Despite the top-two primary and all the other moves to suppress us, the Alameda and San Francisco Green Parties have developed clout in local elections because so many people rely on our voter guides. That includes people who never think of voting Green because they wouldn’t want to “waste” their vote on a quixotic candidate tilting at windmills, and even people who resent our participation in presidential elections. Many of them nevertheless rely on our analysis of candidates, albeit often corporate, and on our yes-and-no recommendations on ballot measures — and several of our endorsed candidates did win impressive victories last month.
In federal elections, our presidential slates serve the important mission of articulating a social vision beyond war and austerity, even in the face of condemnation from the Democratic Party faithful.
But will we ever get beyond that to electing Green candidates to office outside the occasional city councilor, school board member, or board of supervisors, in a non-partisan race? At this point, neither the Alameda nor San Francisco Greens can claim any officials even at those levels.
In the June primary, Greens and Peace and Freedom Party members formed a “Left Unity Slate” of 4 statewide candidates from each party and pledged to support each other’s candidates. No one of course won, but 3 candidates each from both of the two parties polled enough votes to secure our respective ballot lines until 2026. What lessons were learned from this historic undertaking?
And moving forward, what should be our strategy in the November elections, and beyond? Join us for Green Sunday, July 10, with Cheryl Davila, Meghann Adams, and Laura Wells, to consider these questions.
Cheryl Davila was elected to the Berkeley City Council in 2016, beating a twelve year incumbent. She was a bastion of progressive agendas, worked tirelessly to find solutions to homelessness, convening a Regional Task Force, and helped to end the Berkeley Police Department’s participation in the Urban Shield wargames training program. Councilmember Davila took a strong stance for equity and built community through unity and respect. Prior to Council, she gained national attention while serving on the City of Berkeley’s Human Welfare and Community Action Commission when she called for the protection of Palestinian human rights. She’s the Founder and Steering Committee Chair of the Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force, which addresses inequities and causes of the climate emergency. She is a mother and has a Business Economics degree from Mills College, where she received an academic award, Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honor society in economics.
Meghann Adams has been a tireless organizer of anti-war and anti-racist actions in the San Francisco area for fifteen years. She has been a school bus driver for 7 years, active in SMART 1741, the union representing school bus drivers in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties. She was elected president of the union last year. Active in many community organizations over the years, she has served as treasurer of campaigns, and this year ran for California Treasurer to represent working people. Her campaign slogan, “End Poverty in California,” hearkens back to the Upton Sinclair campaign of 1934. Sadly, the slogan is as appropriate today as it was 88 years ago, with more Californians lacking housing today than at the height of the Great Depression. A socialist, Meghann Adams considers capitalism the reason why poverty is still so common today.
Laura Wells is a political activist in California and in solidarity with Latin America. She lives in Oakland. She has been a Green Party organizer and candidate, and ran again for Controller in June 2022 as a member of the Left Unity Slate. She also ran for Congress in 2018, and for Governor after the global financial meltdown in 2010. A former financial systems analyst, Laura focuses her platform on public banking, taxing the rich, and saving money and lives by shifting California’s financial priorities away from destructive uses like the prison and war industries, and toward meaningful work including an improved Medicare for All healthcare system, tuition-free high-quality schools and universities, and restoration of our environment.
July 10th, 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm Via Zoom: please see access info below
Green Sundays are a series of free public programs & discussions on topics “du jour” sponsored by the Green Party of Alameda County and held on the 2nd Sunday of each month. The monthly business meeting of the County Council of the Green Party follows at 7:00 pm, after a 30-minute break. Council meetings are open to anyone who is interested.
Topic: Green Party of Alameda County
Description: Green Sunday presentation at 5 PM
(Followed by County Council business meeting at 7:00. All are welcome to attend)
Time: July 10, 2022, 5:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89559844652
Meeting ID: 895 5984 4652
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,89559844652# US (San Jose)
+12532158782,,89559844652# US (Tacoma)
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
Meeting ID: 895 5984 4652
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbmHLDhwS9
PLANET PEOPLE PEACE before profit!
The Green Party of Alameda County 
You must be logged in to post a comment.