A couple of weeks ago it was pointed out that the 15 people vying for Oakland’s top post as Mayor had done a record number of debates. They had reached into every part of the city except Deep East Oakland. We are talking specifically about the area about 98th Avenue. Its apart of the city that is often bashed upon by the media.
Some folks came together and decided to change things. Rev Mustafa and Rev Harry Williams of Basic Ministries which is located on a 107th street did what was deamed impossible. They reached out and got all the top candidates to show up.
This is the only time the main candidates running for Mayor of Oakland came to deep East Oakland for a debate. Participants included contractor Ken Houston, Mayor Jean Quan, civil rights lawyer Dan Siegal, Port Commissioner Bryan Parker, city auditor Courtney Ruby, city council woman Libby Shaaf, city council woman Rebecca Kaplan, community activist and tax preparer Nancy Sidebotham and former Occupy Oakland member Jason ‘Shake’ Anderson..
The debate got contentious at times, but for the most part audience members got to hear directly from the candidates about issues most important to them and how their often overlooked and often maligned section of the city factors into future plans for Oakland.
The first question asked to the candidates was when was the last time you were in deep East Oakland, what did you do here and who are the people and businesses you work with..
https://soundcloud.com/mrdaveyd/hkr-10-27-14-deep-east-oakland-mayoral-debate-pt1
This is part 2 of the Deep East Oakland Debate.. Here folks get to hear how candidates respond to audience questions..
https://soundcloud.com/mrdaveyd/hkr-10-28-14-deep-east-oakland-debate-pt2
Below is a video of the Deep East Oakland Debate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebOjNzPjetk
Below is our Hard Knock Radio round table discussion with Bay Area activists and journalists. our guest included: Amado Uno of APEN , Melvin Willis of Team Richmond, Tim Redmond of 48 Hills in San Francisco, Maisha Quint of Eastside Arts Alliance, Eric Arnold of Oakland Local and Shamako Noble of Hip Hop Congress.
During our discussion folks spoke to the most heated races around the Bay Area as well as key measures and propositions like Prop 47 and Measure Z in Oakland. everyone spoke to huge the amounts of unchecked corporate money coming into local, often overlooked elections.. There is big time tech money coming into SF elections for supervisors.. You have one or two folks trying to bankroll their personal picks.. You also have big time money coming in from out the state to defeat tenant protection measures..
In Richmond its even more egregious because you have Chevron bankrolling a slate of candidates who will undue any and all progressive moves made by the previous administration. In Richmond, Chevron has dropped 3.2 million dollars.. In SF two tech billionaires have dropped 1.5 million for one supervisors race.
In San Jose Tech money is playing a major role both in Congressional races and the Mayors race..
In the race for school superintendent you have school privatization money pouring in from all over..
In this election folks have better follow the money and look long and hard at the teams a candidate supported in the past.. Many will smile in your face and be all about gentrification and pro development. Others will smile and put all their political capital behind police…Don’t be fooled by skin color or gender..There are some Black and Brown faces who are definitely riding hard for big corporate interests..
https://soundcloud.com/mrdaveyd/hkr-11-03-14-pre-election-midterm-2014-roundtable