Reflections on the Inauguration of Mayor Barbara Lee - a Women's Health Advocate

by Eliza Chin, MD, MPH

Earlier this month, I had the honor of attending the inaugural celebration for Mayor Barbara Lee, thanks to my long-time friend and colleague, Dr. John Maa, who served as campaign co-chair for the inauguration committee. In attendance were supporters from around the country, including Representative Yvette Clarke, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. I’m still processing the weight and beauty of what it meant to be in that room. This wasn’t just a political event — it felt like a rebirth for Oakland. A new beginning. A reset grounded in love, grit, and vision.

Barbara Lee is now the 52nd Mayor of Oakland — and the first Black woman to ever hold the office. She has also had a long and dedicated history of advocacy for women’s health in the House of Representatives where she served from 1998-2015, representing California’s 9th and 12th districts.

The energy in the space was full of pride and purpose. From city leaders to community members to artists and organizers, everyone showed up not just to witness, but to affirm what Oakland can become. Over and over, speakers talked about Mayor Lee’s deep commitment to meeting people where they are — literally and figuratively. They called her a “proven leader,” someone who’s not afraid to stand alone but who now stands with a city behind her.

One moment powerful moment was the reminder that Barbara Lee stood alone in Congress – the only vote in Congress against war in the days following 9/11 and the admonition, “But we must make sure that she does not stand alone in Oakland.”

There was also joy — real Oakland joy. The Kev Choice Ensemble played a powerful piece called the Overture of 1852. The Oakland Restaurant Collective announced the launch of a campaign called Savor Oakland, proudly sharing that Condé Nast just named Oakland the Best Food City in the Country. Their message? “Dine in Oakland. Drink in Oakland. Stay in Oakland. Because Oakland is better in person.”

Representative Lateefah Simon (CA 12th Congressional District) introduced Mayor Lee, sharing her own history as a former student of the mayor and now successor of her seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

When Mayor Lee finally took the stage, she shared pieces of her own story — born in an immigrant community in El Paso, Texas. Her mother, one of 12 plaintiffs who integrated the University of El Paso. Her stepmom, a Japanese American. Her father, a member of the all-Black 92nd Battalion. Her grandfather, born in 1867, the first Black letter carrier in Galveston, Texas. Her great-grandmother, born into slavery.

Oakland, she said, raised her. And now, she’s here to give everything back.

She talked about “turning hope into action.” About public safety that’s not just theoretical, but felt every day. She’s applying evidence-based principles to her work. She’s already comparing crime maps with lived experience and seeing signs of progress. She talked about Hellaclean Oakland, a new initiative with weekly neighborhood cleanups — because a clean street sends a powerful message: someone cares.

She promised honesty, transparency, and effort. Not perfection, but progress. And she asked something of all of us too:

“Your rent is to stay engaged.”

She wants Oakland to be the cleanest, greenest, and safest city in the country — and not just because it sounds good, but because it’s possible. Because people are already doing the work. Because Oakland deserves that.

This wasn’t just a celebration of a new mayor. It was a reminder that Oakland is full of people who believe in this city, and are ready to build something bold and beautiful together.

The next chapter of Oakland has started. Referencing the great poet, Maya Angelou, who was mentioned more than once during the event…

And still — we rise.