City Government

Cat Brooks Files Papers to Run for Mayor

Published

8 years ago

August 9, 2018

Photo from the Cat Brook from Oakland Facebook page.

Joined by about 50 supporters, actress, journalist and activist Cat Brooks, filed her papers Wednesday at City Hall to run for mayor of Oakland.

“Together we will defend our city. Together we will take control of our city, and together we will build a truly progressive Oakland,” said Brooks as she prepared to sign the formal declaration of candidacy.

“We have almost 500 people signed up to volunteer for this campaign. We are not going to out-(fund)raise her. But we will out-organize her. We have been knocking on doors, and impacted folks are ready for a change.”

Brooks’ campaign is endorsed by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) and Councilmember-at-Large Rebecca Kaplan.

While waiting in the City Clerk’s office for the candidate to sign the papers, Brooks’ supporters spoke about why they are supporting her campaign.

“The people’s agenda is routinely and very systematically ignored by the current mayor and the current government of the city because their priorities are completely different from those of us who are trying to create real community here and preserve the community that we have,” said Helen Duffy, ACCE member.

“It’s criminal what’s going on. It’s not public service when you’re only servicing a small segment of the population, she said.

“We are failing as far as serving all of the City of Oakland equitably, particularly African Americans. That’s not fair, that’s not right, and we need to hold our government accountable,” said Tonya Love.

Currently, nobody at City Hall is listening to the residents, another woman said. “This (campaign) is like a glimmer of hope,” she said.

In a prepared statement, Councilmember Kaplan said, “I appreciate Cat’s commitment to justice and fighting for the rights of those who have historically been left behind. We need a city that takes action to help the homeless, that fights to end racial prejudice and violence, and provides accountability. That’s why I support Cat Brooks for mayor.”