Shoshana O'Keefe for City Council

I am a Berkeley teacher, Commissioner and former Chair and Vice Chair of the Zoning Adjustments Board, member of the California Bar, and a mom to two boys in District 5. I’ve spent my entire life in Berkeley, and have lived in District 5 for 17 years.

Since 2013, I have served Berkeley’s Zoning Adjustments Board, and served as Vice Chair and Chair for two years each. On the Zoning Board, I have consistently supported and advocated for the construction of both affordable and market rate housing, as well as commercial development and other infrastructure projects that maintain and improve our city’s economic health and vibrancy. In that role, I’ve used my skills as a former attorney to ensure fairness, transparency and consistent application of our laws.

As a math and computer science teacher at Berkeley High School, I’ve worked to inspire and uplift our community’s youth, and to prepare them for the world to come. I’ve been a longtime member of the BHS School Site Council, where I’ve advocated for school safety and equitable distribution of BSEP funds. I also served as a parent member of the Malcolm X SSC, where I pushed for more resources to support students struggling in math. For nearly a decade, I’ve devoted my life to serving our community’s next generation, and will continue that focus as a City Councilperson. 

I’m running for Council because I love this city and as a lifelong resident, I have a deep understanding of its issues, its potential, and the kinds of solutions that will be effective. My goal is to make sure Berkeley is a place where all can thrive. Our children deserve to feel safe, to receive a world-class education, and to be welcomed and celebrated within our community. Our seniors deserve respect, accessibility, and comfort. Our working-age residents deserve housing they can afford, reliable and accessible city services, and a safe and well-maintained built environment in their daily lives. Our unsheltered or housing-insecure residents deserve dignity, compassion, and assistance to accessing secure housing. And all of our residents deserve to feel safe from crime, from traffic accidents, and from disasters such as wildfires and earthquakes. 

I am a proud mom of two teenage boys, proud daughter of two of Berkeley’s senior citizens, proud employee of BUSD, proud member of the Berkeley Federation of Teachers, and proud citizen of this amazing, diverse, beautiful, and vibrant city. 

I hope you will join me in fighting for a Berkeley where we can all thrive!