Councilwoman's Bigoted Comments Go Unchallenged by Oakland Officials

Oakland, CA - The AAPI community in Oakland is still grappling with the aftermath of a racist and hostile outburst from Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife.

This outburst was directed towards AAPI small housing providers, including several elders who were sharing their pain and frustration at a meeting on Tuesday. Many are losing their livelihoods and are owed tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid rent due to abuse of the City’s eviction moratoriums.

Rather than listen to these heartbreaking stories from community members, CM Fife unfortunately decided to attempt to divide the voices of the community, remarking that she didn’t care what “white or yellow landlords” had to say.

Fife ignored the plight of small housing providers, many who have not received rent in years, putting them in serious financial peril. One Chinese speaker was over 90 years old, and was desperate to receive rent to pay for her living expenses.

Neighbors are concerned that no one, including the three AAPI elected officials in Oakland, has called out CM Fife for her bigoted and divisive statement, especially in a time of increased tensions between the Black and Asian neighbors.

We urge our lawmakers and city leaders to speak out against this dangerous pattern of divisive language and demand an apology and retraction from CM Fife. No race has a monopoly on the movement, and we must work together to support all marginalized communities.