[Music] [Applause]
we feel it in our very marrow the very
we feel it in our very marrow the very visceral personal trauma and the
visceral personal trauma and the
visceral personal trauma and the political attacks that come in the form
political attacks that come in the form
political attacks that come in the form of appointments that come in the form
of appointments that come in the form
of appointments that come in the form and that are in the form of what’s
and that are in the form of what’s
and that are in the form of what’s happening in that place called
happening in that place called
happening in that place called Washington DC the real political attacks
Washington DC the real political attacks
Washington DC the real political attacks on our families the legitimization of a
on our families the legitimization of a
on our families the legitimization of a new and burgeoning neo-nazi movement the
new and burgeoning neo-nazi movement the
new and burgeoning neo-nazi movement the real-life COINTELPRO promise of v2
real-life COINTELPRO promise of v2
real-life COINTELPRO promise of v2 surveillance on black activists who had
surveillance on black activists who had
surveillance on black activists who had the audacity to develop a lexicon
the audacity to develop a lexicon
the audacity to develop a lexicon promising human dignity of the
promising human dignity of the
promising human dignity of the grandchildren of the enslaved the right
grandchildren of the enslaved the right
grandchildren of the enslaved the right here the right now the promise of a
here the right now the promise of a
here the right now the promise of a literal end of democracy well this is
literal end of democracy well this is
literal end of democracy well this is Oakland
and as we move in the streets and we
and as we move in the streets and we fight back decades of long fights to
fight back decades of long fights to
fight back decades of long fights to humanize queer families as we move every
humanize queer families as we move every
humanize queer families as we move every single day in our minds to stay to
single day in our minds to stay to
single day in our minds to stay to survive we must remind ourselves as
survive we must remind ourselves as
survive we must remind ourselves as students of historical movements that is
students of historical movements that is
students of historical movements that is the insurgency below that creates
the insurgency below that creates
the insurgency below that creates victory so let’s talk about it let’s
victory so let’s talk about it let’s
victory so let’s talk about it let’s talk about it I stand with you all today
talk about it I stand with you all today
talk about it I stand with you all today as a mother as an organizer yes as an
as a mother as an organizer yes as an
as a mother as an organizer yes as an elected official I did that too but my
elected official I did that too but my
elected official I did that too but my life’s work now is working for a small
life’s work now is working for a small
life’s work now is working for a small organization right here in Oakland that
organization right here in Oakland that
organization right here in Oakland that has been around for 17 years with the
has been around for 17 years with the
has been around for 17 years with the prime focus and mission to sprinkle a
prime focus and mission to sprinkle a
prime focus and mission to sprinkle a little water on those insurgents those
little water on those insurgents those
little water on those insurgents those leaders all around this town who have
leaders all around this town who have
leaders all around this town who have decided to survive amidst oppression
decided to survive amidst oppression
decided to survive amidst oppression like feet in the neck of their youngest
like feet in the neck of their youngest
like feet in the neck of their youngest children the insurgents the folks who
children the insurgents the folks who
children the insurgents the folks who ridiculously believe in deep East
ridiculously believe in deep East
ridiculously believe in deep East Oakland and West Oakland that they
Oakland and West Oakland that they
Oakland and West Oakland that they deserve to live that their young boys
deserve to live that their young boys
deserve to live that their young boys deserve to walk down the street and not
deserve to walk down the street and not
deserve to walk down the street and not fall victim to fratricide a symptom and
fall victim to fratricide a symptom and
fall victim to fratricide a symptom and a condition of horrific capitalism now
a condition of horrific capitalism now
a condition of horrific capitalism now see insurgent leadership as we think
see insurgent leadership as we think
see insurgent leadership as we think about it
about it
about it working for this organization I’m
working for this organization I’m
working for this organization I’m working for this beautiful place we have
working for this beautiful place we have
working for this beautiful place we have been providing supports for
been providing supports for
been providing supports for organizations in Oakland who again
organizations in Oakland who again
organizations in Oakland who again believe that we ain’t going nowhere I’m
believe that we ain’t going nowhere I’m
believe that we ain’t going nowhere I’m here to tell three stories
here to tell three stories
here to tell three stories about my work in this organization in
about my work in this organization in
about my work in this organization in Oakland California less than 60% of
Oakland California less than 60% of
Oakland California less than 60% of african-american young men graduate from
african-american young men graduate from
african-american young men graduate from high school each year that means 40
high school each year that means 40
high school each year that means 40 percent of the black boys who come into
percent of the black boys who come into
percent of the black boys who come into this school here will not cross this
this school here will not cross this
this school here will not cross this stage black children in Oakland will
stage black children in Oakland will
stage black children in Oakland will live 15 years less than their white
live 15 years less than their white
live 15 years less than their white counterparts so what have insurgent
counterparts so what have insurgent
counterparts so what have insurgent leaders done now we are in Oakland we
leaders done now we are in Oakland we
leaders done now we are in Oakland we know that this is the birthplace of the
know that this is the birthplace of the
know that this is the birthplace of the Black Panthers whose main mission was
Black Panthers whose main mission was
Black Panthers whose main mission was not only to defend themselves from
not only to defend themselves from
not only to defend themselves from police officers who saw them as less
police officers who saw them as less
police officers who saw them as less than human but to feed children and to
than human but to feed children and to
than human but to feed children and to organize parents to call on a new wave
organize parents to call on a new wave
organize parents to call on a new wave of leadership and demand that education
of leadership and demand that education
of leadership and demand that education actually taught their children
actually taught their children
actually taught their children Kakinada foundation is supporting an
Kakinada foundation is supporting an
Kakinada foundation is supporting an organization who has similar virtues I
organization who has similar virtues I
organization who has similar virtues I want to talk about plan it’s a group led
want to talk about plan it’s a group led
want to talk about plan it’s a group led by a West Oakland mother with three
by a West Oakland mother with three
by a West Oakland mother with three babies attending Oakland schools who is
babies attending Oakland schools who is
babies attending Oakland schools who is bringing together monolingual Spanish
bringing together monolingual Spanish
bringing together monolingual Spanish speaking women and African American
speaking women and African American
speaking women and African American women who have babies at schools like
women who have babies at schools like
women who have babies at schools like this who have demanded that education as
this who have demanded that education as
this who have demanded that education as we know it in Oakland should and must
we know it in Oakland should and must
we know it in Oakland should and must and can be revolutionized to be one that
and can be revolutionized to be one that
and can be revolutionized to be one that prioritizes children who have the most
prioritizes children who have the most
prioritizes children who have the most to lose not only is this group winning
to lose not only is this group winning
to lose not only is this group winning they worked with a coalition of other
they worked with a coalition of other
they worked with a coalition of other organizations to bring forth the city’s
organizations to bring forth the city’s
organizations to bring forth the city’s first african-american superintendent
first african-american superintendent
first african-american superintendent woman from Oakland
the language of the day but who feel the
the language of the day but who feel the power and the human calling to dig their
power and the human calling to dig their
power and the human calling to dig their feet in the soil of Oakland for
feet in the soil of Oakland for
feet in the soil of Oakland for generations to come we celebrate those
generations to come we celebrate those
generations to come we celebrate those insurgent mothers those fathers and
insurgent mothers those fathers and
insurgent mothers those fathers and those children who decided that Oakland
those children who decided that Oakland
those children who decided that Oakland is theirs we think of organizations like
is theirs we think of organizations like
is theirs we think of organizations like East Side Arts Alliance an organization
East Side Arts Alliance an organization
East Side Arts Alliance an organization that like many others in Oakland has dug
that like many others in Oakland has dug
that like many others in Oakland has dug their feet in the soil and who have said
their feet in the soil and who have said
their feet in the soil and who have said these walls are ours this land is ours
these walls are ours this land is ours
these walls are ours this land is ours let us bring culture and make revolution
let us bring culture and make revolution
let us bring culture and make revolution feel irresistible by the beat of the
feel irresistible by the beat of the
feel irresistible by the beat of the drum and the beauty of the paint on the
drum and the beauty of the paint on the
drum and the beauty of the paint on the wall when we think of how we fight
wall when we think of how we fight
wall when we think of how we fight moving forward
moving forward
moving forward we think of institutions all around this
we think of institutions all around this
we think of institutions all around this great city whose storm City Hall begging
great city whose storm City Hall begging
great city whose storm City Hall begging for new light of day in the last year
for new light of day in the last year
for new light of day in the last year alone nearly 100 young people were
alone nearly 100 young people were
alone nearly 100 young people were slaughtered on our streets more combined
slaughtered on our streets more combined
slaughtered on our streets more combined than our recent fires in the North Bay
more than those who lost their lives in
more than those who lost their lives in the hurricane in Puerto Rico I ask you
the hurricane in Puerto Rico I ask you
the hurricane in Puerto Rico I ask you all now to think about how we show up
all now to think about how we show up
all now to think about how we show up for an Oakland that is truly about the
for an Oakland that is truly about the
for an Oakland that is truly about the people where no one sleeps on cement and
people where no one sleeps on cement and
people where no one sleeps on cement and where children can actually live a real
where children can actually live a real
where children can actually live a real life our work today moves forward
life our work today moves forward
life our work today moves forward in small organizations that provide
in small organizations that provide
in small organizations that provide resources to move in organizations we
resources to move in organizations we
resources to move in organizations we know that that’s not enough
know that that’s not enough
know that that’s not enough as we move forward children of Oakland I
as we move forward children of Oakland I
as we move forward children of Oakland I ask you all to be insurgent and demands
ask you all to be insurgent and demands
ask you all to be insurgent and demands that this city be a true democracy the
that this city be a true democracy the
that this city be a true democracy the legacy of those men and women who
legacy of those men and women who
legacy of those men and women who continue and have put their bodies on
continue and have put their bodies on
continue and have put their bodies on the line for the freedom of black and
the line for the freedom of black and
the line for the freedom of black and brown and immigrant children no longer
brown and immigrant children no longer
brown and immigrant children no longer can we and must we wait for folks and
can we and must we wait for folks and
can we and must we wait for folks and big offices with keys and badges to make
big offices with keys and badges to make
big offices with keys and badges to make decisions about how we live
decisions about how we live
decisions about how we live it is absolutely that mother in East
it is absolutely that mother in East
it is absolutely that mother in East Oakland and absolutely that old man who
Oakland and absolutely that old man who
Oakland and absolutely that old man who sells tacos on the side of the street on
sells tacos on the side of the street on
sells tacos on the side of the street on East 14th and it exactly that child who
East 14th and it exactly that child who
East 14th and it exactly that child who has been kicked out of school who must
has been kicked out of school who must
has been kicked out of school who must make the pathway for our new city
make the pathway for our new city
make the pathway for our new city because they have the most to lose and I
because they have the most to lose and I
because they have the most to lose and I will say the most to give Oakland we
will say the most to give Oakland we
will say the most to give Oakland we cannot move through or arrest our way or
cannot move through or arrest our way or
cannot move through or arrest our way or legislate our way out of the tarnish of
legislate our way out of the tarnish of
legislate our way out of the tarnish of nearly 500 years of racialized
nearly 500 years of racialized
nearly 500 years of racialized oppression with laws it will take
oppression with laws it will take
oppression with laws it will take movement and it will take voice and I
movement and it will take voice and I
movement and it will take voice and I ask all of us to step back and stop
ask all of us to step back and stop
ask all of us to step back and stop waiting for that person to save us cuz
waiting for that person to save us cuz
waiting for that person to save us cuz guess what it’s us let’s go Oakland
guess what it’s us let’s go Oakland
guess what it’s us let’s go Oakland [Applause]
”
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