Been Profoundly Shaped By The Generations Of Black Residents, Families,
Workers, Entrepreneurs, Artists, Faith Leaders, Activists, And Community
Organizations Who Built And Contributed To The Foundation Of Oakland;
And
WHEREAS, The City Acknowledges The Historic And Ongoing Harms
Experienced By Black Communities Resulting From Slavery, Racial
Segregation, Discriminatory Federal, State, And Local Policies, Exclusionary
Housing Practices, Redlining, Urban Renewal Displacement, Discriminatory
Lending, And Other Systemic Barriers That Limited Access To Homeownership,
Wealth Creation, Education, Employment, And Economic Opportunity; And
WHEREAS, The City Recognizes That Black Residents In Oakland Experienced
Significant Loss Of Land, Housing Stability, And Generational Wealth Through
Racially Discriminatory Housing Practices, Including Redlining, Predatory
Lending, Displacement Pressures, And Policies That Contributed To The
Decline Of Black Homeownership And The Forced Displacement Of Longtime
Oakland Families; And
WHEREAS, The City Acknowledges That The War On Drugs And Related
Criminal Justice Policies Disproportionately Impacted Black Oakland
Residents, Families, And Neighborhoods, Resulting In Increased Incarceration,
Barriers To Employment, Family Separation, Loss Of Economic Mobility, And
Long-Term Community Harm; And
WHEREAS, The City Recognizes That Despite These Barriers, Black Oakland
Residents Have Demonstrated Extraordinary Resilience And Leadership By
Advancing Civil Rights, Building Businesses, Strengthening Neighborhoods,
Creating Cultural Institutions, Advocating For Justice, And Contributing To
Oakland’s Reputation As A National Center For Equity, Activism, And Social
Change; And
WHEREAS, The City Acknowledges That Historical Inequities Have
Contributed To Persistent Disparities Affecting Black Residents, Including
Disparities In Housing Access, Contracting Opportunities, Business Ownership,
Education, Employment, Health Outcomes, And Participation In Emerging
Economic Sectors; And
WHEREAS, The City Affirms That True Refuge, Belonging, And Justice Require
The Recognition And Protection Of All Communities Impacted By Historic
Discrimination, Including Black Communities Whose Struggles For Freedom,
Equality, And Civil Rights Helped Establish Many Of The Protections And
Values Oakland Embraces Today; And
WHEREAS, The City Is Committed To Advancing Policies That Address Historic
Harms, Promote Restorative And Reparative Justice, Expand Equitable Access
To Opportunity, And Ensure That Black Residents And Future Generations Are
Included In Oakland’s Economic, Cultural, And Civic Future; And
WHEREAS, Oakland’s Commitment To Being A City Of Refuge Includes
Honoring The Contributions, Protecting The Dignity, And Affirming The
Humanity Of All Communities That Have Faced Systemic Exclusion,
Displacement, Discrimination, Or Denial Of Equal Opportunity; And
WHEREAS, The City Of Oakland Recognizes That Honoring And Celebrating
Its Black Hometown Heroes Is More Than An Act Of Historical Recognition—It
Is An Investment In The City's Future. By Publicly Acknowledging The
Achievements, Resilience, Innovation, And Leadership Of Black Oakland
