Politics

Alameda City Council Candidate Amos White Brings His Message to Voters

Published

5 years ago

October 14, 2020

A group of supporters convened at a press conference and rally for Alameda City Council hopeful Amos White in front of Alameda’s City Hall on Saturday, Oct. 10.

White, only the third Black in the city’s history to seek a seat on the Council, gave a rousing speech outlining his platform and qualifications for the position. The late Al Dewitt, whose son Al Jr. spoke, was Alameda’s first Black City Council member. Elected in 1994, he became vice-mayor in 1998. Marie Gilmore was the first Black mayor in Alameda in 2012.

White is vying for one of the two open seats on the council.

White said the people’s vote makes him the best-qualified candidate for the job. “My experience runs deep,” said White. “I’ve been in democratic politics my whole life and I’ve always had a hankering and penchant for justice, for equality and what it really means to be an American.

“My father was an educator and my mother was an educator-turned-attorney, and there’s always been a sense of justice and civil rights running deep in my family.”

“I first got involved in campaigning in high school for a governor and upon graduating; my first job was with Senator John Glenn as his legislative aide. I then moved over to the Democratic Caucus in Ohio and later started running campaigns.”

“Later, I came to California in 1991 as a CORO Fellow in Public Affairs; there I worked on Barbara Boxer’s first senatorial campaign as Southern California Volunteer Coordinator. I have since gone on to work for Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s campaign and also in San Francisco for Terence Hallihan. So I’m really excited about running my own race to bring justice, fairness and equity to Alameda.”

White noted that one of the first issues he hopes to address is equity. “It’s a buzz word,” noted White, “but it also means the redistribution of policy decisions and of our budget towards our values as our priorities in protecting our most vulnerable.”

“I have a gentleman here today that is endorsing my campaign who just this summer, was arrested in front of his house for dancing. Dancing while Black! We’ve been working to support Mr. Mali Watkins in my capacity as a lead organizer for the ACLU People Power Alameda.”

Alameda’s City Council does not represent specific districts in the City, rather, all council members serve at-large. White wants to change that. “I would love to put that forward as a referral measure that we do create districts in Alameda so we can have better representation and surer representation throughout the entire City,” said White.

White is eager to jump into the role of city councilmember. He already has plans to put up a cell tower on the west side of the City. He wants to do this so that emergency response can be more secure and people on and traveling through Alameda’s West End can have better communications in the city.

“It’s horrible on this side of town because of the lack of resources and attention from an equity standpoint,” said White. “I really hope to remediate that issue.”

“I will also look into our police department budget and its funding processes and, if necessary, consider reallocating resources towards our public health and welfare departments so we can help support people who are on the streets that are unhoused and are having mental health crises and health care issues and nutritional issues.”

For more information on Amos White’s campaign, visit www.amoswhite4alameda.com.

Michelle Snider

Associate Editor for The Post News Group. Writer, Photographer, Videographer, Copy Editor, and website editor documenting local events in the Oakland-Bay Area California area.

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

Published

5 days ago

January 2, 2026

Oakland Post

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2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember Lori Wilson — Advocate for Equity, the Environment, and More

Her rise has also included several historic firsts: she is the only Black woman ever appointed to lead the influential Assembly Transportation Committee, and the first freshman legislator elected Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. She has also been a vocal advocate for vulnerable communities, becoming the first California legislator to publicly discuss being the parent of a transgender child — an act of visibility that has helped advanced representation at a time when political tensions related to social issues and culture have intensified.

Published

1 week ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City). File photo.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) joined the California Legislature in 2022 after making history as Solano County’s first Black female mayor, bringing with her a track record of fiscal discipline, community investment, and inclusive leadership.

She represents the state’s 11th Assembly District, which spans Solano County and portions of Contra Costa and Sacramento Counties.

California Black Media spoke with Wilson about her successes and disappointments this year and her outlook for 2026.

What stands out as your most important achievement this year?

Getting SB 237 passed in the Assembly. I had the opportunity to co-lead a diverse workgroup of colleagues, spanning a wide range of ideological perspectives on environmental issues.

How did your leadership contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians this year?

The Black Caucus concentrated on the Road to Repair package and prioritized passing a crucial bill that remained incomplete during my time as chair, which establishes a process for identifying descendants of enslaved people for benefit eligibility.

What frustrated you the most this year?

The lack of progress made on getting Prop 4 funds allocated to socially disadvantaged farmers. This delay has real consequences. These farmers have been waiting for essential support that was promised. Watching the process stall, despite the clear need and clear intent of the voters, has been deeply frustrating and reinforces how much work remains to make our systems more responsive and equitable.

What inspired you the most this year?

The resilience of Californians persists despite the unprecedented attacks from the federal government. Watching people stay engaged, hopeful, and determined reminded me why this work matters and why we must continue to protect the rights of every community in our state.

What is one lesson you learned this year that will inform your decision-making next year?

As a legislator, I have the authority to demand answers to my questions — and accept nothing less. That clarity has strengthened my approach to oversight and accountability.

In one word, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians are facing currently?

Affordability and access to quality educational opportunities.

What is the goal you want to achieve most in 2026?

Advance my legislative agenda despite a complex budget environment. The needs across our communities are real, and even in a tight fiscal year, I’m committed to moving forward policies that strengthen safety, expand opportunity, and improve quality of life for the people I represent.

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2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, Champion of Reparations, Housing and Workers’ Rights

In 2025, McKinnor pushed forward legislation on renters’ protections, re-entry programs, reparations legislation, and efforts to support Inglewood Unified School District. She spoke with California Black Media about the past year and her work. Here are her responses.

Published

1 week ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood). File photo.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr., California Black Media

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) represents

California’s 61st Assembly District.

As a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC),

McKinnor was elected in 2022. She chairs the Los Angeles County Legislative Delegation and leads the Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee. McKinnor also served as a civic engagement director, managed political campaigns, and worked as chief of staff for former Assemblymembers Steven Bradford and Autumn Burke.

Looking back on 2025, what do you see as your biggest win?

Assembly Bill (AB) 628. If rent is $3,000, people should at least have a stove and a refrigerator. It’s ridiculous that people were renting without basic appliances.

I’m also proud that I was able to secure $8.4 million in the state budget for people coming home from incarceration. That includes the Homecoming Project, the menopause program for incarcerated women, and the Justice Leaders Program.

How did your leadership help make life better for Black Californians this year?

After the Eaton Fire, I pushed to get the same kind of support for affected areas that wealthier regions get after disasters.

I also did a lot of work building political power— establishing the Black Legacy PAC and California for All of Us PAC so we could support Black candidates and educate voters. We also called voters to make sure they understood Prop 50.

People need to understand this: there are only 12 Black legislators in the Capitol. Folks act like we can just walk in and pass reparations, but that’s not how it works.

What frustrated you most this year?

The governor did not have the political will to sign these bills: AB 57 and AB 62. They both passed overwhelmingly in the Assembly and the Senate. We did the work. The only person who didn’t have the political will to sign them was the governor.

The public needs to ask the governor why he didn’t sign the bills. We can’t keep letting people off the hook. He has to answer.

I also introduced AB 51 — the bill to eliminate interest payments on Inglewood Unified School District’s long-standing state loan — held in the Appropriations Committee. That was frustrating,

What inspired you most in 2025?

The civil rights trip to Alabama was life changing. We visited the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. We took members of the Black, Latino, Jewish, and API caucuses with us. It changed all of us.

People aren’t always against us — they just don’t know our history.

What’s one lesson from 2025 that will shape how you approach decisions next year?

The legislative trip to Norway taught me that collaboration matters. Government, labor, and industry sit down together there. They don’t make villains. Everybody doesn’t get everything they want, but they solve problems.

What’s the biggest challenge facing Black Californians in one word?

Inequity. It shows up in housing, wealth, stress – all these things.

What’s the number one goal you want to accomplish in 2026?

Bringing back AB 57 and AB 62, and securing money for the Inglewood Unified loan interest forgiveness.