April 6, 2025
Leigh Hanson, chief of workers to interim Oakland Mayor Kevin Jenkins, who wrote the observe, claims that it was taken out of context.
Social media customers condemned an Oakland Metropolis Staffer after a handwritten observe leaked referring to Black folks as “tokens.”
Leigh Hanson, chief of workers to interim Oakland Mayor Kevin Jenkins, wrote the observe final yr. It was launched as a part of a FBI probe that resulted within the indictment of former mayor Sheng Thao. Hanson served below Thao’s administration as properly, with the disgraced chief pleading not responsible to federal bribery costs.
As a part of the investigation, Hanson gave binders of notes and all written communication to the FBI. Town launched them to the general public after the San Francisco Chronicle filed a public data request.
In line with the publication, Hanson wrote the observe whereas creating a technique for Thao to battle the recall vote amid the allegations. It included a line that learn “CM Fife can attain out to NAACP — use BP as tokens.” Hanson confirmed that “BP” was additionally used as a shorthand option to say Black folks, with “CM Fife” referring to Oakland Council Member Carroll Fife. Fife is taken into account an ally of Thao’s.
Information of Hanson’s offensive assertion shortly made rounds on social media, with the obvious messaging marked as racist.
“The audacity Leigh Hanson has, and that is how she sees black folks,” shared one X person.
Hanson says, nevertheless, that the observe was taken out of content material. She remembered writing it throughout an anti-recall planning assembly in March 2024 with Thao and their workforce. She claims that the road referred to their perceptions of recall effort’s quest to achieve Black folks’s assist.
Nonetheless, Hanson additionally shared that she was writing down feedback made straight by Thao in regards to the efforts. Thao wished to tell Oaklanders that the recall was prompted by a white, rich billionaire, specifically Philip Dreyfuss. Furthermore, Thao sought to persuade Black voters that they have been being pawned into working an “astroturf marketing campaign” to take away her from the elected place.
Whereas Thao was eliminated by recall vote, Hanson continued serving within the interim mayor’s administration to assist repair the Oakland’s metropolis price range. Interim Mayor Jenkins is anticipated to disclose his price range proposal to assist lower its structural deficit by Could 1. Regardless of the controversy, Hanson stays part of town staffing.
The NAACP plans to fulfill April 6 to debate the observe and its content material.
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