Edition 3
Israel’s Assault on Gaza and the Search for Peace
“Elections are won on economic issues.” So it is said, and it may overwhelmingly be true. If you lost your home, the rent is too damn high, you’re stuck below a living wage, or you have to choose between eating…
Berkeley City Administration Absolves Itself of Racial Bias in Policing; Denies Practicing Arrest Quotas
Half a year after a set of scandals beset the police department in Berkeley, threatening to derail the appointment of interim chief Jen Louis as the new permanent police chief, city leaders moved recently to put the episode behind them.…
Progressive Prosecutors Face Another Recall, Now in Alameda County.
Pamela Price is the new District Attorney (DA), or chief prosecutor, of Alameda County. She was just elected in November 2022, and has been in office barely half a year. She is a reformer, one of many “progressive prosecutors” across…
EDITORIAL: Good News for a Change.
It’s nice to be able to highlight some good news in this issue of Berkeley Speaks! We’re very happy to report on the launch of the Specialized Care Unit, the SCU, on September 5. May this pilot project bring judgment-free,…
Self-Help Hunger Program: “This is not just a park, it is a movement.”
On the Berkeley-Oakland border, just a few feet from the HERE/THERE sign that makes gentle fun of the two cities’ self-images, is a “pocket park” called Jasper P. Driver Plaza. The streetside park has a powerful and iconic history as…
Senior tenants at Harriet Tubman Terrace Apartments are celebrating the biggest victory in their campaign for dignity and accessibility
Elder tenants at Harriet Tubman Terrace Apartments on Adeline are claiming the biggest victory yet in their years-long campaign for dignity and accessibility. See the press release below, explaining the importance of the City hiring a tenant advocate: “After nearly…
New Public Mural on Dwight at Sacramento: “Sinbad’s Voyage” by Mokhtar Paki
Berkeley Speaks recently interviewed Mr. Mokhtar Paki, Iranian-born Berkeley resident who creates beautiful public art with a positive message. Q. Mokhtar, you have created a beautiful and soulful piece of public art in Berkeley, a celebration of the struggles of…
The End-Game for 2023 Legislation in Sacramento: Bills that support, oppose human rights
by Tracy Rosenberg [Ed. note: these recommendations represent the opinions of the writer, and not necessarily of Berkeley Speaks.] Between now and October 15, Governor Newsom will decide the fate of numerous proposed new laws that would have big impacts…
Disability Commissioners Sue Berkeley: “Accommodate our Need for Remote Meetings”
Berkeley Speaks Editorial Comment: Three members of the Berkeley Commission on Disability have filed suit against the City for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. The issue is Berkeley’s insistence…