Richmond Vice Mayor Jovanka Beckles: Victories we can be excited about

by Jovanka Beckles

Welcome to my first newsletter!

Jovanka-Beckles-web, Richmond Vice Mayor Jovanka Beckles: Victories we can be excited about, Local News & Views There are so many good things happening in Richmond, and although we have our share of challenges, I’d like to focus here on some of the many things we have to be excited about. For example, when we work together, we have made significant positive changes. I am absolutely confident that we can build on and continue to make wonderful changes to our city.

It is my desire to share with you some of the many things that are going on in Richmond and to share with you my perspective on the many issues we see and hear about.

We’ve had many victories over the past several years that have had a positive impact on both our daily lives and that create the potential to provide much of what we need for future generations. A few of these victories we accomplished together at the grassroots level include:

  • keeping Point Molate open for the public,
  • attracting LBNL (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) to come to Richmond,
  • creating city policies to bring about fairness in hiring through Ban the Box, a program that provides a second chance to ex-offenders and creates an opportunity for them to reintegrate into the community.

We will soon have municipal IDs for everyone who wants one. And most recently we’ve passed the first reading of the ordinance to increase the minimum wage locally.

Additionally, we’ve dramatically decreased the homicide rate through community actions that include weekly night walks in all parts of the city, community policing and community advocacy and, of course, the innovative work of the Office of Neighborhood Safety.

We’ve had many victories over the past several years that have had a positive impact on both our daily lives and that create the potential to provide much of what we need for future generations.

Although we have a variety of points of views on many things – and we certainly are not shy about sharing them – residents of Richmond all agree that we want to live in a Richmond that is safe, clean , prosperous, thriving and sustainable.

We are fortunate in Richmond to have a number of sources of news and opinions and more than the occasional public debate and exchange of ideas.

Although we have a variety of points of views on many things – and we certainly are not shy about sharing them – residents of Richmond all agree that we want to live in a Richmond that is safe, clean , prosperous, thriving and sustainable.

I invite you to read my newsletter to allow me to share my perspective. Hopefully you will find it valuable and share it with others you feel may benefit from it.

Peace and blessings,

Jovanka

Richmond Vice Mayor Jovanka Beckles, also a member of the Richmond City Council, works full time as a mental health specialist for Contra Costa County. She was born in Panama City, where she grew up in a bilingual, multicultural household. Her parents moved to the United States in1972, and she has lived in Richmond for the last 13 years. She can be reached at Jovankabeckles@gmail.com.