2018 is a year of opportunity with two elections ahead of us. We need to make sure our base turns out in full force for the June Primary. That’s why last week we and our sister organization – Oakland Rising Action – launched our campaign to mobilize about 14,000 voters in East and West Oakland. We’ve seen the power that our one-on-one conversations with voters have – the folks we talk to end up voting at a 10-percent higher rate than other Oakland voters! By mobilizing voters this spring, we’ll create the margin of victory needed to bring more resources and restorative justice to our communities.
Our 20 voter outreach workers – folks who largely come from the neighborhoods in which they’re talking to voters – are talking to working-class, immigrant and voters of color about:
- Measure A to increase access to affordable childcare and preschool for 1,000’s of children and families. It also raises salaries for childcare providers to $15/hr.
- Electing a District Attorney who prioritizes investing resources into more access and opportunity for our community members instead of pushing mass incarceration and criminalization.
We’ve partnered with parents, childcare providers and economic and racial justice organizations in Alameda County because we need to actualize a new vision of what power and politics should look like in our communities – one that dismantles the dehumanization and criminalization of our people and invests in greater access and opportunity.
Measure A will help pull childcare out of its current state of crisis here in Alameda County by:
- Expanding access to preschool and childcare to 1,000’s of low- and middle-income children who are currently turned away because there are not enough spaces, teachers, or funding.
- Helping to pull our childcare providers out of poverty – they currently earn an average of $29,000/year.
In addition to the local childcare crisis, in our most vulnerable communities there has been a historical crisis of over policing and over incarceration. Voters have the opportunity to elect a District Attorney who re-imagines public safety so that our people are taken care of, not criminalized and incarcerated. The DA is one of the most powerful local elected officials! They have the power to not only prosecute people, but to serve as a protector of our most vulnerable communities. Our families deserve to live without fear of harm, police brutality or a school-to-prison pipeline that destroys our communities. Check out this survey that the ACLU conducted with both candidates to learn more about where they stand.
Oakland Rising and our collaborative partners are united in our vision for a city that embodies health, happiness, safety, and equal opportunities for all. Our goal is to create a model of progress and sustainability that showcases the possibilities for American cities in the 21st century. We are committed to dismantling the barriers of racial, economic, political, environmental, and educational inequities that have divided us, and instead, embracing the collective strength found in our city’s diversity. We firmly believe that Oakland can achieve its full potential when every resident, student, and bus rider has the ability to shape our city’s future. This vision is attainable and we are determined to realize it through our collective actions, whether it’s through voting, meetings, or call to actions.
Every year, we release a Vision, Issues, and Policy Platform (VIPP) which outlines the annual policies that we and our eight partner organizations prioritize in order to advance racial, economic, and environmental justice in the Town. Our collaborative’s agenda encompasses a range of critical initiatives, from expanding affordable housing to creating a more equitable democracy through campaign finance reforms. These priorities are designed to provide vital protections and innovative solutions for the most vulnerable members of our community. As we continue our efforts to promote these policies, we hold conversations with thousands of voters, lead and co-host impactful town hall meetings, educate and mobilize residents and voters, and undertake various other initiatives.
To gain a deeper understanding of our commitment to resist, protect, and advance in this political moment, we invite you to explore our 2023 Vision, Issues, and Policy Platform. Together, we are making strides towards a more equitable and just Oakland, and we remain steadfast in our pursuit of change, one vote, one meeting, one march at a time.
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Oakland Rising is a project from our hearts for the people of Oakland. Thank you for your contribution!