainable for all neighbors — housed, unsheltered and businesses alike.

Dear Friend,

My family and D2 team wish you and your loved ones a peaceful, joyous and healthy holiday and many good things for the new year. 

We are looking forward to a brighter 2022, building on our determination, resilience and hard-won achievements during these unprecedented times. 

Heading into the holidays, I'm overcome with gratitude for the challenges and opportunities of 2021.

With your support, we've made progress working towards a just recovery from the pandemic, expanding housing as a human right for our D2 neighbors, providing equitable services across the city, and reimagining safety and wellness for all Oaklanders.

Stay tuned for a year in review newsletter to come!

At Tuesday's Council meeting, we had important discussions about improving public safety. We took steps forward to increase OPD accountability in more effectively hiring and retaining quality officers to fill 60 previously-budgeted vacancies and comply with the Measure Z Violence Prevention Act, and to focus resources on addressing the spike in violent and serious crime in Oakland.

The continued violence, trauma and loss of lives to gun violence is devastating and absolutely unacceptable. This includes the recent loss of a neighbor at Lake Merritt, Kevin Nishita, a security guard of a local media news crew, and Nikai David, a Black trans sister adored by many in our community. My heart is heavy for the loved ones of these beloved community members.

This weekend, we held a grand reopening celebration of the newly renovated Athol Tennis Courts next to Lake Merritt!

This reopening comes after successfully transitioning the unsheltered residents previously living at the courts -- primarily elders -- into housing that meets their needs and accommodates their belongings.

For over a year, my team and I have worked with advocates, community partners, and the City’s Human Services Department and Homelessness  Division to conduct extensive outreach to humanely transition the Athol residents into housing.

Many now reside at Lake Merritt Lodge, which serves seniors and individuals with medical conditions and disabilities.

In a pandemic and housing affordability / homelessness crisis, this is a win-win: we're meeting the need for high-quality, inclusive outdoor spaces for Oaklanders to stay healthy, while providing compassionate solutions for unhoused neighbors.