None of us are billionaires. I'm not even close to being a billionaire. Also I was born in the Bay Area, went to public schools and made the money I do have by building a company that employs thousands and educates millions. I could put my time into becoming more rich but instead I'm working hard to help Oakland, donating my time to fight the special interests that control our dysfunctional city government.
I live full-time in Oakland. And this substack is completely volunteer-run, as is a lot of what you see. Also we provide public disclosures on our ads that say who funds us and I also publicly share my involvement.
I totally understand your skepticism. Oakland has seen a lot of people make promises of reform and they often hide behind nameless faceless orgs. Hopefully you and others will see us continue to be clear, open and honest about our motives. I genuinely think we're just private citizens who want to make a difference.
I don't make any money or get richer by spending my time helping Oakland. If anything it costs me a ton of money in both direct cash and opportunity cost.
FYI folks the primary financing behind Empower Oakland is three tech billionaires: Ryan Graciano from Credit Karma, Jesse Pollak from Coinbase and Gagan Biyani from Udemy. I don’t have anything against tech, billionaires per se, but I think everyone needs to know who is financing this Substack and Empower Oakland’s mailers and texts. Not even sure these three billionaires live full-time in Oakland.
Yes, I saw their names are on the mailers. Are you sure they’re billionaires?
I live in West Oakland & have known Jesse for years. He’s a good dude & I see the way he supports folks doing the work in this commumity.
I met Gagan earlier this year. Like me, and likely you, he wants Oakland to live up to its potential & is willing to work towards it. We live in a great place, and need a better functioning govt that can manage the budget & the city successfully.
Are they *not* billionaires? Can you ask Jesse since you know him?
I’m sure Jesse is a good guy. But the road to hell can sometimes be paved with good intentions.
The ethos of Silicon Valley is disruption. I have lived in the Bay Area since 1994. Instead of moving in and accepting the Bay Area for what it is, tech ppl have very much been disruptors to Bay Area living, and not in a good way. Homelessness is way worse now than it was before Google, Facebook and Twitter. San Francisco has seen its artists and people of color displaced in droves. Most of my friends had to move out of the Bay Area.
I’m not letting anyone turn Oakland into South Beach or the “East Cut,” or whatever y’all are calling those new SF neighborhoods.
That’s fair. What is Jesse’s take on Coinbase CEO’s refusal to comment on BLM? Honestly not sure I could vote for anyone running for office in Oakland who takes major funding from a Coinbase executive who has elected to work there after that. I am even rethinking whether I should vote for Loren Taylor should Thao be recalled.
None of us are billionaires. I'm not even close to being a billionaire. Also I was born in the Bay Area, went to public schools and made the money I do have by building a company that employs thousands and educates millions. I could put my time into becoming more rich but instead I'm working hard to help Oakland, donating my time to fight the special interests that control our dysfunctional city government.
I live full-time in Oakland. And this substack is completely volunteer-run, as is a lot of what you see. Also we provide public disclosures on our ads that say who funds us and I also publicly share my involvement.
I totally understand your skepticism. Oakland has seen a lot of people make promises of reform and they often hide behind nameless faceless orgs. Hopefully you and others will see us continue to be clear, open and honest about our motives. I genuinely think we're just private citizens who want to make a difference.
I don't make any money or get richer by spending my time helping Oakland. If anything it costs me a ton of money in both direct cash and opportunity cost.
FYI folks the primary financing behind Empower Oakland is three tech billionaires: Ryan Graciano from Credit Karma, Jesse Pollak from Coinbase and Gagan Biyani from Udemy. I don’t have anything against tech, billionaires per se, but I think everyone needs to know who is financing this Substack and Empower Oakland’s mailers and texts. Not even sure these three billionaires live full-time in Oakland.
Yes, I saw their names are on the mailers. Are you sure they’re billionaires?
I live in West Oakland & have known Jesse for years. He’s a good dude & I see the way he supports folks doing the work in this commumity.
I met Gagan earlier this year. Like me, and likely you, he wants Oakland to live up to its potential & is willing to work towards it. We live in a great place, and need a better functioning govt that can manage the budget & the city successfully.
Just thought you should know that
Are they *not* billionaires? Can you ask Jesse since you know him?
I’m sure Jesse is a good guy. But the road to hell can sometimes be paved with good intentions.
The ethos of Silicon Valley is disruption. I have lived in the Bay Area since 1994. Instead of moving in and accepting the Bay Area for what it is, tech ppl have very much been disruptors to Bay Area living, and not in a good way. Homelessness is way worse now than it was before Google, Facebook and Twitter. San Francisco has seen its artists and people of color displaced in droves. Most of my friends had to move out of the Bay Area.
I’m not letting anyone turn Oakland into South Beach or the “East Cut,” or whatever y’all are calling those new SF neighborhoods.
Jesse’s from the Bay Area.
Jesse is from DC according to his own twitter acct
That’s fair. What is Jesse’s take on Coinbase CEO’s refusal to comment on BLM? Honestly not sure I could vote for anyone running for office in Oakland who takes major funding from a Coinbase executive who has elected to work there after that. I am even rethinking whether I should vote for Loren Taylor should Thao be recalled.