With four Oakland districts and the Council At-Large seat up for grabs, 25 candidates have all entered the race to join Oakland’s City Council. The following map lists every candidate running in each district, a photo of each candidate, and a brief statement—provided by the candidate—about his or her key goals.
Erik Reyna also helped with this map.
As the map shows so well, there is not really “one” Oakland – rather, we have literally dozens and dozens of small communities, geographically. Our grassroots social clubs and groups are even *more* diverse, since they span and include these geographic areas and related interests.
This creates a patchwork of competing views and interests. This is not theory, rather, as an organizer – I am telling you that. it. just. “does.”
NOW –
Out of this miasma of potential conflict, we now have a city governance that is completely dysfunctional, much like a dysfunctional family.
The leaders that we elect, MUST be capable of forming coalitions, and seeking harmony, and not further conflict.
I believe that the D3 election is crucial here, due to multiple reasons which include the above.
And I am supporting Derrick for D3. I am not here to argue, rather to point out that a city divided against itself, cannot stand. And I implore people to elect peacemakers, and not people who will stir further political gridlock, which leads to further stasis, which in the case of where I live (the flatlands), leads to literal death.