Tag Archives: Elected Official

A Community United after Tragedy in Oakland 

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Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee visited the Oakland shelter to meet those affected by the fire. Photographer: Chris Raponi | American Red Cross

By: Carolina Dratva, American Red Cross Volunteer

When I arrived at a shelter in Oakland, Calif., set up in the wake of a devastating apartment fire, I immediately noticed a young girl. She was no older than 13 and was caring for her six-month-old sister, the youngest resident in the shelter. I could only imagine the fear and uncertainty they must have experienced after being forced to evacuate a fire so severe that it left approximately 70 people displaced and sent four people to the hospital.

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Resilience After Disasters

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By Executive Director of Central Valley Chapter Lori Wilson

Lori Wilson (L) with Mayor Camacho (R).

CORRECTION (July 31, 2026): An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Mayor Camacho of Saipan as former Mayor Carlos Camacho from Guam. The error has been corrected.

In July, I had the privilege of touring the island of Saipan with Mayor Camacho as an Elected Official Liaison (EOL), visiting families whose lives have been deeply affected by Typhoons Sinlaku and Bavi alongside him. As we went from home to home, we listened to their stories, learned about their most pressing needs and witnessed firsthand the remarkable resilience that continues to shine through despite so much loss and uncertainty.

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From Classroom to Community: How a Middle School Teacher Creates a Culture of Service

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In the heart of San Jose’s Evergreen neighborhood, an inkling of inspiration began with one passionate middle school history teacher and grew into a community act of service.

Spencer Archer and two of his 8th grade students, Hadar Philosoph and Jocelyn Yan, greeted blood donors upon arrival.

On Friday, April 18, the Village Square Branch Library hosted its first American Red Cross blood drive thanks to the leadership of Spencer Archer, a 7th and 8th grade history teacher at Quimby Oak Middle School and faculty advisor for the school’s National Junior Honor Society (NJHS).

“I noticed that the Evergreen area didn’t have any local blood drives and wanted to do something about it,” Spencer shared. “I looked up how to host a blood drive and was amazed at how easy the Red Cross made it. From my initial inquiry to event day, the Red Cross team had everything ready to go.”

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