The son of immigrant parents, Cameron Sasai has devoted his tenure in elected office to protecting the rights of those who belong to historically marginalized communities. His policy record and proposals demonstrate an appreciation for the roles environmental justice and climate consciousness play in securing an equitable future for all.
As a West County Councilmember, Cameron aided in the passage and adoption of Pinole’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, which aims to achieve a 40% reduction in emissions by 2030 and arrive at net-zero by 2045. To this end, the plan bans gasoline-powered off-roading equipment as well as requiring the city to conduct a feasibility analysis for building electrification. He wrote Pinole’s procurement policy, which dictates that new vehicles purchased for the city’s fleet be electric, whenever possible. During Cameron’s term on the city council, Pinole also became the first East Bay city to prohibit the construction of new gas stations.
Should he be elected to the Contra Costa Community College Board, Cameron aims to focus on forming partnerships with labor unions to create pathways for students into industries—like solar panel installation and maintenance and electric vehicle charger installation—whose potential for growth aligns with the urgent demands of climate-change mitigation: “It is important that our community
colleges provide not only the training necessary for students to learn these skills but also a direct pipeline to these careers,” he asserts. He also intends to prioritize the construction of affordable student and workforce housing, as well as the redevelopment and refurbishment of his district’s community college facilities, and expresses a desire to strengthen climate policy to ensure that any such construction is completed in accordance with Pinole’s net-zero emission goals.
350 Bay Area Action is pleased to support Cameron’s embrace of environmental justice and climate-change mitigation strategies in the pursuit of increased educational and economic opportunities for the residents of his district.
Campaign website: https://www.cameronsasai.com/
Volunteer some time: https://www.cameronsasai.com/volunteer
Photo credit: Cameron Sasai, used with permission