The Coronavirus Pandemic caused a significant shakeup of the Alameda County landscape.  From the very beginning of the crisis, our labor market was severely disrupted, sending the unemployment rate to record highs and causing millions of Californians to leave the labor force. 

Five years post-Pandemic, employment and economic ruptures continue to exist.  For organizations like Urban Strategies Council, many of the clients we have served for more than a quarter of a century have moved away from our core area of work in Oakland.  Families and individuals have relocated to Eastern Contra Costa County, Solano County, and the Central Valley; some have left the state for more affordable regions of the country.  

This population shift impacts our work in that we have had to establish new community collaborations in order to be able to serve a larger geographic area.  For example, we have expanded our criminal justice surveillance work to monitor law enforcement activities in Antioch; we now provide substance use disorder prevention and educational services in Solano County, and our work as the convener of the Criminal Justice Reform Table has expanded to include membership from other Bay Area jurisdictions.    

We continue to focus on advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Despite the national shift away from DEI programming, we continue our full-throated advocacy for people of color to be represented in the highest echelons of government and business.  The Bay Area’s workforce makes up the most diverse in the history of the nation and job seekers value the importance of DEI in the workplace.  We will continue to support these efforts.  

New Challenges - One of the major challenges we have faced since the Pandemic is the adverse impact on our resources.  As we begin a comprehensive review of our anti-poverty programs, we hope to add a more diverse portfolio of funders to support our work.  To further solidify our funding base, for the first time in our history, we have added direct services to our matrix of programs.  Our Mental Health Mondays monthly seminars are virtually attended by an international audience of primarily African Americans.  This audience is seeking information and resources to support their own mental health needs, as well as to support family members.  

As we move into 2026 with renewed focus and energy, we look forward to continuing the tradition of providing our expertise in developing urban strategies to eliminate persistent poverty in the greater Bay Area.  

In Service,