Today San Francisco, tomorrow Oakland!
Bay Area Greens undaunted by Bush "re-election"
By Khurshid Khoja
Green Party of Alameda County

Despite the enormous setback of the 2004 elections, San Francisco Greens looked to the future, gathering at the Progressive Inauguration on Jan. 22, 2005, to celebrate the election of their newest city supervisor, Green Party activist and attorney Ross Mirkarimi, as well as other progressive and Green city officials. Mirkarimi declared that San Francisco's greatness is owed in no small part to the fact that it serves as a refuge and a sanctuary for those who still prize traditional American rights and freedoms-chief among them the freedom to dissent. He went on to challenge progressives and Greens in America to develop a national strategy "so that San Francisco should not be alone" in the nation.

Organizing to overgrow Oakland government

Just across the San Francisco Bay, East Bay Greens met in the aftermath of the elections on Nov. 20 for the kickoff of project "Oakland 2006." Nearly 50 Greens from Oakland and surrounding Alameda County discussed efforts to initiate change in the U.S. from the local level up--by building a vibrant grassroots political party for all of Oakland. Many attendees made concrete commitments to building the Green Party by becoming precinct contacts, while others committed themselves to building Green Party alliances through their individual participation in on-going campaigns for social, political and economic progress. By 2006, the Oakland Greens hope to field a slate of Green Party candidates for the city council and school board on a platform dedicated to moving Oakland toward a more humane and democratic future and away from corporate dominance of the city's myriad communities.

With that goal in mind, participants discussed the content of an electoral platform that would persuade community organizations to ally with the Green Party. They also discussed the kinds of candidates Greens should look for and how to keep candidates accountable to a shared vision rooted in the Ten Key Values of the Green Party.

Several past Green Party candidates were in attendance at the Oakland 2006 kickoff. Among these were Green gubernatorial and vice-presidential candidate Peter Camejo and newly elected Richmond, Calif., city councilwoman Gayle McGlaughlin. While Camejo fired up the party faithful with his indefatigable passion, McGlaughlin inspired everyone with details of the Green Party's successful coalition-building efforts within the Richmond Progressive Alliance.

Green Aimee Allison set to capture Oakland city council seat

	Aimee Allison, an educational technology consultant, is running for City Council District 2 this spring in Oakland, Calif. The city has a large number of interracial and/or GLBT families; her campaign slogan is "For Oakland...For All Families." Photo: Neighbors for Aimee Allison

Will the Green Party impact Oakland city politics as dramatically as in San Francisco with Matt Gonzalez, Ross Mirkarimi and Rene Saucedo? Oakland Greens may not have to wait until the 2006 elections to find out. On Jan. 6, Danny Wan, Oakland city council member for District 2, resigned his seat, triggering a special election for his replacement. With the Oakland 2006 discussions already well under way, Greens gathered on multiple occasions to share information about a host of potential candidates among Greens in the district and to discuss opportunities for building the Green Party through a strong showing in the race. On Feb. 7, the Oakland GP enthusiastically endorsed anti-war activist and community leader Aimee Allison as the Green Party's candidate in this race. The Green Party of Alameda County (GPAC) quickly followed suit on Feb. 13.

Allison, an African-American veteran, Stanford graduate, and 12-year resident of Oakland's Lakeshore area, was urged to run by a coalition of neighborhood activists, union members and Green Party members who see her experience as a teacher, nonprofit business consultant and housing advocate as an electoral asset. As a medic in the Army Reserves, Allison took a public stand against the Persian Gulf War in 1991 and received an honorable discharge as a conscientious objector. She continues to counsel service members about their rights and has led the national coalition to support Marine conscientious objector Stephen Funk.

Allison is running on a platform of responsible government that emphasizes community-based economics over big-moneyed interests. "We need economic development that enhances, not uproots, our neighborhoods-we must not give away city assets to developers without ensuring they provide adequate affordable housing," she said. "Oakland needs leadership from the city council to make our schools work for our children."

With at least 10 candidates in a contest where a small plurality of voters may decide the outcome, the support of Greens across the Bay Area and beyond could well win the seat for Aimee Allison. Voting in Oakland's first-ever mail-in ballot election begins in early April, and ends in mid-May.  (For more information, see www.AimeeAllison.org.)

New Green Party local forms in the South Bay area

To the south of the Bay, the newly organized Newark-Fremont-Union City Greens had their first meeting in January. Several Greens were in attendance for a spirited inaugural meeting, which should prove to be the first of many.

Khurshid Khoja, attorney, is a member of the National Lawyers Guild; county councilmember, GPAC; editor, GPAC Green News; and a member of the GP-US Diversity Committee.

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