Letter of Appointment
February 20, 2024
Dear President Bas and members of the City Council:
Pursuant to City Charter Section 601, the Mayor has appointed the following persons as members of the following board or commission, subject to City Council confirmation:
Cultural Affairs Commission
Candi Martinez, to serve a three-year term on the Cultural Affairs Commission beginning October 1, 2023 and ending September 30, 2026, filling the seat previously held by Shannon Price.
Mandolyn Ludlum , to serve a three-year term on the Cultural Affairs Commission beginning October 1, 2023 and ending September 30, 2026 filling a vacant seat previously held by Richard Raya.
Olaywa Austin, to serve a three-year term on the Cultural Affairs Commission beginning October 1, 2023 and ending September 30, 2026, filling the seat previously held by Theo Aytchan Williams.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,
Mayor Sheng Thao
Submit Date: Oct 07, 2023
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City of Oakland Boards & Commissions
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What City Council district do you live in?
District 4
Which Boards would you like to apply for?
Cultural Affairs Commission: Submitted
Interests & Experiences
Please tell us how your qualifications and participation will relate to the requested board and/or commission's mission.
Greetings, My name is Candi Martinez (she / her). I am an Afro-Indigenous Xicana organizer with an excellent history of community advocacy, fostering equity and uplifting the arts. I have been a resident of Oakland for over 20 years and in the Bay Area for over 30 years and am proud of my contributions to supporting cultural arts through event production, curation, marketing and grant writing.
Please submit your resume or curriculum vitae. You may upload a document. (A Word format is preferred.) Alternatively, you may paste the text of your resume in the field provided below.
Please paste the text of your resume or curriculum vitae below.
Candi J Martinez
Self Event Producer, Grant Writer
Candi_Martinez__RESUME.pdf
Candi J Martinez Page 1 of 2
Please click the acknowledgement below.
Service on City of Oakland boards, commissions, and committees may require filings of the FPPC's Statements of Economic Interest (Form 700). Upon appointment and determination of filing status, I will comply with all filing obligations.
I Agree
*
Candi J Martinez
C a n d i M a r t i n e z
I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES TO
HEAL FROM THE HARMFUL IMPACTS OF CAPITALISM AND
SYSTEMIC RACISM THROUGH ARTS, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT,
EDUCATION, JOY AND BELONGING. I AM DEDICATED TO
EQUITY, ACCESS AND INTERSECTIONALITY IN ALL ASPECTS
OF MY WORK.
Ohlone / Chocheñyo Territory
Oakland, CA
C O N T A C T
SKILLS:
PROGRAMMING
FUNDRAISING
OPERATIONS
MARKETING
HUMAN RELATIONS
FACILITATION
COMMUNITY BUILDING
CULTURAL STRATEGIST
EXCELLENT LISTENER
EMPATHETIC
L A N G U A G E S :
W O R K E X P E R I E N C E
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS
East Bay Meditation Center, Oakland, CA
January 2015 - November 2022
Served as Co-Director of Organization within a Shared Leadership Model. Held tenure as the Chief of the Ethics, Reconciliation & Restoration Council. Directed Programming, Marketing, Outreach & Fundraising with a commitment to Disability Justice. Human Relations, Payroll, Graphic Design, Finances & Operations. Stewarded Community Through a Social Justice & Mindfulness Lens.
S E L E C T C L I E N T L I S T :
APPLICATIONS:
GOOGLE SUITE
MSOFFICE SUITE
PHOTOSHOP
MAILCHIMP
EVENTBRITE
WORDPRESS
CANVA
ASANA
ZOOM
SQUARESITE
DIGITAL MEDIA
CONSTANT CONTACT
HAWAIIAN: INTERMEDIATE
SPANISH: INTERMEDIATE
ASL : BEGINNINER
SHE / HER / HERS
DIRECTOR OF PUBLICITY & PRODUCTION
Spread Love Media, Oakland, CA
January 2011 - Present
Provide a full suite of Fundraising, Grant Writing, Programming, Production, Curation, Digital Media Strategy and Marketing services to a variety of clients with an emphasis on uplifting non-profit organizations, cultural arts and social justice causes. Dedicated to enhancing and creating equity in communities, creatively securing resources through grant writing, sponsorship development and community partnerships.
YouthSpeaks, People's Kitchen Collective, Laurel District Association, Dimond Improvement Association, Montclair Business District, Prescott Circus Theater, Embodiment Project / Intersection for the Arts, Girls in Tech.
CO-DIRECTOR
Laurel Street Fair World Music Festival Oakland, CA
January 2015 - Present
Co-Producer, Chief Publicist, Cultural Strategist, Entertainment Coordinator and Principal Grant Writer. Direct Marketing & Outreach, Serve as Artist Liaison and Cultural Steward to ensure equity and visibility for communities of color practicing traditional art forms.
R E F E R E N C E S P R O V I D E D U P O N R E Q U E S T .
Submit Date: Sep 27, 2023
First Name Middle Initial Last Name
Email Address
Street Address Suite or Apt
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What City Council district do you live in?
District 4
Which Boards would you like to apply for?
Cultural Affairs Commission: Submitted
Interests & Experiences
Mandolyn Ludlum
Self Owner/Artist/Educator
Mandolyn Ludlum Page 1 of 3
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Please tell us how your qualifications and participation will relate to the requested board and/or commission's mission.
In these challenging economic and political times, arts and culture remain critical for healing, defining, imagining, creating, and strengthening the City of Oakland and our diverse communities. My myriad of experiences and qualifications make me uniquely qualified to participate as part of the Cultural Affairs Commission, and I am excited at the prospect of being able to contribute to the ongoing arts and culture work in Oakland.
I have been involved with the arts and culture for most of my 49 years as an artist, culture creator, culture keeper, advocate, educator, educationalist, mentor, researcher, and business owner. I am most publicly known as a GRAMMY-nominated hip hop artist named Mystic, who explores and centers healing, community, social justice, and the power and beauty of our local and global communities within my music. I was recently inducted into the Bay Area Hip Hop Archives and also honored with a proclamation by Mayor Sheng Thao as one of a group of women artists who have contributed to hip hop culture in Oakland and beyond. Having released an album that year, I remain an active artist and run my own record label here in Oakland. Additionally, I am a Governor on the San Francisco Chapter Recording Academy Board and served last year as a co-chair of the Advocacy Committee. I also sit on the board of Diversify The Stage, which works nationally to diversify who works behind the lights in the music industry.
As an educator, educationalist, mentor, advocate, and published researcher on equity in education in connection with policymaking and a researcher on the use of culturally relevant arts education, I am deeply interested in access to the arts and arts education, public art, who and what is recognized and valorized within the creation of culture and arts policy, and the power of arts and culture in connection with social justice and democracy. I have developed and implemented arts curricula and deeply researched policy concerning the arts. I am currently part of the continuing Arts and Humanities Justice Coalition that worked with Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s office to craft the Advancing Equity Through the Arts and Humanities Act to address systemic racism through arts and increase equity in funding for organizations and individuals who do this critical work through the arts. This policy work opened up powerful opportunities to advocate for arts and culture funding and artists’ rights with Californians for The Arts and the Recording Academy on state and federal levels.
I understand
Oakland has competing demands in various areas throughout the budget. I also appreciate how complex it can be to navigate various stakeholders. Having the opportunity to use the plethora of knowledge and experiences I have, I can add a valuable voice to the Cultural Affairs Commission to educate and advise local government and the community on affairs pertaining to our city’s arts and culture. I am also open to learning what I do not know and working with existing members of the Commission for the most significant benefit of our communities. My love of community and my strengths in research, collective work, advocacy, and a deep understanding of policymaking and public policy will allow me to make valuable additions to the already great work that has been happening.
As a Black woman whose life has
been guided by and saved by being a participant in the arts and creating culture, I am an emphatic believer that funding and public opportunities for artists and the creation of public and community arts and culture should be available to the most economically vulnerable communities and the most underserved populations and identities. I celebrate the Commission’s work, and it would be my honor to be selected for one of the available spaces. I advocate for serving others, and I would love to have the opportunity to serve in this advisory capacity for and with the people of Oakland. Even with the challenges, we are in an exciting time in Oakland in terms of creating a sustainable future and seeking and reimaging new solutions. We can rise to our collective challenges while supporting a thriving arts and culture scene in our city—it is critical to who we are and want to be.
Please submit your resume or curriculum vitae. You may upload a document. (A Word format is preferred.) Alternatively, you may paste the text of your resume in the field provided below.
Mandolyn_Mystic_Ludlum_Resume_Sep_2023.docx
Mandolyn Ludlum
Please paste the text of your resume or curriculum vitae below.
Please click the acknowledgement below.
Service on City of Oakland boards, commissions, and committees may require filings of the FPPC's Statements of Economic Interest (Form 700). Upon appointment and determination of filing status, I will comply with all filing obligations.
I Agree
*
Mandolyn Ludlum
MANDOLYN “MYSTIC” LUDLUM
Education
University of Oxford, MSc, Education (Comparative and International); Research area: the use of culturally relevant arts education by elementary school educators of color with students of color (October 2019, High Merit) University of California, Berkeley, B.A., Interdisciplinary Studies; Research areas: international education, poverty and inequality, public policy, and post-Apartheid curriculum reforms (December 2015, Highest Distinctions and Highest Honors)
University of Cape Town (Study abroad, spring semester 2015) Employment
Beautifull Soundworks
Founder (2021-present)
Duties: Oversee all elements of this record label, including the release of albums, artwork, metadata management, production of music videos, public relations, and social media content Mystic
GRAMMY-nominated hip hop artist (1996 – present)
Duties: Write and perform musical compositions for movies, soundtracks, and commercial releases.
Present motivational and poetry workshops, as well as performances, for youth impacted by poverty or violence.
Use performances and platforms to raise funds and advocate for children and youth programs. Topics incorporate health/self-esteem issues, mind/body connections, social justice, and human rights Hip Hop Caucus
Program Manager for Think 100% Films Division (January 2021 – September 2021) Duties: Develop organizing strategies that maximize the reach and impact of films; build strategic alliances with organizations and communities; Collaborate and coordinate across HHC departments roll-outs, campaigns, and projects research and measure the impact of films in connection with organizing campaigns; manage vendors for production and post-production partners; oversee film festivals and associated organizing campaigns; assist with grant deliverables; assist with special projects as requested by the Executive Director Project Manager for Think 100% Films Division (August 2020 – October 2020) Duties: Coordinate the post-production process for films, which includes managing the flow of editing, motion graphics, color correction, legal, and various other participants in the post-production process Redwood Day
X-Care Kindergarten Staff and Lower School Substitute, K-5th (February 2018 – June 2018; October 2019 – January 2021)
2019-2021 Duties: Lead teacher for kindergarten program; design and facilitate arts, science, and cultural programming for kindergarten and first grade; provide outdoor activity and supervision support; mentor other teachers with culturally relevant and arts programming development; point of contact for parents 2018 Duties: Design and facilitate programming for K-5th (with an emphasis on K-2nd); provide outdoor activity and supervision support; work with the kindergarten team, and assist with supervision of students as needed The People’s Conservatory
Executive Assistant (September 2019 – May 2020)
Duties: Assist with general office responsibilities, organizational procedure development, accounts payable and
receivable, communications, funding development, grant deliverables, teaching artists’ office needs, and day-to- day demands and special projects as determined by the Executive Director Roses in Concrete Community School
Substitute Teacher, K-6th (September 2017 – June 2018)
Lunch Monitor (January 2018 – June 2018)
Duties: Prepare and serve breakfast and lunch, account for students and food components served through the use of the My Mealtime cafeteria program, prepare snacks, and be of general support to the well-being of students during mealtimes
Universal Music Group
e-Commerce and Mobile Operations (April 2008 – July 2013) Integration Specialist
Duties: Metadata review, management, and tracking across various global systems; liaison for Associated Labels; preparing digital releases for Associated Labels; and special projects as needed for the Director and Assistant Director
Service
Oakland Roots Sports Club, Community Advisory Board member (2023 - present) Western States Arts Federation, California Delegate, Arts Leadership and Advocacy Seminar (2023) Arts and Humanities Justice Coalition member and co-author of HR 7627, Advancing Equity through Arts & Humanities Act (2022 – present)
Eisenhower Foundation and Universal Hip Hop Museum, panelist, 1968 Kerner Commission and Healing Our Divided Society, Our Fifty-Year Update of the Kerner Commission (September 2022) Music Forward, scholarship reader and industry expert (2021- present) Recording Academy, SF Chapter Board Advisor, Governor, previous Co-Chair of Advocacy Committee (2021 – present) GRAMMY U, mentor (2021 – present)
Diversify The Stage, Board member and mentor (2020 – present) 2020 Conference, administration, youth empowerment and capacity building facilitator (2018, 2019) Hip Hop Caucus, organizer, representative, Bay Area Leadership Coordinator (2007 – 2021) Roses in Concrete Community School, classroom and front office support (2015 – 2017) #SchoolsNotPrisons, performing artist and co-facilitator of youth roundtables (2016) Students’ Health and Welfare Centers Organization, math, literacy, and arts facilitator (Spring 2015, South Africa) Haiti Support Project, Ambassador of Hope for Haiti (2012 – present) Young Empowered Women, youth mentor, and arts facilitator (2012 – 2013) Research
Equity and Education: An Exploration of International Policymaking (Published 2016) https://doi.org/10.5070/B3291030058
Skills and Talents
Child and youth development and leadership
Culturally relevant and social justice arts curriculum design Classroom management
Project administration and management
Strong interpersonal and communication skills
Qualitative research
Submit Date: Jan 01, 2023
First Name Middle Initial Last Name
Email Address
Street Address Suite or Apt
City State Postal Code
Primary Phone Alternate Phone
Employer Job Title
City of Oakland Boards & Commissions
Profile
What City Council district do you live in?
None Selected
Which Boards would you like to apply for?
Cultural Affairs Commission: Submitted
Interests & Experiences
Please tell us how your qualifications and participation will relate to the requested board and/or commission's mission.
I am a retired U.S. Air Force Medical Technician, Business Owner and an Oakland native with a demonstrated history of cultivating environments and supporting platforms that are dedicated to improving the lives of Black people, Youth and LGBTQ communities through cultural education, design and social innovation. I served a Tour of Duty during Desert Storm/Desert Shield; after returning to California, became a Case Manager for Mather, a former Air Force based converted into a Community Campus for Employment and Rehabilitative Transitional Housing Program. I sought nuanced solutions to reach my clients and incorporated Creative Arts programming and Career Development in my case management work with addicts, HIV/HEPc individuals and formerly incarcerated. Mather was awarded the Best Transitional Housing Program in the Nation, by President Bill Clinton. Mingling the Arts with my work to reach marginalized communities awakened my entrepreneurial spirit. In 2016 I founded TRiBE Oakland a Performing Arts Incubator in West Oakland's Dogtown neighborhood. TRiBE Oakland was quickly embraced by the community, becoming a safe space for gathering and local artistic expression. TRiBE Oakland was nominated for an Oakland Indie Award its first year in business In 2020, I founded Oakland Black Pride, which launched the first Black Pride Festival in the City and channels resources to Black people who self-identify as LGBTQIA in Oakland and the Regional Bay Area.
Please submit your resume or curriculum vitae. You may upload a document. (A Word format is preferred.) Alternatively, you may paste the text of your resume in the field provided below.
Olaywa K Austin
Oakland Black Pride Chief Executive Officer
Olaywa K Austin Page 1 of 2
Upload a Resume
Please paste the text of your resume or curriculum vitae below.
About Me: An Oakland native and cultural strategist with a demonstrated history of cultivating environments, developing platforms that are dedicated to improving the lives of Black people and LGBTQ+ communities, through cultural education, design thinking, and social innovation. Contact:
Practical Experience:
Oakland Black Pride - Founder / CEO 2020 - Present Oakland Black Pride is a nonprofit organization which curates programs and services for the LGBTQOC communities of Oakland and the Regional Bay Area. Our tailored approach seeks nuanced solutions to service the needs of some of the most marginalized members of the LGBTQ+ community. TRiBE Oakland - Founder / Program Director 2016 - 2020 TRiBE Oakland was a Performance Arts Incubator located in the West Oakland, Dogtown neighborhood. Quickly recognized by the community as a safe space for gathering and local artistic expression, TRiBE Oakland was nominated for an Oakland Indie Award its first year in business.
Volunteer Experience: The People's Kitchen, Oakland, CA GROW Organization, SF Bay Area AIDS Housing Alliance, Sacramento, CA
Please click the acknowledgement below.
Service on City of Oakland boards, commissions, and committees may require filings of the FPPC's Statements of Economic Interest (Form 700). Upon appointment and determination of filing status, I will comply with all filing obligations.
I Agree *
OKA_Cultural_Affairs_Resume.pdf
Olaywa K Austin Page 2 of 2
English
Spanish
French
EDUCATION
Holy Names High School
University of Oklahoma
CONTACT
ABOUT ME
An Oakland native and cultural strategist
with a demonstrated history of cultivating
environments, developing platforms that
are dedicated to improving the lives of
Black people and LGBTQ+ communities,
through cultural education, design
thinking, and social innovation.
OLAYWA K.
AUSTIN
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE
Oakland Black Pride - Founder / CEO
2020 - Present
TRiBE Oakland - Founder / Program Dir.
2016 - 2020
VOLUNTEER
LANGUAGES
Oakland, CA
Norman, OK
Sheppard Air Force Base
Wichita Falls, TX
U.S. Air Force Tech School
Oakland Black Pride is a nonprofit organization
which curates programs and services for the
LGBTQOC communities of Oakland and the
Regional Bay Area. Our tailored approach
seeks nuanced solutions to service the needs of
some of the most marginalized members of
the LGBTQ+ community.
TRiBE Oakland was a Performance Arts
Incubator located in the West Oakland,
Dogtown neighborhood. Quickly
recognized by the community as a safe
space for gathering and local artistic
expression, TRiBE Oakland was nominated
for an Oakland Indie Award its first year in
business.
The People's Kitchen, Oakland, CA
GROW Organization, SF Bay Area
AIDS Housing Alliance, Sacramento, CA
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY MAYOR SHENG THAO
RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE MAYOR’S APPOINTMENT S OF
CANDI MARTINEZ, MANDOLYN LUDLUM, AND OLAYWA AUSTIN
TO THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION
WHEREAS, Section 601 of the City Charter provides that members of City boards and commissions shall be appointed by the Mayor subject to confirmation by the affirmative vote of five members of the City Council; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 11323 C.M.S., amended by Ordinance Nos. 11778 C.M.S. and 13561 C.M.S., establishes the Cultural Affairs Commission as a professionally qualified citizen committee responsible for advising the City regarding all matters affecting arts and cultural development in the City of Oakland; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 13561 C.M.S. provides that all terms shall commence on October 1 and end on September 30, and for the initial appointment only, four members shall be appointed for a three-year term, four members shall be appointed for a two-year term, and three members shall be appointed for a one-year term, and thereafter, all appointments shall be for three years; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 13561 C.M.S. provides that no person shall be appointed to serve as a member of the Cultural Affairs Commission for more than two consecutive three-year terms plus any initial term of less than two years; and WHEREAS, the Honorable Mayor Sheng Thao has appointed Candi Martinez, Mandolyn Ludlum, and Olaywa Austin to serve on the Cultural Affairs Commission; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That pursuant to City Charter section 601, the City Council hereby confirms the Mayor’s appointments of:
Candi Martinez, to serve a three-year term on the Cultural Affairs Commission beginning October 1, 2023 and ending September 30, 2026, filling the seat previously held by Shannon Price.
Mandolyn Ludlum , to serve a th ree-year term on the Cultural Affairs Commission beginning October 1, 2023 and ending September 30, 2026 filling a vacant seat previously held by Richard Raya.
Olaywa Austin, to serve a three-year term on the Cultural Affairs Commission beginning October 1, 2023 and ending September 30, 2026, filling the seat previously held by Theo Aytchan Williams.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - FIFE, GALLO, JENKINS, KALB, KAPLAN, RAMACHANDRAN, REID, AND
PRESIDENT FORTUNATO BAS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
3329326v2/MJM
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California