APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
DRAFT ___________________________ CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S. INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER ROWENA BROWN, COUNCILMEMBER
CHARLENE
WANG,
AND
COUNCIL
PRESIDENT
KEVIN
JENKINS
RESOLUTION IN CELEBRATION OF LGBTQ+ PRIDE IN OAKLAND AND
THE
FIFTEENTH
ANNIVERSARY
OF
OAKLAND’S
PRIDE
PARADE
AND
FESTIVAL;
AND
HONORING
LGBTQ+
LEADERS
WHO
HAVE
BUILT
A
LEGACY
OF
SERVICE,
EXCELLENCE,
AND
RESILIENCE
IN
OUR
CITY
WHEREAS, the City of Oakland proudly honors the leadership, vision, and unwavering dedication
of
LGBTQ+
community
leaders
whose
advocacy,
service,
and
activism
have
strengthened
our
city
while
advancing
equality,
inclusion,
and
visibility
for
all;
and
WHEREAS, Oakland Pride, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary, stands as a powerful
embodiment
of
LGBTQ+
leadership,
fostering
community,
championing
social
justice,
and
creating
spaces
that
uplift
culture,
identity,
and
belonging,
including
the
establishment
of
Oakland’s
first
LGBTQ+
community
center
to
provide
advocacy,
essential
services,
and
connection;
and
WHEREAS, the courage, creativity, and commitment of Oakland’s LGBTQ+ leaders continue
to
inspire
new
generations,
enrich
civic
life,
and
reflect
the
resilience,
activism,
and
unity
that
make
our
city
vibrant,
inclusive,
and
equitable;
and
WHEREAS, in this milestone year, the City of Oakland is proud to recognize and celebrate
the
following
outstanding
LGBTQ+
leaders
whose
vision,
passion,
and
dedication
have
left
a
profound
and
lasting
impact
on
our
community;
and
WHEREAS, the At-Large Office is proud to honor former Oakland Councilmember Rebecca
Kaplan
,
who,
elected
in
2008
as
the
youngest
and
first
openly
lesbian
member
of
the
Oakland
City
Council,
shattered
barriers
and
redefined
public
leadership
with
vision,
courage,
and
unwavering
integrity,
inspiring
countless
residents
to
believe
in
a
more
inclusive
and
equitable
future.
Throughout
her
17 years
of
distinguished
service,
she
championed
equity,
economic
opportunity,
and
safe,
accessible
transportation.
Councilmember
Kaplan
created
groundbreaking
programs
such
as
the
Mobile
Assistance
Community
Responders
of
Oakland
(MACRO),
a
national
model
for
compassionate,
non-police
emergency
response
that
balances
public
safety
with
dignity
and
care
for
all
community
members.
She
advanced
the
rights,
visibility,
and
well-being
of
LGBTQ+
Oaklanders
by
establishing
the
Lakeshore
LGBTQ
Cultural District, expanding programs for youth empowerment, securing City funding for critical initiatives,
and
embedding
gender-inclusive
policies
across
all
facets
of
City
governance.
Through
her
extraordinary
leadership
during
crises,
including
the
COVID-19
pandemic,
and
her
tireless
advocacy
for
environmental
justice,
clean
energy,
and
healthier
communities,
she
has
left
an
indelible
mark
on
Oakland.
Councilmember
Kaplan
has
transformed
lives,
strengthened
civic
trust,
and
inspired
generations
of
leaders
to
follow
her
example
of
courage,
compassion,
and
visionary
public
service;
and
WHEREAS, District 1 recognizes Anne Marks for her incredible contributions to our community
and
towards
violence
prevention
over
the
last
two
decades.
Anne
has
been
a
trailblazer
in
violence
prevention
as
the
Executive
Director
of
Youth
Alive!.
Youth
Alive!
has
been
nationally
recognized
as
a
model
for
violence
prevention,
and
has
worked
with
thousands
of
Oaklanders
to
help
transform
the
lives
of
our
children.
She
has
also
previously
worked
for
the
City
as
a
Violence
Prevention
Planner
and
was
appointed
by
District
1 to
the
Reimagining
Public
Safety
Task
Force.
Anne
has
also
advocated
tirelessly
for
the
LGBTQ+
community
by
campaigning
against
Proposition
8 and
by
advocating
for
equality
at
the
state
level.
On
top
of
her
work,
Anne
also
serves
as
host
of
Fluid
510’s
Daythinking
Trivia.
Councilmember
Unger
encourages
you
to
all
join
her
there
every
Sunday
at
noon.
She
won’t
go
easy
on
you!;
and
WHEREAS, District 2 honors Susan Liroff , a lifelong advocate, artist, and community leader
whose
work
has
strengthened
Oakland’s
commitment
to
health,
justice,
and
resilience.
A
breast
cancer
survivor,
Susan
brought
both
lived
experience
and
vision
to
her
role
as
director
of
the
Women’s
Cancer
Resource
Center,
where
she
led
the
organization
for
five
years
during
its
formative
period.
Under
her
leadership,
the
center
expanded
its
reach
and
impact,
providing
crucial
support
for
women
facing
cancer
while
amplifying
the
call
for
systemic
change
in
women’s
health
care.
Her
creative
activism—through
graphics,
art,
and
slogans
such
as
“Stop
Cancer
Where
It
Starts”—linked
environmental
justice,
public
health,
and
gender
equity
in
ways
that
continue
to
resonate.
Susan’s
artistic
contributions
have
been
featured
in
Oakland
Open
Studio
and
local
galleries,
often
benefiting
causes
such
as
the
Friends
of
the
Oakland
Animal
Shelter.
Her
decades
of
training
and
teaching
at
Laurel
Jujitsu
exemplify
her
belief
in
empowering
women
and
girls
through
strength
and
self-defense,
while
her
ongoing
QiGong
practice
builds
intergenerational
community
at
Wilma
Chan
Park.
Today,
as
a
member
of
Bay
Resistance,
she
continues
her
dedication
to
social
justice,
standing
with
Oaklanders
to
defend
dignity
and
human
rights.
Susan
embodies
the
spirit
of
resilience,
creativity,
and
activism
that
defines
Oakland;
and
WHEREAS, The District 3 Office is proud to recognize Kit Lunt (he/they), a senior in the
Theater
subpathway
at
Oakland
School
for
the
Arts
(OSA).
Kit
took
over
running
Queer
Student
Union
at
the
end
of
8th
grade,
and
has
been
Co-President
of
the
group
for
4 years.
The
Queer
Student
Union
holds
meetings,
hosts
events,
and
offers
invaluable
support
to
students;
it
is
a
judgement
free
place
where
young
people
feel
safe
and
protected.
With
initiatives
such
as
a
school
wide
letter
writing
campaign
to
local
government,
and
improving
school
culture
around
Trans
students’
safety
in
the
bathrooms,
Kit
has
worked
to
create
a
stronger
and
safer
community
of
queer
and
trans
youth
at
OSA
and
beyond.
It
is
important
to
uplift
Kit
for
their
commitment
toward
a
more
just
and
equitable
community
and
to
recognize
Oakland
School
for
the
Arts
for
fostering
an
environment
that
allows
young
people
to
pursue
creative
endeavors
with
a
social
justice
lens;
and
WHEREAS, District 4 TBD; and 2
WHEREAS, District 5 wishes to honor and congratulate, in celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride
in
Oakland,
Christopher
Nery
Martínez,
an
immigrant
from
Guatemala
who
has
dedicated
his
life
to
advancing
equity,
opportunity,
and
community
empowerment
across
the
East
Bay.
Chris
has
dedicated
over
two
decades
to
advancing
immigrant
rights,
social
justice,
and
community
empowerment;
bringing
his
expertise
as
former
Chief
Program
Officer
and
Director
of
Legal
Services
at
Catholic
Charities
of
the
East
Bay
and
Senior
Program
Director
at
Catholic
Charities
CYO
to
his
current
role
as
Executive
Director
of
the
Spanish
Speaking
Citizens
Foundation
SSCF),
where
since
2021
he
has
carried
forward
the
organization’s
historic
mission
of
empowering
low-income
Latino
families;
and
through
his
leadership,
Martínez
has
strengthened
programs
that
provide
safe
spaces
for
youth
and
families,
confront
the
traumas
caused
by
a
broken
immigration
system,
preserve
Latino
culture,
and
nurture
the
next
generation
of
leaders,
always
ensuring
that
lived
experiences,
resilience,
and
belonging
remain
at
the
center
of
his
work
and
we
thank
him
for
his
continued
commitment;
and
WHEREAS, District 6 TBD; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED: That the City of Oakland recognizes the 15th anniversary of Oakland Pride
and
honors
these
LGBTQ+
leaders
for
their
dynamism,
resilience,
and
steadfast
commitment
to
serving
and
uplifting
our
communities.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES - BROWN, FIFE , GALLO, HOUSTON, RAMACHANDRAN, UNGER, WANG, AND
PRESIDENT
JENKINS
NOES – ABSENT – ABSTENTION – ATTEST: ASHA REED City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the City of Oakland, California OCA DOCUMENT NUMBER / ATTORNEY INITIALS 3