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Community Groups Make Last Ditch Effort to Stop Richmond Jail Expansion

Published

11 years ago

August 5, 2015

Despite the opposition of the City of Richmond and a number of health, faith, labor and human rights groups, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is poised to approve Sheriff David Livingston’s plan to construct a new $89 million high-security wing at the West County Detention Facility in Richmond.

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This expansion has been justified as improving the availability of mental health and re-entry services behind bars without increasing the county’s total jail capacity.

Yet the Sheriff’s plan has drawn skepticism from Richmond officials and residents, who say that it provides few specifics on the proposed services and would actually result in a net increase of 418 jail beds.

Community members are angry that the county might allocate money for a new jail facility while there remains a critical need for funding in health services, as well as mental health treatment, post-release re-entry services and other programs based in the community.

No more than 90 percent of the total capital costs for this project could be funded by the state, leaving the county on the hook for $9 million in construction, plus at least $5 million per year in ongoing operation costs.

The Sheriff hopes to expand this jail during a time when communities across the county and nation want to invest in alternatives to incarceration.

Less than one year ago, voters in Contra Costa County approved Proposition 47 by a margin of 66 percent, demonstrating a mandate to move away from jail sentencing for many offenses.

Meanwhile, people of color constitute less than one-third of the county’s population but make up three-fourths of the county jail population.

East Bay Alliance for Sustainable Economy (EBASE) will rally outside the Sheriff’s office, 11 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 651 Pine St. in Martinez, one week before the Board of Supervisor is scheduled to vote on the project.

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Black History

HISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History

ATLANTA DAILY WORLD — History has been made in Georgia. Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, has been elected governor of Georgia, becoming the first Black woman in American history to win the highest executive office in any state.

Published

1 week ago

November 5, 2026

Post News Group

Keisha Lance Bottoms during her 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary victory speech. Photo: Sikis2021 / Wikimedia Commons.

History has been made in Georgia. Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, has been elected governor of Georgia, becoming the first Black woman in American history to win the highest executive office in any state.

Bottoms’ victory over Republican businessman Rick Jackson represents a defining moment in American politics, breaking a barrier that has stood since the nation’s founding and placing Georgia at the center of a historic political transformation.

For generations, Black women have played a critical role in American democracy, organizing communities, leading movements, mobilizing voters and shaping public policy. Yet despite their contributions, no Black woman had ever been elected governor of a U.S. state.

Until now.

Bottoms’ election also makes her the first woman and first Black person elected governor of Georgia, a state whose political history has been deeply shaped by slavery, segregation, the civil rights movement and the long struggle for equal representation.

Her victory carries particular significance in a state where Black women have been among the most influential forces in voter registration, political organizing and Democratic electoral success.

A fifth-generation Georgian, Bottoms previously served as Atlanta’s 60th mayor from 2018 to 2022. During her administration, she led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic, nationwide protests over racial injustice and a period of significant economic and population growth.

Following her time as mayor, Bottoms served as a senior adviser in President Joe Biden’s administration before returning to Georgia politics to pursue the governorship.

Her campaign focused on expanding access to health care, strengthening public education, increasing wages and addressing the rising cost of living. She also advocated for expanding Medicaid, raising Georgia’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and increasing compensation for teachers and other public employees.

Bottoms faced Jackson, a wealthy health care executive who invested heavily in his campaign and positioned himself as a political outsider. The contest drew national attention as Democrats sought to reclaim the Georgia governor’s office after more than two decades of Republican control.

The historic nature of Bottoms’ victory extends well beyond party politics.

Georgia, once at the center of some of America’s most consequential civil rights battles, has now elected a Black woman to lead its state government. It is a milestone that reflects generations of political participation, organizing and leadership by Black Georgians.

For Atlanta, the moment is especially significant. A former mayor of the city that helped shape the modern civil rights movement will now lead the entire state.

Bottoms’ election opens a new chapter in Georgia’s political history and establishes a milestone that will be remembered far beyond the 2026 election.

For continuing election coverage and results, visit AtlantaDailyWorld.com/election26.