By Pam Stello

For over two decades, thousands of Richmond residents have supported a regional park at Point Molate and opposed the sale and destruction of Point Molate’s public land for gambling and luxury housing. And wisely — soon after the casino plan was defeated by Richmond voters, 58 - 42%, similar schemes in other locations collapsed, and financial consultants showed that the most recent luxury housing scheme would have cost Richmond millions. Fortunately, East Bay voters had approved Measure WW in 2008 by over 71% (with 75% of Richmond voters in support), which included funding for a shoreline park at Point Molate. But during this lengthy and contentious historical debate, Point Molate has never undergone an open and inclusive public planning process about the actual park itself, since the previous efforts were centered on sale of the land for upscale housing or casinos.

Andrés Soto interviews Sue Wilson about politics and more on El Show de Andrés Soto.

https://kpfa.org/program/elshowdeandressoto/ - August 12th recording

By Reimagine Richmond

On Sept 10, 2022 from 6-9 pm, loved ones will gather to honor Pedie Perez, and acknowledge eight years since losing him to police violence. The vigil will be held outside of Uncle Sam’s Liquors, 3322 Cutting Blvd, Richmond. 

By Reimagine Richmond

The city of Richmond’s Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) will receive $6 million from the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Program. This money is to be used by ONS to continue its violence prevention efforts in the community. The 2021 budgetary allocation recommended by Reimagine Public Safety Community Task Force and approved by a majority of City Council members enabled ONS to apply for the $6 million in state funds.

By Laura Mangels

On the morning of Saturday, August 8th, ten years after the Chevron fire that put thousands of Richmond residents in danger and in the ER, a few dozen of us gathered at Brickyard Cove. Kayaks, a support crew, months of preparatory training, and uncounted hours of planning, banner-making, sweating, and stressing all came together on this day to launch our official first action as a group—our very own homegrown Bay Area kayaktivism group. In coordination with a land-based march organized by Richmond Our Power Coalition, we paddled together as a sign-festooned flotilla to Keller Beach in order to highlight the harm Chevron causes to folks living on the front lines of fossil fuel, and to demand an end to the poisoning of our land, air, water, bodies, and future. Despite the grim anniversary, the mood among my fellow kayaktivists as we circled up that morning was decidedly elated. We knew what a special day this was.

Bridge Storage and Artspace are celebrating LatinX heritage month by hosting their very first LatinX art show. The exhibition runs from August 10th  to October 28th in the main gallery located at 23 Maine Ave, Richmond, CA 94804. 

Graphic by: EquityTool

The RPA leadership is investing time and effort to deepen their practices in collective governance, democratic management, and racial and economic justice. We have created a new team to do this organizational work together and would love for our members to participate in the process as we recognize that we can only grow together.

Here are upcoming RPA meetings and events. Note, most meetings are only open to RPA members, although allies and guests are often welcome. If you are interested in becoming a member, you may do so here. Dues may be waived if they are a barrier to you joining the RPA. If you have questions about joining the RPA, or are interested in attending a meeting as a non-member, please contact  [email protected]

By Sue Wilson

If you live in Richmond, you’ve probably seen something from “Richmond Represented.” They are slick social media ads on your Facebook or Instagram. They consist of glossy eight-page flyers. 

You may have seen some of them this past March and April, imploring you to fight for this map and oppose that map during the city's arcane redistricting process. 

Now there are more ads and more shiny mailers blaming the Richmond Progressive Alliance for everything from homelessness to bad driving in Richmond. The recent batch seem intent on lowering the election chances of the two candidates endorsed by the RPA — Eduardo Martinez for Mayor and Jamin Pursell for City Council in District 4.

These ads and mailers are suspicious because they have no FPPC number, which means that whoever is sending them isn't following California's campaign finance laws. They often list the Coronado Neighborhood Council as the sender. What Richmond neighborhood council has enough money to enter this political fray? Aren't neighborhood councils supposed to stay out of city elections? Who is behind all this?

We've done some digging, and we're fairly confident that Chevron is behind this mudslinging. 

By Alfredo Angulo

The July 26th City Council meeting gave us a disturbing view of the deeply harmful effects that a polarized council can have on the most vulnerable people in our community. That evening, a minority of the city council used its power to dismiss a much-needed discussion on the situation at Rydin Road. Many residents eagerly awaited their turn to address their council representatives and express their frustration for the way the situation is unfolding. For weeks prior, a group of advocates from various organizations like the Housing Consortium of the East Bay (HCEB), Collaborizing, city staff, and Vice-Mayor Martinez have worked to develop an equitable plan to connect Rydin Road residents with dignified housing. The rapidity with which some council members decided to table this agenda item with no aforementioned desire to revisit it before the August recess was extremely disappointing to both the residents of Rydin Road, and those of us that have been working to present a plan that responds to their needs in a humane and restorative way.