OAKLAND, Calif. — A grassroots coalition of Oakland community members gathered at Oakland High School on Saturday, May 9, for a Community and Labor Day of Action organized by the Oakland Community and Labor Coalition in support of the citizen-led ballot initiative Measure E, according to a press release.
The statement said Measure E represents a renewed investment in public safety services, including reliable emergency response teams, violence prevention programs and other core forms of support within the community.
“Volunteers canvassed neighborhoods throughout Oakland to talk with residents about the importance of maintaining essential city services, violence prevention programs, reliable emergency response systems, and investments that address the root causes of harm,” the press release stated.
Beyond law enforcement, Measure E also seeks to strengthen public facilities in a grassroots effort to address the underlying causes of violence and instability in the Oakland community, according to the statement.
“For Oakland students and families to truly thrive, we need a city that invests not just in emergency response, but in prevention, youth programs, violence interruption, libraries, parks, and the community services that keep young people safe before a crisis happens,” Oakland Unified School District Board President Jennifer Brouhard said, according to the press release.
According to the announcement, a large group of “labor unions, faith leaders, youth organizers, and Oakland residents” participated in the Yes on Measure E campaign event Saturday, signaling broad support for the initiative.
“The event brought together a broad coalition including East Bay Action, ACCE, CURYJ, Care 4 Community, Oakland Rising, SEIU Local 1021, IFPTE Local 21, Oakland Firefighters, and the Alameda Labor Council,” the statement said.
In addition to canvassing, the event included multiple speakers who emphasized the need for robust community programs and services that “support Oakland families before crises occur,” according to the press release.
“From emergency response to youth support to violence prevention, this is about whether we choose abandonment or collective responsibility,” the Rev. Jeremy McCants of EBASE and Imani Community Church said, according to the announcement. “Our faith calls us to fight for the well-being of our neighbors, especially those most impacted by poverty, violence, and inequity.”
Proponents of the measure emphasized the “moral urgency” of maintaining protective services in areas disproportionately affected by violence, poverty and “long-term disinvestment,” according to the statement.
“Oakland cannot continue asking communities that have already experienced generations of disinvestment to carry the burden of budget cuts and instability,” McCants said. “Measure E is about protecting the systems and services that allow people to survive and stay connected to the community.”
The canvassing event Saturday was only one part of a “larger citywide effort to build momentum” for Measure E ahead of the June election, the statement said.
“Oakland residents are asking for safety that actually works—violence prevention, youth programs, reliable emergency response, and investments that address the root causes of harm,” Lockett said, according to the release. “This measure is about building a safer, stronger, and more stable Oakland for all of us.”
The success of the Oakland Community and Labor Coalition’s efforts to bolster support for Measure E will not be apparent until June, according to the statement. Regardless of the outcome, the broader movement has made many Oakland voters aware of “what is at stake for working families and communities across the city.”
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