Bay Area
Sheng Thao Becomes Oakland’s Mayor
Mayor-Elect Sheng Thao’s victory is also historic: She is the first person of Hmong descent to lead a major U.S. city and — at 37 — the youngest Oakland mayor in about 75 years. (The first Hmong mayor was Steve Ly, who served as mayor of Elk Grove, California, from 2016-2020.)
![Sheng Thao](https://www.postnewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Sheng-Thao-featured-web-1.jpg)
By Post Staff
Sheng Thao, Oakland’s District 4 Councilmember, declared victory Monday night in the city’s mayoral election after two weeks of ballot counting gave her a 682-vote edge over her closest rival, District 6 Councilmember Loren Taylor.
Taylor conceded on Tuesday morning.
“I have never felt more hopeful about Oakland’s future, or more determined to lead the fight for it,” Thao said in a statement. “I’m excited to get to work building the safer, more affordable, more just Oakland we know is possible in the months and years ahead.”
Both Thao and Taylor were relative newcomers to the City Council, both assuming office in 2019. Thao also held the position of council president pro tempore.
Voter turnout was low: only 113,636 ballots were cast. Thao received 50.3% of the vote to Taylor’s 49.7%. Taylor had been leading until Nov. 18.
Thao acknowledged the narrow margin.
“This was a very close election. I want to congratulate Loren Taylor on the strong campaign he ran. Councilmember Taylor and his family have been making a difference for this city for generations and we owe him a real debt of gratitude,” said Thao according to KRON TV news. “I hope to speak with Councilmember Taylor in the days ahead to find ways to work together for the good of our city.”
In his concession speech on Tuesday, Taylor told news outlets that he didn’t see a way forward to winning and criticized the rank-choice form of voting, referring to it as a form of voter suppression. He is not going to seek a recount although he would support any community member who wanted it done.
Thao’s victory is also historic: She is the first person of Hmong descent to lead a major U.S. city and — at 37 — the youngest Oakland mayor in about 75 years. (The first Hmong mayor was Steve Ly, who served as mayor of Elk Grove, California, from 2016-2020.)
Thao grew up in poverty as one of 10 children of Laotian refugees who lived in federal housing projects in Stockton. She settled in Oakland and found work at Merritt College before enrolling in classes, eventually transferring to UC Berkley in 2010 where she completed her degree in legal studies and city planning in 2012.
That summer she started work for Oakland City Councilmember at-Large Rebecca Kaplan and joined Kaplan’s staff formally in 2014.
Having once been a single mother who endured domestic abuse which forced her to live in her car for a period, her road to success was rocky. Despite that success, Thao, like many Oakland citizens, knows what it’s like to be unsafe: while her teenaged son was home alone recently, their house was broken into by would-be burglars while she was attending a City Council meeting.
It was her own experience with safety and homelessness that was part of what drove her to put those issues at the top of her agenda for Oakland.
Considered a progressive, Thao wants the Oakland Police Department to be fully staffed at 750 officers and supports development of a civilian unit to handle mental health calls. She wants more public safety funds diverted to Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention.
Further, Thao asserts that a law-and-order approach to public safety is not enough: the factors that lead to crime must be addressed by improving education and promoting economic mobility by paying people a living wage.
Housing for the unhoused is extremely important to her both as someone who was once homeless, but also as one of the three renters who serve on the City Council.
During her campaign, she promised to expand mental health and drug treatment services for those living on the streets and expand the number of parking sites for RVs. By the end of her second term, she promised to build 30,000 affordable housing units.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, one of Thao’s key proposals “is to create an enhanced infrastructure financing district over parts of East and West Oakland. The City Council took the first step to study it earlier this month. The tax district would siphon some property tax revenue from the city’s general fund and set it aside for affordable housing and infrastructure projects.”
The San Francisco Chronicle, KRON-TV News, Ballotpedia, Wikipedia, and CBS news were the sources for this report.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of June 12-18, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 12-18, 2024
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Art
Mayor Breed, Actor Morris Chestnut Attend S.F.’s Indie Night Film Festival
On June 1, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based Indie Night Film Festival arrived at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco. San Francisco native Dave Brown, Founder and CEO of the Indie Night Film Festival, has a vision for the film industry that is squarely focused on promoting the many talented producers, actors, and designers contributing to this billion-dollar industry. The festival has been running for 12 years and it’s only up from here, he says.
![(Left to Right) Dave Brown, CEO, Indie Night Festival, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, and actor Morris Chestnut. Photo by Y’Anad Burrell](https://www.postnewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/indie-night-film-festival-featured-web.jpg)
By Y’Anad Burrell
On June 1, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based Indie Night Film Festival arrived at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco.
San Francisco native Dave Brown, Founder and CEO of the Indie Night Film Festival, has a vision for the film industry that is squarely focused on promoting the many talented producers, actors, and designers contributing to this billion-dollar industry. The festival has been running for 12 years and it’s only up from here, he says.
A weekly celebration of cinematic artistry designed to elevate emerging talent while providing a platform for networking and collaboration, entrepreneur Dave Brown created Indie Night to bridge gaps within the filmmaking community by fostering connections between like-minded individuals worldwide. The Indie Film Festival currently has over 450 film submissions worldwide, and its cinematic vault only continues to grow.
The festival showcased over 10 short films and trailers, and featured Faces of the “City: Fighting for the Soul of America,” produced by veteran actor Tisha Campbell. This film is about the vibrancy and legacy of San Francisco. The festival also previewed “When It Reigns,” a trailer by Oakland’s burgeoning filmmaker Jamaica René.
Indie films have not just challenged traditional cinematic norms; they’ve shattered them. These films offer unique storytelling perspectives and push creative boundaries in truly inspiring ways. With their smaller budgets and independent spirit, they often tackle unconventional subjects and portray diverse characters, providing a refreshing alternative to mainstream cinema. As a result, indie films have resonated with audiences seeking an escape from formulaic blockbusters and are increasingly celebrated for their authenticity and originality.
Organizers say the mission of Indie Night is to elevate the craft of independent artists and creators. It also provides a venue for them to showcase their work, network, and exchange information with new and established creatives. It creates a community that values and supports independent art.
For more about the Indie Night Film Festival, visit www.indienightfilmfestival.com.
Bay Area
Sen. Wiener, Mayor Breed Announce Bill to Shut Down Fencing of Stolen Goods
On June 3, San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed joined State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) to announce a bill aiming to combat fencing, the sale of stolen goods. Authored by Wiener and sponsored by Breed, Senate Bill (SB) 925 would allow San Francisco to create permitting requirements to regulate the sale of items commonly obtained through retail theft and impose criminal penalties for those who engage in this practice.
![iStock](https://www.postnewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/fencing-stolen-goods-featured-web.jpg)
By Oakland Post Staff
On June 3, San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed joined State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) to announce a bill aiming to combat fencing, the sale of stolen goods.
Authored by Wiener and sponsored by Breed, Senate Bill (SB) 925 would allow San Francisco to create permitting requirements to regulate the sale of items commonly obtained through retail theft and impose criminal penalties for those who engage in this practice.
“The sale of stolen items in San Francisco has created unsafe street conditions and health and safety hazards that have negatively impacted residents, businesses, City workers, and legitimate street vendors,” states a statement released by the mayor’s office.
San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) Chief Bill Scott praised the effort.
“I want to thank Mayor Breed and Senator Wiener for identifying new ways to combat the illegal fencing of stolen goods. This will help our hard-working officers continue to make progress in cracking down on retail theft,” said Scott.
Under the legislation, San Francisco can require vendors to obtain a permit to be able to sell items deemed as frequently stolen by asking for documentation that the merchandise was obtained legitimately, such as showing proof of purchase.
The legislation also establishes that those in violation would receive an infraction for the first two offenses and an infraction or a misdemeanor and up to six months in county jail for the third offense.
Under this bill, people can still:
- Sell goods with a permit
- Sell prepared food with a permit
- Sell goods on the list of frequently stolen items with a permit and proof of purchase.
“In San Francisco we are working hard to make our streets safer and more welcoming for all. SB 925 would greatly help us get a handle on the sale of stolen goods, all while taking a narrow approach that specifically targets bad actors,” said Breed.
Wiener says the cultural richness of San Francisco and the livelihoods of legitimate street vendors are threatened when bad actors are allowed to openly sell stolen goods on the city’s streets.
“With this bill we’re taking a balanced approach that respects the critical role street vending plays in our community while holding fencing operations accountable for the disruption they cause. It’s critical that everyone feel safe on our streets, including street vendors and neighborhood residents,” said Wiener.
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