Profile:  Nikki Fortunato Bas for County Supervisor

Nikki Bas comes into the race for District 5 Supervisor with an extensive record as Oakland city council member and president. 

Before government service, Nikki put in decades of work as an environmental, labor, and racial justice leader. In fact, staff at Berkeley Speaks worked with Nikki almost 30 years ago in the San Francisco Hunger Strike for Immigrant Rights. We can testify to her total commitment for social justice.

This article reprints selections from Nikki’s campaign website, nikki4supervisor.com/.

Who is Nikki Bas?

Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas is a Filipina daughter of immigrants, sexual assault survivor and working mom.  These experiences inspired her to lead coalitions fighting for safe neighborhoods, a living wage, an end to food insecurity, and access to affordable healthcare and housing.

Nikki is a life-long, award-winning organizer who has spent decades successfully organizing Chinatown garment workers, building the student anti-sweatshop movement, and advocating for fair pay and working conditions for the East Bay’s most vulnerable residents. Previously the Executive Director of the Partnership for Working Families and the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy.

A 27-year Oakland Grand Lake resident, Nikki and her spouse Brad are the proud parents of daughter Balana, a college student.

Nikki’s accomplishments in Oakland

Currently serving as Oakland’s City Council President, Nikki leads the fight for an East Bay where every family is healthy, safe, and housed. 

She championed a $350 million bond measure for up to 2,400 housing units for homeless and working families; established a $14 million fund to assist low-income housing insecure tenants to purchase homes; expanded violence prevention and anti-sex trafficking programs; and launched Fire Department mobile crisis teams to address mental health and 911 calls – and will take these successful approaches to the County as your Supervisor.    

Nikki’s plans as Supervisor

Community Mobile
Crisis Response

“As your County Supervisor, I will implement proven safety programs for each of our communities –such as my groundbreaking Mobile Crisis Response Team. This program deploys crisis response from the Fire Department to address mental health and nonviolent 911 calls, allowing police to focus on violent crime calls.”

HealthCare

“County government provides safety net programs for our most vulnerable residents. The California Nurses Association endorses my candidacy and leadership to ensure that every family who needs access to quality healthcare receives it.”

Housing

“I’m honored to be solely endorsed by the Alameda County Central Labor and Alameda County Building & Construction Trades councils for my work to secure $350 Million to create 2,400 units of affordable housing. I established a $14 Million Fund to help low-income tenants purchase homes, and will bring these results-oriented approaches to the County.”

Homelessness

“I’ll expand job training and placement services; increase access to mental health counseling and substance abuse/addiction programs, and put my proven housing track record to work to create more transitional housing for families, seniors and veterans.”