On Saturday, October 18, SEIU 1021 members from across the East Bay made history at our first-ever East Bay Summit. The event brought together hundreds of union leaders and activists for a full day of inspiration from our East Bay Regional Vice President Derrick Boutte, President Theresa Rutherford, and Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee; skill-building and movement growing workshops; and a panel discussion of current challenges and our plans for the future, with chapter presidents Trish Belenson (Oakland Unified), Antoinette Blue (City of Oakland), and Cara Williams (Alameda County Social Services Agency). 

Highlights of the day included East Bay VP Derrick Boutte kicking the summit off and the crowd into high gear, calling on the crowd to, “Support each other for the betterment of this city and the betterment of us all. The moment is ours right now!”

He was followed by Oakland’s mayor, the legendary Barbara Lee, who said, “It’s exciting to be in a room full of people who make the city run. It’s an honor to be with the public servants who serve the public with pride, professionalism, and purpose.” 

Mayor Lee highlighted the “dangerous and coordinated effort to weaken unions and silence workers,” saying, “Call it what it is: It’s authoritarianism. But authoritarianism and control have never won in Oakland! Oakland will not be intimidated. This is how we win: by building power together, from the ground up. When working people unite, there’s no power stronger in the world. We definitely are stronger together!”

President Theresa Rutherford then took to the stage, delivering a fiery reading of Maya Angelou’s poem, “Still I rise.” She told the assembled leaders, “We’re natural fighters. We will not allow employers to use this time to exploit us. Come together and fight as one! Show our employers and our politicians a unified front.” 

The group did show a unified front, joining Oakland’s mammoth No Kings protest during the afternoon before coming back to the summit for the panel discussion about the challenges of and opportunities for running winning campaigns in the current moment. Members then broke into smaller groups to hold in-depth discussions of how to build workplace power and address potential divisions in our union and in our community. 

President Rutherford put the themes of the day best when she said, “This is an opportunity for us to wake up, rise up, and change. We’re powerful, we’re strong, and there is no fear!”