BCA News, February 2015
BlackLivesMatter Forum
Take Action to End Racial Profiling and Injustice in Berkeley Saturday, February 21,
1:30-4:30 pm
South Berkeley Senior Center
2939 Ellis St. (@ Ashby, west of MLK)
Come to a solution-oriented forum presented by Berkeley Citizens Action with Berkeley NAACP and the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission.
The 2011 report from the African American/Black Business, Professional and Community Network (ABPCN) and the report from the 2013 Berkeley NAACP Town Hall Meeting addressed inequities and disparities for African Americans, low-income populations and other marginalized groups in Berkeley. They outlined numerous recommendations for housing, education, employment, criminal justice and health/mental health. Also, CopWatch, the Peace and Justice Commission and Police Review Commission all have solution-based reports and/or council items that address some of the same problems. Councilmember Jesse Arreguin has several measures ready to present to council and other council members are preparing items.
The purpose of our #BlackLivesMatter Forum is to identify recommendations for action, first with panelists, and then in breakout groups; to develop an Action Plan which BCA and allied groups will advocate for with politicians and political candidates in the coming year.
Join us on February 21, the 50th anniversary of the assassination of El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, widely known by his previous chosen name Malcolm X.
Berkeley NAACP Recommendations
The following is an excerpt from the NAACP 2013 Report on The Status of African Americans, Low income Families and Marginalized Communities in the City of Berkeley: http://tinyurl.com/kcsk37s
“For the most part, people are unaware that numerous African Americans employed by the City of Berkeley have lodged discrimination complaints; the privatization of public housing has displaced African Americans and low-income families; Berkeley Unified School District has one of the largest achievement gaps between Black and Brown students and White students in the state; Berkeley’s African American/Black population has declined from over 30% of the city’s population to less than 8%; African Americans
have the poorest health outcomes in Berkeley; most mental health services are not provided in a culturally responsive manner; and racial profiling of African American young men is an escalating problem.”
Employment
• Create City Council Oversight Body to monitor
unfair hiring, promotional practices, favoritism,
cronyism and unfair treatment of city employees
• Monitor increased “Contracting Out” of city jobs
• Institute annual “Mandatory Cultural Competency”
training for all City staff
• Provide for oversight and accountability of the city
Human Resource Department by city council
• Require “Equal Work for Equal Pay” (Salaries based
on actual job duties not City classifications)
• Provide long-time hourly employees with full-time benefited positions; especially in the Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Department
• Put in place an Oversight Committee for the City of Berkeley Labor negotiation process
• Employ the 360 Performance Evaluation process for all city staff, including Department Directors, Deputy Directors, Managers and Supervisors
• Institute annual evaluation for the City Manager by council
• Employ an external comprehensive city audit to review city staff personnel matters every 3 years
Housing
• Demolition Ordinance will include the replacement of all affordable housing that is demolished
• Obtain more oversight and accountability for Berkeley Housing Authority
• Pass new regulations and/or incentivize developers to offer more housing at below-market rates
• Increase development of affordable housing
• Implement the 1990 South Berkeley Area Plan
Criminal Justice
• Abolish the BPD’s Drug Task Force
• Ban unmarked police cars from making traffic stops
…… (see BCA Feb. 2015 Newsletter)
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