A New Chapter for Oakland: Barbara Lee's Inauguration and the Promise of Partnership

It was a beautiful day in Oakland! On June 8th, history embraced Oakland once more as the city gathered to celebrate the long-anticipated inauguration and swearing-in of Congresswoman Barbara Lee as the Mayor of Oakland. The air was charged with a sense of restoration and resurgence. Her inauguration was a ceremonial passing of the torch, a promise, a rallying call, and a deeply personal moment for a city grappling with change and fighting for equity.

Image courtesy of the Black Cultural Zone

Before the official swearing-in at Jack London Square, community members were invited to Liberation Park, where a celebratory pre-inauguration event was held. Among the vibrant crowd were families, organizers, youth, artists, and elders. BOSS (Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency) proudly stood in solidarity with the community during this gathering, as it also hosted its second Mental Health Block Party—a space dedicated to community healing and emotional wellness.

When Barbara Lee arrived at Liberation Park, her presence was electric. She moved through the crowd with warmth and grace, embracing the neighborhood that raised her and her children. Just hours later, she was sworn in by the indomitable Lateefah Simon, U.S. representative for California's 12th congressional district, another emblem of Black excellence and a staunch advocate for justice and equity. Their exchange was another passing of the flame between two women rooted in the same soil of resistance and resilience.

Image courtesy of the San Francisco Chronicle

Barbara Lee’s inaugural address was clear, candid, and courageous. She spoke passionately about Oakland’s public safety concerns, the need for effective violence intervention strategies, and expanding mental health services for residents, particularly in the neighborhoods that have long been over-policed and underserved. She acknowledged the real pain in the city while urging unity, accountability, and shared vision.

We cannot criminalize trauma. We must care for our communities with intention, with dignity, and with the resources they deserve. Barbara Lee, Mayor of Oakland

Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency staff and partners with Mayor Barbara Lee at Black Cultural Zone's Liberation Park

This is a vision BOSS lives every day. Through our trauma-informed housing programs, reentry initiatives, workforce development, and violence interruption work, we meet people where they are and walk with them toward where they deserve to be. Our Violence Interrupters program and our partnership with Credible Messengers reflect exactly the type of interventions Mayor Lee uplifted in her speech—grounded, community-driven, and focused on healing over harm.

As we look ahead, we are deeply excited about the possibilities this new administration brings. We welcome a council and mayor who understand that public safety is public health, that violence prevention must be funded and trusted, and that the dignity of Oakland’s most vulnerable should be a collective priority.

And we are hopeful—hopeful that Mayor Lee’s next visit to a BOSS event will be in August, when we host our annual Black August Block Party—a powerful celebration of resistance, remembrance, and reimagining safety. With this year’s theme, "Black Resistance, Liberation & Joy Have Always Coexisted," we would be honored to have Mayor Lee open this momentous event with the same fire, truth, and grace that marked her inauguration.

For now, we hold on to the joy of this historic weekend. We remember the music, the voices, the shared hugs in the sun at Liberation Park.

We remember the significance of watching a Black woman, who has been in the trenches for decades, lead this city with vision and heart. And we remember our responsibility—to keep building, keep healing, and keep showing up for Oakland.

BOSS is ready. And Oakland is watching.

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Since the 1970s, Black August has honored the legacy of Black resistance, political prisoners, and the ongoing fight for liberation.

The BOSS Black August Block Party is a powerful community gathering that honors the legacy of Black resistance while creating real-time access to healing, reentry support, and resources for justice-impacted individuals. This event is part of our larger Black August campaign, themed “Centering Resistance, Authenticity, and Community.”

🖤 Your donation makes this event possible—and impactful.

Funds raised will support:

• On-site wellness services including trauma-informed healing, mental health support, and harm reduction

• Community resource stations offering voter education, housing referrals, and peer advocacy

• Live performances and speakers amplifying voices of those directly impacted by incarceration and systemic oppression

• Free meals, school supplies, and essentials for families and youth

We’re raising $25,000 to help BOSS continue this legacy of liberation, healing, and visibility—from the block to the ballot to beyond.

This is where culture meets care. This is where resistance becomes resource.

Make a donation today. Help us turn up for freedom.

Stay connected with us at self-sufficiency.org and follow our work as we continue to break cycles, restore communities, and uplift the people of Oakland.

#BarbaraLeeForOakland #BlackAugust2025 #FreedomIsTheFuture #BOSSBayArea #CommunityHealing #ViolenceIntervention #MentalHealthMatters #LiberationInAction