The Oakland Progressive Alliance (OPA) is a community-labor coalition of over 12 community, labor, housing and youth organizations, representing thousands of Oakland residents and the greater Bay Area. OPA and our undersigned allies strongly condemn the increasingly dangerous, politically motivated attacks on Black women in leadership, including Councilmember Carroll Fife and community leader, Cat Brooks. We stand with the Black-led organizations within OPA, Councilmember Fife and Cat Brooks against anti-Blackness and misogyny. We are calling for an immediate end to rhetoric that is leading to harassment and threats on democratically elected representatives and community leaders.
In an environment where two mass shootings have taken place days ago, and politically motivated violence is becoming the norm, ongoing attacks targeting Oakland political and community leaders must be stopped.
We are calling on business leaders, civil rights groups and advocates connected to any of these individuals perpetrating this misleading, politically motivated and increasingly dangerous rhetoric, to join us in publicly condemning these personal attacks. We ask our community to step up and speak out when we see the scapegoating of Black women and women of color in leadership positions. These Trump-like, far right style tactics are provoking real time and potentially violent responses and we’re calling on them to stop immediately.
Signed,
The Alameda Labor Council
Clarissa Doutherd, Executive Director, Parent Voices
Keith Brown, President, Oakland Education Association & Interim Secretary-Treasurer, Alameda Labor Council
Saabir Lockett, East Bay Action
Kate O’Hara, Isaiah Toney, East Bay Alliance For A Sustainable Economy
Jeremy McCants, Faith Alliance for A Moral Economy
Liz Suk, Executive Director, Oakland Rising
Frankie Free Ramos, Director of Campaigns and Organizing, Communities United Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ)
Dr. Ayodele Nzinga, Executive Director, Black Arts Movement District Community Development Corporation
Bobbi Lopez, State and Regional Policy Director, Build Affordable Faster
Yeon Park, Vice President, East Bay Region, Service Employees International Union Local 1021 & 2nd Vice President, Alameda Labor Council
Zac Unger, President, Oakland FireFighters, IAFF Local 55
Julian Ware, Vice-President International Federation of Professional and Technical Employees Local 21