2021 Year in Review: Continuing Community Support
Continuing Community Support
2021 was a year of continued adaptation and community support as we navigated the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alameda Peeps continued to find ways to help our neighbors and support local causes.
Death of Mario Gonzalez and Community Response
On April 19, 2021, 26-year-old Mario Gonzalez died while in police custody in Alameda. According to publicly available information, Gonzalez was approached by Alameda police officers in a park, and body camera footage showed him being restrained for more than five minutes before becoming unresponsive. His death was later ruled a homicide.
This incident occurred amid ongoing national attention around police violence and accountability, and it deeply affected the Alameda community. The incident generated significant discussion in the Alameda Peeps community, with members sharing information, expressing concern, and engaging in conversations about police accountability, community safety, and the need for transparency in law enforcement.
The Alameda Peeps community served as a platform for community members to process this tragedy, share information about the investigation, and discuss the broader implications for our community. The incident highlighted the importance of transparency, accountability, and community dialogue around public safety and law enforcement practices.
Jackson Park Officially Renamed to Chochenyo Park
In January 2021, after years of community organizing and discussion that began in 2018, Jackson Park was officially renamed to Chochenyo Park. The new name honors the Chochenyo people, who are part of the Ohlone people, the original inhabitants of the land that became Alameda.
This renaming represented the culmination of a multi-year community effort that had been a major topic of discussion in the Alameda Peeps community. The process involved extensive community engagement, including the “Give Us a Sign” project that invited community members to propose new names reflecting values of inclusion, diversity, equity, and social justice.
The renaming of Jackson Park to Chochenyo Park was a significant step toward healing and justice, as community members had long advocated for removing symbols honoring figures like Andrew Jackson, who was responsible for the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears, and who enslaved hundreds of people. The new name honors the original inhabitants of the land and represents a more inclusive and respectful approach to how we name our public spaces.
This achievement demonstrated the power of sustained community organizing and the importance of platforms like Alameda Peeps in facilitating long-term community conversations and advocacy efforts.
Turkey Drive Success
One of the highlights of 2021 was our annual Turkey Drive, which raised $25,885 for the Alameda Food Bank. This was a significant achievement, demonstrating our community’s continued commitment to supporting families in need, especially during a time when food insecurity was affecting more families than usual.
The Turkey Drive has become one of our most important annual traditions, and the 2021 drive showed that even during difficult times, our community could come together to make a real difference.
Looking Forward
As 2021 came to a close, we were grateful for the ways our community had continued to support each other throughout another challenging year. We looked forward to 2022 with hope for continued recovery and community connection.