Dear Community,

Over the past few weeks, as ICE raids intensify and protests build across the country, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to lead, to stay grounded, and to show up with purpose in this moment. The threat is real. And yet, so is our collective power. 

At Change Consulting, we’re leaning deeply into our role as communicators and movement storytellers. Specifically at this moment, we’re proud to support our partners at We Are California, who are organizing in support for our immigrant friends, family, and neighbors across the state. They have created some valuable resources, including a messaging guide, a social media toolkit for allies, as well as guidance on how to provide mutual aid for immigrant communities. 

I won’t pretend to have all the answers. But, I am clear on this – my team and I will continue to throw down for Oakland, for California, and for racial justice. 

With care and in community,
Bilen Packwood
CEO, Change Consulting

“Oakland is truly a patchwork of cultures, of stories, of languages stitched together by a shared love of place,” Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee stated as she took the stage during the community mayoral inaugural celebration last Sunday at Jack London Square. Lee was sworn in as Oakland’s 52nd mayor and first Black woman to lead the city on May 20 in City Council chambers. Sunday’s event was a special moment for the entire community to gather together and celebrate not just Lee, but the spirit of the city. 

“Oakland teaches us to listen, yes; to work together, yes; and to dream bigger than any one group can on its own.” Prior to her public swearing in at Jack London Square, Mayor Lee visited Liberation Park for The Black Cultural Zone’s inauguration celebration in East Oakland. “What you all are doing here is reminding me of my mother’s message…in spite of all the difficulties we face, ‘can’t’ is not in your dictionary.” Catch recaps of the joyous celebration in East Oakland by Black Cultural Zone here . 

Last weekend, Black to the Future Action Fund (B2F) launched Our Homes, Our Future, a housing justice campaign in Valdosta, Georgia, with community action and connection. Unveiled at the VLPRA Senior Community Center and celebrated at East Side Day in Vallotton Park, the campaign targets unfair housing practices, like expensive rent and junk fees, and calls for more affordable housing near essential resources. “What we do is come in, and we show you how you build up political power and economic power in the community,” said Omega Calhoun, lead Georgia organizer of B2F. Read more in the Valdosta Daily Times and WTXL. Visit www.black2thefuture.org to sign the petition and learn more about the campaign.