On Tuesday, the Oakland City Council voted 5 to 3 to adopt a new city motto that they hope will better reflect what the Town stands for. But, we can't be the only ones who were a little confused when they first saw it, right?
Despite what romantic ideas you may have had, the new motto has a somber history. “Love Life,” was the idea of Oakland resident Donald Lacy. He established the LoveLife Foundation after his daughter was shot and killed outside Oakland’s McClymond’s High School in 1997.
“This is one of the most violent cities per capita in the country, and we are actively working to change it,” City Council President Lynette Gibson McElhaney told the San Francisco Chronicle. “What this [new motto] would do is signal to people that we want to see ourselves as a city of love. ... It really codifies what Oakland is all about.”
The new mantra will be added to all “Welcome to Oakland” signs, including those on the freeway and at the airport, costing the city about $21,000.
What does Mayor Libby Schaaf thinks of the idea? As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, she rolled her eyes and replied: “My love life is fine.”
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