North Bay Organizing Project Utilizes Santa Rosa Students to Phone Bank & Canvas for Democratic Party Through On-Campus Social Justice Group, Latinx Student Congress

North Bay Organizing Project was originally part of the Gamaliel Network. President Barack Obama was Gamaliel's lead organizer in the 1980's.

Sep 27, 2024

North Bay Organizing Project (NBOP) is a grassroots, multiracial, and multi-issue organization comprised of twenty faith, environmental, labor, student and community-based organizations in Sonoma County.

Per their website:

In 2021, after a process of mutual discernment, Gamaliel of California and the North Bay Organizing Project decided to no longer be formally affiliated. For over 10 years NBOP and Gamaliel of California were co-conspirators in the name of justice. NBOP is proud of that history. NBOP formed its own board of directors in 2021, all of whom represent our member institutions or fiscally sponsored projects. Together, we continue our long democratic traditions rooted in member representation at our leadership council.

For over a decade, the North Bay Organizing Project has won local renter protection policies, defended immigrant communities against detention, deportation and disasters, trained thousands of grassroots leaders and built a coalition of more than 20 member organizations.

Gamaliel of California is a part of the national Gamaliel Network. Gamaliel was founded in 1986 to train community and faith leaders in building political power and creating organizations that unite people of diverse faiths and races.

Per Influence Watch:

“The Gamaliel Foundation was originally founded in 1968 by left-wing activist Saul Alinsky, and re-oriented into a community organizing operation during the 1980s under the guidance of executive director Greg Galluzzo.¹

The group has grown to become a network of 60² independently funded³ affiliate organizations in 18 states, with international affiliates in Great Britain and South Africa.⁴ Gamaliel Foundation, through its affiliate organizations, seeks to build church-based coalitions capable of wielding power on behalf of the poor.⁵

Gamaliel Foundation employs these community-based affiliate organizations in order to be “invisible” so that their liberal issue-based campaigns “appear to well up and erupt from below.”⁶ The group has used its efforts to push for government-controlled healthcare,⁷ amnesty for illegal immigrants ⁸ and a number of other liberal issues.

The group has been chastised as “cultish”⁹ and allegedly uses lying and deceptive strategies to pursue its goals while hiding its ideological bent. Gamaliel has also been criticized for using radical campaign activist strategies and for supporting issues that are at odds with religious doctrine.¹^”

“The Developing Communities Project, a Gamaliel Foundation-affiliated organization, hired future President Barack Obama as lead organizer in 1985, where he was trained “to raise money for his community organization and how to design community strategies”⁶⁰ by Gamaliel Foundation leadership.⁶¹ “Obama learned many of his community organizing skills from the Gamaliel Foundation.”⁶² Most notably, “He learned how to disguise his intense political convictions by portraying them as practical problem-solving motivated by religious faith.”⁶³

When Obama “entered electoral politics, he was also able to play ‘good cop’ to Gamaliel Foundation’s ‘bad cop,’” applying “external pressure to ‘organize’ his legislative colleagues to come around to his point of view.” ⁶⁴ Critics noted that although “it is almost unheard of for a U.S. Senator to attend a public meeting of a community organization, but [then-] Senator Obama attended a Gamaliel Foundation affiliate public meeting in Chicago.”⁶⁵

In 2009, a surreptitiously recorded video was released of a Gamaliel Foundation meeting from 2008 with attendees appearing to pray to an idolized President-elect Obama. The Gamaliel Foundation group could be heard appearing to appeal to Obama with cries of “hear our cry Obama” and “deliver us Obama.” It is unclear exactly what the participants were saying.”

“According to their 2022 990 forms, the Foundation reported $1,597,772 in revenue, $1,464,063 in expenses, and $1,162,422 in total assets. ⁶⁷

Between 2010 and 2017, The Gamaliel Foundation has raised a total of $12,467,907.⁶⁸

Gamaliel Foundation has been supported by the Democracy Alliance coalition of liberal donors.⁶⁹ Moreover, “Gamaliel’s funding comes from a number of left-leaning, foundation grant makers.” Between 2000 and 2010, Gamaliel “received $3.4 million from the Ford Foundation, over $1.5 million from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, $525,000 from the Marguerite Casey Foundation, about $195,000 from George Soros’s Open Society Institute, $186,000 from the Tides Foundation, and $150,000 from the Bauman Family Foundation.”⁷⁰^"

In Sonoma County, California, North Bay Organizing Project launched the Latinx Student Congress. Per their website:

Our Latinx Student Congress organizes youth leaders from Latinx-based social justice clubs in middle school, high school and universities to deepen their understanding of power dynamics and lead campaigns for more equitable living conditions in their communities.

Our organizers support emerging student leaders of these clubs in their weekly meetings to identify issues impacting their school or extended community, organize agendas, and accomplish objectives developed within the club. Monthly gatherings function as a platform for the clubs to network with an emphasis on leadership development through workshops, meetings with public officials and outings.

Young people live under threat of climate catastrophe, police brutality and continued threats on our bodily autonomy. We live out our values by organizing a strong base of young leaders of color now to ensure our future reflects our values of justice.

Latinx Student Congress groups meet regularly as part of local MEChA groups at Sonoma County middle and high schools and select college campuses. Since its inception, the Latinx Student Congress has recruited students for paid positions to phone bank and canvas for democratic indoctrination.

Santa Rosa City Schools Board President Omar Medina was the former Program Coordinator for Gamaliel of California from Oct 2017 - Dec 2018 and President of North Bay Organizing Project from July 2015 - July 2017.

Following the 2017 Tubbs Fire, NBOP launched Undocufund, a fiscally sponsored endeavor in conjunction with North Bay Jobs with Justice and Graton Day Labor Center. Supposedly, UndocuFund is a mutual aid project for Sonoma County’s undocumented community members.

Per their website, Mr. Medina served as the Undocufund Coordinator.

On December 27, 2020 the Federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 passed by the U.S. Congress established the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) making available $25 billion nationwide. California received $2.6 billion; $1.5 billion directly allocated to the State and $1.1 billion allocated by the U.S. Treasury to counties and cities with populations over 200,000.

To implement the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) in California, the Governor signed SB 91 for COVID-19 Rental Assistance on January 29, 2021 extending the State’s eviction moratorium until July 1, 2021, which was previously set to expire on February 1, 2021 provided previously in AB 3088. SB 91 provides new protections for tenants impacted by COVID-19, including debt treatment and civil procedures. It appropriates $1.5 billion for the State Rental Assistance Program.

Based on feedback from the Board of Supervisors, on February 12, 2021, the Sonoma County Community Development Commission (CDC) notified the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) of its intention to self-administer the COVID-19 Rental Assistance program, in lieu of a State-administered option

An agreement with the County of Sonoma and NBOP/Undocufund stated the following:

"WHEREAS, the County of Sonoma FY 2020-21 Adopted Budget includes $10,000,000 in State of California Block Grant Award funds for use by SUBRECIPIENT in fiscal year 2020-21 and fiscal year 2021-22 for NBOP/UndocuFund Emergency Rental Assistance Program".

A LegalAid flyer for ERAP indicated that (707) 318-6631 was the point of contact to apply for rental assistance through North Bay Organizing Project/Undocufund.

When I reverse searched the phone number (707) 318-6631 which was provided by LegalAid for NBOP/Undocfund, it appeared to be registered to Mr. Omar Medina. He has been employed as the Program Manager for Elsie Allen High School Foundation since October 2023 and appears to handle donations.

ERAP applicants in the community expressed their frustration regarding denial for program eligibility. As the recipient list is not considered public information, it is unclear as to how the funds were allocated. Therefore, I questioned if the ERAP monies were properly distributed as expressed in the summary agreement.

As the former Executive Assistant to the Board and Superintendent of Santa Rosa City Schools, I was illegally forced out as a protected whistleblower. I have been in settlement meditation with the district since June 2023. During this time, Mr. Medina offered to meet with me to further discuss my concerns. During our meeting, he seem to only be interested in how I knew about the ERAP monies he received.

In December 2022, my ex-fiancé, SRCS District Parent Deanna Olivarez and myself reported Mr. Medina for failing to disclose any sources of income, investments, or other reportable financial interests on his statement of economic interest. He is presently under investigation with the Fair Political Practices Commission.

A second case was opened with the FPPC on 8/21/2024 for violating campaign disclosure requirements during Mr. Medina’s 2024 run for the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.

The lack of physical presence at Board Meetings by Director Medina, a childless individual, has concerned the community regarding his desire to hold a Board position. Over the past few years, Director Medina has been traveling around the world to exotic locations with his new bride while attending Board Meetings virtually via Zoom. Members of the public have been curious as to how Director Medina has been able to fund his travels being that his financial disclosures have been non-transparent. His travels coincided with the receipt of the ERAP funds.