Virtual Potluck 7/24 with John Jones III, an Oakland Activist
John Jones III is a native-Oakland activist who will be joining us at Genesis’ Virtual Potluck July 24th at 7PM via Zoom. As a father of three and third generation East Oakland resident, John is also a formerly incarcerated advocate seeking to transform his community.
John Jones III is currently on staff for Just Cities as the Director of Community and Political Engagement. After being un-sheltered and unemployed for eighteen months, John became involved in community organizing and advocacy to empower himself and others by utilizing his personal story of pain, trauma, faith and transformation to inspire young people, as well as fight for policy change.
Jones is quite involved in work around the Alameda Country and here are a few things he is working on currently and wanted to share with all of us:
As the Campaign Director of the Alameda County Fair Chance Housing Coalition, Jones and the team are seeking to get an ordinance passed in Alameda County and the City of Emeryville, after successfully passing in Oakland and Berkeley earlier this year. This ordinance does not allow landlords to use criminal records to prevent people and their loved ones in accessing housing. This is key as we are experiencing the dual impact of an intense regional housing crisis as well as the COVID pandemic in which thousands have been released from incarceration as a result. Our ordinance is the strongest in the state of California which applies to public and private housing units with a few exceptions.
Jones is heavily involved in police accountability issues and policies in Oakland, including serving as both Vice Chair and later Chair as an inaugural member of the Selection Panel for the Oakland Police Commission.
Lastly, I wanted to leave this blog off with a words from John Jones himself; "In the aftermath of the George Floyd murder by police in Minneapolis, the conversation has emerged around what does it mean for white people to be an ally in this moment. I am proud to have been among the first to raise my concerns and advice in which the local media has picked up on. In this crucial time it is important that this does not remain just a moment, but a collection of moments that builds a sustainable Movement to eradicate these systemic injustices."
As Jones said, please make sure you consider how you are showing up in spaces and continue the discussion on social justice because this is a movement not a moment! And do not forget to join us at our Virtual Potluck July 24th at 7PM via Zoom.
To learn more or to RSVP, visit our Facebook event page or Eventbrite directly.
