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Rebecca Kaplan Announces Run for Alameda County Board of Supervisors

Oakland City Councilmember-At-Large, Rebecca Kaplan has advanced important region-leading innovative projects, such as the civilian crisis responder program (known as MACRO), new zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell trucks to reduce dangerous air pollution, expanded bicycle, pedestrian, and transit access, improving access to COVID vaccination and support, improving equity and economic opportunity in development, and expanding solutions for homelessness, including use of hotels and housing on public land.

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Rebecca has been representing all of Oakland and was unanimously chosen as Oakland’s Vice Mayor by her colleagues.
Rebecca has been representing all of Oakland and was unanimously chosen as Oakland’s Vice Mayor by her colleagues.

On Tuesday, Oakland City Councilmember-At-Large, Rebecca Kaplan announced her run for Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 3.

Rebecca has been representing all of Oakland and was unanimously chosen as Oakland’s Vice Mayor by her colleagues.

Prior to that, she represented the East Bay region as an elected AC Transit director, as a Board member on the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, as a housing rights attorney, and State legislative aide.

She has advanced important region-leading innovative projects, such as the civilian crisis responder program (known as MACRO), new zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell trucks to reduce dangerous air pollution, expanded bicycle, pedestrian, and transit access, improving access to COVID vaccination and support, improving equity and economic opportunity in development, and expanding solutions for homelessness, including use of hotels and housing on public land.

Kaplan looks to continue to build and expand on actions to improve community health, protect and strengthen our public hospitals, transportation connectivity, environmental justice, and expand affordable housing and cut homelessness, and grow economic opportunity for our community.

Serving on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors could provide a vital opportunity to build a healthier and more vibrant future for our community.

These experiences helped Kaplan make the decision to run for Alameda County’s Board of Supervisors District 3, which includes much of Oakland, along with Alameda, San Leandro and San Lorenzo. If elected, Rebecca Kaplan would become the first ever openly-LGBT Supervisor in Alameda County and would be the only woman now on the Board.

She would bring experience and dedication, working for environmental justice and clean air, housing for all and innovative homeless solutions, and community safety, along with her track record of effective regional leadership, coalition-building, and interagency coordination.

Kaplan also brings her education and training, including a bachelor’s degree from MIT, a master’s in Urban and Environmental Policy (Tufts University) and J.D. from Stanford Law School.

“The County governs major issues and controls substantial funding, including for social services, homelessness, public health and hospitals, and other vital community needs,” said a Kaplan. “The County also owns significant properties which could provide an opportunity to expand housing for all and other community revitalization.

“In addition, the County Supervisors get to serve on important regional boards controlling considerable resources, and impacting people’s lives, including the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC), the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), and more. I would be honored to serve the public in these important ways, and to work to build stronger communities together.”

Some of the important projects Kaplan initiated in Oakland could also be strengthened through countywide coordination and support, such as the innovative civilian responder program, known as MACRO, which provides trained civilians, in the fire department, to respond to non-violent 911 calls for service, such as mental health and related issues.

This program has been widely recognized as an important step to save money and save lives and has received tens of millions of dollars in State funding. She has helped usher forward important community revitalization, affordable housing, and jobs programs, including through the use of public lands which also could be expanded. Kaplan worked together with County, State and Federal leaders to provide large scale COVID vaccination projects and community sites, and other supports, and would be dedicated to making sure the County expands on these efforts, as well as supporting work to provide improved access to healthy food, clean air, quality jobs, and more.

For more information, please visit Rebecca Kaplan’s website at https://www.supervisorkaplan.org/

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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

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OPINION: Your Voice and Vote Impact the Quality of Your Health Care

One of the most dangerous developments we’re seeing now? Deep federal cuts are being proposed to Medicaid, the life-saving health insurance program that covers nearly 80 million lower-income individuals nationwide. That is approximately 15 million Californians and about 1 million of the state’s nearly 3 million Black Californians who are at risk of losing their healthcare. 

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Rhonda M. Smith.
Rhonda M. Smith.

By Rhonda M. Smith, Special to California Black Media Partners

Shortly after last year’s election, I hopped into a Lyft and struck up a conversation with the driver. As we talked, the topic inevitably turned to politics. He confidently told me that he didn’t vote — not because he supported Donald Trump, but because he didn’t like Kamala Harris’ résumé. When I asked what exactly he didn’t like, he couldn’t specifically articulate his dislike or point to anything specific. In his words, he “just didn’t like her résumé.”

That moment really hit hard for me. As a Black woman, I’ve lived through enough election cycles to recognize how often uncertainty, misinformation, or political apathy keep people from voting, especially Black voters whose voices are historically left out of the conversation and whose health, economic security, and opportunities are directly impacted by the individual elected to office, and the legislative branches and political parties that push forth their agenda.

That conversation with the Lyft driver reflects a troubling surge in fear-driven politics across our country. We’ve seen White House executive orders gut federal programs meant to help our most vulnerable populations and policies that systematically exclude or harm Black and underserved communities.

One of the most dangerous developments we’re seeing now? Deep federal cuts are being proposed to Medicaid, the life-saving health insurance program that covers nearly 80 million lower-income individuals nationwide. That is approximately 15 million Californians and about 1 million of the state’s nearly 3 million Black Californians who are at risk of losing their healthcare.

Medicaid, called Medi-Cal in California, doesn’t just cover care. It protects individuals and families from medical debt, keeps rural hospitals open, creates jobs, and helps our communities thrive. Simply put; Medicaid is a lifeline for 1 in 5 Black Americans. For many, it’s the only thing standing between them and a medical emergency they can’t afford, especially with the skyrocketing costs of health care. The proposed cuts mean up to 7.2 million Black Americans could lose their healthcare coverage, making it harder for them to receive timely, life-saving care. Cuts to Medicaid would also result in fewer prenatal visits, delayed cancer screenings, unfilled prescriptions, and closures of community clinics. When healthcare is inaccessible or unaffordable, it doesn’t just harm individuals, it weakens entire communities and widens inequities.

The reality is Black Americans already face disproportionately higher rates of poorer health outcomes. Our life expectancy is nearly five years shorter in comparison to White Americans. Black pregnant people are 3.6 times more likely to die during pregnancy or postpartum than their white counterparts.

These policies don’t happen in a vacuum. They are determined by who holds power and who shows up to vote. Showing up amplifies our voices. Taking action and exercising our right to vote is how we express our power.

I urge you to start today. Call your representatives, on both sides of the aisle, and demand they protect Medicaid (Medi-Cal), the Affordable Care Act (Covered CA), and access to food assistance programs, maternal health resources, mental health services, and protect our basic freedoms and human rights. Stay informed, talk to your neighbors and register to vote.

About the Author

Rhonda M. Smith is the Executive Director of the California Black Health Network, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to advancing health equity for all Black Californians.

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OPINION: Supreme Court Case Highlights Clash Between Parental Rights and Progressive Indoctrination

At the center of this controversy are some parents from Montgomery County in Maryland, who assert a fundamental principle: the right to shield their children from exposure to sexual content that is inappropriate for their age, while also steering their moral and ethical upbringing in alignment with their faith. The local school board decided to introduce a curriculum that includes LGBTQ+ themes — often embracing controversial discussions of human sexuality and gender identity.

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Craig J. DeLuz. Courtesy of Craig J. DeLuz.
Craig J. DeLuz. Courtesy of Craig J. DeLuz.

By Craig J. DeLuz, Special to California Black Media Partners

In America’s schools, the tension between parental rights and learning curricula has created a contentious battlefield.

In this debate, it is essential to recognize that parents are, first and foremost, their children’s primary educators. When they send their children to school — public or private — they do not surrender their rights or responsibilities. Yet, the education establishment has been increasingly encroaching on this vital paradigm.

A case recently argued before the Supreme Court regarding Maryland parents’ rights to opt out of lessons that infringe upon their religious beliefs epitomizes this growing conflict. This case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, is not simply about retreating from progressive educational mandates. It is fundamentally a defense of First Amendment rights, a defense of parents’ rights to be parents.

At the center of this controversy are some parents from Montgomery County in Maryland, who assert a fundamental principle: the right to shield their children from exposure to sexual content that is inappropriate for their age, while also steering their moral and ethical upbringing in alignment with their faith. The local school board decided to introduce a curriculum that includes LGBTQ+ themes, often embracing controversial discussions of human sexuality and gender identity. The parents argue that the subject matter is age-inappropriate, and the school board does not give parents the option to withdraw their children when those lessons are taught.

This case raises profound questions about the role of public education in a democratic society. In their fervent quest for inclusivity, some educators seem to have overlooked an essential truth: that the promotion of inclusivity should never infringe upon parental rights and the deeply held convictions that guide families of different faith backgrounds.

This matter goes well beyond mere exposure. It veers into indoctrination when children are repeatedly confronted with concepts that clash with their family values. 

“I don’t think anybody can read that and say: well, this is just telling children that there are occasions when men marry other men,” noted Justice Samuel Alito. “It has a clear moral message, and it may be a good message. It’s just a message that a lot of religious people disagree with.”

Justice Amy Coney Barrett raised a crucial point, noting that it is one thing to merely expose students to diverse ideas; it is quite another to present certain viewpoints as indisputable truths. By framing an ideology with the certainty of “this is the right view of the world,” educators risk indoctrination rather than enlightenment. This distinction is not merely academic; it speaks to the very essence of cultivating a truly informed citizenry.

Even Justice Elena Kagan expressed concern regarding the exposure of young children to certain materials in Montgomery County.

“I, too, was struck by these young kids’ picture books and, on matters concerning sexuality, I suspect there are a lot of non-religious parents who weren’t all that thrilled about this,” she said.

Justice John Roberts aptly questioned the practicality of expecting young children to compartmentalize their beliefs in the classroom.

“It is unreasonable to expect five-year-olds, still forming their worldviews, to reconcile lessons that conflict fundamentally with the teachings they receive at home,” he said.

As was noted in my previous commentary, “The Hidden Truth In The Battle Over Books In American Schools”, what lies at the heart of these debates is a moral disconnect between the values held by the majority of Americans and those promoted by the educational establishment. While the majority rightly argue that material containing controversial content of a sexual nature should have no place in our children’s classrooms, the education establishment continues to tout the necessity of exposing children to such content under the guise of inclusivity. This disregards the legitimate values held by the wider community.

Highlighted in this case that is before the Supreme Court is a crucial truth: parents must resolutely maintain their right to direct their children’s education, according to their values. This struggle is not simply a skirmish; it reflects a broader movement aimed at reshaping education by privileging a state-sanctioned narrative while marginalizing dissenting voices.

It is imperative that we assert, without hesitation, that parents are — and must remain — the primary educators of their children.

When parents enroll a child in a school, it should in no way be interpreted as a relinquishment of parental authority or the moral guidance essential to their upbringing. We must stand firm in defending parental rights against the encroaching ideologies of the education establishment.

About the Author

Craig J. DeLuz has almost 30 years of experience in public policy and advocacy. He has served as a member of The Robla School District Board of Trustees for over 20 years. He also currently hosts a daily news and commentary show called “The RUNDOWN.” You can follow him on X at @CraigDeLuz.

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