City Government

OP-ED: Proposed Dept. of Race and Equity and the Prophetic Work of Changing the Status Quo

Published

10 years ago

April 17, 2015

By Rev. Debra Avery, First Presbyterian Church of Oakland

When I considered whether to offer my thoughts on Councilmember Desley Brooks’ proposal for a city Department of Race and Equity, I thought: What can a white, middle class pastor like me say that would be of any use at all? What can I possibly contribute to an already rich conversation full of the pain of first-hand experience, and supported by well-researched statistics and administrative detail?

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My first thought was: precious little. Then I remembered a sermon preached by Martin Luther King Jr. to his own Abyssinian Baptist Church on June 5, 1966 – a sermon in which he called his people to the prophetic task of rethinking the purpose of the church.

He said: “The church is not a social club, although some people think it is. The church is not an entertainment center, although some people think it is. The church has a purpose. Heal the broken hearted, bring good news to the poor, free the captives, bring sight to the blind, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Though King was holding up a vision for his congregation when their energy was flagging, his words called through the decades and challenged me to step out of my privileged place and rethink my purpose as the leader of a local congregation. If this is to be the year of living into those prophetic words, then we have to get busy making sure the good news gets to those who need it most.

Nothing changes if nothing changes and Oakland is due for a change.

If we are to believe our newly elected city officials campaign rhetoric was more than stump-speech pandering, then it should be clear that we cannot continue with the status quo. We elected people who sought to join their cries with those who have long struggled and now it is time to call on them to live into the campaign promises they made.

The department seems like a timely tool to help us reevaluate our standards and refocus our expectations. It may not be perfect, but it provides a way to work toward freedom from entrenched attitudes and behaviors that have held our city hostage for years. It has the potential to provide new standards by which we can hold leaders accountable so that everyone in Oakland can have the same opportunity to thrive.

Approving this proposal means that the ayor must live into her promises for a different Oakland for “All Oaklanders” and provide for the Department of Race and Equity in her budget. Councilmembers must move out of entrenched norms of in-house squabbling and work together to support the work of transformation. Everyone will have to sacrifice personal privilege and power for the greater good.

It seems to me that now is the time for Oakland to answer the call to heal the brokenhearted, bring hope to the poor and free those held captive by the chains of oppression.

I believe that the Department of Race and Equity can guide that prophetic work and create a new way of being for our city government – one that truly represents the fullness of the diversity of our beautiful, beloved community.

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Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

Published

2 days ago

May 25, 2025

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IN MEMORIAM: Nate Holden, State Senator and Longtime Los Angeles Councilmember, Dies at 95

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn described Holden as “a lion” in the State Senate and a force to be reckoned with on the Los Angeles City Council.” Hahn added that she learned a lot working with Holden when she was a new councilmember.

Published

1 week ago

May 19, 2025

Oakland Post

Former Los Angeles Councilmember and California State Sen. Nate Holden. File photo.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Former Los Angeles City Councilmember Nathaniel “Nate” Holden, a prominent figure in the city’s politics, passed away at the age of 95, his family confirmed on May 7.

Holden, who represented South Los Angeles for 16 years on the City Council and served one term in the California State Senate, was widely regarded as a forceful advocate for his community.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn described Holden as “a lion” in the State Senate and a force to be reckoned with on the Los Angeles City Council.”

Hahn added that she learned a lot working with Holden when she was a new councilmember.

Holden’s journey to political prominence began in the segregated South, where he was born in Macon, Georgia, in 1929. He often recalled the childhood moment when he first heard the governor of Georgia vowing to continue suppressing Black people.

“Doing the best you can for the people. Law and order. Make sure that people’s communities are safe. I did it all,” said Holden, reflecting on his legacy.

Holden is survived by his sons, including former California Assemblymember Chris Holden, who represented a district in Southern California that includes Pasadena and Altadena in Los Angeles County and cities in San Bernardino County.

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Oakland Hosts Town Hall Addressing Lead Hazards in City Housing

According to the city, there are 22,000 households in need of services for lead issues, most in predominantly low-income or Black and Latino neighborhoods, but only 550 to 600 homes are addressed every year. The city is hoping to use part of the multimillion-dollar settlement to increase the number of households served each year.

Published

1 week ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Magaly Muñoz

The City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department hosted a town hall in the Fruitvale to discuss the efforts being undertaken to remove lead primarily found in housing in East and West Oakland.

In 2021, the city was awarded $14 million out of a $24 million legal settlement from a lawsuit against paint distributors for selling lead-based paint that has affected hundreds of families in Oakland and Alameda County. The funding is intended to be used for lead poisoning reduction and prevention services in paint only, not water or other sources as has been found recently in schools across the city.

The settlement can be used for developing or enhancing programs that abate lead-based paint, providing services to individuals, particularly exposed children, educating the public about hazards caused by lead paint, and covering attorney’s fees incurred in pursuing litigation.

Most of the homes affected were built prior to 1978, and 12,000 of these homes are considered to be at high risk for lead poisoning.

City councilmember Noel Gallo, who represents a few of the lead-affected Census tracts, said the majority of the poisoned kids and families are coming directly from neighborhoods like the Fruitvale.

“When you look at the [kids being admitted] at the children’s hospital, they’re coming from this community,” Gallo said at the town hall.

In order to eventually rid the highest impacted homes of lead poisoning, the city intends to create programs and activities such as lead-based paint inspections and assessments, full abatement designed to permanently eliminate lead-based paint, or partial abatement for repairs, painting, and specialized cleaning meant for temporary reduction of hazards.

In feedback for what the city could implement in their programming, residents in attendance of the event said they want more accessibility to resources, like blood testing, and information from officials about lead poisoning symptoms, hotlines for assistance, and updates on the reduction of lead in their communities.

Attendees also asked how they’d know where they are on the prioritization list and what would be done to address lead in the water found at several school sites in Oakland last year.

City staff said there will be a follow-up event to gather more community input for programming in August, with finalizations happening in the fall and a pilot launch in early 2026.