APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
DRAFT
________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER REBECCA KAPLAN AND
COUNCILMEMBER JANANI RAMACHANDRAN
RESOLUTION AFFIRMING OAKLAND’S COMMITMENT TO QUEER
AND TRANS LIBERATION; RECOGNIZING, CELEBRATING, AND
HONORING OAKLAND LGBT Q PRIDE EVENTS AND OUTSTANDING
LGBTQ OAKLANDERS AND ORGANIZATIONS; AND DECLARING
SEPTEMBER 2023 “OAKLAND LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH”
WHEREAS, on September 10th, 2023, Oakland Pride celebrated, uplifted, and honored the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) communities of Oakland and the surrounding Bay Area; and
WHEREAS, the Oakland metropolitan area has the highest percentage of LGBTQ residents of any in the entire United States
1; and
WHEREAS, the City of Oakland has been at the forefront of fighting for justice and equity for the LGBTQ community; and
WHEREAS, Oakland celebrates its diverse LGBTQ community and specifically acknowledges the pivotal role of Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Disabled queer and trans leadership in our fight for LGBTQ liberation and justice; and
WHEREAS, in October of 2009, Oakland Pride was incorporated for LGBTQ and allied communities to celebrate pride in their community and the beautiful City of Oakland; and
WHEREAS, Pridefest Oakland was created and brought together thousands of queer Bay Area residents to celebrate LGBTQ pride in 2021; and
WHEREAS, on September 9-10, 2023, Oakland Pride and Pridefest Oakland united for Oakland Pride 2023 which was a display of mutual support for each other, the LGBTQ community, and Oakland at-large so that every marginalized voice can be heard; and
1 The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy (2021), LGBT Adults in Large US Metropolitan Areas. UCLA School of Law. Available at:
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/MSA-LGBT-Ranking-Mar-2021.pdf 2 WHEREAS, Mayor Sheng Thao hereby honors and recognizes Johanna Holden, an East Oakland resident, Organizing Director for the Oakland LGBTQ Center, and proud Jew, lesbian, and transgender woman who works every day to develop programming and solutions to support Oakland’s LGBTQ+ community while continuing to give back to her community as she co- facilitates the center’s White Allyship and Accountability Group and the Trans Women and Trans Femmes’ Support Circle; and
WHEREAS, Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan hereby honors and recognizes the Transgender Law Center. The Transgender Law Center (TLC) changes law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression. TLC, which was originally founded in Oakland, is the largest national trans -led organization advocating for a world in which all people are free to define themselves and their futures. Grounded in legal expertise and committed to racial justice, TLC employs a variety of community-driven strategies to keep transgender and gender nonconforming people alive, thriving, and fighting for liberation; and
WHEREAS, Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas hereby honors and recognizes Penny Baldado. Penny was born and raised in the small town of Davao City, Philippines. They migrated to the Bay Area and have lived here for 20 years. They are the proud owner and operator of Cafe Gabriela, a community hub and foodie destination located in Downtown Oakland in District 2, which opened in 2010. The cafe actively supports our community and is named after the honorable Gabriela Silang, a Filipina revolutionary who led a revolt against Spanish colonizers on the archipelago. Passionate about food and social justice, they created t his intentional space that can embrace all of their experiences as a trans queer person of color, a formerly undocumented immigrant, and as a person of working class background, as well as provide a safe, welcoming space for their workers, customers and fr iends. They made a 7 minute autobiographical documentary My Beautiful Resistance narrating all these identities. District 2 is grateful for Penny’s vision, work and love for Oakland; and
WHEREAS, Council President Pro Tempore Dan Kalb hereby honors and re cognizes Sarah Crowell. Sarah has been an outstanding asset to our community through her work at Destiny Arts Center. Sarah believes that the arts are an essential component of the journey to social justice.
For the last 30 years Sarah has held many leadership roles at Destiny Arts Center such as Executive Director, Artistic Director, and Co -Founder of the Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company.
Founded in 1988 Destiny Arts uses movement -based arts to uplift youth voice, supporting pathways for young people to express themselves, advocate for justice and equity, fight against the systemic racism that continues to impact BIPOC youth, and build a community where everyone feels seen, valued, and free. Her group, The Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company, won t he National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award in 2017 and has been the subject of 2 documentary films. Sarah has received numerous other accolades, and most importantly, continues to inspire children in our community to express themselves freely, advocate for social change, and create a just and equitable society; and
WHEREAS, Councilmember Carroll Fife hereby honors and recognizes Jessie Spivey of West Oakland. As Director of Elder Services for the Oakland LGTBQ Community Center, Jessie promotes a positive and healthy quality of life for elder LGBTQ+ individuals 55+ by ensuring they continue to be supported, respected, and connected as they advance in age. Jessie serves as Operations Manager at The Oakland LGBTQ Center and Co -Facilitator of Black Con nect, a 3 support group for Queer Black cis and trans masculine men. He is also the creator and founder of The Doudad, a full circle birth Doula practice that amplifies the voices of men in birthwork.
District 3 is truly grateful for the years of service and dedication Jessie Spivey and the Oakland LGTBQ Center has given to our community; and
WHEREAS, Councilmember Janani Ramachandran hereby honors and recognizes DJ Lady Ryan for her trailblazing leadership in the LGBTQ music and arts community. A beloved professional DJ, vocalist, and spiritual conductor, Lady Ryan is a pivotal fixture and cultural icon in the LGBTQ arts and social scene, organizing gatherings that focus on creating safe spaces especially for BIPOC queer women, transgender, and nonbinary com munities. Whether enchanting crowds at Warriors’ games, gracing the airwaves on 91.7 KALW, or curating nationally recognized events that puts Oakland in the spotlight for all the right reasons — including Soulouvely and Sweet Spot — Lady Ryan infuses her vast knowledge of musical diversity evokes feelings of safety, joy, and belonging; and
WHEREAS, Councilmember Noel Gallo hereby honors and recognizes Richard Fuentes.
A public service professional with over 15 years of experience with deep and broad relationships throughout local and state government agencies, elected officials, businesses, foundations and non- profits. As an LGBTQ Latino, Richard is passionate about finding equitable solutions to the Bay Area’s most challenging issues. Fuentes has promoted equality within BART, serving on the agency’s first panel convened to discuss LGBTQ issues in the workplace. He is often called upon for public meetings where his Spanish-language skills are a tremendous asset, giving residents the comfort of speaking in their native tongue. He’s involved in the community in other ways as well.
He serves on the board of directors at Frameline, whose mission is to change the world thro ugh the power of cinema. He helps Frameline expose artists with unique voices to audiences through film festivals, youth programs and workshops. Fuentes has served as president of the Hoover School Site Council, spearheading efforts that transformed it int o the most improved elementary school in West Oakland. As an elected city of Oakland Community Development Block Grant Board member, he championed funding for community programs and helped direct $1.1 million in funding for youth to access healthcare and j ob-training programs. Fuentes also co-founded the De La Fuente Scholarship Foundation, Oakland’s only Latino Scholarship Foundation, which provides 25 annual scholarships to Oakland students pursuing higher education. Fuente’s work does not stop at BART. Fuentes is co-owner of The Port, an LGBTQ-themed bar and entertainment space in Uptown Oakland. Its permanent art collection features portraits of six legendary LGBTQ social justice leaders, created by six Bay Area artists of color; and
WHEREAS, Councilmember Kevin Jenkins hereby honors and recognizes Rowena Brown. Rowena Brown is an East Bay native and a fierce advocate for community in Oakland. A proud product of public schools, the Peralta Colleges and Mills College, Rowena has lived, worked, and played in Oakland for over a decade. Rowena currently serves as the District Director for Assemblymember Mia Bonta and recently graduated from the University of California Law, San Francisco. As a Black and Queer woman, who lost both of her parents by the age of 17, Rowena knows firsthand why representation is key to transforming our communities. Rowena has served the community in Oakland for more than a decade. From teaching civic education to young people in Oakland to providing free eye exams and glasses to K-12 students, Rowena has worked to ensure students have the tools they need to succeed. During the worst months of the pandemic, Rowena connected vulnerable families to COVID-19 resources, including testing and vaccination sites, renter's rights and benefits, and healthy food for communities at major risk from the virus.
That passion for helping the community has carried over into her current job in the CA State 4 Assembly, bringing together communities, labor unions, neighborhood groups, and small businesses to ensure that they have effective representation in Sacramento. As a quintessential organizer, Rowena has dedicated herself to bringing Oakland communities into power and dignity, fighting for equitable access to services that all deserve; and
WHEREAS, Councilmember Treva Reid hereby honors and recognizes Christopher Mina. Mr. Mina is a renowned curler in the sporting world, having represented the United States at the highest levels of curling on the global stage. In 2020, Mina represented the US in the Winter World Masters Games held in Austria. In January 2024, Mina will again represent the United States in the World Masters Games. Mina is a founding member of world-renowned San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club (SFBACC). In 2022, SFBACC, after years of tra ining at the Oakland Ice Center, found a permanent home in the Hegenberger corridor of District 7. SFBACC is the oldest club in California and the very first dedicated curling facility in our region. Mr. Mina was nominated for the role of Director- at-Large at SFBACC, a role he coveted as a member of the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC community. Mina saw this appointment as a way to represent his community with pride. Nestled amongst legacy businesses of District 7, the SFBACC exemplifies the unique make-up of District-7 organizations, as ever-growing diverse business district, anchored by some of Oakland’s most storied companies, but welcoming to incubate the new ideas that contribute to the Bay Area’s reputation of innovation. Outside of supporting the operations at th e SFBACC, Mina serves as a Grants Accountant for the Unity Council where he manages the agency’s state and federal grants for Head Start & Early Head Start Programs; and
WHEREAS, a record number of bills restricting the rights of LGBTQ people have been introduced across the country this year, with a particular focus on eroding protections for trans youth
2; and
WHEREAS, these bills do immeasurable harm to LGBTQ communities even when they fail to become law, with 86% of transgender and nonbinary youth sayi ng recent debates around anti-trans bills have negatively impacted their mental health 3; and
WHEREAS, LGBTQ people who are more connected to the LGBTQ community are less likely to report suicidal behavior4; and
WHEREAS, Oakland Pride offers life-saving opportunities for visibility, connection, and belonging; and
WHEREAS, now as much as ever before, Oakland Pride provides a critical form of resilience, resistance, and defiance in the face of hatred and bigotry, and a vital opportunity to celebrate and uplift the diverse and beautiful LGBTQ communities of Oakland; now, therefore, be it
2 American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). (2023, July 21). Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S.
State Legislatures. ACLU. Available at: https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights 3 Morning Consult. (2023, January). Polling Presentation: Issues Impacting LGBTQ Youth. The Trevor Project. Available at: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Issues-Impacting- LGBTQ-Youth-MC-Poll_Public-2.pdf
4 Kaniuka, A., Pugh, K. C., Jordan, M., Brooks, B., Dodd, J., Mann, A. K., Williams, S. L., & Hirsch, J. K. (2019). Stigma and suicide risk among the LGBTQ population: Are anxiety and depression to blame and can connectedness to the LGBTQ community help? Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 23(2), 205– 220. https://doi.org/10.1080/19359705.2018.1560385
5 RESOLVED: That the City of Oakland reaffirms its commitment to the liberation of queer and trans people everywhere, the importance of intersectional approaches to such liberation, and the principles of equality and inclusion for all; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: That that the Oakland City Council recognizes, celebrates, and honors the important contributions of the aforementioned Oakland LGBT Q Pride events and outstanding LGBTQ Oaklanders and organizations to the City of Oakland and the diverse LGBTQ community members who call it home; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Oakland City Council hereby declares September 2023 as “Oakland LGBTQ Pride Month.”
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