At a press conference, Oakland NAACP members criticized staffers associated with former Mayor Sheng Thao, commending Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins for terminating chief of staff Leigh Hanson and placing resiliency officer Brandon Harami on leave. The controversy arose after it was revealed that Hanson made remarks referring to using Black individuals as 'tokens' during strategy discussions about the recall campaign against Thao. Despite Hanson’s claims of misinterpretation, the NAACP emphasized the racist implications of her comments, demonstrating a strong community response seeking accountability in municipal leadership.
Members of the Oakland NAACP branch criticized two staffers of former Mayor Sheng Thao, praising Interim Mayor Jenkins for their firings, highlighting accountability.
The NAACP's Brenda Harbin-Forte expressed gratitude towards Jenkins for quickly addressing concerns about city staff and praised his courage in holding them accountable.
Hanson's controversial notes referred to using Black people as 'tokens' in a recall strategy, sparking outrage and leading to her dismissal by Jenkins.
Hanson claims her 'token' remark was taken out of context, arguing it referenced criticism of recall efforts rather than endorsing tokenism.
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