The East Bay Berkeley Gray Panthers held their monthly speaker meeting on March 25th, 2026, featuring a presentation by high school student Hadia Miriam about her documentary "No Expiration Date" on the Grey Panthers movement and Maggie Kuhn's legacy. The meeting included updates on recent lobbying efforts in Sacramento regarding Medi-Cal and in-home support services, discussions about Berkeley's elevator ordinance enforcement issues, and plans for upcoming events including King's Day protests and a tenants convention. New member Boon Achima was welcomed, and the group discussed various housing justice initiatives including a proposed transportation bond measure and the California Tenant's Bill of Rights.
https://youtu.be/OYBNzl69114
Welcome to 2026! and our monthly speaker meeting (generally the fourth Wednesday of the month).
We'll have some updates on campaigns and our partners, and watch some videos. RSVP to get the Zoom link (same one we always use)
1:30 PM
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Greetings: Welcome New Members and other Introductions
- Welcome to new Member, boona cheema.
- Suggested Meeting Guidelines
Featured Guest: "No Expiration Date" - NEW 10 minute video about Maggie Kuhn and Gray Panthers.
Q&A with the Director Hadia Miriam, a high school student from Illinois.
Celebrating Catherine Bauer Advancing Federal Public Housing - a short video and personal tribute
BEST PRACTICES of successful Public appointees to commissions, board, leaders past and presence - Members: Carole Marasovic and Helen Walsh
National Council of GP Networks Actions
EBGP Board Decisions, March 2026
Updates and AnnouncementsConnect Bay Area: Save Public Transit referendum campaign - David BlakeMarch 28 - No King's DayApril 19 - Berkeley Tenants Convention CandidateApplications for Rent Board Slate (FLYER atttached)
GOOD HEALTH AND HEALING TO Norma Harrison and ALL OF US
Co-Convenors Carol Crooks & Betsy Morris
ANNOUNCEMENTS & EVENTS
Our General Calendar:
- Board/Member Meeting - 1st Wednesdays
- Member Socials - 2nd Wednesdays
- Public Meeting - 4th Wednesdays
Adjourn 3:30 with a closing poem
Optional Discussion until 4pm
RSVP on this page to get the Zoom link. We look forward to seeing you there! Spread the word.
Join early 1:15 - zoom in for troubleshooting your connection and early hellos
Summary (automated, may have errors)
Upcoming Speaker Event Planning
Betsy Morris and Raines discussed plans for an upcoming event featuring a 15-16 year old speaker who created a video called "No Expiration Date" about Maggie Kuhn and the Grey Panthers. Betsy mentioned they had previously featured the speaker for Women's History Month and expressed pride in having her participate. The meeting began with technical setup and casual conversation among participants, including some discussion about music and audio levels before transitioning to formal introductions.
Grey Panthers Documentary Presentation Meeting
The meeting began with Betsy Morris welcoming attendees and honoring two former members, Elaine Bloom and Marcia Poole, who had recently passed away. Betsy also welcomed new member Boon Achima, who shared her background in social services and housing advocacy in Berkeley. The group then reviewed meeting agreements and prepared to watch a documentary presentation by Hadia Miriam, a high school student from Illinois who had created a project about the Grey Panthers for National History Day competition. The conversation ended as they were preparing to screen Hadia's 10-minute documentary.
Gray Panthers Documentary Discussion
The meeting focused on watching and discussing a documentary about Maggie Kuhn and the Gray Panthers, an organization that fought against age discrimination. Hadia presented the video, which covered the history of the Gray Panthers, their activism, and their impact on age discrimination laws and policies. After the video, participants discussed sharing the link with others, with Linda requesting access to show it at a future tenant association meeting. Hadia agreed to share the link and mentioned she would provide a better version with improved audio quality by the end of April.
Great Panthers Documentary Feedback Meeting
The meeting focused on discussing Hadia's documentary about the Great Panthers. Participants provided feedback and suggestions, including adding a copyright symbol to the credits and slowing down the presentation speed for public consumption. Dirk suggested submitting the documentary to local public broadcasting stations, which could help expand its reach. Hadia expressed interest in competing in national documentary competitions and potentially submitting the film to media outlets and organizations like the Great Panthers NYC for wider distribution.
Lobbying and Building Safety Updates
Betsy and Carol reported on their recent lobbying efforts in Sacramento to defend Medi-Cal and in-home support services (IHSS), where they met with legislators and attended a budget committee hearing. The lobbying was part of a coalition effort with organizations like Hand in Hand and CARA, focusing on preventing cuts to immigrant healthcare and IHSS funding. Betsy encouraged members interested in future lobbying activities to sign up for email updates and contact Britt for phone banking opportunities. Maria provided an update on elevator issues at Mabel Howard Holmes and Amistad buildings, highlighting safety concerns including broken elevators and a recent incident where an elevator crashed into the basement with a staff member inside.
King's Day Events Planning Discussion
The group discussed several upcoming events and advocacy efforts. Betsy shared information about budget cuts to health programs funded through Medicaid and encouraged members to contact representatives about this issue. Hali provided details about King's Day events, including a location change to Franklin and 14th Street in Oakland, and announced a music performance at the Monkey House the following day. The group also discussed various Berkeley rally locations for King's Day events, with Betsy offering to help coordinate transportation for attendees.
Berkeley Postcards and Tenant Rights
Hali announced that post offices in Berkeley are out of postcards due to high demand for get-out-the-vote materials, suggesting alternatives like ordering online or obtaining them from contacts. She also mentioned upcoming weekly rallies from 4:30-5:30 PM every Wednesday at the South Berkeley Library, where she will be performing with a PA system. Betsy discussed Berkeley's elevator ordinance, noting it includes fines for landlords who don't repair elevators and emphasizing the need for better enforcement and tenant education about their rights under the existing law. The group agreed to create informational flyers about tenant rights regarding elevator repairs, with Julia offering to design a flyer and connect with a tenant attorney for input.
Bay Area Housing and Elevators
The group discussed housing and elevator repair issues across multiple cities in the Bay Area. Arlene raised concerns about the lack of centralized documentation for elevator problems across different housing developments and proposed exploring pro bono class action suits against management companies. The discussion clarified that while Berkeley has specific local laws, similar issues exist across multiple cities, and Betsy suggested forming a study group to investigate the elevator repair workforce shortage and potential solutions. The conversation ended with Betsy announcing that a coalition of Berkeley organizations, including NAACP and various student groups, had affirmed housing as a human right and referenced the California Tenant's Bill of Rights, though enforcement challenges were noted.
Connect Bay Area Transit Endorsement
The board discussed endorsing the Connect Bay Area transit initiative, which includes five separate county measures to address transportation funding deficits affecting BART, Muni, and other transit agencies. David explained that the only politically viable option was a sales tax increase, with San Francisco proposing an additional 0.5% tax specifically for Muni and BART. The board voted to support the initiative, with 10 members participating in the vote including 5 board members. Following the endorsement discussion, Betsy mentioned a housing assistance request for a woman named Jane who needs help with a down payment for affordable housing, and asked if anyone knew of potential resources to support her.
Senior Housing Waitlist Discussion
The group discussed housing challenges, particularly around waitlists and application processes for senior housing. Betsy shared information about Redwood Gardens and suggested checking the ACGov Housing portal (Doorway Portal) for updates. The conversation ended with David reading a story about Bertolt Brecht, followed by a discussion about Brecht's works and La Lenya's performance in James Bond movies. The group also briefly discussed upcoming rallies and the availability of Panther t-shirts.
