October, 2007
Dellums' Port Nominees It's Gordon, Uno!
Oakland Mayor Ronald V. Dellums has completed his search for the two
individuals he will appoint to become members of the City's Port
Commission, a key component in his economic agenda going forward.
"Margaret Gordon and Victor Uno are longtime Oakland residents who know
how to get things done," said Mayor Dellums.
"These selections embody my interest in addressing the critical and
wide-ranging issues facing the city's air and waterways, reflecting the
importance of appointing individuals who are capable of understanding
both the economic and environmental impact of the various Port
facilities." Both Uno and Gordon are residents of Oakland. The City
Council will vote on their appointments Tuesday, October 2nd.
The Port Commission oversees the Port of Oakland, which runs the
nation's fourth-largest container port in the country as well as the
expanding Oakland Airport. Over 600 people are employed by the Port,
which manages 19 miles of waterfront land, generating almost $300
million a year in revenue.
Over the last decade, Margaret Gordon has been respected locally as a
strong voice of reason and intellect not only in her West Oakland
community, but regionally as well. The longtime health and environmental
advocate has earned statewide respect on Port issues. A recipient of the
2007 Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame award, Ms. Gordon is one of the
founding members of both the West Oakland Environmental Indicators
Project and the Alameda County Stakeholder Project for the Environmental
Health Tracking Project. In 2006, Ms. Gordon was a presenter at a
Port-related conference concerned with trucking, shipping and logistics
sponsored by the Intermodal Maritime Association, while also
contributing to the development of two community-based participatory
research reports and the publications, "Neighborhood Knowledge for
Change" and "Reducing Diesel Pollution in West Oakland". Moreover,
during this period she was instrumental in the design of the 7th St/McClymonds
Corridor Neighborhood Improvement Initiative and was co-Chair of the
Citizens Advisory Committee, the group assembled to oversee replacement
of the Cypress freeway following the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989.
As a staff member of the Pacific Institute's Community Strategies for
Sustainability and Justice, Ms. Gordon was a planner and presenter for
the San Francisco Bay Area's first regional conference on reducing
diesel pollution and improving public health. The event titled,
“Ditching Dirty Diesel” brought together community organizations,
environmentalists, public health groups, including the American Lung
Association, and government officials to focus on asthma and other
health problems related to diesel air pollution. In 2007, Ms. Gordon
became co-Chair of the Port of Oakland & Bay Area Air Quality Management
District and the Maritime Air Quality Improvement Plan (along with Omar
Benjamin and Jack Broadbent, Head of BAAQMD). Most recently, Ms. Gordon,
who herself, suffers from asthma, co-authored the Healthy Home Indoor
Air Quality Project that relates to the reduction of diesel exposure and
other toxics for residents in West Oakland and was selected to serve on
Governor Schwarzenegger's statewide committee on State Goods Movement
Action Plan.
Victor Uno, who is currently a National Board Member for the Asian
Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO, and the business manager for
the International Brotherhood Electrical Workers Local 595 began his
career twenty five years ago installing new rail lines, lights and power
along one of the Port of Oakland berths. Since then, he has initiated an
apprenticeship training program to train future skilled craftspeople,
also spending time as a Community College instructor at Chabot College
(1987-1989). His other experience includes his work as a Facilities
Department Electrician at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
(1989-1999). As well as his experience in the field, Uno has also served
on many boards and has extensive trustee experience. Currently, he
serves as a Board member for the Asian Health Services, Asian Pacific
American Labor Alliance, Oakland APOLLO Alliance, and East Bay Alliance
for a Sustainable Economy, among others. Since 2002, Uno has been a
Trustee for the Alameda County Electrical Apprenticeship Training Trust,
Maritime and Aviation Project Labor Agreement Social Justice Trust, and
in 2007 assumed the role of 2nd Vice President for the Alameda County
Central Labor Council.