News

Senator Kamala Harris Endorses Buffy Wicks For State Assembly

Published

7 years ago

August 18, 2017

Just days into Buffy Wicks’ campaign for State Assembly, U.S. Senator and former California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) has endorsed her to be the next Assemblywoman for District 15.

“I met Buffy when we were organizing together in the Bay Area for Barack Obama back in 2007, and in the years since, I’ve watched her continue to be a fearless, passionate fighter for people,” Senator Harris said. “Her commitment to build a parent-powered movement to advocate for California kids shows what kind of leader she is: one who doesn’t just use her voice to speak up, but empowers others to do the same. I’m confident that Buffy will be a progressive champion in Sacramento and trusted partner for me as I fight for you in Washington. It was an easy decision to offer her my full support for her candidacy for Assembly in District 15.”

Buffy Wicks is a community organizer, an advocate, and a grassroots leader with experience at the local, state, and federal level. A California native, she got her start in community organizing when she moved to the Bay Area to organize against the Iraq War. In the years since, she has fought for better wages and health care for Wal-Mart workers as part of the UFCW, worked in the Obama White House to bring stakeholders from across the country together to support and pass the Affordable Care Act, started a policy initiative to fight for women’s economic security, and launched the California Kids campaign to empower parents to advocate for better opportunities for their children.

Buffy’s passion is fighting for equity, equal opportunity, and economic security – with a particular focus on policies affecting women and children. She hopes to continue advocating for California’s parents and kids as an Assemblywoman in Sacramento, where only 22 percent of our state legislators are women and just a handful are mothers to young children.

“I am obviously thrilled to have Senator Harris’ endorsement of our campaign, but I am even more fortunate to have her as a friend and a role model,” Buffy said. “In a short time as our Senator, she has already made her mark in Washington fighting for California values and policies that will help California families. I will provide the same kind of bold, progressive leadership for our community if I am elected to represent District 15 in Sacramento.”

Assembly District 15 encompasses parts of Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Buffy announced her candidacy to represent the district on Tuesday in a video message to supporters. She lives in Oakland with her husband Peter and their 6-month old daughter Josephine.

For more information, contact Addisu at addisu@50p1.com.

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Activism

S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System

Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.

Published

3 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Third Baptist Church.

By Carla Thomas

San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church hosted a rally and meeting Sunday to discuss hatred toward African American students of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church, along with leadership from local civil rights groups, the city’s faith-based community and Black community leadership convened at the church.

“There has been an epidemic of racial slurs and mistreatment of Black children in our public schools in the city,” said Brown. “This will not be tolerated.”

According to civil rights advocate Mattie Scott, students from elementary to high school have reported an extraordinary amount of racial slurs directed at them.

“There is a surge of overt racism in the schools, and our children should not be subjected to this,” said Scott. “Students are in school to learn, develop, and grow, not be hated on,” said Scott. “The parents of the children feel they have not received the support necessary to protect their children.”

Attendees were briefed last Friday in a meeting with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne.

SFUSD states that their policies protect children and they are not at liberty to publicly discuss the issues to protect the children’s privacy.

Some parents said they have removed their students from school while other parents and community leaders called on the removal of the SFUSD superintendent, the firing of certain school principals and the need for more supportive school board members.

Community advocates discussed boycotting the schools and creating Freedom Schools led by Black leaders and educators, reassuring parents that their child’s wellbeing and education are the highest priority and youth are not to be disrupted by racism or policies that don’t support them.

Virginia Marshall, chair of the San Francisco NAACP’s education committee, offered encouragement to the parents and students in attendance while also announcing an upcoming May 14 school board meeting to demand accountability over their mistreatment.

“I’m urging anyone that cares about our students to pack the May 14 school board meeting,” said Marshall.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.