Five years ago this month, on March 23, 2020, I submitted my first mayor’s newspaper column.
Six days earlier, Gov. Gavin Newsom had issued a stay-at-home executive order to slow the spread of COVID-19 and the U.S. Conference of Mayors had called on mayors to help communicate important, constantly evolving information about COVID to help keep our communities safe.
“My highest priority as mayor is the health and safety of our community,” I wrote in my first column. “Normally we think of public safety as a low crime rate, rapid response to police, fire and ambulance calls and preparation for earthquakes, wildfires and sea level rise. But today, Alameda joins cities around the world in confronting the COVID-19 pandemic.”
I’m grateful to the Alameda County Public Health Department for sharing vital information in weekly conference calls and to the Alameda Journal and other local media for publishing my weekly articles.
Eventually, COVID’s spread was slowed by government-funded medical research, vaccines and testing and I transitioned to monthly articles on a variety of topics, now carried in the weekly Alameda Journal, online by the East Bay Times (its daily sister paper) and elsewhere to help keep our community informed.
Today, I’m struck by parallels between confronting the COVID crisis and the early days of a new presidential administration as we process executive orders, nonexecutive directives and constant news coverage. I’ve heard from seniors who are concerned about potential changes to important federal programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income and Veterans Administration benefits.
As we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, getting information from credible sources is best. Questions about federal programs and requests for assistance should be directed to California and the Bay Area’s elected federal representatives below.
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla — San Diego office (for federal issues): 619-239-3884; San Francisco office: 415-981-9369; Washington, D.C., office: 202-224-3553.
U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff — Washington, D.C., office (for all issues): 202-224-3841.
U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon — Oakland district office: 510-763-0370; Washington, D.C., office: 202-225-2661.
Our state representatives, whose contact information is below, can also provide guidance.
California state Sen. Jesse Arreguin — Oakland district office: 510-286-1333.
California state Assemblymember Mia Bonta — Oakland district office: 510-286-1670.
“During these stressful times, it is important to take care of our mental well-being,” I wrote in my March 30, 2020, article.
This remains true today. An important local resource, Alameda Family Services, offers emotional and mental health support for adults and children, families and groups. For more information call 510-629-6210 or visit alamedafs.org online. On Oct. 30, 2020, Drs. Elissa Epel and Rachel Radin from the UCSF School of Medicine’s Psychiatry Department joined my Mayor’s Town Hall meeting to discuss coping with “pandemic fatigue.”
They emphasized the importance of maintaining social connections and being kind to yourself and others and noted that helping others helps reduce stress. This advice is applicable to other forms of stress too. Looking for volunteer opportunities? Visit alamedaca.gov and type “volunteer opportunities” in the search box.
Dr. Epel also suggested that, to reduce anxiety, we limit our consumption of media by checking news updates no more than twice a day. Eating well, getting enough sleep exercising and spending time outside are also important.
The month of March also marks the beginning of spring — a time of growth, renewal and new beginnings. Take yourself outside for a walk or a bike ride to admire spring blossoms around town. Ride the free Woodstock water shuttle from the dock at Bohol Circle Immigrant Park and visit our other wonderful parks across the Island.
I’ve said this before, and it’s true: Alameda is a caring, compassionate community where people look out for each other and step up to help when needed. We’ve been through tough times before, and we’ll continue to weather whatever storms come our way. We are Alameda Strong!
Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft is the mayor of Alameda. For contact information and other details, visit bit.ly/mayorashcraft online.