D10 candidate Jamo Muhammad speaks

by JR Valrey

With District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton nearing the end of his term on the Board of Supervisors, his seat, which covers Sunnydale, Visitacion Valley, Dogpatch, India Basin, Potrero Hill, Bayview Hunters Point and more, is up for grabs in the November election. Nearly a dozen serious contenders have joined the electoral fight.

One of the top names being mentioned as a major competitor for the D10 seat is Jamo Muhammad, a man who is literally a son of Hunters Point. Many have known him for decades as the community brotha who is always in the streets with a smile and some good, wise words and is ready to help. As election season begins to go into overdrive, I wanted to bring you a sincere community voice for your electoral consideration.

JR Valrey: How will you deal with the issue of public safety in District 10 if elected? On one hand, everyone wants and deserves to be safe, but on the other hand, SFPD is notorious for killing Black young people like Gus Rugley, Kenneth Harding, Mario Woods and others.

Jamo Muhammad: I believe public safety is probably a bigger issue for us Blacks remaining in the district and throughout the city. Public safety is a primary reason some decide to leave. Studies show our numbers have been decreasing at alarming rates.

We as a group no longer speak from that power position we used to enjoy years ago. Our voices aren’t as loud. Many times, such voices even go unheard. Our public safety is being infringed upon daily. One would think there would be more energy to protect a fragile population, as they do with wildlife. Yet that doesn’t seem to be the case.

First and foremost, when we talk “public safety,” who do we really believe is supposed to make that happen for us? Is it the responsibility of the mayor? Is it the responsibility of the Board of Supervisors or a supervisor? Is it the job of the police or others? Or do we, as an affected community and an affected population, give more attention to solving some of the issues that make our communities unsafe?

As some know, for many years I’ve been in these San Francisco streets, lending myself to the various communities in the way of decreasing some of the violence. For years, I’ve been instrumental in bringing together some of those who have had issues that put our safety in question. Such an effort was and is being done without any public or private funding.

So when the police come before us at the end of the year, taking credit for decreases in crimes, they actually slight the many who also lend themselves as such. In relation to the police killings, we as a community can’t allow the solutions of others to become the solution. We need a solution to our problems. We can’t throw our hands up, encouraging these types of entities to assist us and remove ourselves from the equation. We open up the door for such misbehavior.

As some know, I was involved in the aftermath of some of these instances of police brutality. Unfortunately, we as a community still haven’t recovered. As a district, we, as those of us in these various communities, have to be a part of the solution to such safety concerns. I believe I have the potential to encourage that kind of participation from our communities.

JR Valrey: How would you address the environmental degradation and environmental racism in District 10 such as the Navy refusing to clean up the radioactive waste at the shipyard, Lennar corporation spreading hazardous asbestos illegally, PG&E spreading pollution, as well as data centers scheduled to be built in District 10?

Jamo Muhammad: I believe this is a good question. I would address such an issue as a victim. I would address such an issue as someone who has been affected by such an issue. I’m a longtime resident, so I’ve come to know many who call some of those places that border such parcels home. We know this has been an ongoing issue. The thing is, do the new construction efforts make the situation better or worse? I believe they make it worse.

I had a friend, Chris Carpenter, with whom I went to high school. He and his family were District 10 residents. He passed. Some of you know him to be one of the first whistleblowers, as it related to the many violations of public safety from this developer, subdevelopers and the City. When we found out about some of these issues, we began mobilizing in the community. We sought to inform the surrounding communities of the possible exposure. Many had symptoms showing they’ve been exposed. The energy of such an effort put our community voices on the floor of the Board of Supervisors at City Hall. We were there to inform them of the exposure. We were there to ask of them to halt the project, to test the people. Again, many of the residents were showing symptoms of being exposed.

There were district supervisors that voted on behalf of our cries for justice. Would you believe our own district supervisor at that time cast the final and deciding vote against the work stoppage? She ignored the hurt, the pain of her own people. They recently put her name on a development in District 10. Was that part of her reward? What did she really accomplish that earns her such an honor? Seeing such an episode play out is part of my motivation for running for this District Supervisor seat, on behalf of a friend and those of our community that have been affected.

Another thing, since the City knows this to be an issue, what are its health recommendations as it relates to those taxpaying citizens that live in that area? Is there any type of programs available to those who may be running around affected? Several violators were mentioned in one of the many class action lawsuits, one blaming the other. All need to be held responsible! I believe the data centers will be more of the same.

JR Valrey: What are your ideas around retaining Black residency in San Francisco, a city that was once 22% Black but is now 3%?

Jamo Muhammad: As Black people in such a city, we have a beautiful opportunity before us. It’s a very pivotal moment in our history in this city. The moment has the potential to become something good and inspirational. Yet, there also exists the potential to be something other than good. Let me ask this: How inviting is this city to Black people? We just spoke on environmental exposure. We have to really look at reasons why we believe people leave. Of the reasons they leave, how many are legitimate reasons?

We can’t make people stay here. There are people I know who have moved. Someone said to me, “Brother, when I’m in the City, I find myself being overcome by addiction.” He then shares how productive of a citizen he has become elsewhere. Can you blame him for leaving? Some of these mothers move out of fear something may happen to their children. Can they be blamed for such a thought? In a city like this, they have said low income is six figures. How many of us are making six figures? When someone inherits that family home, what do they really know about holding on to that home? Most of us aren’t being taught such financial lessons. If someone decides to sell, can you blame them?

If the average home in San Francisco goes for $700K-$800K and someone finds a better deal outside of San Francisco, can you blame them? Mind you, you could have spent a million dollars on a home, yet can’t park in your own driveway. In other places they could gain more bang for their buck. They may be able to have space between homes. They may get a larger front and back yard. They may get a larger garage and a driveway. These decisions are logical decisions that we make all the time.

JR Valrey: What other issues are extremely important to District 10?

Jamo Muhammad: I believe an important issue for District 10 is our children, especially the children of our fragile Black population. We are not really knowing how our young people are being affected by what they are seeing and experiencing in our communities and throughout this city. It’s said any community’s greatest natural resource is its children. As elected officials, I believe we really have to be mindful of the decisions we make. We may be making a decision that may negatively affect them.

JR Valrey: How could people stay up on what you are doing?

Jamo Muhammad: I’m quickly putting some things together. Some things aren’t coming together as I would like, yet it’s all part of the training, the experience. I’ve done things in the community in an attempt to allow people to know me in more of a real way. I’m on Facebook, under my name, Jamo Muhammad. I have offered and accepted new friend requests from so many new people, many based on them hearing I’m running for office and attempting to learn more of me. Soon, I will have a social media platform dedicated to the various things I’m doing in the community. May God grow our many voices, that we may become more mindful of our choices. Thanks again, Brother. Be sure to send our love to the Ratcliffs, the contributing staff and, of course, the many readers! For more information, you could email Jamo Muhammad’s campaign at dxweupnext49@gmail.com.

JR Valrey is editor in chief of the San Francisco Bay View and can be reached at jr@sfbayview.com

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