Mayoral candidate: Jason “Shake” Anderson

Former Occupy spokesperson Jason ‘Shake’ Anderson, a U.S. Navy veteran, artist and activist, is a candidate for Oakland mayor.

“What I see in the city is a lot of dysfunction, a lack of leadership and a lack of direction,” said the 38-year-old Oakland native, citing the resignation of the city administrator and multiple police chiefs in recent years. Under his “new and fresh leadership,” he said, the government could hire the best people for the “two most important jobs in the city.”

Anderson said he aims to represent all Oaklanders, “not just in the hills but also on the flatlands and throughout the city.” Anderson voiced confidence that his youth won’t drive investors away. As a resident coming from West Oakland now living on the other side of the city, he added that he is a candidate to whom “all citizens can relate.”

Spending taxpayer dollars on effective community service and putting an end to what he called the “continuous misallocation of resources” is a priority, Anderson said. He pointed to Measure Y, the violence prevention program that he said resulted in the mistrust of the community. He would impose a tax on those who profit from the use of the Oakland port, and said he intends to remove the city from participation in the war on drugs.

If elected, Anderson said he will work on improving the relationship between Oakland Police Department and the citizens. After years of community work and a stint in the military, he said he feels capable of being a “liaison” between the community and the police because he understands how “a large organization, with a large mission to carry out, works.”

As an organizer of Oakland’s First Fridays, Anderson said he sees the art and music scene as an important platform for building a stronger community and improving the image of Oakland.

Regarding education, he wants to start programs that teach useful skills to the young people of Oakland and programs that can be applied to everyday life. Increasing job opportunities for youth is a priority for him.

Anderson is also known for promoting alternative currencies like BitCoin. Being outside the banking system, he sees BitCoin as a possible tool to create an economy that serves people better.

When asked about the Domain Awareness Center, Anderson said that he will fight for “the privacy of citizens, as well as seek optimum benefit for all citizens, putting the welfare of citizens before corporate or federal interests.”