June 2, 2022
Dear Friend,

Wednesday marked the beginning of Pride Month, and we were hella proud to kick it off by raising the progressive Pride flag over City Hall. Joined by Illuminate, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Dykes on Bikes, Oakland Black Pride and Oakland Pridefest, we set the Pink Torch Procession off on its journey from Oakland City Hall to the Pink Triangle at Twin Peaks in San Francisco. While states around the country take aim at civil rights, Oakland will always be proud of, and defend, the LGBTQ+ community that is so essential to who we are as a city.

Welcome to the Mayor’s Weekly Briefing, your weekly Oakland news roundup. You can read, subscribe, and catch up on past newsletters at our newsletter homepage on the City of Oakland website.

In solidarity,
—Libby
MAYOR LIBBY SCHAAF
Oakland Promise Delivers College Scholarships to 75% of All Graduating Seniors in Oakland
Delivering on the promise. Six years ago, Oakland Promise was founded as a cradle-to-career initiative to dramatically increase the number of college graduates from Oakland. This year, three out of four Oakland public high school graduating seniors will receive thousands of dollars in multi-year scholarships. Oakland Promise has also provided 1,200 babies with $500 college scholarship accounts, more than 30,000 elementary school students with early college scholarships, and college coaching for every high school student in Oakland.

Investing in Oakland youth is an investment in the future of our city, and it was especially heartening that this year was a record year for the number of Black, Latinx and first-generation college students in Oakland who applied for and accepted their scholarships to attend a postsecondary program. Find out more about how you can get involved in this incredible program, and help us keep the promise to our children.
VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!

Voting is your superpower. Next Tuesday, June 7, is an important primary election for Californians and for Oaklanders. If you have not yet returned your ballot, please do so by Tuesday. If you are not registered to vote, you can still register through election day on June 7. High school students can also pre-register to vote at ages 16 & 17 and be ready to vote at 18!
Honoring Educators and Cheering on the Dubs
Image via Twitter
Teamwork and dedication. Last Thursday, I was proud to help the Warriors honor Oakland’s John Lauti, Director of Arab, Asian and Pacific Islander Student Achievement program at OUSD for his incredible community work—and saw some old friends! So proud of our Warriors for fighting through tremendous adversity the past two years to reach yet another NBA Finals. Now let's get that ring!
Friday Nights at the Oakland Museum Return!
Starting tomorrow, June 3, the Oakland Museum will be open for extended hours every Friday. Take in the summer weather, enjoy food and drinks from Off the Grid food trucks, and see some excellent exhibits.

Engaging Federal Support for Affordable Housing
Image via Twitter
We led HUD Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman on a tour of new affordable housing at Brooklyn Basin, an excellent demonstration of how public-private partnerships can create mixed-income neighborhoods that not only provide homes at a range of income levels, but help strengthen our communities. As Co-Chair of Mayors and CEOs for US Housing Investment, I highlighted how federal housing dollars are key to building on our successes and ensuring our pipeline of affordable housing gets built. The Biden-Harris Administration Housing Supply Action Plan will provide new resources to close the housing gap across the U.S. within five years. Thank you Deputy Secretary and HUD Pacific for your continuing partnership!
The City of Oakland is accepting applications to fill vacancies on the Mayor's Commission on Persons with Disabilities (MCPD). The MCPD represents and addresses the concerns of the disability community, acting as the City’s designated advisory body for ADA compliance.

Responsibilities include:
• Advising the Mayor and City Council on matters affecting the disability community
• Reviewing and commenting on City policies, programs, and actions
• Providing advice and assistance to other City boards and commissions
• Participating at the local, state, and national levels for the advancement of disability rights
• Promoting strategies to make Oakland a place where everyone can live, work, play, and engage in all that Oakland has to offer

Applicants should live or work within the City of Oakland and demonstrate relevant professional and/or personal expertise to advise the Mayor and the City Council on matters affecting the rights of persons with disabilities in Oakland. If this sounds like you, find more information here!!!
THROWBACK PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Video via Oakland Zoo
This Sunday, the Oakland Zoo will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a day of fun at Snow Park, featuring entertainment and booths from Children's Fairyland, EarthCapades, the Alphabet Rockers, the Oakland Zoo, East Bay Regional Parks, Oakland Public Library, Oakland Roots, Pollinator Posses, and more!

As a born-and-raised Oaklander, I grew up going to the Zoo, interned at the Baby Zoo as a teenager (see above!), and then took my children there. From sun bears to giraffes, the Oakland Zoo has always delighted and inspired young minds. I still love visiting and seeing families from all over the world enjoy one of our city’s greatest treasures. A massive thank you to the Oakland Zoo for all you have done for my family and for countless families in these 100 years.
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND RESOURCES
  • A magical thing to do on a summer evening in Oakland: theater productions at Joaquin Miller Park are restarting. The beautiful woodland theatre in our city's largest park hosts its first performances of the season on June 10 to 12. The play is “Something Rotten”. Learn more and get tickets here.

  • Calling all festival organizers! The City of Oakland is now offering grants to support festivals and festival culture in our community, helping to highlight the cultural expressions, stories, histories, and heritage of our many communities and neighborhoods. Applications are being accepted through July 7, with a how-to-apply webinar on June 2.

  • The City of Oakland’s Summer Food Service Program is resuming with the addition of new partner sites and locations.  All kids 18 and under, and adults with disabilities enrolled in a school program can receive meals. Here's the full roster of Summer Food Service Program sites as of May 31. Free food distribution sites can also be found by using the CA Meals for Kids app.

  • The BART app offers customizable in-app notifications based on the days of the week you plan to use BART. You can tailor service advisories and even next train departures notifications for the station you use and direction you are heading. Find the options under your profile.

  • Starting June 1, BART will be taking submissions for a short story contest, with story finalists to be featured on BART's website and in BART platforms. Find more details and submit your story here, and read the Chronicle's coverage of the contest here.

  • Attention problem-solvers: we need YOU to propose ideas to tackle homelessness, abandoned vehicles and illegal dumping, and violent crime in Oakland for the City Challenge Oakland. Visit the website for a chance to have your idea selected and brought to life.

  • The City’s Economic & Workforce Development Department has launched a permanent business support program in Oakland’s neighborhoods. The Neighborhood Business Assistance program has added a sixth location and opened appointment dates for Oakland entrepreneurs and business owners to get advice and support. Appointments can be booked online at this link or by calling (510) 238-7398.

  • REMINDER: Even though the federal moratorium has ended, Oakland's eviction moratorium remains in place. Find rental resources here.

OPPORTUNITIES

  • The Oakland Police Commission is accepting applications until June 30th, and interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

  • The Oakland Youth Commission, which provides youth representation and voices at City Hall. Applications due June 3.


  • Are you a social entrepreneur looking to grow your organization? The American Heart Association is offering a social business and non-profit accelerator program with 6 weeks of MBA-style training. Applications are due June 3. Find more information here.

  • This summer, several Bay Area community colleges are offering free or low-cost summer learning opportunities for high school and middle school students. Find more info here.

  • The Girl's Equity Movement is accepting applications to their 2022-2023 Refined GEMs Program cohort in the US. Girls Equity Movement aims to catalyze change by equipping young women with the networking, training, and leadership skills they need to change the world. 9th-12th grade high school girls are encouraged to apply here!

  • Reading Partners San Francisco Bay Area is recruiting 42 AmeriCorps members to serve for 11 months during the 2022-23 school year in various positions to support students, schools, and communities. The term starts August 23rd - apply now to start your work in education and hear back with a final decision within 7 business days.

  • The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration is looking to fill its field offices across the state with full-time entry-level hires. View the job posting directly here.

  • Interested in serving your city and contributing to a holistic, comprehensive, vision of public safety? Consider a career with Oakland Police Department at opdjobs.com
 
  • Are you committed to fair housing and rent regulation in Oakland? The Housing, Residential Rent and Relocation Board (aka the Rent Board) enforces the Rent Adjustment Ordinance and fosters fair housing for a diverse population of renters, hears rent adjustment appeals, and develops regulations for the Rent Adjustment Program. This is a great opportunity to learn more about rent regulation in Oakland as well as serve the community! You can learn more and fill out an online application here.

  • The City of Oakland is looking for qualified applicants to fill positions in our Planning & Building Department. Work with our experienced staff in the Strategic Planning or Zoning Divisions or our Digital Unit. Learn more and apply here.

  • Oakland residents have access to 5,000 free online courses in multiple languages to help advance your career of prepare to return to work. Learn more here.


  • Oakland Unified School District is hiring for a variety of roles! Find out more at the OUSD Jobs Portal.

  • AC Transit is hiring bus operators. Jobs start at $22.11/hour after paid training. Learn more about further opportunities here.