‘Solidarity is all we got:’ Oakland activists mobilize after disappointing election

Organizers and activists gathered Friday for a discussion on the election’s implications on justice and safety in Oakland. But despite certain results that horrified the crowd, the gathering focused on the opportunities for change.  

“When there’s a crisis or an emergency in our community, it’s an opportunity to come together and choose how we respond, and to learn,” John Jones III, the discussion host and director of programs at Urban Strategies Council, told the 40 of so people gathered. 

The conversation, at Restore Oakland, centered on the impacts of the election, from state propositions and city recalls to local measures. 

That included Measure NN, which increases funding for police, fire and violence prevention services — the results of which many were satisfied with — to City Council elections and the recall of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price — which many were not so satisfied with.

“I have never seen politics this tossy in my life,” Jones said. “There was a lot of confusion out there to trick and to deceive the voters, because the voters, they meant, well, they just didn’t understand the language.”

Norma Orozco, the senior communications strategist at the Ella Baker Center, spoke about what she called the most dangerous item on the ballot: Prop 36, which passed, reclassifies certain misdemeanor theft and drug crimes as felonies in California.

Orozco urged participants to understand the gravity of the election results — impacts on vulnerable families and the homeless, the potential for prison overcrowding and worsening conditions, as well as the cutting of diversion, prevention and treatment programs for drug addicts.

“We need to be ready to fight. Most of the people who voted for Prop 36 thought they were voting for treatment,” she said.

She also framed the results as an opportunity to mobilize the millions of people who voted against the proposition. 

The failure of Proposition 6, which would have ended forced labor in prison, was another disappointment, said Tanisha Cannon, managing director for Legal Services for Prisoners of Children. She said the ballot language could have been made clearer.

“You see, the policy is not always working for us,” she said, adding she knew the proposition would fail when she heard they couldn’t use the word “slavery” on the ballot.

The opposition narrative often is fear-driven, with messaging focused on panic and crime, said Alex Pinigis, a fellow at Just Cities.

“How do we drive people to vote for hope rather than for fear?” he asked. To that, there was a chuckle, and no one had an answer.

“Solidarity is all we got,” said Carol Draizen, a member of the Coalition for Police Accountability.

Despite a tense and at times stressful conversation, the gathering ended on a positive note.

Orozco announced that Nikki Fortunato Bas, Oakland’s progressive council president had pulled ahead in the race for District 5 Alameda County supervisor. 

A huge round of applause and cheering erupted, as the meeting broke for happy hour. 

(Top photo by Alana Minkler)

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