Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, Congressmember Lateefah Simon, and Oakland LGBTQ+ Center Co-Founders Joe Hawkins and Jeff Myers were among the leaders on August 12, 2026, who gathered for the official dedication ceremony of Moore Hope Plaza. Situated directly outside the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, the plaza was formally unveiled in honor of the late political strategists and LGBTQ+ advocates Peggy Moore and Hope Wood, who were also longtime supporters of the San Francisco Bay Times. Serving as the official kickoff for the Oakland’s 2026 Pride pre-festival events, the gathering transformed the bustling commercial corridor into a space of celebration, remembrance, and community pride.
The atmosphere was filled with emotion and joyful purpose as speeches highlighted the couple’s transformative grassroots legacy. Moore and Wood, who met while organizing for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and went on to found the political consultancy Hope Action Change, spent decades advancing civil rights, economic equity, and intersectional social justice across the East Bay. The unveiling ceremony stood as a powerful tribute to their decades of activism, honoring their contributions following their tragic sudden passing in a car accident in May 2024.
The centerpiece of the ceremony featured the official sign unveiling and a flag-raising ceremony, hoisting the Progress Pride flag high above Lakeshore Avenue. Attendees erupted in applause as the organizers emphasized that Moore Hope Plaza will serve as a permanent, visible anchor of safety and inclusion within Oakland’s designated Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District. The space now stands as a daily reminder of the progress paved by Black and queer activists in the Bay Area.
Video of the unveiling of Moore Hope Plaza is at https://bit.ly/4y5sqw5
Published on August 27, 2026
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