{"id":27075,"date":"2023-06-25T11:23:12","date_gmt":"2023-06-25T18:23:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=27075"},"modified":"2023-06-25T11:23:13","modified_gmt":"2023-06-25T18:23:13","slug":"unabashed-radical-and-visionary-leader-former-berkeley-mayor-activist-gus-newport-dies-at-88","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2023\/06\/25\/unabashed-radical-and-visionary-leader-former-berkeley-mayor-activist-gus-newport-dies-at-88\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Unabashed radical and visionary leader\u2019: Former Berkeley mayor, activist Gus Newport dies at 88"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

OBITUARY<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\"article<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GUS NEWPORT PROJECT | COURTESY<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His accomplishments as mayor, according to Arregu\u00edn\u2019s newsletter, include leading the city to divest from apartheid South Africa, provide domestic benefits to partners and expand rent control. He worked with leaders across the country \u2014 from Malcolm X to Harvey Milk to Bernie Sanders.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LIA KLEBANOV<\/a> and <\/a>SANIA CHOUDHARY<\/a> | STAFF<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JUNE 21, 2023 (DailyCal.org)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Civil rights activist and former mayor of Berkeley Gus Newport died June 17 at the age of 88.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newport was originally from Rochester, New York, where he gained interest in political activism in the 1950s and 1960s, according to a newsletter from Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arregu\u00edn. After working for the labor department, he moved to Berkeley in 1974 and acted as the city\u2019s mayor from 1979 to 1986.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His accomplishments as mayor, according to Arregu\u00edn\u2019s newsletter, include leading the city to divest from apartheid South Africa, provide domestic benefits to partners and expand rent control. He worked with leaders across the country \u2014 from Malcolm X to Harvey Milk to Bernie Sanders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are eternally grateful for Gus Newport\u2019s service to the Berkeley community and his unyielding commitment to human rights that has inspired countless people throughout the world to continue his legacy,\u201d Arrgeu\u00edn\u2019s newsletter states. \u201cHe will be greatly missed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement, Arregu\u00edn said he often looked to Newport as an invaluable predecessor who left an unwavering impact on the city community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a leader, Arregu\u00edn noted how Newport\u2019s commitments to justice have inspired others to do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was a unabashed radical and visionary leader,\u201d Arregu\u00edn said. \u201cAs a progressive but also as a bureaucrat he felt his role was to use his voice and his office to make change within while also calling for broader change outside of City Hall.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arregu\u00edn added Newport\u2019s principles of \u201cpeace, love and justice\u201d were spread throughout the world, not just within Berkeley, by his admirable passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councilmember Sophie Hahn noted Newport exemplified the \u201ccore values\u201d of Berkeley and his work was essential to fighting for underserved groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe not only questioned the predominate \u2013 and discriminatory \u2013 systems of our nation, and our local community \u2013 but actually transformed them,\u201d Hahn said in an email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having known Newport for 35 years, Councilmember Kate Harrison said the former mayor fought for equality throughout their relationship. Some of his notable accomplishments included rounding up 83% of voters to pass a measure strengthening the Police Accountability Board, as well as his contributions to the movement for racial justice in Berkeley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harrison called Newport a role model who made the political world a little less lonely, while providing others with the courage to speak out about systemic inequalities. Overall, Harrison said Newport was a kind person who empowered those around him, even young activists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c(His death) reminds us that we have had people that were this strong and courageous in office,\u201d Harrison said. \u201cIt\u2019s important to remember that and it reminds us that we have an entire community of people who care about justice and equity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact Lia Klebanov and Sania Choudhary at newsdesk@dailycal.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LAST UPDATED JUNE 22, 2023<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

OBITUARY GUS NEWPORT PROJECT | COURTESY His accomplishments as mayor, according to Arregu\u00edn\u2019s newsletter, include leading the city to divest from apartheid South Africa, provide domestic benefits to partners and expand rent control. He worked with leaders across the country \u2014 from Malcolm X to Harvey Milk to Bernie Sanders…. Continue reading → <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[720],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27075"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27075"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27075\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27076,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27075\/revisions\/27076"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27075"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27075"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27075"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}