The Advocate

(Art by HEBSTREITS) The city of San Leandro is in violation of the California Voting Rights Act . Our rejection of district-based local elections and continued use of the at-large system prevents us from having a truly representative city council that advocates for everyone in our city. To understand why, we need to take a short trip to LA County and the case of the Pico Neighborhood Association v. The City of Santa Monica . A recent decision from the California State Supreme Court determined that Black and Latino voters in the area were being systemically disenfranchised and BIPOC candidates were unable to afford to run for office. The court further found that the local government, as well as some courts, "misconstrued" what the CVRA requires, sending the case back for review and equitable resolution in favor of the plaintiff's civil rights. San Leandro's at-large elections weaken the power of the different communities and neighborhoods that make up our city to choo...

( View member roster here ) I signed up for the San Leandro Police Chief's Advisory Board to serve my community. I have been working as an advocate, organizer, and activist  here for years, often at the forefront of reimagining public safety and implementing police reform . For my efforts, I've received death threats, racist and antisemitic slurs against my family, having my home and children's daycare doxxed, abusive harassment, swatting attacks, and even attempts to get me fired from my job. Police officers have tried to intimidate me, stalked me outside my home, and attempted to entrap me at community events. So I asked Chief Pridgen why would he want me on the board? His answer was that he wanted to hear from a diverse group of perspectives, that he valued different voices and opinions. He said that he knew how much I cared about San Leandro, that I had a principled and important point of view to share. So, in that spirit of good faith, I accepted his invitation and ...

Since the massacre in Israel on October 7 by Hamas , I have faced death threats, harassment, slurs, blood libels, and other acts of antisemitism here at home. My family in Ramat Gan, just outside of Tel Aviv, have endured rocket attacks and evacuations. Some of my friends and acquaintances in Southern Israel are either missing or presumed dead. Meanwhile, Palestinian civilians, including thousands of children, are being killed in airstrikes that have done nothing to stop Hamas and endanger the hostages currently still being held somewhere in Gaza. At the same time, global unrest has erupted, from attacks on synagogues and Jewish cultural centers, to the murders of Palestinian-Americans and proposals to deport Muslims and Arabs. It would be impossible for me to list all of the tragedies and bigotries that are coursing through America, and globally, against Jews, Muslims, Arabs, Israelis, and Palestinians. However, I hope you understand that what you have heard happening to myself and ot...