About Me

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“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived; it is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” - Nelson Mandela

My name is Meron Semedar. I have called Oakland and especially District 3 my home for the last 12 years and I will never trade it for any other city. When I first arrived in Oakland as a refugee, the city was welcoming, and life was less difficult even for someone like me who came with nothing but my soul. Today the city and especially district 3 has become difficult to recognize and life in Oakland has become so very expensive. 

I am running for Oakland City Council District 3 to have our voices better heard when it comes to safety, homelessness, affordable housing and cleanliness. I promise to bring new and fresh ideas to improve the quality of life in District 3 and in our city. I will make myself available to you, listen to you, your concerns and your dreams for a safe neighborhood and a thriving Oakland for all. 

Locally I have held many activities to empower communities through a non-profit organization I have founded and led called Mentor a Newcomer. To address the growing issues with our youth, I have held mental health awareness sessions, financial management training,  providing university tours for higher education pathways. I will use my organizational skills to engage our diverse community members – the youth, the elderly, the homeless, the business owners etc. I aim to create a counsel from all groups who would meet with me and advise me regularly. I believe in community. We need to rely on our communities to revive Oakland.

I will use my Urban Engineering skills to address important issues that our city is lacking such as budget allocation, cleanliness, illegal waste dumping, maintaining our roads, signs and rehabilitating our recreational areas. I will use my master’s degree from the University of San Francisco in Development and Public Affairs from the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley to plan and implement important policies such as safety, homelessness, affordable housing and small business initiatives.  

Running for public office is my way of giving back to the community and country that welcomed me with open arms and I am here to serve the community and city that I call my home. 

I encourage you to join me in this journey by volunteering, donating, and voting for this November 2024 election to build a safe and livable District 3 and a thriving Oakland for all!