City Government

Dana King, District 2 City Council

Published

11 years ago

October 26, 2014

Dana King moved to Oakland after leaving KPIX-TV in 2012. When she is not working on her sculptures, she teaches journalism at Dominican University in San Rafael and volunteers at the Alameda County Probation Department.

King, who lives in the San Antonio district, says District 2’s top concerns are public safety and quality of life issues that are related to it. She says solutions must focus not only on hiring more police but also on more lighting, getting rid of illegal dumping, graffiti and the blight that undermines the morale of people in the community.

These are the issues that “make people unsafe in their communities, make people feel that nobody cares about their communities,” she said.

In addition, she addressed gentrification, which has become a major issue in Oakland.

“Gentrification is real, and it disrupts lives. It is driven by economic forces that once begun, can erode entire communities. In order to offset widespread dislocation, I believe we can redirect the negative aspects of gentrification by respecting the finely woven social fabric of Oakland while encouraging the inclusion of affordable and workforce housing.”

King is in favor of a collaborative approach to governing that brings people together to create solutions. “I’m looking forward to bringing people to the table who have a vested interest in this city,” she said.

“Oakland is a vibrant city with a rich diversity of people coming from all walks of life,” she said.

“Those of us who call Oakland and District 2 home know the media’s portrayal of our city isn’t entirely accurate,” she said. “ Yes, Oakland has serious problems, but I believe with strong leadership, focus, hard work and effective communication, those problems and our city can be improved.

King’s community involvement includes serving as a volunteer in the Maximum Security Units at Alameda County Probation, Rites of Passage Program He has worked as Sunny Hills Services Honorary Board Member. Sunny Hills Services creates programs for developmentally disabled children and young adults

She has also participated as an Oakland Museum of California Trustee and Audience Development Committee member, and she has worked on a committee to plan an Oakland Conference to End Mass Incarceration and Deportation.

King’s list of endorsements includes the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, Planned Parenthood Advocates Mar Monte, Asian Americans for Political Advancement (AAPA) and Black Women Organizing for Political Action (BWOPA).

District 2’s current representative is Patricia Kernighan, who is retiring after nine years on the council.

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Activism

Remembering George Floyd

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing.

Published

1 day ago

June 2, 2025

Oakland Post

Mural showing the portrait of George Floyd in Mauerpark in Berlin. To the left of the portrait the lettering "I can't Breathe" was added, on the right side the three hashtags #GeorgeFloyd, #Icantbreathe and #Sayhisname. The mural was completed by Eme Street Art (facebook name) / Eme Free Thinker (signature) on 29 May 2020. (Wikimedia Commons)

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA Newswire

“The president’s been very clear he has no intentions of pardoning Derek Chauvin, and it’s not a request that we’re looking at,” confirms a senior staffer at the Trump White House. That White House response results from public hope, including from a close Trump ally, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The timing of Greene’s hopes coincides with the Justice Department’s recent decision to end oversight of local police accused of abuse. It also falls on the fifth anniversary of the police-involved death of George Floyd on May 25th. The death sparked national and worldwide outrage and became a transitional moment politically and culturally, although the outcry for laws on police accountability failed.

The death forced then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to focus on deadly police force and accountability. His efforts while president to pass the George Floyd Justice in policing act failed. The death of George Floyd also put a spotlight on the Black community, forcing then-candidate Biden to choose a Black woman running mate. Kamala Harris ultimately became vice president of the United States alongside Joe Biden. Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison prosecuted the cases against the officers involved in the death of Floyd. He remembers,” Trump was in office when George Floyd was killed, and I would blame Trump for creating a negative environment for police-community relations. Remember, it was him who said when the looting starts, the shooting starts, it was him who got rid of all the consent decrees that were in place by the Obama administration.”

In 2025, Police-involved civilian deaths are up by “about 100 to about 11 hundred,” according to Ellison. Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African-American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing. During those minutes on the ground, Floyd cried out for his late mother several times. Police subdued Floyd for an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.