The Honorable Wilma Chan served Oakland and Alameda County for over 30 years with a distinguished career in public service first on the Oakland school board, then becoming the first Asian-American to be elected to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, and serving District 16 on the State Assembly before coming back to the Alameda County board. With her tragic death last year from a pedestrian traffic collision in Alameda, we feel a fitting way to honor her legacy could be at an Oakland Chinatown park that she supported.

Madison Square Park, is a hub of activity for the community through tai chi exercise groups, school physical education classes, and one of the city’s most active COVID-19 testing sites. The park has also become a destination for gathering, rallies and vigils. 

As community members that live, work, and play in Oakland, we support the renaming of Madison Square Park in honor of Wilma Chan in honor of the over 30 years of public service to Oakland Chinatown and Asian communities at large.

We believe this renaming would help unite the community and help motivate both public and private investments to improve the park in both short and long terms. 

The first step is this request will be reviewed by the Oakland Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission and it could eventually reach the Oakland City Council.

Partial list of Individual Supporters:

• Daren Chan and the Chan Family
• Nikki Fortunato Bas, Oakland City Council President, District 2
• Dave Brown, Alameda County Supervisor 
• Phong La, Alameda County Assessor
• Abel Guillen, Former Oakland City Councilmember
• Alice Lai-Bitker, Former Alameda County Supervisor 
• Alvina Wong, Asian Pacific Environmental Network
• Andrew Park, Trybe
• Carl Chan, Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce
• Corinne Jan, Family Bridges
• David Kakishiba, East Bay Asian Youth Center
• Eddy Zheng, New Breath Foundation
• Jennifer Tran, Oakland Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce
• Jessica Chen, Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce
• Judy and Johnson Bui, Protect Oakland Chinatown
• Julia Liou, Asian Health Services
• Karen Dea, Wa Sung Community Service Club
• Kenneth Maxey II, Urban League of the Bay Area
• Leva Zand, ARTogether
• Mory Chhom, Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants (CERI)
• Rick da Silva, Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce
• Saly Lee, Oakland Asian Cultural Center
• Dr. Stewart Chen, Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council
• Suzie Lee, Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council

Organizations (not already listed above)

• Black Arts Movement and Business District
• OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates East Bay Chapter (OCA-East Bay)

Community leaders or organizations that want to add their name can fill out this form (https://forms.gle/gmKmVhMgWY1FniNA9 or contact Mike Lok mlok@ahschc.org