Oakland Rising Blog

A Love Letter to Oakland

A Love Letter to Oakland

With my heart wide open full of gratitude and love for the Town that raised me and is currently raising my kids, I am announcing my transition out of my role as Executive Director of Oakland Rising and Oakland Rising Action at the end of December 2023. I stepped into this role with a three-year personal benchmark and a five-year vision for the organization. With vision and guidance from our collaborative partners, allies, family, friends, and community, I set internal and external goals for the organization. I believe I leave the organization strong and in very capable and dedicated hands. 

read more
OUSD Special Election + Strike Results Debrief

OUSD Special Election + Strike Results Debrief

At a time when Oakland is facing its most significant budget deficit in history, this special election poses a significant financial burden to families and taxpayers. The district funds should be prioritizing the needs of our students, such as supporting teachers, counselors, and librarians, rather than wasted on an unnecessary election. We demand a school board that delivers quality education without any further delays – leaving the seat vacant for almost a year is simply unacceptable.

read more
05.22.23 Monday Meals: Welcoming Our New Political Director

05.22.23 Monday Meals: Welcoming Our New Political Director

We spent some time welcoming our new Policy Director Pecolia Manigo, discussing new developments with the OEA teacher’s strike, what’s happening with the City and County Budgets, and explaining what you can expect with the OUSD D5 Board Seat vacancy! Tune in to learn more about how Pecolia’s wealth of experience and deep understanding of community issues will help Oakland Rising continue to build progressive political power in the Town, and more!

read more
Welcoming Our New Political Director, Pecolia Manigo!

Welcoming Our New Political Director, Pecolia Manigo!

We are thrilled to welcome Pecolia Manigo, a remarkable organizer and authentic leader, as our new Political Director! Pecolia brings a wealth of experience, a deep understanding of community issues, and a powerful commitment to driving positive change in Oakland. She is a devoted Black mother of three, whose personal journey has fueled her passion and dedication to creating a more just and equitable education system.

read more
05.15.23 Monday Meals: Oakland Budget Town Halls

05.15.23 Monday Meals: Oakland Budget Town Halls

We talked with Kijani Edwards, Oakland ACCE Director about the upcoming opportunities for you to have your voice heard in the development of our city budget at the in-district community budget forums! Tune in to learn more about how you can support the efforts of the...

read more
05.01.23. Monday Meals: Our Teachers Ready to Strike!

05.01.23. Monday Meals: Our Teachers Ready to Strike!

We talked with Olivia Udovic, Kindergarten Teacher at Manzanita SEED & Oakland Education Association Executive Board Member about the status of the fight in Oakland for safe, stable, racially just, community schools with the resources they need to succeed! Learn more about ongoing negotiations with Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), bargaining demands, and more!

read more
City Council Voting on Eviction Moratorium Phase-out

City Council Voting on Eviction Moratorium Phase-out

Good news: on April 11th, City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas and Councilmember Dan Kalb’s proposed plan for an eviction moratorium phaseout was PASSED out of the Community and Economic Development Committee. The proposal now goes to the full Oakland City...

read more

Step in the Right Direction for Alameda County

Since voters elected Pamela Price as their new District Attorney, we have witnessed progress made to Alameda County’s criminal justice system. As a member of the Alameda County DA Accountability Table, we helped set the tone for DA Price’s priorities with a 100-Day...

read more
04.10.23 Monday Meals: Defund OPD

04.10.23 Monday Meals: Defund OPD

“We know a reality of this budget cycle is that the city is facing a deficit and they’re telling us that there will be cuts. Now the conversation is where will those cuts come from, because we know that there’s one department that is funded more than any other in the city [Oakland Police Department]. And when we think about what keeps us safe and those resources that we need, then I have some ideas about where those budget cuts can come from. And so do our community members that we’re in coalition with, we don’t do this work alone.” -Refilwe Gqajela

read more
A Love Letter to Oakland

A Love Letter to Oakland

With my heart wide open full of gratitude and love for the Town that raised me and is currently raising my kids, I am announcing my transition out of my role as Executive Director of Oakland Rising and Oakland Rising Action at the end of December 2023. I stepped into this role with a three-year personal benchmark and a five-year vision for the organization. With vision and guidance from our collaborative partners, allies, family, friends, and community, I set internal and external goals for the organization. I believe I leave the organization strong and in very capable and dedicated hands. 

read more
OUSD Special Election + Strike Results Debrief

OUSD Special Election + Strike Results Debrief

At a time when Oakland is facing its most significant budget deficit in history, this special election poses a significant financial burden to families and taxpayers. The district funds should be prioritizing the needs of our students, such as supporting teachers, counselors, and librarians, rather than wasted on an unnecessary election. We demand a school board that delivers quality education without any further delays – leaving the seat vacant for almost a year is simply unacceptable.

read more
05.22.23 Monday Meals: Welcoming Our New Political Director

05.22.23 Monday Meals: Welcoming Our New Political Director

We spent some time welcoming our new Policy Director Pecolia Manigo, discussing new developments with the OEA teacher’s strike, what’s happening with the City and County Budgets, and explaining what you can expect with the OUSD D5 Board Seat vacancy! Tune in to learn more about how Pecolia’s wealth of experience and deep understanding of community issues will help Oakland Rising continue to build progressive political power in the Town, and more!

read more
Welcoming Our New Political Director, Pecolia Manigo!

Welcoming Our New Political Director, Pecolia Manigo!

We are thrilled to welcome Pecolia Manigo, a remarkable organizer and authentic leader, as our new Political Director! Pecolia brings a wealth of experience, a deep understanding of community issues, and a powerful commitment to driving positive change in Oakland. She is a devoted Black mother of three, whose personal journey has fueled her passion and dedication to creating a more just and equitable education system.

read more
05.15.23 Monday Meals: Oakland Budget Town Halls

05.15.23 Monday Meals: Oakland Budget Town Halls

We talked with Kijani Edwards, Oakland ACCE Director about the upcoming opportunities for you to have your voice heard in the development of our city budget at the in-district community budget forums! Tune in to learn more about how you can support the efforts of the...

read more
05.01.23. Monday Meals: Our Teachers Ready to Strike!

05.01.23. Monday Meals: Our Teachers Ready to Strike!

We talked with Olivia Udovic, Kindergarten Teacher at Manzanita SEED & Oakland Education Association Executive Board Member about the status of the fight in Oakland for safe, stable, racially just, community schools with the resources they need to succeed! Learn more about ongoing negotiations with Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), bargaining demands, and more!

read more
City Council Voting on Eviction Moratorium Phase-out

City Council Voting on Eviction Moratorium Phase-out

Good news: on April 11th, City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas and Councilmember Dan Kalb’s proposed plan for an eviction moratorium phaseout was PASSED out of the Community and Economic Development Committee. The proposal now goes to the full Oakland City...

read more

Step in the Right Direction for Alameda County

Since voters elected Pamela Price as their new District Attorney, we have witnessed progress made to Alameda County’s criminal justice system. As a member of the Alameda County DA Accountability Table, we helped set the tone for DA Price’s priorities with a 100-Day...

read more
04.10.23 Monday Meals: Defund OPD

04.10.23 Monday Meals: Defund OPD

“We know a reality of this budget cycle is that the city is facing a deficit and they’re telling us that there will be cuts. Now the conversation is where will those cuts come from, because we know that there’s one department that is funded more than any other in the city [Oakland Police Department]. And when we think about what keeps us safe and those resources that we need, then I have some ideas about where those budget cuts can come from. And so do our community members that we’re in coalition with, we don’t do this work alone.” -Refilwe Gqajela

read more

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Oakland, CA 94612

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