|
Dear Friend,
January marked the completion of my first year in office as your County Supervisor. I am so honored to serve and to advance our vision of community, equity, and opportunity for all. In spite of relentless federal attempts to undermine our wellbeing, together, we are leading efforts to defend and protect our communities and our safety net services. We have accomplished so much together to support immigrants & refugees, homelessness solutions, early childhood education, food security, and more.
 Please read our First Year Impact Report for highlights of our team’s work in collaboration with all of you. And thank you to everyone who came together at our recent party to celebrate our wins, continue building community, and re-commit to our collective work to lift up our communities.
 This February, please join us to celebrate both Black History Month and Lunar New Year (see events below). Year after year, I appreciate how we are building cross-racial unity and solidarity, especially during these times when communities of color and other vulnerable communities are under attack.
Standing up for Immigrants and All Communities
Trump’s mass deportation campaign is causing fear and trauma, separating families, and harming communities. The lawless violence and deaths we are witnessing are an assault on our American and Alameda County values, our Constitution, and human dignity.
Yet, today, I am proud to share that Alameda County is standing firmly on the right side of justice and democracy. On January 27, our Board unanimously approved a policy for ICE Free Zones and an Immigration Enforcement Response Plan (read more below). These policies make it clear that every resident has the right to access the County’s safety net services without fear. We will not tolerate ICE ignoring our Constitution, laws, and basic human dignity. We will stand in solidarity with our immigrant, refugee, and all residents in respecting our shared humanity and keeping our families together. We will keep each other safe. Thank you to our community and county leaders for working together with me and our office to develop and pass these policies. Read the legislation and learn more from our press release, SFGate, East Bay Times, KQED, and ABC7.
 On January 29, our community came together as Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee signed two executive orders directing City departments to protect Oakland residents and resources in response to the Trump administration's threats to surge immigration enforcement operations in the city. Oakland and Alameda County are ready to work together to defend our communities from the lawless violence we are witnessing in Minnesota and across the country. Read the Oakland executive orders, see the livestream of the press conference and signing, and learn more from Oaklandside and ABC7.
 These efforts are part of a regional response to aggressive federal immigration enforcement in the Bay Area that also includes strong leadership in Berkeley, Santa Clara County, the City and County of San Francisco, among others. As elected officials, we have a responsibility to respond with courage, compassion, and coordination. The County's legislation and Mayor Lee’s executive orders are about making sure Alameda County and Oakland are doing all we can to protect our residents, uphold fundamental constitutional rights and laws, and ensure our systems do not contribute to harm. A huge thank you to the volunteer community patrols, community organizations, attorneys, and everyone who is standing up with an unwavering commitment to organizing and keeping each other safe. We will continue our fight to truly be a Welcoming County where we all belong.
In Community & Solidarity,
Nikki Fortunato Bas 勵琪 (she/her)
Supervisor
Alameda County, District 5
P.S. – Know your rights and resources! Check out ACILEP (Alameda County Immigration Legal Education Partnership), and save the hotline number (510) 241-4011.
In this newsletter:
- Approved! ICE-Free Zones Policy & County Readiness Plan to Protect Our Communities
- Measure C in Action for our Children and Families
- Keeping Up the Momentum for Homelessness Solutions – Updates
- Food Sovereignty – Roundtable Update
- Healthcare for All – Updates
- Protecting our Children – Child Welfare Update
- Thank you to our Boards & Commissions
- African American Holistic Resource Center Breaks Ground in South Berkeley
- South Berkeley Residents Celebrate One Year of Cooperative Homeownership
- County Wildfire Plan
- Around the District
- Events & Announcements
- County Resources
Every morning we wake up to reports of new or escalating attacks from the federal administration, including immigration enforcement brutalizing entire cities and neighborhoods, and disappearing, kidnapping, and killing our loved ones. Yet, our response is clear. Our solidarity grows stronger, we are turning fear into collective protection, and resistance into community power.
Alameda County is meeting this moment with clarity, courage, and decisive leadership. On January 27, our Board of Supervisors unanimously approved two critical initiatives to strengthen protections and preparedness for our communities in the face of current and potential surges in federal immigration enforcement. Authored by my Office, and vetted at two ACT for All committee meetings before full Board consideration, these policies move Alameda County firmly into action. Here is what we approved:
-
Countywide Immigration Enforcement Response PlanThe Board directed the County Administrator to develop a comprehensive, coordinated response plan across County departments, community partners, and local agencies. This plan will establish rapid-response protocols to protect individual rights, ensure uninterrupted access to County services, promote public safety during immigration enforcement activity, and provide staff training, public communication guidance, and safeguards for access to courts, hospitals, schools, and other essential facilities.
-
County Policy Establishing “ICE-Free Zones”The Board adopted a policy prohibiting the use of County-owned and County-controlled properties for civil immigration enforcement activities. This includes restrictions on the use of parking lots, garages, vacant lots, and non-public areas of County buildings for ICE staging, processing, or operations. The policy will be implemented through standardized signage, clear internal procedures, and physical and logistical protections to ensure consistent enforcement across County facilities.
Alameda County is standing firmly on the right side of justice and democracy. We reaffirmed that every resident has the right to access safety net services without fear. When families are afraid to go to the doctor, attend court, or seek help, entire communities suffer. ICE-Free Zones and coordinated response planning help build trust, keep families together, and make Alameda County safer for all of us.
 Thank you to the hundreds of community leaders, legal advocates, and worker organizations who spoke out in support of these policies as essential tools for a truly Welcoming County. Appreciations to our County agencies and elected officials, and to the community partners who protect and empower our immigrant and refugee community everyday. Together, we will continue to stand in solidarity and ensure Alameda County remains a place of safety, justice, and shared humanity. Please join our March 5th, ACT for All Committee meeting for a status update on the implementation of these policies from the County Administrator’s Office.
Know your rights and resources! Check out ACILEP (Alameda County Immigration Legal Education Partnership), and save the hotline number (510) 241-4011.
When our Alameda County community passed Measure C, we made a powerful statement: Alameda County’s children and families matter. This voter approved initiative, raising $150 million annually for early childcare and education, represents one of the most significant local investments in early childhood in our region’s history. Last June, our Board unanimously approved First 5 Alameda County’s five-year plan to distribute Measure C funds to expand access to early child care and education. This historic commitment is already making a real impact across our neighborhoods.
 First 5 Alameda County is stewarding this work on behalf of the community, ensuring Measure C funds move quickly, equitably, and transparently to the families and providers who need them most. This is what it looks like when public dollars follow community vision and strong accountability.
Check out First 5’s Annual Report: From June through December, nearly 1,000 child care providers, over 80 percent of eligible sites, have applied for First 5 ECE Emergency Grants, with more than $40 million released countywide across every Board of Supervisors district. Looking ahead to 2026, Measure C will continue to deliver meaningful investments, including $15 million in facilities grants, $5 million for Family Resource Centers and Shelters, a new $10 million annual Emergency Revolving Fund to stabilize child care providers, and new subsidized childcare vouchers expected before June 2026.
A special shout out to Parent Voices Oakland, who played a critical role in organizing, mobilizing families, and building the momentum to win Measure C, together with SEIU 1021 and many other partners. And, heartfelt congratulations to the entire First 5 Alameda County team and Executive Director Kristin Spanos for their leadership, partnership, and commitment to turning this historic investment into real change for families.
This is a big deal, and it is happening because of community power. I invite you to explore the Measure C microsite and video, and join me in celebrating the parents, advocates, partners, and public servants who made this possible.
Point-in-Time Count
 On January 22, my staff and I joined the Alameda County Point in Time homelessness count. Thank you to all the volunteers who joined us to connect with our unhoused neighbors. The strength of Alameda County has always been our community’s willingness to show up for one another, and seeing over 1,300 volunteers rise before dawn to participate in this year’s Point in Time Count was truly inspiring. This massive, coordinated effort provides us with more than just numbers; it gives us the essential data needed to advocate for resources and to enhance our local housing and health strategies. I am deeply grateful to every resident who lent their time and heart to this effort, and to our unhoused neighbors who talked with us and shared their experiences.
Thank you to Alameda County Health, the City of Oakland, the City of Berkeley, and other cities for organizing this amazing effort, to St. Mary’s Center for hosting our West Oakland dispatch center, and to CROP for joining us and providing critical re-entry services.
Homelessness Systems Update
At our Board’s February 3 work session, we received a Homelessness Systems Update. Data from FY 24-25 shows that this is the first time (since data has been collected) that the number of people exiting homelessness is greater than the number entering or re-entering homelessness. This is an important milestone, and we’re very encouraged by this progress. We anticipate that an increased investment through Measure W will keep our County moving in this positive direction.
The update also included information on the implementation of the County’s Home Together Plan. To date, Measure W has funded:
- Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool of $60 million over 5 years to help house those experiencing homelessness.
- Interim Housing Expansion of 298 shelter beds with $33 million over two years and 150 beds serving Oakland and North County (Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany).
Staff recommendations for the Measure W capital fund have been announced, pending Board approval. Ten projects are recommended for $71.6 million in funding, and they represent 950 units of affordable housing and, of that total, 310 are units for the unhoused. Oakland has been recommended for $42.1 million and North County (Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany) are slated for $15.0 million. All of these projects are ready to compete for state tax credits and ready to break ground within the next year.
There are several avenues engaging people with lived experience of homelessness. For example, the workgroup to update shelter standards will begin meeting in February.
For more information, see the Home Together Plan, the staff presentation, and sign up for email updates here.
I am so proud of our collective effort that won the historic $1.4 billion investment in homelessness solutions. Thanks again to everyone who has been engaging in this advocacy with us.
Food Sovereignty – Roundtable Update
 Our office has been convening a Food Sovereignty Roundtable to build food access and interdependence across our county. We recently held our first in-person meeting and thank Davis Street Community Center for hosting us. There were at least 30 agencies represented across 50 attendees from nonprofit partners and from Board and County staff. This group strives to clarify how we want to do things differently to expand food sovereignty, with sharing of existing assets to strategically build and pursue partnerships and resources. Geographical breakouts helped illuminate recurring themes and priorities such as: leveraging cultural capital and mutual aid; building awareness of food justice as intersectional with immigrant rights and housing access; establishing a clear, early and accurate emergency plan in case of a major unexpected surge in food need; and expanding existing successful community-trusted models at low or no cost. Partners look forward to continuing to get to know each other, building trust and transparency, and cultivating action-oriented collaborations to strengthen our region’s food system and make sure every neighbor consistently accesses nutritious, culturally relevant food.
Healthcare for All
Medi-Cal Update
Our office continues to prioritize the effort to ensure healthcare for all, including making sure that members stay enrolled in Medi-Cal. For everyone who drops off Medi-Cal health insurance, it is a community member without insurance and a health care provider with a cut in funding. For those with Unsatisfactory Immigration Status, it is imperative that they stay enrolled. If they drop off of coverage, they will be permanently locked out of Medi-Cal. There are two critical points where people might lose coverage — through the re-determination process (to get re-enrolled) and work requirements which will begin January 2027. The partners of the Medi-Cal Working Group that I launched are working on these issues with our County agencies and community providers.
Alameda Health System Update
Alameda Health System (AHS) is a critical part of our healthcare system as the East Bay’s public hospital system. Labor and community stakeholders are working with the AHS Executive Team and AHS Board of Trustees to find the best path forward after the Trustees voted last November to lay off more than 300 staff and cut $17 million from their budget. These cuts are the result of the Trump Administration’s disinvestment in our public hospital system. As a member of the Board of Supervisors, I will do everything I can to support our public hospital system. We have a legal obligation and a moral duty to ensure that we have a public hospital system that is ready to serve all those who need care, regardless of ability to pay. This will be even more important with the loss of Medi-Cal that is expected due to H.R. 1. Stayed tuned for a Board hearing on AHS, anticipated for the end of February.
Protecting our Children – Child Welfare Update
Alameda County must protect our children, support families, and maintain public trust. A recent state audit of the County's Department of Children and Family Services revealed systemic problems. We are taking responsibility and implementing the recommendations in the audit, as well as addressing concerns from the broader community. As a member of the Social Services Committee, I am very engaged and fully committed to ensuring improvement and quality services so that all cases of abuse and neglect are investigated in a timely fashion and that we have adequate staff - and reasonable caseloads - to do this important work.
This audit was made by a request from State Senator Dr. Aisha Wahab who has convened a task force to monitor and support progress toward the recommendations of the audit.
The full Board is focused on meeting the audit recommendations and making improvements as quickly as possible. At the Board’s November meeting, I requested specific metrics to track progress and a public dashboard. At our January Committee and Board meetings, we heard a report from the Social Services Agency on progress meeting the 15 recommendations of the state audit, and we reviewed the public dashboard. Significant progress is being made and more information is being provided on the public dashboard to ensure transparency. Regular meetings of the Social Services Committee and full Board will help ensure we move forward.
Thank you to our Boards & Commissions
 We ended last year with a celebration alongside our District 5 Board and Commission appointees. It was very informative to hear what our boards and commissions are working on, and we truly appreciate the time, commitment, and expertise that each appointee brings to our County. Learn more about our Boards and Commissions and how to apply here.
African American Holistic Resource Center Breaks Ground in South Berkeley
 After 15 years of community advocacy, the African American Holistic Resource Center finally broke ground last month. My staff and I were excited to join the ground breaking ceremony with community leaders and Berkeley officials. The Center will be a place of healing, restoration, and investment. It will include resources, shelter during emergencies, pantry, garden, and event space. Projected to open in 2027, it will be open to all and committed to serving the community of predominantly African American members affected by redlined neighborhoods of South and West Berkeley. Learn more in the Berkeleyside.
South Berkeley Residents Celebrate One Year of Cooperative Homeownership
 Congratulations to South Berkeley residents at 2627 California Street! They recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of getting their homes under community control, in partnership with the Bay Area Community Land Trust (BACLT), and are well on their way toward cooperative homeownership. Our office is proud to support the policies, residents, and community land trusts that make this kind of community preservation possible! If you're a renter in search of stability and ownership like Tamir and his neighbors in this video, connect with BACLT today: bayareaclt.org/stay.
County Wildfire Plan
In December, the Alameda County Fire Chiefs Association, the Hills Emergency Forum, the Diablo Fire Safe Council, and Stakeholder Committee Members prepared a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) 2025 Countywide Update. The Update covers fire hazard and risk in the wildland-urban interface and lays out a recommended action plan: to reduce hazard through increased information and education about wildfires, hazardous fuels reduction, actions to reduce structure ignitability and other recommendations to assist emergency preparedness and fire suppression efforts. Please take a look at the recommendations around: information, education and collaborative region-wide planning; enhanced suppression capability and emergency preparedness; fuel reduction treatments around homes and on public lands; and improving survivability of structures. This is a helpful resource for community safety and preparedness efforts happening block by block across our District and beyond - which the recommendations support expanding. The County Emergency Operations Plan is also linked within this Update. As always, please reach out to my Office with any questions or suggestions.
1/19 15th Annual Berkeley Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
 My staff and I were grateful to participate in the Berkeley Rotary’s 15th Annual Berkeley Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast along with almost 400 guests. We heard from faith, educational, youth, and other community leaders and partners. We also experienced an amazing performance by Young Gifted and Black youth (watch at 1:25). It was a powerful morning of connecting and reflecting together on how our local efforts make a difference to our entire national and global community.
1/19 28th Annual Piedmont Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
 I was honored to speak at the Piedmont Anti-Racism & Diversity Committee and City of Piedmont’s 28th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration themed “Chaos or Community: Choosing our Future.” I shared about work we are doing at the County to leverage and deepen our people power - on housing access, food justice, immigrants’ rights and much more. I shared Dr. King’s quote, “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. And, justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” We also enjoyed inspirational youth performances and calls to action for hella solidarity. Destiny Arts Center performers spoke to our community’s continued fight for our collective well-being - through love, care, respect, responsibility, honor and peace.
1/19 City-Wide Ecumenical Service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., hosted by Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church
 1/14 New Light Wellness Open House
 1/20 Visit with Center Empowering Refugees & Immigrants
 1/29 UNAC/UHCP Kaiser Hospital Workers Strike
Lunar New Year x Black History Month: Celebrating Asian & African-American Solidarity (Feb 7)
 🏮🐲🪘🥁 OACC's biggest event returns for its 4th year this February ✨ Join us for a joyous convergence of Asian + African American solidarity on Sat, Feb 7 at our Lunar New Year x Black History Month Celebration!
The celebration will feature lion dancers, drummers, performers, arts & crafts, a Kids + Teens Zone curated by Storyland Collective, a marketplace of local artisans, and free admission for all ages!
🎟️ Register at oacc.cc/event/LNY-BHM-2026
Solano Avenue Association Lunar New Year (Feb 7)
 Lunar New Year at Fairyland (Feb 7 & 8)
 Gong Xi Fa Cai! Gong Hey Fat Choy!
Giddy-up! It’s time for a full gallop into the Year of the Fire Horse, also known as the Red Horse Year. Revered for its strength, perseverance, and limitless freedom, the Fire Horse is an emblem of innovation, progress, prosperity, and transformation.
Fairyland’s Lunar New Year celebrations kick off the year of the Horse with lively festivities full of color, creativity, and community. From lion dances to lucky crafts, delicious eats to powerful beats, a stable of good fortune and fun await.
Find event details here.
Black Cowboy Academy @ Fairyland (Feb 14)
 Celebrate the history, culture, and living legacy of Black cowboys with an interactive day of lasso lessons, pony grooming with REAL LIVE ponies, and meet and greets with actual cowboys!
Fairyland joins hands and hearts with the Oakland Black Cowboy Association, Metropolitan Horsemen’s Association, and Saddle Up this Valentines Day for an immersive event of learning and love for the untold stories of the heroes who shaped the American West.
Dress the part and saddle up for a special celebration as we tip our hats to the rich history of Black Cowboys in America and their lasting presence right here in Oakland with Fairyland’s “Black Cowboy Academy”.
Saturday, February 1410 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Park open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)Included with General Admission
Black Liberation Walking Tour (Feb 14)
 From Stigma to Strength - AC Health (Feb 20)
 Celebrate Black History Month with a day of culture, storytelling, and community connection. 🖤
Join us for a gathering rooted in healing, joy, and collective care.
✨ Panel discussions
🎶 Live entertainment
🗣 Community voices & lived experiences
📚 Resources from community partners
🍽 Food & refreshments
🗓 Feb. 20 | 📍 San Leandro
Register here!
9th Annual Black Joy Parade (Feb 22)
 The largest event of its kind in downtown Oakland. Come for the parade, performances, vendors, activations, and more! On Sunday, February 22nd, 2026 join thousands of people to celebrate Black joy, fuel Black business, community, art, music, and more.
What’s to expect:
- 200+ Black-owned vendors, including food, drinks, clothing, handmade items, and more.
- 2 stages of Black performances going all day, including a soon-to-be-announced headliner and The Black Joy Choir
- Activities for the whole family at Lil Joy for kids, Games n’ Grooves, and a dance competition
- The Black Joy Parade official merch
- And of course the largest Black Joy Parade procession in the world!
Time:
- The parade begins at 12:30pm PST.
- Following the parade, the festival opens at 12:30 pm and ends at 7pm.
Admissions are free for all so bring your friends and family!
City of Berkeley Black History Month Celebration (Feb 24)
Venue: North Berkeley Senior Center
Address: 1901 Hearst Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 11:00am - 2:00pm
Join the City of Berkeley’s Health, Housing, and Community Services Department, Mental Health Division, for a vibrant celebration of Black History Month honoring “A Century of Black History Commemorations.”
This free, community-centered event will feature live music, food, wellness resources, inspiring speakers, and interactive activities celebrating Black history, culture, resilience, and community leadership.
All community members are welcome.
With Guest Keynote Speaker:Mack “Shooty” Babitt — Former Oakland A’s Player and Sports Analyst
Piedmont Lunar New Year Party (Feb 27)
 Oakland Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade (Feb 28)
 Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain @ OMCA (Until Mar 1)
Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain navigates the braided histories of displacement, resistance, and resilience within Black American communities in Oakland and the East Bay. Through new commissions in art, architecture, and archival research, the exhibition traces how these communities have creatively resisted dispossession and reimagined spaces of home and belonging.
Drawing inspiration from the legacies of West Oakland and Russell City, Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain pulls from both OMCA’s permanent collection and loans from local repositories to trace the rise of these communities and their subsequent displacement. In response to this history, the exhibition presents three unique perspectives from an artist, Adrian Burrell; an architect, June Grant with blinkLAB architecture; and an archive, the Archive of Urban Futures and Moms 4 Housing. These installations reflect the ongoing struggle and success in reclaiming and reshaping self-determined spaces in the face of systemic violence, erasure, and urban renewal.
Developed in collaboration with East Bay residents affected by displacement, Black Spaces: Reclaim & Remain invites reflection on the intersection of activism, memory, and the materiality of home. It is a meditation on how Black American communities, in spite of ongoing systemic oppression, conjure wells of creativity and resistance that carve out places to hold their histories and futures.
Learn more here.
City of Emeryville Visual Arts Grants (Due Feb 27)
🎨 Visual Arts Grants Open January 1, 2026 🎨
📅 Due February 27, 2026 📅
💰 Apply for up to $17,500 for creative works to be installed in Emeryville 💰
🔗 To learn more and to apply, please visit
https://www.emeryville.org/Recreation/Public-Art/Art-Programs/Visual-Arts-Grant
📣 Not in the RCCD database? Sign up to receive future announcements and gain a professional online platform featuring up to four images and links to your social media accounts.
✅ Apply here
https://db.rottencityculturaldistrict.com/
City of Berkeley Arts Grants (Due Mar 5, 11)
Artists and festival organizers can apply for one-time grants to support their work and strengthen the arts culture of Berkeley.
These grants fund individual artists to create new work and festival organizers to put on events.
Applicants for each category can attend separately designed webinars, starting January 7, to learn about guidelines, eligibility, and how to apply.
-
Individual artists in Berkeley can get $5,000 for original work and a public presentation. This year’s grants are for dance, folk and traditional arts, literary arts, music, and theater.
-
Festival organizers can apply for up to $7,000 to put on events in Berkeley. Events can be new and small in scale or an established festival.
Organized by the City of Berkeley’s Civic Arts Program, these grants support a culturally vibrant and diverse arts ecosystem in our community. View grant guidelines on the application portal and apply by the March deadlines.
Free Tax Preparation from Alameda County SSA IRS VITA Program
 Alameda County Social Services Agency offers free IRS-certified tax preparation services to low- and moderate-income tax payers.
Dates: January 29, 2026 to April 15, 2026
Please Note: Subject to change. Please make an appointment in advance.
Tuesdays/Thursdays: 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Job Announcement: Child Welfare Worker II
 The Alameda County Social Services Agency is seeking dedicated, compassionate, and skilled professionals to join our Children & Family Services Department as Child Welfare Worker II. This role is essential to our mission of protecting children, strengthening families, and supporting safe, stable, and nurturing environments for every child in our community.
Child Welfare Worker IIs in Alameda County provide intensive assessment, case management and/or casework services toward providing the most stable home environment for children who have been or are in danger of being abused, neglected or abandoned. They perform social casework of an advanced nature for children and families while dealing with complex problems under the time limitation and responsibility imposed by court action; and perform related duties as required.
Child Welfare Worker II positions are located in the Social Services Agency, in the Department of Children and Family Services.
Apply here - https://www.jobapscloud.com/Alameda/
Find Alameda County resources here: ACGOV - Services | Alameda County.
Find Information on Board of Supervisors meetings here: bos.acgov.org/broadcast/.
|
