Bay Area
Former Oakland School Board Member Greg Hodge Launches 2022 Mayoral Bid
“How we will bring ‘Hope and Healing’ to an anxious City will be our opening focus,” said Greg Hodge during his remarks. “We will pay attention to the things that really matter to all Oaklanders. In a moment of an unprecedented uptick of violence, homelessness and blight, and economic insecurity for many, the citizens of Oakland will have the opportunity to make leadership choices which can either transform the city or simply do business as usual.”

With approximately 100 ardent supporters present, Greg Hodge launched his campaign for mayor on Dec. 18 at Oeste Restaurant, a woman-of-color-owned business in downtown Oakland.
Hodge, an experienced advocate for children and a former OUSD board member, has embarked on a listening campaign to understand what voters believe to be important in crafting comprehensive solutions to reimagining safety, providing decent, affordable housing for its most vulnerable residents, and enhancing economic opportunities for all of Oakland’s residents.
Hodge offers his considerable skills as a consensus builder, healing practitioner, community attorney, policy advocate and cultural artist to bring them to bear on the leadership challenges ahead. “I love Oakland. I believe in its people. I know that we can listen to our collective wisdom, lift up the best ideas and lead to get things done.”
“How we will bring ‘Hope and Healing’ to an anxious City will be our opening focus,” said Hodge during his remarks. “We will pay attention to the things that really matter to all Oaklanders. In a moment of an unprecedented uptick of violence, homelessness and blight, and economic insecurity for many, the citizens of Oakland will have the opportunity to make leadership choices which can either transform the city or simply do business as usual.”
Via livestream, Hodge was joined by rapper, actor and Oakland native Daveed Diggs. A multi-talented artist, Diggs emerged from Oakland’s rich cultural scene to become a Tony award winner. “I am thrilled that (Hodge) is throwing his hat into the ring to be mayor of the city that I love and care about. We put Oakland on a pretty high pedestal and credit it for most of who I am as an artist.”
Diggs, who, with his partners, is currently producing the second season of “Blindspotting,” a show based in Oakland, sees an important role for the arts community in creating safe spaces for making art and, in turn, safe spaces for the broader community. “Art works best when it’s operating from a place of love. We have to keep artistic resources in Oakland, make it more affordable for artists to live here, and incentivize production companies to work in Oakland.”
Hodge was joined by George Galvis, a staunch community activist who provided a native land acknowledgment; Mosheh Milon and the Bantaba drummers, Sister Iminah who offered an ancestral libation, Michelle “Mush” Lee, a noted poet and youth development leader who shared a poem written for the occasion, and Surlene Grant, a former San Leandro councilmember and college classmate of Hodge.
Nicole Lee, a third-generation Oaklander who has worked on a range of social and racial justice efforts said, “I am honored to be here to celebrate the journey that we are embarking on to save the soul of this city. This room looks like the Oakland that I grew up in and the Oakland that I wake up fighting for every day.”
“Yes, we will talk about what makes us safer, more secure, physically sheltered, and more prosperous along the way. But in the meantime, we have a simple, elegant question for you: What makes you hopeful?” said Hodge, who has worked for years in his community to help address a range of challenges for young people and elders alike.
“We invite Oaklanders to share their vision of hope and healing with us as we campaign for a better way to create the city that we all want to live in,” he said.
Visit Hodge for Oakland on Instagram @hodgeforoakland or on our Facebook page to share your ideas.
This announcement is from the Greg Hodge for Oakland campaign.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025

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Activism
Oakland Poll: Tell Us What You Think About the Cost of Groceries in Oakland
Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.

By Magaly Muñoz
In 2023, the average spending on groceries increased by nearly $30 each month from the year before;people are spending over $500 a month to put food on the table.
Through previous reporting by the Post, we’ve learned that families in Oakland are depending more and more on free or low cost groceries from food banks because they can no longer afford the rising costs of food at the store.
Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.
We’ve recently spoken to families across these two areas of Oakland and have heard several stories that all point to one problem: food is expensive. Some individuals are spending upwards of $150 a week for themselves or double if they have teens or small children in the family.
We’ve also heard stories of people with chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure struggling to maintain their diets because they’re having a hard time affording the food that helps them stay healthy.
Do these experiences sound similar to what you or your family are dealing with every month? Are you struggling to afford your basic groceries every week? Do you depend on food banks to help you get by? Are there any chronic illnesses in your household that need to be managed by a special diet?
We want to hear about your experiences and ideas for solutions!
The Oakland Post is investigating food access in Oakland and how residents are surviving as the cost of living continues to increase. Your experiences will help shape our reporting and show local leaders the need to invest in our communities.
In order to get as much feedback as possible, we ask that you click this link to fill out a brief questionnaire or visit tinyurl.com/Oakland-Post-food-survey. You can also scan the QR code above to reach the survey. After you fill it out, please consider sharing the link with your friends and family in Oakland.
If you have questions, please reach out to our Oakland reporter Magaly Muñoz at mmunoz@postnewsgroup or text/call her at (510) 905-5286.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of January 22 – 28, 2025
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