National

Oakland City Council Members Call on Gov. Newsom to Select Barbara Lee to Replace Kamala Harris in U.S. Senate

Published

4 years ago

November 25, 2020

Kiki

Rep. Barbara Lee and Rebecca Kaplan

Oakland City Councilmembers Rebecca Kaplan, Noel Gallo, and Sheng Thao wrote an open letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday encouraging him to appoint Congresswoman Barbara Lee to the United States Senate as California’s representative.

At the same time, Latinx leaders are urging the governor to break the glass ceiling and place a Latinx person in Harris’ seat, asserting among other things, that Latinx make up 40% of California’s population.

The letter from Kaplan, Gallo and Thao tells Newsom that Lee has shown, both with her words and with her actions, a deep commitment to justice and a willingness to uplift truth and justice. “Lee is an experienced member of the Congress and can easily transition into the U.S. Senate at a difficult time in history. We are living in a time that has shown that we must recognize and honor the leadership of Black women,” the letter read.

“We need someone who is unafraid to confront wrongdoing and injustice, who can effectively build coalitions, and can help ensure that everyone in our communities has a voice and is respected in our nation’s decision-making process,” the councilmembers wrote.

Kaplan is pleased to join together with others who are also similarly urging that Barbara Lee be selected as California’s next senator, including Cori Bush, the newly elected congresswoman from Missouri and Aimee Allison, Newsweek columnist and Founder of She the People.

Bush, a nurse and former activist in the Black Lives Matter movement after Michael Brown was killed six years ago in Ferguson, Mo., has been calling for Lee to achieve higher office since July, actually wishing she could be president.

In a column on November 18, Allison said: “Over the course of her career, she has built a strong and consistent record and brought together people from different ideologies, socioeconomic and racial backgrounds,” Allison wrote.

Local Latinx leaders in Southern California held a press conference on November 19 saying there are many qualified Latinx for Newsom to choose from, including State Attorney General Becerra who replaced Harris when she was elected to the U.S. Senate.

Chula Vista Mayor Mary Salas is one of the local leaders who spoke on Thursday in hopes of swaying Newsom in favor of a Latino senator.

“It’s only through having representation that represents the demographics of this state that we will get equity,” Salas said.

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez voiced similar sentiments. “We are a larger group than any other demographic in California. But even with those numbers we have never held the title of U.S. Senator in California, despite the fact that California itself used to be Mexico,” Gonzalez said. “You think of a place where a Latino or Latina should represent the state in Washington D.C., it’s definitely California.”

Similar calls to action were held in Fresno and Sacramento, and more are planned in Los Angeles and San Jose.

Kimberly Jones is chief of staff to Oakland City Council President Rebecca Kaplan. Newsweek magazine, Twitter and KPBS News contributed to this report.

Kiki

Posts by Kiki | Website

Up Next

State’s NAACP Pres. Alice Huffman Stepping Down, New Leader Announced

Don't Miss

National Black Caucus of State Legislators to Hold Virtual Summit for Youth Leaders Dec. 4-5

Kiki

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of November 13 – 19, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 13 – 19, 2024

Published

5 days ago

November 16, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

Published

2 weeks ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

OP-ED: The Illusion of Allyship. White Women, Your Yard Signs Mean Nothing to Me

NNPA NEWSWIRE – “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

Political yard signs can symbolize intentions and allegiance. But this year, they’ve also symbolized betrayal. During this general election, Black women were led to believe that more White women would stand with us. Exit polls, however, told a different story. Despite overwhelming displays of support, more White women still chose to vote for the convicted felon, reality TV star, and rapist. White women answered the call but left us hanging at the polls.

A Familiar Disappointment

I live in DeKalb County, Georgia, and the abundance of Harris-Walz yard signs could’ve fooled me. But I’ve seen this before, back when Stacey Abrams ran for governor. White women showed up, put up signs, attended rallies, knocked on doors, and phone-banked. Yet, when it came time to vote, they let us down—not once but twice. I’ve been here for over 15 years, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that political signs are symbols without weight.

In every election, I’ve talked with White women. Most aren’t the primary earners in their families and vote along party lines, aligning with the preferences of their fathers and husbands. These conversations reveal a reluctance to break from tradition, even when their votes affect women and certainly when their votes impact the lives of people who look like me.

The Illusion of Solidarity—Symbols Are Not Enough

On social media, I’m seeing White women posting pictures of blue bracelets to “prove” they didn’t vote for Trump. “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

I’ve seen Black Lives Matter signs and black squares posted on Instagram to “prove” support for Black people, but we now know that was a lie, too. Will those same people who claimed Black lives mattered now take down their Harris-Walz signs and show their true selves?

Navigating these truths is a daily struggle for me—professionally and socially. White women often misuse their privilege, supporting us only when it’s convenient. Seeing overqualified Black women sabotaged or abandoned by White women at critical moments is a constant emotional challenge. It’s exhausting to live with this reality, especially when solidarity seems like something they pick up and discard at will.

One clever campaign ad from Harris-Walz that spoke directly to White women. “Your Vote, Your Choice” emphasized that their vote was private—independent of their household situation. Another was from Olivia Howell Dreizen, the “Vote Without Fear” campaign, which empowered women to consider the greater impact of their choices. But it seems many still couldn’t choose the roadmap to freedom—even when it was handed to them.

A Call for Action Beyond Words

White women, I want to believe you care, but actions speak louder than yard signs, bracelets, or Instagram posts. Show up in our communities, advocate in your workplaces, and stand up to dismantle the structures that uphold white supremacy. Only through real action will we know where you stand.

If you choose not to act, we see you—and we know exactly where you stand. Good luck these next four years.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.