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Senator Harris Appoints Three Women of Color to Key Positions

Published

7 years ago

April 1, 2019

U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) on Monday announced the hiring of three staff members, all women of color. Heather Hutt has been appointed as state director, Deanne Millison will serve as legislative director, and Meaghan Lynch has been named press secretary.

“I am thrilled to have Heather, Deanne, and Meaghan on my team,” said Harris. “Each of these women are experienced public servants, and I am confident they will serve the people of California well.”

A Los Angeles native, Hutt joined Harris’ office in 2017 to work as Harris’ Southern California deputy state director and in 2018 was promoted to deputy state director where she worked on Harris’ community town halls, civic engagement, and liaising with key leaders. Prior to working for Harris, Hutt was the district director for California State Senator Isadore Hall in California’s 35th Senate District. Prior to accepting her position in government, she was a founding partner in The Hutt Group, a marketing, branding, and event production company. Her work has been recognized by the California State Democratic Party African American Caucus for “Breaking the Glass Ceiling” as the first African-American Deputy State Director for the U.S. Senate in California’s history. In 2018, New Frontier Democratic Club honored Hutt with the “Emerging Leaders Award.”

Previously, Millison served as the deputy director for the Legislative Council and Government Affairs Team (LCGA) in the Mayor’s Office for the City of Chicago. Prior to joining the City of Chicago, Millison served as the Legislative Director and Oversight Investigations Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services, where the Honorable Maxine Waters, served as ranking member. Before taking the leadership role with the House Democratic Financial Services Committee, she served as counsel for other congressional committees including the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs and the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce. She received her B.A. in Political Science with Honors and a minor in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and her J.D. from Harvard Law School. She is also a proud fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago.

Prior to joining Harris’ office, Lynch served as Communications director and counsel for U.S. Representative G. K. Butterfield (D-NC), Chief Deputy Whip for the House Democratic Caucus and former Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. Lynch began her career in the office of Congressman Butterfield as an intern. Prior to taking her place in public service, Lynch worked as senior associate at a strategic communications firm in Wash., D.C. A North Carolina native, Lynch graduated with honors from North Carolina State University with bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Communications. She received her J.D. from Howard University School of Law and is a member of the Maryland State Bar.

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Four Candidates, Including Incumbent Barbara Lee, Qualify for Oakland Mayor’s Race

POST NEWS GROUP — Four candidates, including incumbent Mayor Barbara Lee, filed their papers to run for office by last Friday’s deadline, and the City Clerk issued a list this week of those who are qualified to run.

Published

11 hours ago

August 15, 2026

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View of downtown Oakland, California and City Hall. iStock photo.

By Post Staff

The four mayoral candidates who will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot are:

Brenda Grisham. A business owner in East Oakland and public safety advocate, Grisham led the successful recall campaign against Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. As part of her platform, she pledges to work with local, state, and federal partners to secure stricter gun control measures and investments in community violence intervention programs.

Barbara Lee. A former congressional representative and state Assembly member, Lee was elected by voters in a special election last year for a two-year term. Now running for a four-year term, she points out that her administration achieved major successes in addressing some of the city’s major challenges, including balancing the city budget, dramatically reducing crime, and making significant inroads into homelessness and illegal dumping.

Mindy Pechenuk. An educator and activist, Pechenuk is a registered Republican and supporter of Lyndon LaRouche, who has been described by observers as a conspiracy theorist and cult leader. She ran unsuccessfully for mayor in last year’s special election and for the at-large council seat in 2024. She seeks to end Oakland’s police commission and MACRO and invest in more police while launching a new local war on drugs.

Julius Robinson. While little information is available so far about Robinson, he was quoted in a KTVU story about Thao’s recall, stating that people in Oakland want to come together as a community but lack infrastructure and leadership.

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Black History

Oakland Observes Black August with Block Parties, Film Showings, Workshops

POST NEWS GROUP — Beginning in 1979 in San Quentin State Prison, the Black Guerrilla Family called for the remembrance of political prisoner George Jackson and his brother Jonathan Jackson who were assassinated in the early 1970s. George Jackson was considered a political prisoner in that it was the anti-Black justice system that led to his incarceration for armed robbery with a sentence of one year-to-life in 1960.

Published

14 hours ago

August 15, 2026

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George Jackson wrote two books: “Soledad Brother,” and “Blood in My Eye” before her was killed in an attempt to escape prison on Aug. 21, 1971.

By Jana Lang, Propel Youth Reporter

Study. Train. Fast. Fight.

These are the four tenets of Black August, a month dedicated to commemorating the sacrifices of political prisoners and Black revolutionaries in the struggle for Black liberation.

Observers are urged to study the history of the Black struggle for freedom, train their bodies for health and self-defense, fast to cleanse the mind, body, and spirit, and fight ongoing oppression alongside their communities and local political organizations.

Beginning in 1979 in San Quentin State Prison, the Black Guerrilla Family called for the remembrance of political prisoner George Jackson and his brother Jonathan Jackson who were assassinated in the early 1970s. George Jackson was considered a political prisoner in that it was the anti-Black justice system that led to his incarceration for armed robbery with a sentence of one year-to-life in 1960.

While in prison, George befriended fellow prisoner W.L. Nolen, who introduced him to the works of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong, and Frantz Fanon. This radicalization coupled with his experiences of violence while imprisoned led to him writing and publishing two books, “Soledad Brother” (1970), and “Blood in my Eye” (1972). In January of 1970, George and two other prisoners were charged with murdering a corrections officer at Soledad State Prison in Monterey County.

On Aug. 7, 1970, Jonathan Jackson burst into a Marin County courtroom armed with a shotgun to demand the freedom of the Soledad Brothers. He, along with the inmates he freed, was shot and killed while driving away. This involved one of the Black Panther Party’s most notable associates, Angela Davis, because the shotgun was registered in her name. She was later acquitted of charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder in 1972.

On Aug. 21, 1971, George Jackson was assassinated by a corrections officer after attempting to escape and free other inmates. As a result, there were uprisings and protests within prisons all over the country that year, calling forth resistance against racial oppression and mass incarceration.

Since its outset, Black August has evolved across the country, taking many forms to honor this history and embody the four tenets.

In Oakland, the upcoming Black August Experience, hosted by Youth Alive! and the East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA), is a free, family-friendly event celebrating the legacy of Black August. Activities include free food and drinks, a kids’ activity zone, interactive workshops, live cooking and boxing demonstrations, and more.

Happening on Aug. 21 from 4-8 p.m. at the EOBA Patio, Carolyn Flynn, director of administration at EOBA, said the event, in its second year, will be an opportunity to engage with people in person through food, shared space, and education.

“We do regular classes in education, and those are ongoing programs that we offer, but we wanted to have [an opportunity] for our neighbors to utilize this space.” Combined with Youth Alive’s work in community violence prevention and youth leadership, this event surely aims to bring the Oakland community together to capture what Black August means today.

Here are additional Black August events happening in Oakland:

Forum and Community Discussion hosted by the Oakland Liberation Center, 1499 Fruitvale Ave., Aug. 14, 7 p.m.

“George Jackson/San Quentin” Screening hosted by Nostalgic for Nothing Cinema at Moments Co-Op, 410 13th St., Aug. 16, doors at 6 p.m., show at 6:30 p.m. (Masks required and scent-free)

Commemorating the Struggle, Building the Altar for Liberation: Black August at Bandung Books, 2269 International Blvd., Aug. 23rd, 1-5 p.m.

Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.