APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER CARROLL FIFE
RESOLUTION IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN
FEBRUARY 2023 BY HONORING BLACK CHANGE -MAKERS IN THE
CITY OF OAKLAND WORKING TOWARDS A TRANSFORMATIVE
FUTURE THAT SEEKS TO DISMANTLE OPPRESSIVE SYSTEMS AND
ADVANCE TRUE LIBERATION, SAFETY, AND OPPORTUNITIES IN
OUR COMMUNITY
WHEREAS, Black History Month provides us the op portunity to recognize the innumerable achievements, contributions, and impact of Black people, while acknowledging the extensive work that still needs to be done to address the fact that the Black community in the City of Oakland and across the nation con tinues to grapple with racist structures that perpetuate inequality in housing, education, health care, jobs and more; and
WHEREAS, we acknowledge that the history of Black people in this country is the history of this country; from chattel slavery and em ancipation to Jim Crow policies of segregation and the enduring fight for socioeconomic justice; and
WHEREAS, the vestiges of these oppressive systems remain to this day and in spite of the injustice, inequality, and brutality that Black people in Americ a have faced and still face, they continue to serve and advance their communities and this nation as innovators, educators, leaders, organizers, activists, artists and so much more; and
WHEREAS, we recognize the following individuals and organizations for their work to help shape a better Oakland; and
WHEREAS, District 1 is honoring Joey Harrison, the Founder and Executive Director of the Village of Love. The Village of Love operates homeless day centers, safe parking programs and access to Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous for people suffering from substance abuse. As the Operations Director of the Temescal Telegraph Business Improvement District (BID), Mr. Harrison established the BID's Community Engagement Program, focusing on d e- escalation and compassionate care for unsheltered individuals. Mr. Harrison provides quarterly de-escalation training to Temescal businesses free of charge and oversees the team of Ambassadors keeping Temescal clean, safe, and beautiful. Mr. Harrison, a District One resident, serves on the Oakland Commission on Homelessness, works with sober communities and organizations and was the main point of contact for Omni Common's Emergency Homeless Shelter during the recent winter storm; and
2 WHEREAS, District 2 i s honoring Kin Folkz//Monica Anderson is an unapologetically Black, Native, and Queer award-winning creative artist, activist, and leader in the arts movement in Oakland and across the nation. Through their work as the Founder and Director of Spectrum Queer Media for over 15 years, supporting and enhancing LGBTQIA+ advocacy, direct action, and Pride events, to co-founding the East Bay LGBTQ+ Healing Arts Center in 2020, Kin Folkz has used arts as a tool to bring diverse communities together to have tough co nversations and encourage personal growth. The East Bay LGBTQ+ Healing Arts Center, located in District 2, is a rassroots, interdisciplinary collaborative of Oakland, California -based disabled, Black, Indigenous + Brown LGBTQ+ identified artists and wellne ss practitioners serving a global community here in Oakland, where queer artists’ work thrives and serves as a form of medicine.
The Center, in partnership with community partners, has distributed food to over 20,000 people during the pandemic, provided fi nancial support to members of the community, offered skills - development workshops, painted the Oakland Equity Rainbow street mural on Bellevue Avenue, and become Northern California's 1st LGBTQ+ led arts, innovation and Tech hub; and WHEREAS, District 3 is honoring The Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA), founded in Oakland in 1988, has evolved into one of the leading organizations that seeks to uplift and support our Black Bay Area youth and families, through the arts, focusing on literacy, healing and commun ity empowerment. Led by Nina Woodruff -Walker of Oakland, CA, MOCHA has made it a point to consistently create spaces and opportunities for all children to use the arts as a vehicle to advocate for self-expression, culture and community -building, and the centering of youth voices. The evolution of MOCHA's action to support disinvested communities can be experienced directly in our programs. We believe it is critical to show in action how we uplift and support our families, youth, and children; and
WHEREAS, District 4 is honoring Reverend Harry Louis Williams II (“OG Rev”) for his deep commitment to violence prevention work across Oakland, and serving our most vulnerable. A resident of District 4, Reverend Williams is a true “community minister” who shows deepest compassion for those impacted by gun violence, sex trafficking, gang warfare, and homelessness. His vivid career includes performing with several local hip-hop artists, and using music and poetry as a tool to engage youth. Reverend Williams is known for spreading his positive energy, fiercely calling out injustices, and doing the difficult work of breaking down silos among different communities of action. Reverend Williams is the founder and Executive Director of Ground Game Ministries, and serves on the board of Homies Empowerment in Oakland; and
WHEREAS, District 5 is honoring Shonda Scott, she is an Oakland native born at Oakland Naval Hospital, an alumna of Holy Names High School in Oakland and University of California, Los Angeles. Shonda is a fourth-generation entrepreneur and an award-winning CEO, who founded 360 Total Concept, a management consulting firm headquartered in Oakland/Bay Area with a national footprint, in 2006. Shonda Scott and Team 360 use over two decades of business experience assisting clients with “Turning Concepts into Reality” 360’s client list is diverse providing services to airports, school districts, federal and transit agencies, television networks, tech firms and public officials. Working with industry leaders such as Uber, BART, Peralta Community College District, and Oakland Unified School District to their mega projects.
Shonda Scott has received global and national recognition. In 2018 Shonda was inducted into Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame. Prior to becoming a Hall of Fame Inductee, Shonda was recognized by Enterprising Women Magazine as 2017 Enterprising Woman of Year. She was recognized in 2016 with the Stevie Awards Female Entrepreneur of the Year. As part of her civic contributions to our Nation, Shonda served as President Obama’s 2012 Platform 3 Committee Appointee and President Biden’s African American Leadership Council and Black Women in Business.
Ms. Scott is the creator and founder of 12 New Things lifestyle brand encouraging people to do something new and different once a month to move out of your comfort zone and pivot through change in fun and exciting ways to enhance your mental, spiritual, and physical well -being.
Shonda is honored to hav e served as the first Chairwoman of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Alameda County Human Relations Commission, The Obama Foundation, AMAC Foundation Board, Board of Directors of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Bay Area, t he Board of Regents for Bishop O’Dowd High School, where her son, Austin Carrington -Scott is an alumni, and one of the six partners that make up the historic African American led AASEG team for the Oakland Coliseum Development; and
WHEREAS, District 6 is honoring Ms. Barbara Taylor, a lifelong resident of Oakland who has served our city in various capacities for the past eight decades. Ms.Taylor volunteers for the multi-ethnic sports hall of fame, Lend a Hand Foundation and has been an active member of the 100 Black women of the Bay Area. Ms. Taylor has shown a lifelong commitment to improving the lives of Black Oakland residents. We honor Ms. Taylor for her dedication to advancing the causes of Black Oaklanders; and
WHEREAS, District 7 is honoring Tonyia “Nina” Carter, is an author, an entrepreneur, and a Violence Interrupter for group and gang violence in Oakland. Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, Nina was very insightful and creative as a youth. She spent many years living a street life where she witnessed how drugs, violence, and homicide destroyed those around her, but she never lost her desire to give back. It was during this time that she wrote her first book called Dream Killers: a raw and powerful memoir of her years on the streets of Oakland. Nina opened a hair business soon after called Virtuous Vision Design; she became inspired to start an organization called “Women Inspiring Women” where she would provide practical life skills and job training to women of all ages—and on a more personal level, guidance to help turn their pain into purpose. Today Nina works at Youth ALIVE! helping her clients change harmful behaviors into productive healing. She recently founded Bonafide Sisterhood Inc., and the Neighborhood Hero project, to help rebuild live s impacted by violence, expanding her transformative community influence from Oakland to the city of Antioch; and
WHEREAS, the At Large Councilmember is honoring the Construction Resource Center (CRC) was established in 2014 by Oakland natives, Len Turner and La Tanya Hawkins. After operating a successful family -based General Contracting company for nine years, Len and LaTanya recognized the need to provide a continuum of hands -on technical assistance to small businesses seeking to grow their capacity to decrease the access gap for under -represented communities. Over the past eight years, the CRC has assisted 1100+ contractors thro ughout the Greater Bay Area through industry classes, interactive workshops, 1:1 consultations, discounted office space, and more. Recently, CRC has assisted multiple contractors acquire over $10.2M in contracts, resulting in an average annual revenue incr ease of 28.1%. These efforts collectively prove, with training and equal access, that our communities can thrive and produce future under - represented business owners that succeed; and
4 WHEREAS, Mayor of Oakland is honoring Art Douglas Blacksher, Co-host of the Black Business Roundtable, former At -Large Commissioner of the Community Policing Advisory Board, and longtime advocate for black Oaklanders and entrepreneurs because of his dedication and service to the people of Oakland, including his work to impro ve policing in an equitable and progressive manner, his advocacy for our black-owned businesses and contractors, and his strong commitment for a safer, cleaner, greener, and better Oakland for everyone; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That the City Counci l, in celebration of Black History Month 2023 , hereby recognizes Joey Harrison, Kin Folkz//Monica Anderson, Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA), Reverend Harry Louis Williams II (“OG Rev”), Shonda Scott, Ms. Barbara Taylor, Tonyia “Nina” Carter, Construction Resource Center (CRC), and Art Douglas Blacksher for their exemplary work and contribution towards a safer, healthier, and more equitable Oakland; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: That t he City of Oakland commits to working towards a transformative future that seeks to dismantle oppressive systems and advance true liberation, safety, and opportunities in our community.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - FIFE, GALLO, JENKINS, KALB, KAPLAN, RAMACHANDRAN, REID, AND
PRESIDENT FORTUNATO BAS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California
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