City Government

Nikki Fortunato Bas Holds District 2 Community Meeting

Published

7 years ago

January 12, 2019

On Saturday, Jan. 5th, two days before being sworn into office, newly elected district two city council member Nikki Fortunato Bas held a lunchtime meeting both for her constituents and those who live outside of her district. More than 125 people attended the event held in the cafeteria of Cleveland Elementary School.

The meeting excited Josie Camacho, former executive director of The Alameda Labor Council, who had never seen an Oakland city council member convene a community meeting before being sworn in. Camacho, who also worked at city hall for ten years, said “In convening this meeting, Bas exemplifies leadership and vision we’ve been lacking for so long.”

While former Mayor Jean Quan and former mayoral candidate Dan Siegel were inspired to attend, the meeting also drew people like Noah Kratznelson, a lifelong Bay Area resident who had never before been involved with local electoral politics but has felt more inspired to engage since the election of Donald Trump.

“This is new to me,” said Kratznelson. “I want to meet my neighbors and get more involved at the local level.”

After some time for socializing, networking, and eating, Bas got the meeting’s attendees attention by beginning a unity clap, a method where a clap begins slowly, gains momentum, and then becomes more unified and loud as more people start clapping. She was inspired to use the clap by Filipino and Mexican workers of The United Farmworker’s Movement who used it to express solidarity across language barriers.

Bas introduced new staff members but did not speak at length about policy. She instead centered most of the event’s time around listening to concerns and ideas of Oakland residents.

“We want to be making decisions with you and not for you,” said Bas while addressing the meeting’s attendees. “We want to get a head start connecting with all of you, hearing about the organizations you’re involved in so we can partner with you.”

Bas and her team organized the events attendees into four groups based around district two neighborhoods, with one additional group for those who lived outside the district. Each group had facilitators who asked their group members a few open ended questions that were audio recorded for Bas to hear later.

Those who attended the meeting spoke about many issues, but the issues addressed most frequently related to homelessness and housing.

In an interview after the meeting Bas spoke of how, during her first hundred days in office, she wants to meet with city staff about issues relating to homelessness while continuing to meet with unsheltered residents and activists. She thinks the city could improve services for encampments of unsheltered people by increasing the frequency of trash pick up, and providing clean water and decent sanitation.

Bas also wants city services to be more effective for non- English who often find them difficult to access.

“Not all of our city services are in the languages that our neighbors speak,” she said.

She plans to work with city staff and residents to help non- English speaking Oakland residents access city services and permits.

Zack Haber

Posts by Zack Haber

Bay Area

IN MEMORIAM: Longtime OUSD Employee Debra King-Cooper, 73

Longtime OUSD Employee Debra King-Cooper, 73 Caption: Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo. Special to The Post Debra King-Cooper, a beloved mother, grandmother, queen, sister, church member, caregiver, and matriarch, transitioned peacefully on May 20 surrounded by family and love i

Published

4 days ago

June 17, 2026

bpusa-syndication

Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo.

Special to The Post

Debra King-Cooper, a beloved mother, grandmother, queen, sister, church member, caregiver, and matriarch, transitioned peacefully on May 20 surrounded by family and love in the comfort of her home. To her children, she was royalty, grace, strength, and unconditional love embodied.

Debra Diane Edgar was born on May 28, 1952, in San Francisco, California, to Charles Edgar Sr. and Mamie Arthur Edgar. She was raised alongside her younger brother, Charles Edgar Jr., affectionately known as “Little Brother” or “Lil Bruh.” She also shared close bonds with her older siblings Carol Edgar-Lang, Maryann Edgar Calloway, and Lonnie Lewis Sr.

A proud product of San Francisco’s historic Fillmore District, Debra attended Andrew Jackson Elementary School, where she met her lifelong best friend and adopted sister, Lynn Green, in the fifth grade. She later attended Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School, Roosevelt Junior High School and Thomas Jefferson High School.

Debra’s mother transitioned when she was only 17 years old, and her father transitioned when she was 23. Despite these profound losses, Debra remained grounded through the love and support of extended family and lifelong family friends,

In 1971, she married Harold King. On Sept. 24, 1972, they welcomed their first son, Dajuan Artese King, affectionately called “Pop” or “Poppa.” On Aug. 5, 1976, they welcomed their second son, Dante Dupree King, affectionately called “Tay” or “Taboocoo the Baby.”

After her divorce in 1982, Debra assumed full responsibility for raising her sons.

She supported Dajuan’s passion for football by purchasing sports equipment and attending games faithfully. She supported Dante’s love of music by enrolling him in the San Francisco Boys Choir, Oakland Boys Choir, and the Castlemont Castleers.

Professionally, Debra built an exceptional career. She worked at Blue Shield of California from 1973 until 1994, earning multiple promotions.

She later joined the Oakland Unified School District, initially in a temporary role before being promoted into management within the Labor Relations Department. She retired from OUSD in 2015 after years of distinguished service. During her years at OUSD, she built meaningful friendships with her colleagues.

Faith was central to Debra’s life. During the 1980s, following personal hardship, she joined Love Center Church under the leadership of Bishop Walter Hawkins, where she brought her children regularly. She later became a member of Triumphant: A Church Without Walls Ministries under Pastor Dr. Larry Short, who became a beloved spiritual mentor.

After Triumphant closed in 1992, Debra joined Cosmopolitan Baptist Church in Oakland under the leadership of Pastor Larry Ashley, where she remained for the rest of her life.

At Cosmopolitan, she worked in numerous ministries. She served on the usher board, sang in the choir, participated in the AIDS ministry during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, helped feed and support unhoused community members, and mentored and supported a group of young girls.

After retirement, she cared for older adults in her church community, driving them to appointments, cleaning their homes, managing finances, preparing meals, and helping families navigate funeral arrangements after loved ones transitioned.

Even while battling Stage 4 cancer herself, she continued caring for others.

Debra was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Edgar Sr. and Mamie Arthur Edgar; her brothers, Lonnie Lewis Sr. and Charles Edgar Jr.; her sisters, Maryann Edgar Calloway and Victoria Stephenson Knight; and her adopted mother, Clara Oliver.

She leaves to cherish her memory her beloved sons, Dajuan King and Dante King; grandson, Tiyler Dajuan Artese King; sister, Carol Edgar-Lang; goddaughters Monique Belle and Ricketa Matthews Jones (Leonard); daughter-in-love Quiona Sullivan; son-in-love Marcel Walker; sister-in-law Delores Lewis; adopted sisters and lifelong friends Lynn Green, Barbara Stephenson Hill, and Sarah Fine; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, great-nieces, great-nephews, extended family members, her church family and dear friends.