25 Sep Q&A: Jamelia Brown Has a ‘Personal Investment’ in Richmond’s District 1

Jamelia Brown is running to represent District 1 on Richmond City Council. (Campaign photo via electjameliabrown.com)

Interview, Joe Porrello

Name: Dr. Jamelia Brown

Age: 37

Employment History: Doctor of Social Work, Substance Abuse Disorder Counselor IV, Certified Anger Management Specialist, Certified Parent Educator, Certified Shoplifting/Theft Prevention Specialist, Juvenile Justice Clinician

Public Service: 

• National addiction counselor with FOCUS Reentry Project, Inc., offering support and treatment for people struggling with substance abuse
• Provided treatment and family reunification services for women with children and assisted in anti-human trafficking collaborations with San Pablo and Richmond Police Department through Community Violence Solutions as a specialist
• Working alongside organizations such as No Justice Under Capitalism, Essie Justice Group, USC Unchained Scholars, Sisters with Voices, Wrongful Convictions Club USC, and Justice for Pierre Rushing

Highest Education: Pacific Oaks College, M.A. in Human Development, specializing in Educational Leadership and Human Services; University of Southern California, PhD in Social Work

District: 1

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

Contra Costa Pulse: For those that don’t know your background, how has it shaped your decision to run for City Council? And, in general, why are you running?

Jamelia Brown: I’m a fourth-generation Richmond resident, in particular, District 1. When the city was broken into district elections, that really piqued my interest simply because it allows representatives to not only represent Richmond but also take a special interest to hone in on the issues that are impacting a specific area. Growing up in this neighborhood, seeing some of the things, talking with residents and hearing some of the concerns — I just felt compelled to run. I felt like we were being overlooked and underserved in this district. I was on the front lines of advocacy until I realized I had to penetrate this system from a different angle.

CC Pulse: What are some of those concerns you’re hearing, and how will you address those issues?

JB: One I’m hearing more frequently is safety concerns. And that’s not just the recent spike in violence, but that’s some of the traffic measures that are not in place, for instance on 4th (Street) and Pennsylvania (Avenue) all the way down to Barrett (Avenue). There’s been a few residents voicing these concerns at City Council meetings, and nothing has come from that, so it’s really disheartening to see some of the simple things like that not getting done. Also, you go outside and see all of these rideshare bikes laying on the street and abandoned on the side of people’s houses — all that money just lying in the street when we could have used the funding for something else. 

Going in, my focus is safety, engagement and economic resilience. Often when we’re talking about safety, we (put) down law enforcement because we can have other policing alternatives — which are great and effective — but I don’t think it’s a ‘this or that’; it’s a ‘this and that.’ We have to be really honest about what goes on in District 1 and ask, ‘Who is the city really safe for?’ 

I know for my son, walking to the bus stop to get to school is not a safe situation for him, and I don’t care what the numbers say. Young girls and boys going to the corner store and returning home isn’t always a guarantee. We need to make sure law enforcement has what they need to do their job, while also having those other alternatives in place that support residents more directly.

CC Pulse: What would you say the No. 1 issue facing Richmond right now is?

JB: It’s really hard to pick just one, but a more pressing issue is the unhoused population throughout District 1 and the blight on our city; it’s really unbecoming.

CC Pulse: Do you think Richmond won the Chevron deal?

JB: When you look at Chevron just having one of the greatest years in their existence and how much they were able to generate, versus how much they settled with Richmond for… then the council asking for a certain amount and then winning this settlement, I think it’s safe to say it’s a win-win depending on how you’re looking at it. 

>>>Read: Richmond Will Get $550 Million, Remove Refinery Tax From Ballot in Chevron Settlement<<<

CC Pulse: How could you protect District 1 in the Chevron Deal?

JB: We have this settlement, and it’s going into the general fund, and there’s no eyes really on what this money will be used for. I think that should have already been a conversation. Figuring it out later, like building a plane on the way down, is the fastest way for things to crash. We need to get a handle on it as residents to ensure the money is going where we need it most, in particular, District 1. I feel like if there was an oversight of the fund, District 1 should be allocated a certain portion; we are most impacted by Chevron.

CC Pulse: Lastly, what message do you have for voters as they get closer to Election Day, and why should they vote for you?

JB: Residents should vote for me because I have a handle on what’s going on and what’s impacting our district at this time. I have the experience. I have the academic background. And I have a personal investment, being a fourth-generation resident. My heart is invested: I walked away from a salary position to run this race. It’s not for any type of personal accolades; it’s really for the passion and desire that I have to see residents thrive in this area. I walk around far too often seeing folks that are very hopeless, outlets need to be presented to those individuals showing them there is a way out and a way up. Folks aren’t looking for handouts — they’re looking for a way to get out of survival mode. 

>>>Read: Small Business Owners Need a Lift Up, Not a Handout<<<

Growing up in this area, people can sniff out the real from the fake, and voters in this district that know me or will soon get to know me are aware that my heart is really here. I will do everything I can within my reach and power to make sure the resources and services that are needed get to this community, because funding never seems to make it back to our district. By trade, I’m a social worker, so I’m not in the business of telling people what they need but asking what they need to have a better quality of life. 

Everything is so progressive that it’s leaving the community behind in District 1. Being the first to do something and getting national coverage sometimes leads to missing out on the needs of residents. Out of 20,000 residents in our district, only about 4,500 ballots were cast in the last election. We need to let folks know how important it is to vote and not be left out of the conversation, to know what’s being decided about your everyday life, with or without you. Get active in this voting process because the upcoming election cycle is going to be crucial. We have a unique opportunity to break up that supermajority on the council that we know will vote the same way every single time.

If (the City Council race) doesn’t work out in my favor, I’m still going to show up for my community in the way that I have before and even more so because of the relationships I’ve been able to establish already on this journey.