A
MESSAGE FROM PUEBLO’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESERVING
OUR LEGACY
In 1989,
the Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO) launched
a public health campaign to ensure that low income
residents of Alameda County
were provided with screening for lead poisoning. This project resulted
in the creation of a County program which embraced education
and risk assessment designed
to prevent lead poisoning - particularly of children 0 to 6 years
of age. This program became recognized as one worthy of replication, and
soon
became a national model used by other jurisdictions as the basis for their
own programs. This CTWO project, riding on its huge victory, spun off as
its own organization: PUEBLO (People United for a Better Oakland.)
From its
inception, this grassroots organization was multi-ethnic, multi-issue
and multi-generational. Its earliest ‘wins’ resulted in: mandatory
measles vaccination for students in the Oakland Unified School District:
increased translation services for Highland Hospital and the successful passage
of Measure
K (Kids First) ballot initiative; a successful lawsuit against Owens Brockway
which reduced lead particle emissions from its glass factory in the Fruitvale;
and a campaign for public safety and police accountability in Oakland.
In 2000,
PUEBLO emerged from the auspices and fiscal umbrella of CTWO
to become its own 501 c. 3 non-profit organization, and continued to
expand
its base,
funding and staffing through 2003. But in 2004, the organization suffered
a major setback
and the forensic accountant’s investigation into PUEBLO’s finances
discovered that a substantial amount of income could not be accounted for
by legitimate expenditures. Subsequently, the Board of Directors was forced
to
terminate all Staff in March of 2004.
As a result
of this crisis, the Board of Directors resigned, putting in
place an interim Board, consisting of Anne Weills, Walter Riley
and Grover
Dye,
who were charged to address the financial crisis, restructure the
organization
and appoint a permanent Board of Directors. During this period, the
most active
of
the PUEBLO members volunteered to take over the responsibilities
which had belonged to Staff in order to continue the work of
advocacy in
social justice:
PUEBLO’s
legacy. As a testimony to the commitment, energy and passion of the PUEBLO members’ efforts
in 2004, PUEBLO was the recipient of an award for excellence from Representative
Barbara Lee at its 15th Annual Dinner celebration in December.
In order
to ensure a smooth transition from the Interim to the Permanent
Board, two of the Interim Board members, Anne Weills and Grover Dye,
agreed to become
Permanent members, and actively recruit additional Board members
that would reflect the diversity of the Oakland community and
work actively
to ensure
that PUEBLO’s
contributions to social justice in Oakland continue unabated.
The Board
is now composed of nine members, chaired by Eric Sisneros,
and has accomplished a great deal of work needed to move PUEBLO
forward.
A
new office
was obtained near City Hall, professional accounting services now
ensure fiduciary transparency and legitimacy, and, working in concert
with
PUEBLO members, the
Board is now beginning to submit grant proposals to funders to
underwrite our campaigns and provide for our renewal. This
Board is committed
to ensuring organizational
stability, financial responsibility and regeneration, with a goal
of hiring Staff within the coming year. We have demonstrated our
dedication
to these
goals by
meeting twice a month until the transition and re-establishment
of full operations is in place.
PUEBLO’s legacy must be preserved as a major force for institutional reform
in the areas of environmental justice, public health, education and public safety,
and the Board is committed to ensuring PUEBLO’s ability to carry on
this vital advocacy work in Oakland well into the future. |
