Extra

Hundreds of Berkeley residents and other locals came to Berkeley’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Civic Center Park just before sunrise on Friday, November 18, 2016 at the request of Mayor Elect Jesse Arreguin.

“What an incredible crowd and what an incredible moment for our city” Arreguin said, as the sun began to glow through the seventy-five year old poplar trees behind him. “While many of us may still be coming out of the darkness, we are here, and our love of Berkeley shines bright.”

Behind the crowd, the spire of old Berkeley City Hall was touched with the gold light while the park itself was still in shadow.

“This is a time of renewal in Berkeley, and I know it may seem crazy but I feel energized. I really do. It takes a lot more than one crummy election to defeat us, right?”, he said to applause. “I have doubled down on my resolve, and I know you will too.”

The literal centerpiece of the gathering, which was quickly organized and promoted through social media by local arts impressario Lisa Bullwinkel, was a human peace symbol that participants formed on and around the central lawn of the historic park.  

Sophie Hahn, newly elected to the City Council, emceed the event. “What an amazing, beautiful, eclectic, vibrant community we have” she enthused. Vice-Mayor Linda Maio spoke, and City Auditor Ann Marie Hogan, Councilmember Lori Droste and Councilmember-elect Cheryl Davila joined the other civic dignitaries on the steps leading down from the centerpiece fountain to the lawn where the crowd had assembled. Davila, in particular, got a big cheer when announced. 

“It is just fabulous to be together in this”, Maio said. “Recover is something we absolutely must do. We haven’t been speaking with each other like we must do now. We cannot go down the Trump pathway.” 

Another brief speaker was Rabbi-Maggid Jhos Singer from Chochmat HaLev synagogue in South Berkeley. “Polar opposites actually have the capacity of bringing forth the peace. Find someone you totally disagree with, and sit down, be loving, be giant ears. This is the time, this is an exciting time, ‘easy’ is not exciting”, he concluded. 

Notable local songwriter and singer Gary Lapow led the crowd in his own version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, with lyrics appropriate for the occasion. The civic leaders linked arms and sang in a arc behind him. 

Besides those who spoke, several other newly elected or re-elected civic leaders were in the crowd, along with at least two School Board members, Ty Alper and Beatriz Leyva-Cutler. The crowd ranged from toddlers to elders, many of them wearing some touch of tie-dye as a Berkeley expression.  

Following yellow lines chalked across the lawn, those attending, many of them bundled up against the clear but chill morning, formed a peace symbol and waved or gave peace signs as a small drone—a “peace drone”, Hahn dubbed it—operated by local filmmaker Kevin Kunze hovered above and filmed and photographed the crowd. The circle nearly extended to the limits of the expansive lawn. 

The gathering reminded me of the place in Berkeley history of the civic center park. In 1941 the park was constructed, funded by a bond issue passed by Berkeley voters in 1940. The park had been a community dream for decades and its completion finally provided a suitable centerpiece for Berkeley’s main civic structures from City Hall to the Post Office.  

But when the park was dedicated, World War II was raging abroad and the United States was about to be drawn in. Berkeleyans had just emerged from the Great Depression and were facing an uncertain and violent future.  

Today, once again, Berkeleyans came to their physical civic heart to unite in the face of uncertainty. The importance of having such spaces to gather cannot be overstated. 

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(The full text of Arreguin’s remarks is below): 

BERKELEY MAYOR-ELECT JESSE ARREGUIN’S REMARKS 

Good Morning Berkeley! Good Morning Neighbors! Good Morning Friends!  

What an incredible crowd and what an incredible moment for our city. While many of us may still be coming out of the darkness, we are here, and our love for Berkeley shines bright.  

I am so excited to be here with you and I feel great about our future. Really. I do. We live in the greatest little city in America, we are here, together, and the sun is rising as we speak. It doesn’t get much better than that.  

And like the sun, this is our time to rise up and shine brightly for each other, for our children, and for all the world to see: we are strong, we are resolute, and we are United.  

And you all know this, right? The People, United, will never be defeated! The People, United, Will never be defeated!  

That’s right. You got it. The people, united, will never be defeated.  

Like the sun we must be bold and bright. Our shared values of equity, inclusiveness, compassion, innovation and progressive action light the way, and we will express them in everything we do, now more than ever.  

Sure, we have a new president, but look around folks. Nothing has changed here. We still are who WE are. We have not changed who we are as a community - or what we stand for. And we are here today to reaffirm our shared values and recommit ourselves to a positive future for our city, and for the United States.  

Coming together, as we are doing today, we can do great things. Let us remember, what we cannot accomplish nationally we can – and we will - do here. Our city is a trailblazer. We will continue to lead with bold initiatives that model the world we want to live in. And we celebrate or greatest strength as a community: we are home to people of all backgrounds, faiths and life experiences. We thrive on diversity. And we will continue to be a sanctuary for all people. We strive for a better future for all – we will continue to fight for equity, inclusion and justice.  

Berkeley is a little city with a big voice, and we will continue to use it. We are a city of progressive ideals and values that resonate across different cultures. We celebrate diversity and individuality. There is a place for everyone here. 

From the free speech movement in the 1960s to the Black Lives Matter movement today, Berkeley has been at the epicenter of social reform. And under my Mayorship, this legacy will continue. No one is going to keep us from that path.  

On the contrary, this is our time to rededicate ourselves to peace, justice, equity, inclusiveness and kindness. 

This is a time of renewal in Berkeley, and I know it may seem crazy, but I. Feel. Energized. I really do. It takes a lot more than one crummy election to defeat us, right? I have doubled down on my resolve, and I know you will too.  

Let’s build more affordable housing so our working families don’t get pushed out of our city! Let’s house our homeless, and give them the compassion – and services – they need to rebuild their lives.  

Let’s get to a truly living wage, so that nobody who works full time in Berkeley lives in poverty.  

Let us continue Berkeley’s trailblazing environmental leadership! To protect our air, our water, and this precious planet. And let’s do all that we can to close the persistent gaps in health, education, and economic opportunity, so that every child in Berkeley has a fair shot and achieve her dreams.  

As Berkeley goes, so goes the State. Right? And as California goes, so goes the nation. What we are experiencing is a TEMPORARY SET BACK, folks. Progress is not a straight line. But I know in my heart and soul - and history has shown us - that, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. so eloquently said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” 

We have a MORAL OBLIGATION to be a leader in social, economic, and environmental justice. This may not be easy, but it is necessary. WE HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION to remain a sanctuary city, and to open our arms to all people. We will continue to stand for human rights, LGBT rights, workers’ rights, environmental rights, and reproductive rights. Because remember: The People, United, Will Never Be Defeated.  

Michelle Obama famously said that when they go low, we go high. While there may be a dark night, there is always a sunrise, and the day is ours to make what we want of it. Let’s celebrate all that is bright, and beautiful, and good in each individual, and humanity.  

Here is what I promise to you as your new Mayor: I will work with you and work for you, to move our community closer to our ideals.  

And here is what we need to promise to each other: we will rededicate ourselves to our community. We will show up for each other, and we will participate. We will volunteer, we will mentor, we will help each other. We will listen, and open our hearts to our neighbors and community. And together we will rise to meet the challenges at home, in our state, and in our country, and to address the imperatives of climate change. We will build peace and friendship here at home, and strive for the same among peoples and all nations.  

So let’s be hopeful, let's be united, and let's get to work.  

Because together WE WILL RISE!!!!