WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.060 --> 00:00:02.970 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: does not create affordable housing. 2 00:00:04.290 --> 00:00:11.910 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: catering to developers to build more market rate housing will not eliminate homelessness. 3 00:00:14.309 --> 00:00:26.160 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: But only increase it the over a 30 year decrease in federal affordable housing funding and the corporate tax avoidance of our titans of tech. 4 00:00:26.850 --> 00:00:31.680 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Have squeezed the resources that could be available for truly affordable housing. 5 00:00:32.610 --> 00:00:40.200 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Although we firmer the building the bridges now walls, we believe it may be time to build at least a figurative wall around uc Berkeley. 6 00:00:41.160 --> 00:01:01.290 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: it's pat passed over a moment it's planned further expansion it's quest to move into evermore sites in the city proper it's monitor monetization of its property to make up for past budget miss miscalculations all point to a corporate and development mindset. 7 00:01:02.430 --> 00:01:23.010 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: out of tune with a citizen citizenry that value sustainable growth and cultural and historic legacy destroying the open space of people's park violates the way the borders of Berkeley who in 1986 mandated that parks and open space in our city should be preserved and expanded. 8 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:35.940 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Chancellor Carol Chris message this week regarding the proposed people's park and anchor house projects makes no mention that any of the new student housing will be affordable. 9 00:01:36.510 --> 00:01:41.430 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: It doesn't recognize that there are several other alternative sites for housing construction. 10 00:01:42.180 --> 00:01:52.530 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: The University is focused on the destruction of the historic and cultural legacy of people's park a site within the city and beyond the borders of the campus. 11 00:01:52.950 --> 00:02:04.590 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: It would be unthinkable for the university to build on faculty glade memorial glade or a clear cut eucalyptus grove but somehow This is fine for the city. 12 00:02:05.580 --> 00:02:17.730 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: The Mayor of Berkeley in endorsing this project is likewise complicit with Jessie out again ever proposed building a 17 story high rise in the middle of civic Center park. 13 00:02:20.340 --> 00:02:35.670 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: For more background on all of this, you will see our website and searching various media, including the San Francisco Chronicle the Berkeley data planet and Berkeley side for opinion pieces about the people's park historic advocacy group. 14 00:02:37.590 --> 00:02:47.910 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Charles Wallenberg Joe listener, and I and others have written quite a bit also be sure to search out the cartoons and commentary of Carol denny. 15 00:02:48.390 --> 00:03:04.260 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: If you have further questions or wish to join our email list, please write us at people's park is historic district at gmail COM and i'm just going to flash this up and we'll we'll post it later, but uh This is our you can see that. 16 00:03:06.660 --> 00:03:13.860 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: People spark without the apostrophe H s H X T is t.org and same for the. 17 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:15.540 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: website. 18 00:03:19.050 --> 00:03:29.550 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Please submit questions during chat anytime during the presentations we hope to get to all questions after the presentations remember to submit your questions to everyone. 19 00:03:29.940 --> 00:03:38.040 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: In chat that everyone notification, not a specific person, but which you can note which person, you may want to direct your question to. 20 00:03:39.210 --> 00:03:52.380 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Now, introduce myself and then our speakers i'm part of the Smith author of Berkeley and the New Deal and a member of the people's park historic district district advocacy group i've lived in Berkeley since 1966. 21 00:03:53.010 --> 00:04:04.890 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Tom dalzell is author of the battle for people's park Berkeley 1969 as well as the author of the corky corky Berkeley book series and the companion website. 22 00:04:05.400 --> 00:04:15.990 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: tom's day job is union leader and lawyer Steve wasserman was at people's park participant and activist in 1969 Steve is publisher of Haiti books. 23 00:04:16.440 --> 00:04:23.340 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Which publish the battle for people's park and he has had a career in publishing editing and writing. 24 00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:31.680 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Maximum mentor is a member of the people's park committee max's a homeopath in an environmental activist aiden hill. 25 00:04:32.190 --> 00:04:39.840 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Is a former Berkeley mayoral candidate and the uc Berkeley student aiden was Vice Chair of the Berkeley homeless Commission. 26 00:04:40.740 --> 00:05:02.580 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: aiden is also a dedicated Community activist and a food not bombs volunteer questions from chat will be presented by Joe listener, a member of the people's park historic district advocacy group a long time people's park activist and food not bombs volunteer so Tom please take it away. 27 00:05:03.150 --> 00:05:03.720 sure. 28 00:05:05.490 --> 00:05:08.220 Tom Dalzell: people's park in 1969 was. 29 00:05:10.290 --> 00:05:24.840 Tom Dalzell: happened in a context that context was Berkeley having been the epicenter of of social change and opposition to the war in Vietnam, since 1960. 30 00:05:25.800 --> 00:05:43.290 Tom Dalzell: When demonstrators largest from Berkeley were washed down the steps of City Hall and San Francisco protesting the few ack hearings there on a few years later, free speech movement in 1964 in Berkeley 1965 the Vietnam day quitting. 31 00:05:45.150 --> 00:05:48.840 Tom Dalzell: began work on march to oakland. 32 00:05:50.400 --> 00:05:53.700 Tom Dalzell: In the fall of 68 eldridge cleaver. 33 00:05:54.990 --> 00:06:01.050 Tom Dalzell: spoken a sociology class and there was a controversy around accreditation for that. 34 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:15.090 Tom Dalzell: Shortly before people's park was the third world strike so things that things have been going strong in Berkeley for almost 10 years when the the founders of people's park. 35 00:06:16.620 --> 00:06:23.160 Tom Dalzell: decided to turn a piece of basically abandoned land into what they hope to be a beautiful. 36 00:06:25.200 --> 00:06:42.180 Tom Dalzell: Beautiful park the land had been acquired by the University, a few years earlier, they torn down about 25 houses that line the the three sides, except for Telegraph of that city block. 37 00:06:44.310 --> 00:07:01.950 Tom Dalzell: The the university said that they were going to build housing, there was a need for housing at the time, people were fleeing the dorms and really had no interest in more dorms and I think it's it was pretty cynical move by the University, there was cheap housing. 38 00:07:03.660 --> 00:07:04.590 Tom Dalzell: Where the. 39 00:07:06.090 --> 00:07:10.560 Tom Dalzell: The the protests in class could live for not very much money. 40 00:07:11.580 --> 00:07:19.290 Tom Dalzell: And they ignored it the the photographs that that we put together in in the battle people parts speak louder than words, it was. 41 00:07:20.310 --> 00:07:24.300 Tom Dalzell: mud mud puddles ruts busted up cars. 42 00:07:25.890 --> 00:07:26.580 Tom Dalzell: completely. 43 00:07:27.690 --> 00:07:30.150 Tom Dalzell: an insult to to the land. 44 00:07:32.130 --> 00:07:34.260 Tom Dalzell: And in April of 1969. 45 00:07:35.640 --> 00:07:36.660 Tom Dalzell: A small group. 46 00:07:38.520 --> 00:07:47.910 Tom Dalzell: diverse backgrounds came together to to discuss and to launch the idea of people's park and the idea was. 47 00:07:49.230 --> 00:07:55.260 Tom Dalzell: there's several ideas one was let's be for something instead of against it. 48 00:07:56.400 --> 00:07:59.640 Tom Dalzell: we've been against the war we've been against to act. 49 00:08:01.320 --> 00:08:04.020 Tom Dalzell: let's be for something as for building a park. 50 00:08:05.820 --> 00:08:15.810 Tom Dalzell: let's look for a cause that can unite expand the base in Berkeley unite people and there were those who saw it as a way to. 51 00:08:17.340 --> 00:08:19.800 Tom Dalzell: heighten the contradictions in Berkeley. 52 00:08:22.230 --> 00:08:25.830 Tom Dalzell: Believing that the university would react with force of some kind. 53 00:08:26.970 --> 00:08:27.450 Tom Dalzell: and 54 00:08:30.420 --> 00:08:39.870 Tom Dalzell: I would minimize that element, although it was there, so the idea was to build a beautiful park and it started on April 15 April 20 i'm sorry. 55 00:08:41.730 --> 00:08:45.450 Tom Dalzell: May 15 the university fence it off. 56 00:08:47.310 --> 00:08:47.910 Tom Dalzell: and 57 00:08:48.930 --> 00:08:50.820 Tom Dalzell: Pressure the Community grew. 58 00:08:52.230 --> 00:08:56.520 Tom Dalzell: culminated in what became known as bloody Thursday. 59 00:08:59.580 --> 00:09:11.580 Tom Dalzell: Where a number of people were were hurt very badly Alan blanchard was blinded donovan rundle was wounded for life got shot and James director, was killed. 60 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:14.490 Tom Dalzell: So that was. 61 00:09:16.440 --> 00:09:24.480 Tom Dalzell: That was a real fast run through on it, but in my, in my opinion, not only is people's park. 62 00:09:26.700 --> 00:09:35.580 Tom Dalzell: hallowed ground or sacred ground in Berkeley or in California, I think it is in the United States, I mean James director, was killed a year before. 63 00:09:36.600 --> 00:09:38.310 Tom Dalzell: The deaths at Kent state. 64 00:09:39.900 --> 00:09:42.000 Tom Dalzell: And it it really was. 65 00:09:43.020 --> 00:09:46.260 Tom Dalzell: A very diverse group coming together. 66 00:09:47.310 --> 00:09:53.790 Tom Dalzell: In supportive a park and supportive of perhaps what would be called a an autonomous zone. 67 00:09:55.980 --> 00:09:59.550 Tom Dalzell: A place a place to be and. 68 00:10:01.950 --> 00:10:09.420 Tom Dalzell: Our book battle for people's parkin's it Steve wasserman was more than the publisher of it, he was a. 69 00:10:11.550 --> 00:10:15.390 Tom Dalzell: He was as much a creator of that book, as I was. 70 00:10:17.400 --> 00:10:39.390 Tom Dalzell: But I think that there's um it's it's it's hard to think of a place in America, with the possible exception of Kent State that is more a sacred symbol of opposition to the war in Vietnam opposition to racial injustice opposition to university hegemony. 71 00:10:40.470 --> 00:10:43.140 Tom Dalzell: Then people's part historically it's. 72 00:10:44.730 --> 00:10:47.400 Tom Dalzell: I think it's a historical importance to the United States. 73 00:10:51.180 --> 00:10:51.630 Tom Dalzell: Okay. 74 00:10:55.740 --> 00:11:02.430 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Thank you, Tom thanks for keeping it the time limit actually under the time limit okay Steve. 75 00:11:04.860 --> 00:11:05.790 stevewasserman: How much time do I have. 76 00:11:05.820 --> 00:11:06.330 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: four minutes. 77 00:11:06.360 --> 00:11:08.370 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: I know we know we eight minutes. 78 00:11:08.490 --> 00:11:12.150 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: eight minutes oh my God, we can build another park in that time. 79 00:11:12.450 --> 00:11:12.870 yeah. 80 00:11:16.140 --> 00:11:17.730 stevewasserman: I want to try to separate. 81 00:11:18.780 --> 00:11:19.950 stevewasserman: But it will be impossible. 82 00:11:21.300 --> 00:11:30.780 stevewasserman: My own sentiments and emotion when it comes to speaking about people's park and it perhaps more convincing unsentimental view. 83 00:11:32.130 --> 00:11:47.160 stevewasserman: Of what has to be done it's emotional and personal with me, because in 1969 I was 16 on the on the eve of my 17th birthday, and I was one of many hundreds if not thousands, of people who. 84 00:11:47.820 --> 00:12:06.750 stevewasserman: During the course of those few weeks, help to build the park and partook in the excitement senate's seductions Seamus Heaney the great late Irish poet once very memorably load a poem embedded in has played the cure Troy and. 85 00:12:07.770 --> 00:12:16.950 stevewasserman: He wrote the imperishable words that the history says don't hope, on this side of the grave, but then, once in a lifetime. 86 00:12:17.700 --> 00:12:30.810 stevewasserman: The long for tidal wave of justice can rise up and hoping history right for those blessing days in late April, and the first two weeks of may 1969. 87 00:12:31.380 --> 00:12:44.460 stevewasserman: Hope in history right and for the past half century University has acted not only they have acted to complete the extermination of hope. 88 00:12:45.090 --> 00:13:05.250 stevewasserman: By bearing that history in an unrelenting way for the past five decades administration after administration, and I would like to separate, for the moment the conceit and the plea, which all those who have a beating and generous heart are are. 89 00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:11.700 stevewasserman: would welcome, which is the palpable need for housing affordable housing. 90 00:13:12.390 --> 00:13:29.250 stevewasserman: is something to be done with the homeless, provide housing for students who have been burdened more and more with nearly unaffordable education in a town, which is splitting up, it seems, and is, you know subjected to all the pressures that. 91 00:13:30.660 --> 00:13:34.020 stevewasserman: other cities and municipalities region states. 92 00:13:35.070 --> 00:13:39.360 stevewasserman: are affected by I like to separate that from a. 93 00:13:41.490 --> 00:13:46.110 stevewasserman: unsentimental look at the university's responsibility, we know. 94 00:13:47.190 --> 00:13:50.160 stevewasserman: I mean they have used this the the the the. 95 00:13:51.180 --> 00:13:57.060 stevewasserman: The need for housing, as it cuddle with which to beat people into submission. 96 00:13:58.890 --> 00:14:12.960 stevewasserman: And it is a cynical device or there are many spots on the university campus and elsewhere for housing to be built, they just tore down a building in front of Edward stadium at the the apogee of. 97 00:14:14.640 --> 00:14:26.880 stevewasserman: kittredge or Austin way and Oxford they took down a building there's places to build a building and buildings, but even if it were the case that a multi story building. 98 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:38.790 stevewasserman: would be somehow necessary on that plot of land, it still seems to me a terrible heresy and a betrayal of the university's primary mission their mission is a pedagogical. 99 00:14:39.300 --> 00:14:44.640 stevewasserman: task to convey to their young charges, a sense of where they came from. 100 00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:51.120 stevewasserman: And how we got here and what they their ambitions Mike portend for the future of our Republic. 101 00:14:51.480 --> 00:15:07.920 stevewasserman: And that was the University has written into its DNA in its best sense a pedagogical mission, that is, they are in, they are the custodians of teaching history to those who don't know it instead the University has committed itself to bulldozing history. 102 00:15:09.780 --> 00:15:10.920 stevewasserman: It would seem to me. 103 00:15:12.060 --> 00:15:27.960 stevewasserman: A and their every act, since their fundamental betrayal in 1969 whether it's the uprooting of trees, two years ago, or whether it's the sudden appearance in the dead of night to. 104 00:15:29.430 --> 00:15:31.200 stevewasserman: Take soundings in the earth. 105 00:15:32.220 --> 00:15:36.570 stevewasserman: They have committed themselves to a duplicitous and secret process. 106 00:15:37.410 --> 00:15:56.880 stevewasserman: swaddled in the conceit that they are have an open process in which they invite the public to dialogue with them, which is only to provide a fig leaf cover for their genuine machinations which is has never varied from their hope to kill off the park and everything it means. 107 00:15:57.930 --> 00:16:05.220 stevewasserman: If they were truly to be believed, and by the way they have hired a MacArthur genius Walter hood. 108 00:16:05.580 --> 00:16:10.500 stevewasserman: A fantastically interesting guy who created the museum about slavery and charleston. 109 00:16:10.680 --> 00:16:27.450 stevewasserman: to design the buildings and provide for what is hope to be a kind of curated site that will memorialize the struggle over the park, but this would be like giving the descendants of slave owners, the right to create the museum about nat turner's rebellion. 110 00:16:28.710 --> 00:16:41.820 stevewasserman: How can the university present itself as a moral authority on this contested history, without having done the basic first act, the University has never. 111 00:16:42.390 --> 00:16:57.360 stevewasserman: offered an apology, they have never taken responsibility for the crime and the conspiracy that they engaging with them governor Ronald Reagan and then alameda county Attorney General Edwin Nice. 112 00:16:58.590 --> 00:17:09.240 stevewasserman: and others which led to the reckless death of James Rector and the blinding Allen blanchard and the use of firearms. 113 00:17:09.690 --> 00:17:15.900 stevewasserman: Against protesting citizens of Berkeley and students, they have never taken responsibility for that you would think. 114 00:17:16.650 --> 00:17:31.920 stevewasserman: I mean, this is a university which it loves to give a prize to say and Nelson Mandela and to anoint as if it's some great thing, and it is that there is a truth and reconciliation commission in South Africa that would. 115 00:17:33.750 --> 00:17:48.990 stevewasserman: reveal and denounce the worst depredations of the apartheid regime, but they do not scruple to look at themselves and to take responsibility for equally heinous acts that have mark and mark the history of Berkeley, so I would. 116 00:17:49.410 --> 00:18:01.080 stevewasserman: Certainly advocate that the university owes it apology and I have yet to hear when from cal Chris or anybody else or the regions and that alone. 117 00:18:01.860 --> 00:18:19.140 stevewasserman: is an act of bad faith on their part, the idea that the park is a now has become a cesspool of neglect and the and a kind of outtake from the night of the living dead and is scaring the bejesus out of ordinary people and students can go there, first of all. 118 00:18:20.190 --> 00:18:28.440 stevewasserman: It isn't true but, even if it were true, the university bears principal responsibility and so too does the city of Berkeley. 119 00:18:29.130 --> 00:18:36.780 stevewasserman: Because we know what apart can look like when there is genuine friendship collaboration and their allies, you have only to look at the. 120 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:48.870 stevewasserman: Park, which was begun as an out growth of the protest in May of 1969 in its ultimate creation we know what a park can look like when there is goodwill. 121 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:59.730 stevewasserman: From municipal and educational authorities so one of the things to do so, I think that for all kinds of moral historical and political, social and cultural reasons. 122 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:09.240 stevewasserman: The park deserves to be sanctified ground, and it should be preserved and nurtured and grown now. 123 00:19:09.660 --> 00:19:18.630 stevewasserman: What I would like to see for starters, and maybe this has been done, but I would like to see, I would like to see Qadri organized organizers. 124 00:19:19.080 --> 00:19:30.360 stevewasserman: Go door to door neighborhood from neighborhood zip code to zip code and, at the very least, I would like to see if we can enlist as a petition. 125 00:19:30.840 --> 00:19:43.380 stevewasserman: Thousands 10s of thousands of names and, probably, you will get everybody you want, because there is authentic disagreement about this and memories are short and feeble, but I would like to be able to present. 126 00:19:44.220 --> 00:19:55.410 stevewasserman: The way Luther nailed the theses on the door of the Church in that touched off the reformation couldn't we present, at least for starters. 127 00:19:56.850 --> 00:20:00.300 stevewasserman: Evidence of the popular opinion. 128 00:20:01.410 --> 00:20:13.410 stevewasserman: And the names of thousands and thousands and thousands of residents and students and to and take it to the region's to cal Chris and to mayor arrogant, because if we can demonstrate. 129 00:20:13.830 --> 00:20:32.850 stevewasserman: that they do not have the vote of the people and the people oppose this moral, we will accrue more moral authority to our cause, then I believe presently obtains That would be a minimum start to organize or neighborhood by neighborhood i've not seen that yet done. 130 00:20:37.860 --> 00:20:38.280 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Okay. 131 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:42.900 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Thank you Steve i'm Max. 132 00:20:44.850 --> 00:20:47.790 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Oh matching matching you Okay, there you go. 133 00:20:47.970 --> 00:20:52.650 Maxina Ventura: Okay, just calling one of my children who's going to help with the slide show. 134 00:20:53.520 --> 00:20:54.750 Maxina Ventura: Because you know they say. 135 00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:56.850 Maxina Ventura: A picture's worth 1000 words. 136 00:20:57.240 --> 00:20:58.590 Maxina Ventura: Okay, so as a. 137 00:20:58.650 --> 00:21:00.330 stevewasserman: publisher I completely disagree. 138 00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:01.800 yeah. 139 00:21:03.870 --> 00:21:06.180 stevewasserman: thousand words is worth way more than the same. 140 00:21:06.180 --> 00:21:07.230 stevewasserman: direction because we. 141 00:21:09.330 --> 00:21:09.720 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Okay. 142 00:21:09.900 --> 00:21:21.750 Maxina Ventura: we're looking at these photos and then decide they're all important it's all it's also important, but what I want to do is help to bring bring to life, what is. 143 00:21:23.160 --> 00:21:28.890 Maxina Ventura: The day to day of uc and its attacks on nature at people's park. 144 00:21:30.060 --> 00:21:33.090 Maxina Ventura: I mean you can yes i'm going to keep talking until you can bring up. 145 00:21:34.560 --> 00:21:50.370 Maxina Ventura: I want to say ahead, I want to thank people for help with photos a student a mute new shirt and not in the first two photos that are aerial photos of the park one taken around the anniversary time of. 146 00:21:52.110 --> 00:22:01.230 Maxina Ventura: And then one taken about a year later, after that most recent major tree attack Okay, here we are, can you get it to go. 147 00:22:02.250 --> 00:22:05.370 Maxina Ventura: Is it guy can you all see it can you all see the the. 148 00:22:05.730 --> 00:22:16.770 Maxina Ventura: Here you see okay great oh I just press this ooh Okay, but can you stay here Okay, here we are a few hmm Okay, if you look at this photo this was taken in 2018. 149 00:22:18.060 --> 00:22:23.580 Maxina Ventura: what's circle there at the bottom of the page is the East side forest. 150 00:22:24.810 --> 00:22:30.300 Maxina Ventura: And you can see moist lush dense with many trees. 151 00:22:31.590 --> 00:22:43.470 Maxina Ventura: And then, here it is about nine months later, they did the attack with this photo was taken about a year after that photo there it is so climate change right there. 152 00:22:45.360 --> 00:23:01.650 Maxina Ventura: totally different climate there's a little bit of grade going from the East side down toward the West so normally with that all that moisture from the forest that some of that would have moved down, you know, usually move down to the. 153 00:23:02.670 --> 00:23:15.660 Maxina Ventura: toward the grass and up things moist you see was not even watering so things were really kind of dead grass, for a long time, eventually, they started doing some watering again, but so here's that reality. 154 00:23:16.710 --> 00:23:28.620 Maxina Ventura: I want to link this to ucs attacks on up and deforestation and pesticides in the east Bay hills, this is a January healthy trees. 155 00:23:29.430 --> 00:23:51.420 Maxina Ventura: In Clermont Canyon so you sees typical demeanor is so Sue us well guess what some of in our coalition to defend East Bay forests did Sue many times, a lot of us have been involved in lawsuits This time there just wasn't the money, so they went ahead killed a lot of trees, this time. 156 00:23:52.560 --> 00:24:03.870 Maxina Ventura: And let me show another photo of that that's Claremont Canyon January it's a tree morgue somebody called it, and you can see, like now they've just changed the whole climate too hot and dry. 157 00:24:04.680 --> 00:24:10.800 Maxina Ventura: And now there's this huge hundred foot wide wind tunnel going over toward cost contra Costa county so the next time. 158 00:24:11.250 --> 00:24:24.300 Maxina Ventura: There is a wildfire that begins in the hills and the golden gate wins sweep up and over through every you know our neighbors in contra Costa county are at immediate threat is our others throughout the hills. 159 00:24:25.530 --> 00:24:31.050 Maxina Ventura: So that's the kind of neighbor You see, is on a larger level and it's all. 160 00:24:32.040 --> 00:24:49.380 Maxina Ventura: it's all linked okay here is mount sutra and San Francisco ucsf has been destroying healthy trees and pesticides that's a great horned owl there you might see i'm there around the middle of the photo on a branch, so you sees on that attack now. 161 00:24:51.630 --> 00:25:03.390 Maxina Ventura: The neighborhood was parnassus neighborhood association I think it's called they've just filed suit because we've been fighting this mount sutra stuff for a decade. 162 00:25:04.230 --> 00:25:13.050 Maxina Ventura: But they're planning on guess what student housing for ucsf is what they say we're housing, but again, just like with the seas housing out of reach for many or. 163 00:25:13.410 --> 00:25:18.750 Maxina Ventura: Absolutely on the backs of students with massive massive student loans, this is going to be very, very expensive housing. 164 00:25:18.930 --> 00:25:32.520 Maxina Ventura: If they build it, so there is this, you know work to stop that from happening, but not before they've already done some destruction of trees and pesticides, so i'm there that's mouse loutro. 165 00:25:34.200 --> 00:25:36.390 Maxina Ventura: that's some of the lungs of San Francisco. 166 00:25:37.530 --> 00:25:50.130 Maxina Ventura: used to be that you'd feel you'd feel all if you went to Dolores park in in mission valley you'd feel the you know if you feel the water coming down sprinkling over you. 167 00:25:50.880 --> 00:26:02.190 Maxina Ventura: But, after some of the tree destination there last time I was at Dolores park for the mind trip, it was you know no longer where we getting those nice moist breezes over. 168 00:26:02.910 --> 00:26:10.590 Maxina Ventura: So that destruction needs to stop also it's a whole mindset it's the capitalist mindset of you know. 169 00:26:11.310 --> 00:26:28.290 Maxina Ventura: Destroy make money off of it whatever here now let's bring it back to people's Park, this is just with the recent thing so suddenly 5am earlier in February, people were awakened in the park the park isn't in kampmann during during the pandemic and. 170 00:26:29.400 --> 00:26:38.340 Maxina Ventura: And yet, you know it came five in the morning, most people had not heard anything about this suddenly there, there is there are fences going up. 171 00:26:38.820 --> 00:26:50.910 Maxina Ventura: Over this this you know whole Bay area, not only was fencing going up, but the whole area with the dumpsters and the driveway that food not bombs and other groups us. 172 00:26:52.170 --> 00:27:02.010 Maxina Ventura: Was fenced in, we were told Oh, this was a you see said oh we're doing this because we were concerned about seismic issues and we need to. 173 00:27:02.490 --> 00:27:17.550 Maxina Ventura: We need to find out, you know figure things out, we need to bore into the soil and figure out what's going on seismically well what they were doing is there's this whole environmental impact report in process, and they were coming in and doing this. 174 00:27:19.140 --> 00:27:35.370 Maxina Ventura: Where when you look at this photo you see all these deep breaths Let me move to the next, look there you know all these deep breaths from really heavy equipment what they were doing boring and I talked to one of the guys working out, they were born 50 feet down to do core samples. 175 00:27:36.660 --> 00:27:37.230 Maxina Ventura: and 176 00:27:39.150 --> 00:27:48.570 Maxina Ventura: they're there you see a whole from one of those CC clay came up that means clay was going down to, and while Derby creek which runs through the park well it's in a covert of a sort. 177 00:27:48.990 --> 00:28:13.350 Maxina Ventura: You know, again, we all know, it's a seismically active area, so what came up also would have been pressed down toward the creek a huge concern in the foxes guarding the hen house right so that's part of the concern here so check this out actual damage in process right heavy heavy equipment. 178 00:28:14.910 --> 00:28:21.990 Maxina Ventura: And they're you know right over tree roots here and that's doing active damage to trees and trees. 179 00:28:23.910 --> 00:28:35.610 Maxina Ventura: They live in communities these trees have already been so stressed by you know what went on a couple years ago and the heavy equipment brought in, then and losing so many trees. 180 00:28:36.270 --> 00:28:43.740 Maxina Ventura: So all of these trees are at risk, already now they've come in over the roots You might remember that a tree fell on gaily Ave. 181 00:28:45.300 --> 00:28:56.850 Maxina Ventura: November 2019 and what came out, not surprisingly, was that you see had been doing a bunch of construction work there and and roots were affected. 182 00:28:57.870 --> 00:29:05.400 Maxina Ventura: By that construction work and by like some bad trimming of the tree So you see. 183 00:29:06.570 --> 00:29:10.260 Maxina Ventura: hires out does all this contracting and hires out. 184 00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:20.520 Maxina Ventura: To all kinds of contractors, we have less oversight than if you see where potentially then, if you see we're doing this themselves. 185 00:29:21.120 --> 00:29:30.090 Maxina Ventura: But the pattern is they do stuff and they say so Sue us well hills conservation network part of our coalition of attendees Bay forest. 186 00:29:30.690 --> 00:29:39.570 Maxina Ventura: has repeatedly sued and just had another win this week, but the wind was, I mean what the wind was was that. 187 00:29:40.260 --> 00:29:49.350 Maxina Ventura: You see, had lied gotten fema emergency money saying it was for wild fire safety stuff when what they were doing the gardening project. 188 00:29:49.980 --> 00:30:02.130 Maxina Ventura: There you know plans in the hills, are all this gardening to do native plant restorations and yes there's all kinds of debate going on, but there wasn't debate when it came down to it, with fema they're like. 189 00:30:03.120 --> 00:30:09.330 Maxina Ventura: You know, we provide money for emergency services for life and safety and yeah no that's a gardening project. 190 00:30:09.600 --> 00:30:17.820 Maxina Ventura: So then, you see, what do they do with taxpayer money student money they went in they appeal to the night court, you know ninth circuit Court of Appeals well. 191 00:30:18.450 --> 00:30:31.590 Maxina Ventura: You know, we sat there and listened and thought okay they're they're not buying it again and they didn't and they just came out with their response, no, you know what you know, the decision was made in the past, stands. 192 00:30:32.820 --> 00:30:37.080 Maxina Ventura: So it's it's great it's nice to have that win, but the problem is that. 193 00:30:37.590 --> 00:30:54.660 Maxina Ventura: You know, it always depends on activists and and you know people in the Community who are willing to fund lawsuits and how outrageous is that how outrageous is that that you see will never seem to do the right thing, just to do the right thing, so here the park, I want to. 194 00:30:56.100 --> 00:31:03.450 Maxina Ventura: bring up another photo there you know that's one of our cooper's fox i'm looking right over the Garden on the West side. 195 00:31:04.770 --> 00:31:08.430 Maxina Ventura: We see red tailed hawks cooper's hawks the people who. 196 00:31:09.870 --> 00:31:19.200 Maxina Ventura: oversee the webcam for the peregrine falcons that have a nest on the camp neely I I talked with them and inquired with them and they said yeah they believe that. 197 00:31:19.890 --> 00:31:29.160 Maxina Ventura: You know people's Park, probably as part of the hunting grounds, also for those falcons it's it's not just about people it's not just about trees it's not just about. 198 00:31:29.940 --> 00:31:53.760 Maxina Ventura: it's not just about these raptors it's and other wildlife it's that it's an ecosystem it's an ecosystem, which has developed among flora and fauna we've been part of that and and it needs to be preserved for all the reasons Tom mentioned Steve mentioned i'm sure aiden will mention. 199 00:31:55.380 --> 00:31:57.270 Maxina Ventura: This open space. 200 00:31:58.380 --> 00:32:04.950 Maxina Ventura: is sacred ground and it needs also to be. 201 00:32:06.510 --> 00:32:11.430 Maxina Ventura: respected just for the inherent worth of open space in nature. 202 00:32:13.410 --> 00:32:14.040 Maxina Ventura: and 203 00:32:16.650 --> 00:32:27.450 Maxina Ventura: You know, we must not We live in a society that wants to take for granted, nature and we've seen the effects we've seen climate change those photos earlier on. 204 00:32:28.050 --> 00:32:37.620 Maxina Ventura: But the destruction and Claremont Canyon after the just in January, there was a period of time after that, for a couple weeks, where I was pretty much hold up at home. 205 00:32:38.460 --> 00:32:52.590 Maxina Ventura: snuggled up to an airplane you know, an air filter and and I couldn't figure out, I tried to find out what was happening air wise what was going on, was there some wildfires southern California sweeping up or coming down from. 206 00:32:53.280 --> 00:33:03.300 Maxina Ventura: Northern California Oregon I couldn't find anything to explain that other than that there's suddenly been all those hundreds and hundreds of healthy trees cut down. 207 00:33:04.170 --> 00:33:15.240 Maxina Ventura: And pesticide did that whole area has decided to and all that carbon that's sequestered carbon was just released over a short period of time and. 208 00:33:15.840 --> 00:33:28.710 Maxina Ventura: People and wildlife suffered as a result of that, so there is a there is time there's a tie that's Turning now and the fence is coming down, and that was a That was a beautiful. 209 00:33:29.760 --> 00:33:35.280 Maxina Ventura: It was beautiful to be at that action and watched this like and felt this was part of this. 210 00:33:36.270 --> 00:33:51.330 Maxina Ventura: And i've been part of over decades, you know we've had so much resistance to us sees destruction destruction in the park and you know we always come back with unification and the focus on mutual aid and. 211 00:33:52.290 --> 00:34:02.400 Maxina Ventura: And I think a lot of us are just stubborn we're not going to let this go this means too much and with the increasing density in Berkeley and right around park. 212 00:34:03.690 --> 00:34:10.140 Maxina Ventura: We need to preserve the park and it as part of an historic district, so I appreciate that the. 213 00:34:11.370 --> 00:34:15.390 Maxina Ventura: Historic district advisory group continues to work for national. 214 00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:26.370 Maxina Ventura: Recognition became a city landmark in 1984 and it needs to be a national landmark and so no need to stand behind that I want to. 215 00:34:27.360 --> 00:34:40.860 Maxina Ventura: mention those overhead photos I said we're from students from nisha they were the Claremont candy mask or photos were from the hills conservation network.org website, they gave the Okay, the ones of the. 216 00:34:41.610 --> 00:34:55.980 Maxina Ventura: mount sutra oh we're from rupa of SAVE sutra.com and also SF forest.org ISIS Feral help to help with the photos Lisa from the people's park committee. 217 00:34:56.700 --> 00:35:08.580 Maxina Ventura: Lisa teague provided a bunch of photos here and and then Ingrid helped to put this slideshow together, and so there it is cooperation that's what the park is about. 218 00:35:09.600 --> 00:35:30.810 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Thank you Max and I did I forgot to mention, if you look at the last two editions of the Berkeley times we did a two part series on the nature of people's Park, with some amazing bird photos tree photos so just exactly in line with what you've been talking about okay aiden you're up. 219 00:35:32.250 --> 00:35:44.220 Aidan Hill (they/them): All right, thank you Thank you everyone, my name is aiden hill I use them pronouns and i'm happy to be here, I think I have a unique and interesting perspective on people's park. 220 00:35:45.900 --> 00:35:54.240 Aidan Hill (they/them): partially because of my history, and the reason why is because, when I first came to Berkeley was in the early 2000s, because my sister was a student at uc Berkeley. 221 00:35:54.540 --> 00:36:07.920 Aidan Hill (they/them): And so I would always visit her and her children around the area I remember going on Telegraph avenue and seeing all of the incense and the vendors and so this area has become a really big part of who I am. 222 00:36:08.340 --> 00:36:18.750 Aidan Hill (they/them): coming into my own age with the speech also want to give you a little bit of information because i'm a millennial and a millennial survey by the low T came out in 2020. 223 00:36:19.290 --> 00:36:29.850 Aidan Hill (they/them): That gives you a little bit indicator about what the future generations are looking towards some insights of this show that close to 50% of generation X and millennials. 224 00:36:30.990 --> 00:36:41.400 Aidan Hill (they/them): Say that they're stressed, most of the time, if not all the time, half of the respondents have said it's too late to repair the damage caused by climate change, which definitely affects our activism. 225 00:36:42.300 --> 00:36:50.520 Aidan Hill (they/them): they've also we have both said that will make special efforts to be more actively engaged in our businesses and communities and. 226 00:36:51.090 --> 00:37:02.490 Aidan Hill (they/them): For a lot of us, it also gave us a sense of individual responsibility nearly three fourths of millennials have said that the epitaph pandemic has made them more sympathetic towards others needs. 227 00:37:02.790 --> 00:37:07.830 Aidan Hill (they/them): And you can see, this kind of playing out and how people's park is actively engaged in right now. 228 00:37:08.580 --> 00:37:19.440 Aidan Hill (they/them): Something I wanted to mention in the past was around 1878 when the city of Berkeley was originally founded, it was founded by developers creating and this is, according to the uc Berkeley. 229 00:37:19.980 --> 00:37:29.340 Aidan Hill (they/them): These developers were making this prime area for tourists and the land was given to investors specifically to incorporate into a city during this year. 230 00:37:31.980 --> 00:37:34.200 Aidan Hill (they/them): According to Telegraph avenue. 231 00:37:35.220 --> 00:37:46.620 Aidan Hill (they/them): Telegraph avenue also highlights this response and that tourism is a major driver for their increased innovation and that the businesses during the early 2000s. 232 00:37:47.130 --> 00:38:02.520 Aidan Hill (they/them): Once things became digital have had to improve their own imagery of what the Community is supposed to be like and the Telegraph business improvement district claims that Telegraph and people's park is full of academic scholars. 233 00:38:02.970 --> 00:38:11.610 Aidan Hill (they/them): street artists visionaries, and this is the momentum that these institutions are trying to bridge into the future of what people's park would look like. 234 00:38:13.470 --> 00:38:19.680 Aidan Hill (they/them): With that said i've ran for the city of Council for district seven and the city of Berkeley As mayor. 235 00:38:20.190 --> 00:38:28.560 Aidan Hill (they/them): i've been able to talk to many of the staff and advocacy groups that work with the city and even the city of Berkeley considers people's park a park. 236 00:38:28.830 --> 00:38:32.700 Aidan Hill (they/them): Even though that is owned and managed and maintained by the University of California. 237 00:38:33.240 --> 00:38:42.690 Aidan Hill (they/them): They acknowledge that people's park was created by Community members in the 1960s and features many things, including including a location for festivals and Community events. 238 00:38:43.200 --> 00:38:45.270 Aidan Hill (they/them): They call it a multipurpose turf. 239 00:38:45.900 --> 00:38:57.480 Aidan Hill (they/them): Has a basketball courts, they have not updated their slides at but they say it has children's play areas with swings a picnic area Community gardens and stage, and so this shows that the. 240 00:38:57.750 --> 00:39:02.580 Aidan Hill (they/them): city does have some respect for the park, even though it's outside of its jurisdiction. 241 00:39:03.330 --> 00:39:11.100 Aidan Hill (they/them): Back in 2018 when the Chancellor first attempted to develop onto the land they gave the Community four different options. 242 00:39:11.970 --> 00:39:26.130 Aidan Hill (they/them): compared to what they're currently building their first option was to build on other campus sites second to redevelop with a Public Private Partnership they had a no action option and I campus lead development of people's park i'm. 243 00:39:27.720 --> 00:39:37.260 Aidan Hill (they/them): Part of the reason why i'm still activated is because none of those options satisfied me as an individual neighbor I felt like there could have been a more public partnership. 244 00:39:38.040 --> 00:39:51.120 Aidan Hill (they/them): To really reinvigorate the spirit of people's park as really as well as to make it more inclusive to both neighborhood community needs student needs and everyone that usually uses the park on a daily basis. 245 00:39:52.470 --> 00:39:58.170 Aidan Hill (they/them): So, because of that conflict because of the university announcing these two things. 246 00:39:59.070 --> 00:40:05.730 Aidan Hill (they/them): Some things happen throughout the course of the history of the park, which led to today, when we have students occupying the park, as we speak. 247 00:40:06.330 --> 00:40:18.420 Aidan Hill (they/them): A few days ago, on February 22 the Chancellor had given an email notice about what people's park and saying that they didn't prioritize people's parks tight, simply because of its proximity to campus. 248 00:40:18.750 --> 00:40:22.530 Aidan Hill (they/them): which many of us mentioned as a reason why we should have open space. 249 00:40:22.770 --> 00:40:32.580 Aidan Hill (they/them): But they say consistent with our responsibilities and commitments, the site offers a unique opportunity for a win, win, win scenario and I don't believe this, but this is what the Chancellor says. 250 00:40:32.910 --> 00:40:42.420 Aidan Hill (they/them): housing for as many as 1000 students permanent housing for low income and on house members of our Community and a renewed open space for the safe use and enjoyment of everyone. 251 00:40:42.900 --> 00:40:47.790 Aidan Hill (they/them): And I thought this was interesting because I felt like none of those scenarios were really win, win. 252 00:40:48.270 --> 00:41:00.540 Aidan Hill (they/them): If anything, a win, win scenario would be allow us to have this open space to utilize the networks that we have possible to reduce the rents in our own housing, but the Chancellor really mentioned this, because. 253 00:41:01.740 --> 00:41:09.390 Aidan Hill (they/them): They had stated, regardless of the law, the campus does not need to use the landed owns to support the students that enrolls. 254 00:41:09.810 --> 00:41:17.610 Aidan Hill (they/them): They don't have the resources or expertise to permanently provide safe and sanitary living conditions for a permanent encampment at the park. 255 00:41:17.970 --> 00:41:27.420 Aidan Hill (they/them): And the Chancellor states left in its current state people's park will continue to be a locus of extensive criminal activity, much of it, violent much of it, targeting those who frequent the park. 256 00:41:27.840 --> 00:41:33.030 Aidan Hill (they/them): And so I think this is an important aspect to mention because, while the university is. 257 00:41:33.600 --> 00:41:46.650 Aidan Hill (they/them): claiming the needs are for student housing and all these populations what their true endeavor is to eliminate, at least in their perspective, the criminal activity that they see attached to people's Park, as it is. 258 00:41:46.980 --> 00:41:48.780 Aidan Hill (they/them): And this is kind of what led all of us. 259 00:41:49.140 --> 00:42:03.630 Aidan Hill (they/them): including myself, including the businesses left talk to to really envision a new model, a future of people's Park, many of us wanting to keep the park intact, but to change the culture surrounding the park to become more user friendly for people in the future. 260 00:42:05.940 --> 00:42:14.760 Aidan Hill (they/them): cow actually made the fight for people's park reignited 50 years later, in 2019, and this is during a rally when we were supporting. 261 00:42:15.510 --> 00:42:23.910 Aidan Hill (they/them): One of the local leftist bookshops against right wing activists i'm Michael dowdy who was one of our people's park residents who. 262 00:42:24.720 --> 00:42:39.090 Aidan Hill (they/them): passed away recently that stated, I found I think I found myself here, because every place else you could feel the energy of people pushing you away Daddy said, this is the only place, I feel like I was accepted, and so the fact that dowdy. 263 00:42:39.780 --> 00:42:48.090 Aidan Hill (they/them): Who all those no longer with us, but had this sense of relief when it came to people's part and Daddy was very much a known militant. 264 00:42:49.170 --> 00:43:00.450 Aidan Hill (they/them): Black panther black lives matter organizer who really believed in the sovereignty of open space he felt himself that this was a place where he couldn't be pushed out which led to a lot of the. 265 00:43:00.960 --> 00:43:09.000 Aidan Hill (they/them): Racial resurgence of the park and why so many people of color and students of color are coming to the aid of our House neighbors. 266 00:43:10.320 --> 00:43:14.760 Aidan Hill (they/them): Currently, the Berkeley and please stop me if i'm going over time, but currently the Berkeley. 267 00:43:15.270 --> 00:43:22.560 Aidan Hill (they/them): High School has come out with an article saying the unknown future of people's park housing crisis versus Community legacy and which. 268 00:43:23.460 --> 00:43:32.670 Aidan Hill (they/them): One of Andrew verity a member of our community has been in the Bay area for three generations said the construction plan was an absolute travesty to the Community. 269 00:43:32.970 --> 00:43:36.840 Aidan Hill (they/them): As humans, we are stewards of the earth here to protect nature there a. 270 00:43:37.260 --> 00:43:48.270 Aidan Hill (they/them): birdie is a strong advocate for the environment and he frequents the park saying we have one or we must give back to the earth, and we have to keep local communities into the focal points. 271 00:43:48.690 --> 00:43:52.920 Aidan Hill (they/them): And I would say that I have a very strong opinion related to this, that. 272 00:43:53.640 --> 00:44:06.240 Aidan Hill (they/them): The decision between the dichotomy between needing more housing and having people's park is a false dilemma in the sense that the University has access to more housing properties available and people's park. 273 00:44:06.870 --> 00:44:14.430 Aidan Hill (they/them): doesn't need to be developed, but also people's park is the locus spot for Community engagement for. 274 00:44:14.880 --> 00:44:31.890 Aidan Hill (they/them): Everyone to have open space, especially during covet 19 and we have activists fighting for that open space engagement portion with the university using housing as a cover to say that the open spaces actually not as available. 275 00:44:33.180 --> 00:44:46.050 Aidan Hill (they/them): To the vast majority of the populations with That said, what is the future of people's Park, because what i've painted as a condition in which neither the university nor the students, nor the Community Members can benefit because it's misaligned. 276 00:44:46.530 --> 00:44:56.580 Aidan Hill (they/them): And so, when I look as a strategic planner as Community development activist as a student I looked towards the strategic plan of the University of California. 277 00:44:57.120 --> 00:45:02.490 Aidan Hill (they/them): And in the strategic plan one of their priorities is addressing academic and research space needs. 278 00:45:02.850 --> 00:45:12.480 Aidan Hill (they/them): And so my vision of people's park in the future is that it actually does become that it becomes an opportunity to study for filled site for engaged learning. 279 00:45:13.050 --> 00:45:25.530 Aidan Hill (they/them): With the residents of the Berkeley community in the long range development plan which the university just put out a memo this morning at 12 o'clock they stated that they want to position the campus as a living lab. 280 00:45:26.220 --> 00:45:39.750 Aidan Hill (they/them): In which they advance carbon neutrality goals, including plans for renewal minimize water, waste and reduction and advanced adaptation and resilience strategies, including fire hazards rising temperatures and flood mitigation. 281 00:45:40.350 --> 00:45:55.440 Aidan Hill (they/them): All of this, I believe can be inclusive and maintain people's park space with the Community as an access point another and last point of contention is that the university is acknowledging its history as a. 282 00:45:56.880 --> 00:45:57.990 Aidan Hill (they/them): Colonial settler. 283 00:45:59.040 --> 00:46:04.350 Aidan Hill (they/them): They are looking towards the loney people trying to make land decisions with them. 284 00:46:04.890 --> 00:46:13.590 Aidan Hill (they/them): This is a new development moving forward and in their long range development plan, they want to consider justice equity and accessibility when making land use decisions. 285 00:46:13.830 --> 00:46:17.460 Aidan Hill (they/them): And here, I think, is the key to making sure that people's park remains intact. 286 00:46:17.850 --> 00:46:24.750 Aidan Hill (they/them): If the university says that they are on lonely land and they went to partner with indigenous peoples on landscaping and creek restoration. 287 00:46:25.140 --> 00:46:32.460 Aidan Hill (they/them): But they also, and this is their plan, they want to produce food on open land in the campus park and satellite sites. 288 00:46:33.240 --> 00:46:49.650 Aidan Hill (they/them): This is an opportune area to say that people's park is doing all these things and to acknowledge that nearly two out of three black people in the United States are nature deprived according to national geographic, in that the distribution of these nature disparities is no accident. 289 00:46:51.120 --> 00:47:02.010 Aidan Hill (they/them): This is say it by conservation program of Hispanic access foundation, it was a choice made over generations from redlining to choosing to exclude minorities from suit certain neighborhoods. 290 00:47:02.250 --> 00:47:08.700 Aidan Hill (they/them): To choosing to put parks in certain neighborhoods and choosing to pave over communities of color to build highways and coal plants. 291 00:47:09.120 --> 00:47:12.750 Aidan Hill (they/them): If the university wants to create an equitable equitable lands. 292 00:47:13.140 --> 00:47:21.810 Aidan Hill (they/them): I advise this group to look towards the accessibility points, the fire risk reduction and the climate mitigation strategies. 293 00:47:22.050 --> 00:47:33.660 Aidan Hill (they/them): And really looking towards the social and racial justice lenses that can create people's park a stronger place for the Community to highlight itself in the near future and i'm happy to take any questions. 294 00:47:34.020 --> 00:47:39.750 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Okay, thank you very much aiden and I want to emphasize that what we're trying to do tonight. 295 00:47:40.290 --> 00:47:47.220 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: is in a way that Steve suggested is to think about ways to get our message out to the Community. 296 00:47:47.670 --> 00:47:59.070 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Because we've got four powerful speakers here tonight, but that's just for of many others that we've been in contact with so we know we've got a strong message, how do we spread that message. 297 00:47:59.430 --> 00:48:20.880 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: And I just want to make just one little comment on related to what you said aiden is that what several people, including our little group have discussed is the possibility in the reason we call ourself historic district, because it truly is that the civic Center park is 2.8 acres. 298 00:48:22.290 --> 00:48:35.760 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: exactly the same as people's park surrounded by historic buildings people's park is surrounded by historic buildings and, in fact, one of them, that may be at Church is on the national register. 299 00:48:36.360 --> 00:48:45.450 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: But these buildings are under US they would be an excellent sites for centers for the things you were talking about for celebrating the history. 300 00:48:46.350 --> 00:49:03.660 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: And, and you know you pointed out, tourism, you know I talked to street vendors on Telegraph they say people walk up to them and ask you know the people from foreign countries where is people's Park, so we have this incredible opportunity there. 301 00:49:05.130 --> 00:49:21.600 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: To maintain the park in the way that you're talking about in developing it in a way that that it's recognized for the asset that it is okay Joe I know you there are some questions, so I want to open it up for the questions and and then we can also have some exchange. 302 00:49:23.010 --> 00:49:23.760 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Joe go ahead. 303 00:49:28.110 --> 00:49:28.770 Joseph Liesner: Actually. 304 00:49:30.270 --> 00:49:34.050 Joseph Liesner: There have been some very good statements in the chat but. 305 00:49:35.130 --> 00:49:44.640 Joseph Liesner: So far, no direct questions um what came up out of the comments by the four speakers, especially the last. 306 00:49:45.900 --> 00:49:53.850 Joseph Liesner: One but severe contradictions in both the university's presentation today about the. 307 00:49:56.580 --> 00:50:00.720 Joseph Liesner: As mentioned, you know land use, respect for native rights. 308 00:50:02.670 --> 00:50:10.770 Joseph Liesner: Trying to combat climate change they're doing everything exactly to the opposite of things that they claim to have respect for. 309 00:50:11.310 --> 00:50:21.150 Joseph Liesner: Its state power it's such blatant naked disgusting state power just the way they use the National Guard to bulldoze the park and it's you know. 310 00:50:21.630 --> 00:50:33.510 Joseph Liesner: it's the height of its radical inception now they're using a much more subtle but probably equally powerful if there's a way to translate from guns to. 311 00:50:34.950 --> 00:50:47.010 Joseph Liesner: The power of the regions, they are the ones that are going to approve this ei R once it's put out they go they're going to make all these contradictions, you know. 312 00:50:48.210 --> 00:50:55.410 Joseph Liesner: mitigated and then put their stamp on it that's the most disgusting used to state power so after all that, I would ask. 313 00:50:56.820 --> 00:50:58.470 Joseph Liesner: What are the best ways to. 314 00:50:59.700 --> 00:51:02.970 Joseph Liesner: bring out publicly these contradictions. 315 00:51:04.980 --> 00:51:08.970 Joseph Liesner: If people want to speak to that, and especially one. 316 00:51:10.560 --> 00:51:16.080 Joseph Liesner: option that is always come up is some sort of partnership or. 317 00:51:18.450 --> 00:51:19.980 Joseph Liesner: beginning a. 318 00:51:21.270 --> 00:51:26.040 Joseph Liesner: Cooperation with the city of Berkeley they tried to buy the park and 72. 319 00:51:27.930 --> 00:51:49.350 Joseph Liesner: lonnie hancock asked him for 30 days to wait, they were going to get $1.7 million from sacramento and university somehow realize that they had let the cat out of the bag and refuse to give the Mayor of Berkeley and an extra couple of weeks to get the money so that's my question. 320 00:51:53.340 --> 00:51:56.400 Tom Dalzell: Is Tom are we are we just jumping in. 321 00:51:56.430 --> 00:51:57.870 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: yeah yeah no i'm muted yeah. 322 00:51:58.260 --> 00:52:01.650 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: yeah Max I saw match raise your hand to. 323 00:52:01.920 --> 00:52:05.250 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: I didn't I also see a question for aiden so go ahead, Tom. 324 00:52:08.130 --> 00:52:17.760 Tom Dalzell: let's people have a different understanding of the burden City Council, and I do I don't I don't see a future in that I mean I don't I don't know what the. 325 00:52:19.230 --> 00:52:31.140 Tom Dalzell: Vote the vote count on game day versus Nimby is seven to me MB I mean the developers own the city council and the mayor, as far as i'm concerned I don't know. 326 00:52:32.430 --> 00:52:38.160 What the what the City Council is willing to do in the 1970s it's very different than what I think they'd be willing to do now. 327 00:52:42.300 --> 00:52:42.630 that's. 328 00:52:44.250 --> 00:52:47.040 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: The only way we can sway them there's no way that that Steve. 329 00:52:47.310 --> 00:52:54.420 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: suggested, you know, thousands of people on on a petition would would certainly wake them up match the did you have a comment. 330 00:52:55.020 --> 00:53:03.480 Maxina Ventura: yeah I mean, I think it all comes down to the Court of public opinion in the end that I mean right now they're heavily on the defensive. 331 00:53:04.080 --> 00:53:12.300 Maxina Ventura: heavily on the defensive we've been organizing a lot, the last couple of years since that, especially since that tree decimation instance they came out with. 332 00:53:12.690 --> 00:53:17.790 Maxina Ventura: Their news provocation mo planning these norms, you know the cycle is that they always. 333 00:53:18.450 --> 00:53:23.910 Maxina Ventura: Wait between provocations until you know enough students that are finished and left and gone home. 334 00:53:24.270 --> 00:53:32.610 Maxina Ventura: And I think you see counts on the idea of history being lost, so what we're all doing is working hard to keep history alive so right now as. 335 00:53:33.030 --> 00:53:45.600 Maxina Ventura: This student, you know, students and Community uprising happened against this fencing and that just the insult to the park and insult to the park residents and insult to the park users um. 336 00:53:46.530 --> 00:53:54.750 Maxina Ventura: they're like there's all this happening on social media and and i'm in major media. 337 00:53:55.260 --> 00:54:11.040 Maxina Ventura: And so they're going into overdrive and they are making excuses, so you sees man all the money they put into marketing boy why don't they put that into seismic retrofitting of the you know 68 buildings that are dangerous on campus. 338 00:54:12.840 --> 00:54:20.880 Maxina Ventura: You know, so we have to just keep bringing that stuff out if you know it would be great to have people going out and getting petition signed, you know. 339 00:54:22.710 --> 00:54:33.840 Maxina Ventura: yeah that'd be fabulous but you know, yes it's a developer lead counsel and it's a service and everything is determined by the city manager, no matter what. 340 00:54:34.410 --> 00:54:52.710 Maxina Ventura: Anybody on the counselor mayor, you know might say so we just have to continue to do what we've always done, be the thorn in the side and say you know what we're going to make it just miserably difficult, you know any step of the way as you go forward and we will keep exposing. 341 00:54:53.910 --> 00:55:01.410 Maxina Ventura: and exposing exposing that it's never been about housing and this most reason provocation had nothing to do concern about seismic safety. 342 00:55:02.250 --> 00:55:15.300 Maxina Ventura: I will point people to doing an Internet search of something like you UCLA ucb seismic retrofitting la times, an excellent article. 343 00:55:16.260 --> 00:55:27.570 Maxina Ventura: Talking about a study done showing it they release 68 buildings on you know this campus or around this campus that have not been retrofitted some of them expected to kill people. 344 00:55:28.650 --> 00:55:30.510 Maxina Ventura: In an earthquake so. 345 00:55:32.640 --> 00:55:39.120 Maxina Ventura: You know that's the stuff we've got to bring up, we have to keep like busting their myths there's not really any easy way around it. 346 00:55:39.870 --> 00:55:50.880 Maxina Ventura: We just have to keep busting their myths so that that means going on to Berkeley side you know, and when the Trolls come out in force, which they do anytime anything goes up about people's park i'm. 347 00:55:52.350 --> 00:56:01.350 Maxina Ventura: Put in some comments about the importance of open say figure out from your perspective, what you think you know, some people will be able to hear. 348 00:56:01.890 --> 00:56:07.500 Maxina Ventura: What seems to be somewhat effective is that concept of talking about the need for open space with increase density. 349 00:56:08.040 --> 00:56:17.160 Maxina Ventura: figure out what you think is most important to promote and just get out there and get more comments or you know the SF Chronicle. 350 00:56:18.090 --> 00:56:29.310 Maxina Ventura: There was recently a pretty decent article by Sarah ravani and you know about a minute and a half later the editorial board, you know no names attached put out this scathing piece. 351 00:56:30.210 --> 00:56:38.550 Maxina Ventura: Saying no, no, no, you know housing is needed, and they need to do it if people's Park, I mean you know that was obviously you see you know. 352 00:56:40.290 --> 00:56:49.680 Maxina Ventura: You see, you like getting in there and saying we need you to you know do this other thing, so we just have to keep like with those comments with the whatever, no, no, no. 353 00:56:50.070 --> 00:56:56.700 Maxina Ventura: And I think keep our common say no it's never been about housing never has they've got land all over Berkeley and all over other areas. 354 00:56:58.050 --> 00:57:01.440 Maxina Ventura: And I will say we're also fighting for Oxford tract and Gill tract. 355 00:57:02.970 --> 00:57:19.260 Maxina Ventura: And as a you kind of as a united front among the groups there because you sees you know tacking Oxford track to with plans you know plans for housing there you know these private, public partnerships that are about handing over money to you know their corporate friends and. 356 00:57:20.640 --> 00:57:23.550 Maxina Ventura: So we just have to keep exposing what it's about. 357 00:57:26.550 --> 00:57:29.490 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Okay um I see a question for for aiden. 358 00:57:32.190 --> 00:57:34.650 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: question is, I heard you talking about how. 359 00:57:34.860 --> 00:57:43.080 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: People of color are impacted by the building on people's park dude environmental destruction Could you elaborate more on that. 360 00:57:43.830 --> 00:57:52.770 Aidan Hill (they/them): yeah absolutely i'm happy to do that just want to be transparent i'm in no way a public policy advisor or a city or regional planner. 361 00:57:53.400 --> 00:58:05.370 Aidan Hill (they/them): But I do have the ability to put together data points and information, and this is what I can tell you, for how people of color have been impacted by people's part, even though we don't have the statistics on it specifically. 362 00:58:06.030 --> 00:58:13.410 Aidan Hill (they/them): So what do we know parks have important roles to play in the health and the well being of our own mental space on our environment. 363 00:58:14.340 --> 00:58:23.040 Aidan Hill (they/them): According to the national recreation park association, if I could just pull from them parks are key to ensuring the health of our environment because they play a critical role in maintaining. 364 00:58:23.370 --> 00:58:36.000 Aidan Hill (they/them): The system's healthy ecosystems, providing clean water and clean air and enabling conservation of natural resources, now the clean water, clean air are very much straightforward, especially during. 365 00:58:37.140 --> 00:58:46.110 Aidan Hill (they/them): We need access to sanitation and the risks of respiratory diseases or an all time high, we also know that as far as. 366 00:58:46.860 --> 00:58:51.630 Aidan Hill (they/them): deaths and hospitalizations are concerned at least since February 18. 367 00:58:51.960 --> 00:59:03.780 Aidan Hill (they/them): The CDC states that black or African American and Hispanic people are about three times more likely than white or non Hispanic people in hospitalizations as well as two times more likely and. 368 00:59:04.350 --> 00:59:11.700 Aidan Hill (they/them): And so the fact that also Berkeley size have noted that the majority of people who have died due to. 369 00:59:12.420 --> 00:59:18.570 Aidan Hill (they/them): In Berkeley were black male age 18 or older or some combination of those demographics. 370 00:59:18.960 --> 00:59:26.940 Aidan Hill (they/them): One thing that's really essential to win in regards to your question about displacement is the mental health of the black Community at people's park. 371 00:59:27.720 --> 00:59:34.140 Aidan Hill (they/them): Speaking personally, I can tell you that one of the first things that I saw at people's park is that it's mostly filled with people of color. 372 00:59:34.470 --> 00:59:47.160 Aidan Hill (they/them): Specifically black people, and so I knew that development with disproportionately harmed these folks specifically because there were limited access points in other parts of the city, but we know. 373 00:59:48.300 --> 00:59:57.450 Aidan Hill (they/them): That increase availability and access to green space promotes mental health by providing calm and restorative refuge points, even if it's just visual access. 374 00:59:57.900 --> 01:00:06.390 Aidan Hill (they/them): Rather than being able to enter the park, and so the fact that people would not have these mental health plants they're clean air and clean water, would be. 375 01:00:06.900 --> 01:00:14.880 Aidan Hill (they/them): At a higher risk there's a mortality rate associated to racial demographics, when it comes to limited access to people's park. 376 01:00:15.180 --> 01:00:26.730 Aidan Hill (they/them): And I mentioned earlier, from National Geographic that about to time black people are two times more likely than white people to be in a Eric live in an area that's deprived of nature and really. 377 01:00:27.990 --> 01:00:37.920 Aidan Hill (they/them): that's about two to three times more likely for low income people to also be in nature, less areas as well, and all of these are cyclical and. 378 01:00:38.610 --> 01:00:48.390 Aidan Hill (they/them): They all have real, tangible material results on the effects of the people that they're intended to displace so when people say that people's park is. 379 01:00:48.630 --> 01:00:57.720 Aidan Hill (they/them): A space in which black people can find refuge they mean a very clearly that this is a place where people can find the resources necessary to live and. 380 01:00:58.140 --> 01:01:05.970 Aidan Hill (they/them): I did point to a quote by Michael dowdy recently passed that he this was one of the places he couldn't find refuge and even that was. 381 01:01:06.510 --> 01:01:20.910 Aidan Hill (they/them): problematic, to a certain degree, and so we can only exacerbate that for the potential climate effects of the future, especially during the summer and fall when we have wildfires seasons and more respiratory illnesses are potentially going to affect our population. 382 01:01:28.290 --> 01:01:40.170 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: yeah in terms of the ways we can you know reach the public, I just want to underscore when Max said about writing you know to various media. 383 01:01:41.190 --> 01:01:44.820 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Because that pressure when they see it, because the. 384 01:01:45.210 --> 01:01:47.490 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: You know the the Indies. 385 01:01:47.580 --> 01:01:53.430 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: The well funded in bs on you know do turn out and and they do make a lot of noise so. 386 01:01:54.510 --> 01:01:54.870 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: You know. 387 01:01:56.130 --> 01:02:04.080 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: If you have an issue with things that you read, write about it and and get it into the media um. 388 01:02:04.860 --> 01:02:22.560 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: I also want to point out that there's some things coming up the university is going to be issuing their environmental impact report on there will be a comment period 45 days, so please comment on that Community needs to be involved in that. 389 01:02:24.420 --> 01:02:24.960 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: and 390 01:02:26.790 --> 01:02:45.150 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: So, so this this outreach I think is important, I agree with with Tom that the city console is not going to respond as is but, again, with the added pressure, I think that they're going to have to sit up and take some notice. 391 01:02:46.530 --> 01:02:46.860 Joseph Liesner: rv. 392 01:02:48.120 --> 01:02:48.360 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Read. 393 01:02:48.810 --> 01:02:51.090 Joseph Liesner: The comments from neo neo Miller. 394 01:02:51.480 --> 01:03:05.520 Joseph Liesner: She said that tonight's speakers, and also all the participants draft a petition a petition for the preservation of people's park at present it to both the uc Berkeley and the city. 395 01:03:07.110 --> 01:03:12.840 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: yeah and there was also another comment that going door to door is a great idea, but until Colvin you know. 396 01:03:13.980 --> 01:03:20.730 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: is much reduced it, you know, we should probably think about starting an online petition or a well crafted. 397 01:03:21.990 --> 01:03:27.300 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: online petition so on that that would probably at least be a start. 398 01:03:27.780 --> 01:03:30.360 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Before we do that actually hit the streets. 399 01:03:30.420 --> 01:03:30.960 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Yes, Steve. 400 01:03:31.140 --> 01:03:32.070 stevewasserman: Can I address that. 401 01:03:32.760 --> 01:03:33.060 yeah. 402 01:03:34.560 --> 01:03:35.610 stevewasserman: A couple things just. 403 01:03:37.020 --> 01:03:39.780 stevewasserman: returned to the point about door to door in a moment, but. 404 01:03:41.190 --> 01:03:55.020 stevewasserman: Is there any polling data that actually exists in which residents of Berkeley have been asked the question about what they think should be done with people's park. 405 01:03:55.530 --> 01:04:12.000 stevewasserman: Or is it just all anecdotal here I mean I would be uneasy, I do not assume that I would like to believe to be true, but I do not assume that a majority of Berkeley residents support what we support with respect to the part. 406 01:04:13.680 --> 01:04:15.000 stevewasserman: i'm not at all convinced of that. 407 01:04:16.320 --> 01:04:26.160 stevewasserman: I even encounter people who were in Berkeley in 1969 who supported the building of the park and who participated, a billion part and who now believe hey you know what it's time to move on. 408 01:04:27.120 --> 01:04:44.910 stevewasserman: The kids need housing build it and don't get rid of your nostalgic attachment to the good old days I mean I think it's contested, and I would not assume i'd like to see some data, do we know what people really believe and what is the political strategy. 409 01:04:46.830 --> 01:04:55.320 stevewasserman: To actually what is it that we want to win i'm all for the continued campaign of exposure and denunciation but exposure and annunciation. 410 01:04:55.890 --> 01:05:02.820 stevewasserman: is not a political campaign designed to put pressure on the people we need to put pressure, so what is the strategy. 411 01:05:03.390 --> 01:05:13.050 stevewasserman: that we need to come up with, I mean has this group or has anyone met, I mean before the pandemic, but have people met with the editorial board of the San Francisco Chronicle. 412 01:05:13.440 --> 01:05:18.000 stevewasserman: or with these other people, I mean what lobbying, have we done to try to put. 413 01:05:18.570 --> 01:05:29.400 stevewasserman: Pressure I mean it's one thing to stand on the street corner and show great i'm all for it, I do it myself, but what is the actual political strategy now as to going door to door. 414 01:05:30.150 --> 01:05:44.010 stevewasserman: hey in a pandemic we're shelter in place people are at home, their home my wife is making a great career in the middle of this pandemic going door to door all over northern California selling solar. 415 01:05:46.020 --> 01:05:52.830 stevewasserman: Because solar's a way to go and to reduce your prices and she finds your mask your outsider she. 416 01:05:53.130 --> 01:06:09.540 stevewasserman: People come to the door they're happy to see somebody actually there that you can talk to people through you don't have to be you know, in a CAFE I think all the social media, yes, should exploit every possible technological avenue, but I would not. 417 01:06:10.440 --> 01:06:19.530 stevewasserman: spurn old fashion doorbell ringing I mean who, who is this who among you when Obama was trying to. 418 01:06:20.070 --> 01:06:21.570 stevewasserman: sell his health care plan. 419 01:06:21.990 --> 01:06:34.500 stevewasserman: How many of you actually got a rick did anybody come to your door and say you know you hear a lot of republican critiques of this stuff and there's a lot of scare tactic and it's complicated the bills 1000 pages, but could I carve out like an hour. 420 01:06:34.770 --> 01:06:42.300 stevewasserman: Or maybe an hour and a half, with you and your family and walk you through what makes sense and what doesn't make sense and you want to talk, I never got that. 421 01:06:42.780 --> 01:06:53.310 stevewasserman: Nobody ever knocked on my door, so I think if we want to sell a vision of people's park we're going to have to do much more it's called old fashioned political organizing. 422 01:06:54.930 --> 01:07:11.340 stevewasserman: And Berkeley is a city where we know how to do this it's not impossible it's 120,000 people, you can go door to door, you can block, you can have a group of people, they mark out a weekend and and and keep doing it, and I think it's not to be. 423 01:07:13.830 --> 01:07:23.520 stevewasserman: Be being in dialogue with the people is really very helpful and I think it has to be yoked to an actual strategy of. 424 01:07:24.240 --> 01:07:41.100 stevewasserman: Where we can put the pressure what points, either within the university system within the city Berkeley or outside of it that can singly and taken together get us to the goal that we actually want, which is to have the university cease and desist. 425 01:07:42.270 --> 01:07:47.820 stevewasserman: At to Bandon their current plans, because they are well advanced, as we all know and. 426 01:07:48.510 --> 01:08:02.970 stevewasserman: It and time is going short, because we are going to wake up and they will have poured the concrete foundations for that building those buildings and that's going to happen very soon, so I think we have to get get real here. 427 01:08:04.500 --> 01:08:11.700 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: I, I agree with your point on data, you know what I see the university doing all the time is quoting data about the. 428 01:08:12.540 --> 01:08:20.190 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: The criminality or violence that people's park and and i've said, for a long time, and I was just cursory research, I found that. 429 01:08:20.550 --> 01:08:33.990 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: That the criminality and violence is is much more on fraternity row then at people's Park, but we never hear that side we never hear those statistics from the uc police department or Berkeley police. 430 01:08:34.710 --> 01:08:41.730 stevewasserman: I mean quite a lot of people that I encounter I don't want to make I don't want to mistake personal encounters for a general cut it, you know general. 431 01:08:42.270 --> 01:08:51.390 stevewasserman: perception and kind of what I I encountered quite a number of people who push back against my arguments and say i've been scared for years to go near the park, I mean. 432 01:08:52.080 --> 01:09:02.640 stevewasserman: Quite a lot of people that I encounter and not just people over 50 or over 60 younger people to I encounter so there's a lot of there's a lot of I would I would love to know. 433 01:09:03.840 --> 01:09:12.450 stevewasserman: What people think on a broad range of aspects, so that we would have a baseline of how to begin to organize around this. 434 01:09:13.350 --> 01:09:16.080 Joseph Liesner: rv I have a very interesting comment. 435 01:09:16.440 --> 01:09:16.740 That. 436 01:09:18.330 --> 01:09:28.980 Joseph Liesner: speaks about the use of the term open space that i'd like to read from area on ucsf developers employ the word open space, which is not a. 437 01:09:30.600 --> 01:09:44.130 Joseph Liesner: phrase that behooves us using as it conveys it our public lands are quote open for development in San Francisco, for instance ucsf has misnamed our dense cloud forest. 438 01:09:44.610 --> 01:09:59.400 Joseph Liesner: Now sutra the Mount sutra open space reserved, so that they can recreate a new image of public space in people's minds such language is dangerous, so I would strongly urge aiden and others not to use it. 439 01:10:02.250 --> 01:10:02.430 Right. 440 01:10:04.110 --> 01:10:04.680 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: I mean what. 441 01:10:05.400 --> 01:10:06.810 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Do you want to comment aiden. 442 01:10:07.980 --> 01:10:12.810 Aidan Hill (they/them): uh yeah i'll comment on steve's point, but I did see jake coker copeland's hand up first. 443 01:10:14.550 --> 01:10:22.470 J Copeland: And I don't want to make a specific comment about this, my name is Joseph Copeland i'm was raised in Berkeley not that far from the park. 444 01:10:23.370 --> 01:10:29.910 J Copeland: You might know this book going to show up backwards, this is people's Park, this is my father's book Alan Copeland. 445 01:10:30.300 --> 01:10:38.670 J Copeland: I live about 800 miles north of you now I happened to hear about this meeting, and I wanted to come here and i've been listening here, and it seems to me that everyone here is coming with. 446 01:10:39.630 --> 01:10:46.560 J Copeland: A different reason for having an interest in the park, some of it is historic, some of it is social justice, some of it is flat out environmental. 447 01:10:46.890 --> 01:10:50.010 J Copeland: And all of those makes sense to me, but it seems to me that if you're going to. 448 01:10:50.790 --> 01:10:56.250 J Copeland: Get support broadly you're going to need some kind of PR campaign to all of the stakeholders. 449 01:10:56.580 --> 01:11:04.380 J Copeland: And that means appealing to the environmental and green folks like Max and students who are millennials and gen Z who are interested as well. 450 01:11:04.800 --> 01:11:13.260 J Copeland: you're going to need to approach the historic folks like Tom and other people who have an interest in the historic preservation of the park is a landmark. 451 01:11:13.950 --> 01:11:23.250 J Copeland: Some of the urban planner people and city folk you'll need to look after them, the social justice crowd that aiden's talking about has an interest in the park and you could appeal to them. 452 01:11:23.640 --> 01:11:27.030 J Copeland: So he's got a lot of different constituents and even the capitalist imperative. 453 01:11:27.090 --> 01:11:34.680 J Copeland: Maybe the business association that big in the Telegraph area who you say are being approached by foreign tourists and other people to say hey. 454 01:11:35.070 --> 01:11:40.350 J Copeland: This is a draw for you, this can make money for you as the capitalist so you've got a lot of different stakeholders here. 455 01:11:40.980 --> 01:11:50.790 J Copeland: And you're going to need to do a PR campaign with all of them, some of it is data gathering as Steve said, and some of it as an appeal to them, I think you've got a lot of different people here so some kind of. 456 01:11:51.090 --> 01:11:57.720 J Copeland: approach to those different groups and maybe even the neighborhood association there if they're afraid of the violence, but you want to engage everybody. 457 01:11:58.080 --> 01:12:02.970 J Copeland: Maybe this is motherhood and apple pie to all you guys it just it sounds like there's a lot of different constituents. 458 01:12:03.720 --> 01:12:14.370 J Copeland: Whether there's also a legal strategy, whether it's eminent domain, or even historic landmark status, I don't know i'll leave that up to I see somebody here from Sierra law office, maybe you guys have a better sense. 459 01:12:14.730 --> 01:12:25.590 J Copeland: And then, at some point if administrative stuff if safety of the park is a concern of locals everywhere, you will have to address that if that's if that's the wedge that the university is using against you. 460 01:12:25.950 --> 01:12:34.890 J Copeland: So, whether it's our job or not to make a proposition about what we would like to do at the park I don't know but certainly there are a couple of different things, it sounds like. 461 01:12:35.460 --> 01:12:41.820 J Copeland: you'll need to do as a group, if you want to appeal to the maximum number of stakeholders possible now i'll shut up. 462 01:12:46.200 --> 01:12:59.130 Aidan Hill (they/them): yeah Stephen you were talking a lot about a political strategy and I just want to highlight that that part of that strategy for me at least was to come independently to run for office. 463 01:13:00.300 --> 01:13:12.210 Aidan Hill (they/them): Not only choosing to Telegraph which I think has a very prominent point of for the representation of people's part, but I also chose to run for mayor to get that. 464 01:13:12.840 --> 01:13:21.150 Aidan Hill (they/them): Statistical diagnosis of where people felt about the park I don't have the data, the concrete data, but I can tell you that a lot of people. 465 01:13:21.780 --> 01:13:35.190 Aidan Hill (they/them): For the majority of them, they feel like the violence that they hear about people's park has is too much it's gone too far, it is an unsafe environment and, therefore, it needs to be destroyed, I think that is a. 466 01:13:35.850 --> 01:13:50.400 Aidan Hill (they/them): How do I say it's a wrong and misplaced energy and it doesn't actually solve the issue at the forefront, but that is what the University has used as leverage for the Community against the people who are on the ground at people's park. 467 01:13:51.030 --> 01:13:57.180 Aidan Hill (they/them): Now, as someone who runs for office like I don't just show up one day and say i'm going to be this person in power. 468 01:13:57.960 --> 01:14:05.070 Aidan Hill (they/them): i'm actually part of the Green Party and Greg who's here right now, has done a good job of supporting me in those runs but I. 469 01:14:05.400 --> 01:14:16.800 Aidan Hill (they/them): Something that i'm learning recently is that it's important to not recreate the systems of oppression and something that I, in the past have mistaken is that i've also. 470 01:14:17.910 --> 01:14:22.950 Aidan Hill (they/them): unconsciously given those same type of perspectives that the Chancellor uses they. 471 01:14:23.970 --> 01:14:33.630 Aidan Hill (they/them): Right now, the university is claiming like we have to listen to the Chancellor and the Chancellor knows best for our Community, just to the same degree that many organizations in Berkeley listen. 472 01:14:33.900 --> 01:14:38.910 Aidan Hill (they/them): To some organizations regarding people's park people's park committee for an example, but. 473 01:14:39.270 --> 01:14:45.750 Aidan Hill (they/them): When I go out there, I don't try to tell people like yes it's about me running for mayor or yes it's about. 474 01:14:46.110 --> 01:15:00.180 Aidan Hill (they/them): people's park committee or yes it's about the historical district, I say it's about our children's children, and do you want your child's child to not have available open space, when you are long gone because, even for me. 475 01:15:01.200 --> 01:15:09.450 Aidan Hill (they/them): As someone who's only been here as a short time, I know that the situation may change or I might not live in Berkeley or I might not be able to. 476 01:15:10.050 --> 01:15:15.990 Aidan Hill (they/them): continue the work, but I want especially like the neighbor the local neighborhood association I tell them. 477 01:15:16.770 --> 01:15:26.010 Aidan Hill (they/them): How are you going to make sure that this land is preserved for not only the next 50 years, but the next 100 years and is there going to be available green space for them. 478 01:15:26.250 --> 01:15:31.230 Aidan Hill (they/them): And I find a lot of parents, a lot of people with children are very sympathetic to those goals. 479 01:15:31.980 --> 01:15:41.820 Aidan Hill (they/them): The idea that having this to not use open space, but the Commons, the green accessible open commons that people can utilize for play. 480 01:15:42.240 --> 01:15:50.190 Aidan Hill (they/them): is far more important than the need for housing speculative or not, and I think that is a very key motivator that's often neglected. 481 01:15:50.820 --> 01:16:00.030 Aidan Hill (they/them): The ability for people with children to have a place where they can call their own is something that hasn't been tapped as far as the formal organizing of people's park protection. 482 01:16:04.620 --> 01:16:15.660 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: I think I saw chuck wanting to jump in on this chuck got Wallenberg part of the people's park historic district advocacy group and berkeley's historian. 483 01:16:17.100 --> 01:16:25.350 chuck wollenberg: Thank you um you know, one of the things that that I particularly like seven things that he said, and some of the things that Stephen said because. 484 01:16:26.430 --> 01:16:33.750 chuck wollenberg: One thing i'm sure i've is we're not going to win this if if our whole strategy is to just blast away at the University, I mean the university. 485 01:16:34.470 --> 01:16:40.740 chuck wollenberg: deserves all the criticism we're giving it but that's not the way to win anybody over, we have to come up with a vision. 486 01:16:41.070 --> 01:16:50.070 chuck wollenberg: Of what we want the park to be in the future, we have to be able to sell that vision, we have to be for people as part not against the university and again that isn't. 487 01:16:50.490 --> 01:16:59.700 chuck wollenberg: i'm not trying to in any way defend the university but that's not a strategy i'm sure that it will work and i'm one of the things that. 488 01:17:00.420 --> 01:17:17.820 chuck wollenberg: You know I think Mr Copeland so we kind of all have to get together and come up with what is our vision for people's park it's kind of what he was talking about a minute ago, what is it that we, why is it that people should keep that park open and what is it. 489 01:17:18.840 --> 01:17:21.390 chuck wollenberg: That we envision that park to be. 490 01:17:22.530 --> 01:17:25.500 chuck wollenberg: And we have to argue for something not against something. 491 01:17:28.440 --> 01:17:33.600 Sierra Law Office: You know, if I may jump in here at this moment said i'm not hearing anybody can anybody hear me. 492 01:17:33.870 --> 01:17:34.650 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Yes, yes. 493 01:17:35.670 --> 01:17:44.760 Sierra Law Office: i'm David excellent way out here in northern California and i've been listening I don't feel that I always have to talk at every people's park meeting, although I think I always have. 494 01:17:45.180 --> 01:17:50.010 Sierra Law Office: This would be an exception, if I didn't but I the couple of things I heard one is. 495 01:17:50.940 --> 01:17:56.850 Sierra Law Office: We shouldn't blast away at the University, but that comes into the legal strategy where we do need to blast away. 496 01:17:57.330 --> 01:18:04.650 Sierra Law Office: We need to blast away at all levels, from the governor on down and I wouldn't give up on the City Council and I wouldn't give up on the door to door. 497 01:18:05.220 --> 01:18:18.210 Sierra Law Office: Also, the part of the trump of vacation of America that still lingers is the big lie, and this is a big lie that the University has been selling and creating for many years that people spark is dangerous and. 498 01:18:19.350 --> 01:18:34.770 Sierra Law Office: I used to walk into people's park every day now I don't because I live far away, but when I do walk through people's Park, there is no danger is they are there may be some homeless people and there may be a lot of black people and maybe in the in the minds of. 499 01:18:36.420 --> 01:18:45.000 Sierra Law Office: unconscious racist white people that makes that adds up to being dangerous but it's not a dangerous place, I agree that. 500 01:18:46.260 --> 01:18:52.980 Sierra Law Office: pieces what prevails and people spark, we need to tell that story, we need to talk about something that hasn't been mentioned tonight. 501 01:18:54.450 --> 01:19:03.930 Sierra Law Office: The native plants, the botanic reality of people started but give plants, a chance it's not just all about people, even though that's the name of the park, but we have to. 502 01:19:05.880 --> 01:19:07.920 Sierra Law Office: revive the idea and. 503 01:19:09.270 --> 01:19:19.590 Sierra Law Office: acquaint people with the fact that there are native plants have arranged in native client communities in people's park that deserve a chance to grow as part of a. 504 01:19:20.010 --> 01:19:37.080 Sierra Law Office: of an academic experience experiment and experience that it is ironic that the university administration doesn't see the value of something that actually originated as a student initiated class back in 1974 and the. 505 01:19:37.920 --> 01:19:47.760 Sierra Law Office: And the whole part came out of the Free speech movement, indirectly, and all this, they are trying to erase their history, because they are ashamed and they haven't apologized so all those. 506 01:19:48.120 --> 01:19:55.950 Sierra Law Office: points that people made that they really tied together, but I think a lot of good points have been made, I know Mr Copeland asked about the. 507 01:19:57.060 --> 01:20:03.510 Sierra Law Office: Legal strategy, I think, almost everybody at this meeting is familiar with what's going on in terms of. 508 01:20:04.350 --> 01:20:16.830 Sierra Law Office: Trying to enforce the written in signed agreements that we have from the University dating back to 1979 we sued them successfully on two occasions for free speech in 1987. 509 01:20:17.250 --> 01:20:27.900 Sierra Law Office: And then for sequel California environmental quality act in the early 90s, and both times, we were able to save the park and I think we will we'll probably have to do it again. 510 01:20:29.280 --> 01:20:33.480 Sierra Law Office: But if anybody has any questions about any of that i'd be i'd be happy to weigh in. 511 01:20:35.640 --> 01:20:48.330 Maxina Ventura: Like to jump in with something else that I had meant to say and you just brought up the University of California and agreements well with this recent lawsuit filed by the parnassus neighborhood coalition. 512 01:20:49.050 --> 01:21:00.510 Maxina Ventura: in San Francisco around mount sutra it's also about you see the current parnassus plan for the first time, seeks to undo the 1976 commitments and. 513 01:21:01.380 --> 01:21:16.440 Maxina Ventura: You can look that up to find out what they were with the pattern here is, if you see reneging on it's a long standing agreements, and I think it's related to hoping, people will forget history so part of our job is keep history live. 514 01:21:18.450 --> 01:21:18.870 Maxina Ventura: Right oh. 515 01:21:19.380 --> 01:21:20.400 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: yeah yeah Thank you. 516 01:21:23.040 --> 01:21:28.290 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Any other comments from your kind of drawing almost to we got another maybe eight minutes here. 517 01:21:29.520 --> 01:21:35.130 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: So I just wanted to open it up any anything panelists want to say to each other. 518 01:21:37.350 --> 01:21:52.650 Joseph Liesner: I would like to say in terms of having a vision for the future of people spark one of the big obstacles in people's minds that see the park in a very negative way is that they don't. 519 01:21:54.120 --> 01:21:58.140 Joseph Liesner: Have the creativity, or the open heart or the compassion. 520 01:21:59.310 --> 01:22:04.860 Joseph Liesner: To believe that there's a way for people that have less of a. 521 01:22:06.060 --> 01:22:10.050 Joseph Liesner: A street awareness that are made uncomfortable by. 522 01:22:11.400 --> 01:22:24.630 Joseph Liesner: People that drink and use drugs and are dirty that there's no way for them to share the park with other people, the sort of tinier people, and that is such. 523 01:22:26.160 --> 01:22:37.170 Joseph Liesner: Such a giving up kind of attitude, you know the the summer of discontent that we just went through and this renewed awareness of systematic and. 524 01:22:38.820 --> 01:22:40.260 Joseph Liesner: Systematic racism. 525 01:22:41.280 --> 01:22:46.320 Joseph Liesner: begs the whole question of why can't we share, you know, with people that have been. 526 01:22:47.460 --> 01:23:06.810 Joseph Liesner: crippled from the beginning of their lives by this systematic racism and create a way that we can sit on a park bench next to each other and share the same part I think we have to find creative ways to pry open people's mind and make that. 527 01:23:07.920 --> 01:23:12.000 Joseph Liesner: put some daylight on that possibility it's a hard one but. 528 01:23:12.180 --> 01:23:33.840 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Joe I like to invoke our our ally zach steward zach stored is a landscape architect, he was the designer of to Berkeley part shorebirds park and willard holcim in park and with zach likes to do is to compare people's park with civic Center Park, so the city of Berkeley. 529 01:23:34.980 --> 01:23:44.310 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: You know, does a lot of work to maintain civic Center park and even though we're very similar Paul population hangs out in the park. 530 01:23:45.180 --> 01:24:01.410 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Civic Center there's also lots of other things going on in the park and around the park, I mean look at the farmers market every Saturday, look at the events that are held there, I mean it's a little difficult with Kobe, but we all know, the Book Fair and many other events. 531 01:24:02.580 --> 01:24:05.070 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: You know that the parallel between the two parks. 532 01:24:05.790 --> 01:24:21.030 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: is striking in terms of the physical attributes of each one is just one is maintained and one is neglected and maligned, and so I think it's it's actually pretty easy to point to a positive future. 533 01:24:21.750 --> 01:24:44.040 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: people's part but not look like civic Center Park, but it obviously is a incredible parallel to to the potential for people's Park, so you know and zach has done a lot of work to to try to explain this and and publicize that this these insights. 534 01:24:44.220 --> 01:24:53.940 stevewasserman: And I just like to second what you said Harvey I think that's so very important and it falls on what chuck had also said, I mean there is a vision. 535 01:24:54.450 --> 01:25:14.910 stevewasserman: of a positive future, we know it can work, because we have it living within us right now at civic Center at alone, a park at yes holtzman parked willard Park, which is only a few blocks away from people's park what you have in people's Park, is the result of the deliberate neglect. 536 01:25:15.960 --> 01:25:32.490 stevewasserman: And a five decade long campaign by the university to degrade it to deny it, the nutrition it needed to starve it out and and now to to wage a kind of war against it and to and to besmirch its reputation. 537 01:25:33.240 --> 01:25:45.120 stevewasserman: By by as someone else said, the big lie the big lie, so I do think we have to double down on a positive vision that that uses as its basic DNA the hopes and longings of the. 538 01:25:45.780 --> 01:25:55.920 stevewasserman: original creators, we have to be responsive to the deeds of people today and, above all, we have to develop a kind of several step multi layered. 539 01:25:56.520 --> 01:26:08.460 stevewasserman: campaign to bring a halt to the university's reckless plans to bulldoze the market to non existence and to enjoying those forces by whatever means we can. 540 01:26:09.480 --> 01:26:21.390 stevewasserman: to collaborate responsibly in the construction and creation of revive people's park that honors its history and response to the needs of the citizenry. 541 01:26:21.690 --> 01:26:30.600 stevewasserman: That will take a lot of a lot of effort, I don't think it's hopeless I think it's a tall order but it's certainly not hopeless, and I think. 542 01:26:31.380 --> 01:26:39.990 stevewasserman: The the upwelling of an uprisings that have occurred since the spring and over the summer, give to us a unique opportunity. 543 01:26:40.320 --> 01:26:56.070 stevewasserman: Actually, to create alliances that that we've together the various needs of communities that united can be much more powerful than they can be when they are separated or divided from one another and people's part. 544 01:26:56.910 --> 01:27:15.090 stevewasserman: Both by virtue of its mythic origins and the story, it has told is a place where that kind of community can be woven together, but we, but we need a multi pronged campaign that really hits the notes that Mr Copeland. 545 01:27:16.890 --> 01:27:35.880 stevewasserman: enumerated that speaks to what he called the stakeholders, and to do it in a more concerted fashion, I do think, an attempt to actually understand what people actually believe right now whether right or wrong, and a petition drive that he symbols by virtue of its numbers and a direct. 546 01:27:36.900 --> 01:27:44.310 stevewasserman: dial on trying to enroll people in in this campaign would be hugely beneficial. 547 01:27:45.660 --> 01:27:51.990 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Steve I want to thank you for your elegant summation of our evening okay. 548 01:27:53.220 --> 01:28:02.910 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: And with that you know we're really out of time, I want to point people to both on our website and the website of the people's park committee. 549 01:28:03.390 --> 01:28:12.870 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: check both of those for future events and actions and hopefully an announcement of a petition drive and many other things and we're gonna. 550 01:28:13.650 --> 01:28:35.520 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: we've been considering you know doing other events like this, so look for further zooms in and other activities and I just want to thank everybody that participated everybody that you know tuned in tonight and let's go forward on a long day okay. 551 01:28:35.610 --> 01:28:36.840 stevewasserman: Thanks for organizing this. 552 01:28:37.020 --> 01:28:38.670 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Okay, thanks everybody. 553 01:28:41.310 --> 01:28:42.150 chuck wollenberg: Good job Gary. 554 01:28:43.020 --> 01:28:43.920 Harvey Smith, Berkeley, CA: Thank you jack. 555 01:28:45.210 --> 01:28:45.900 Kristin HANSON: Thank you. 556 01:29:35.160 --> 01:29:37.500 Diane Resek: So, Joe should I end this. 557 01:29:40.380 --> 01:29:41.100 Yes.