Loren Taylor, the former Oakland city councilmember who officially filed Thursday for the special mayoral election in April, told the Bay Area Reporter that he would work with other entities to protect trans youth in the era of a second Donald Trump presidency. Taylor's main challenger in the race is former congressmember Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), who has long been an ally to the LGBTQ community.
Taylor, a straight ally, held a small rally outside City Hall January 16 before heading upstairs to the clerk's office to file his paperwork for the April 15 special election.
The special mayoral election is due to voters recalling former mayor Sheng Thao in November. Taylor and Thao both sought the mayor's office in 2022, with Thao edging Taylor by 680 votes. But Thao's tenure proved controversial due to several miscues, such as her administration failing to apply for a public safety grant and Thao firing popular police chief LaRonne Armstrong. Last summer, Thao found herself in the center of a wide-ranging federal corruption probe into Alameda County politics when FBI agents raided her home. (On Thursday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Thao has been criminally indicted by a federal grand jury.)
At the rally, Taylor said his resolve is "stronger than ever" to lead the city, which faces a daunting $280 million budget shortfall that has already seen two fire stations in the hills temporarily closed.
"Oakland's back is against the wall," he said. "And when our back is against the wall, we realize who we are and what's worth fighting for."
Taylor, 47, also disclosed at the rally that 2024 had been a challenging year for him personally. His father passed away, and he suffered what he called a "major health challenge." During the interview, he would only elaborate that it involved "major organ failure" associated with a chronic condition.
"I'm fully recovered now," he said.
With Trump set to be inaugurated January 20, his administration will be in place once the Oakland mayoral election is held. Already, Trump has made comments to his supporters disparaging the transgender community. "With the stroke of my pen, on day one, we're going to stop the transgender lunacy," he said at an Arizona political gathering last month. "And I will sign executive orders to end child sexual mutilation, get transgender out of the military and out of our elementary schools and middle schools and high schools."
Those remarks have led to fear within the trans community, which Taylor acknowledged.
"Donald Trump being president is a real issue," he told the B.A.R. "We have to fight with state partners and others who do great work."
Taylor also said that he would want to engage the trans community, including youth, to see what their needs are. And Taylor pointed out the importance of the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, which now has a youth program, and said city partnership and resources for the center "are critical."
Joe Hawkins, a gay Black man who is a co-founder and current CEO of the center, said Taylor's support would be welcome, though he has yet to meet him.
"In the seven years since the center has been opened, I have never spoken to or met with Mr. Taylor," Hawkins wrote in an email. "I am happy to know that he believes that community partnerships with the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center are critical, considering the many challenges our community faces here in Oakland."
Taylor also acknowledged Lee's commitment to the LGBTQ community over the years.
"I absolutely respect the history of Congressmember Lee and look forward to being just as strong to protect all of our LGBTQ community and all residents," he said.
At the rally, Taylor did not mention Lee by name as he focused on public safety, clean streets, and a thriving community. He said he's been told now that "some bigger names" have entered the race, he should consider stepping aside. Lee, 78, left Congress January 3 after serving 27 years representing Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, and parts of San Leandro. Lee had run last year for an open U.S. Senate seat but did not advance out of the March primary.
"I am grateful to the many people in this race," Taylor said. "But I believe it's disrespectful for me to stand down." He added that he does not want to see "business as usual" at City Hall. He wants to see "911 calls responded to quickly and blight removed."
"That's why it's critical to have a true dialogue," Taylor said. "Yes, Oakland is an incredible town. At the same time, we're at a critical place facing fiscal insolvency."
Lee's campaign issued a statement.
"Barbara Lee knows that Oaklanders are smart, well informed people," the statement read. "She trusts voters and knows they will make an informed decision on who should lead the city at this critical moment. She is ready for this challenge, and will work every minute of every day to earn Oaklanders' votes."
The B.A.R. asked Taylor if he had any prominent LGBTQ supporters. He acknowledged that his endorsements on his website are not up to date and declined to name anyone specifically. His campaign chief of staff, Audrey Shola Momoh, said that she is, as she identifies as a Black Catholic pansexual woman.
At the rally, supporter Karen Bovarnick, a straight ally, said she supported Taylor in the 2022 mayor's race and is backing him again this year.
"I felt he was good on the City Council and revived East Oakland," Bovarnick told the B.A.R. "He's thoughtful and analytical on crime and the police budget. I want someone who's detail-oriented."
(Taylor represented District 6 on the City Council. The district is now represented by Kevin Jenkins, who was recently elected by his colleagues as council president and, thus, is serving as acting mayor until the special election.)
"He understands crime in a complex way," Bovarnick added of Taylor. "He believes in people and he's got experience on city government. I want someone who understands the city."
Updated, 1/16/25: This article has been updated with comments from Joe Hawkins, CEO of the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, and Barbara Lee's mayoral campaign.
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