Two UC students vying to replace Berkeley councilmember who stepped down to harassment, burnout

BERKELEY — Two candidates have thrown their hats in the race to represent Berkeley’s District 7, a part of the city largely populated by university students.

Cecilia Lunaparra, a senior at UC Berkeley studying history and urban studies, and James Chang, chief of staff for Councilmember Ben Bartlett and a graduate student at the Haas School of Business, are seeking to replace former Councilmember Rigel Robinson, who stepped down from the council and bowed out of the race for mayor earlier this year, citing escalating harassment, burn out and a wish to focus on his family.

Both Lunaparra and Chang have experience organizing for change in the city. Chang, 33, traces his activist roots to his time as an undergrad at UC Berkeley more than a decade ago, and has spent the last six years working as an aid to Bartlett, who represents South Berkeley in District 3, and former District 7 Councilmember Kriss Worthington.

“Everyone who runs for office will go out of their way to tell you they’re not a politician, but I always grew up knowing this is what I want to do,” Chang said. “It’s about having a North Star and not doing this for yourself, but doing it because you want to make people’s lives better.”

Lunaparra, 22, has served nearly two years on the city’s Environment and Climate Commission, advocated for placing Measure M, a vacancy tax approved by voters in 2022, on the ballot, led trainings on how to provide public comment during council meetings, and advocated for a pedestrian plaza on Telegraph Avenue as a member of Telegraph for People.

Before her time in Berkeley, Lunaparra was organizing as a high school student, founding San Mateo Union High School District Awareness, a small group of students advocating for policy changes at the district level. She also served as a legislative intern for San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa.

“We are repeatedly reminded of our supposed lack of experience, our supposed idealism, our supposed stubbornness, as if our fresh perspectives aren’t vital to a long-lasting democracy,” Lunaparra said of those who have said she is too young for the job. “Berkeley needs a fresh perspective.”

Both candidates are staunch advocates of investing in climate initiatives, and want the public, especially students, to have better access to city services and their leaders.

On public safety, they both have called for improved street lighting and modifying policing practices in the city, with an emphasis around improved responses to mental health crises. Chang noted Black residents are disproportionately represented in traffic stops, while Lunaparra has advocated against criminalizing homelessness.

They differ on key hot topics in the city, though. Lunaparra is bullish in her support for preserving People’s Park, a 2.8-acre lot owned by the UC and planned for development, as a green community space known for decades as a hub for activists. Chang supports the university’s plans to build 1,100 student beds and 100 beds for people who are formerly homeless on the site while maintaining two-thirds of the lot as open green space. Just 22% of UC Berkeley’s 45,000 students are housed on campus.

On calls for a ceasefire resolution pertaining to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, Chang said he doesn’t believe the council should weigh in on foreign affairs. Instead, he said community events could highlight different cultures, helping to build bridges.

Lunaparra, on the other hand, noted Berkeley has a history of speaking out on international issues, having condemned apartheid in South Africa in 1972. She said her ideal resolution would be crafted after speaking with the community and would call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, among other demands.

“Local government have a responsibility as people in power to speak out about things like this when its affecting our community,” Lunaparra said. “The city’s violent silence on ethnic cleansing speaks volumes, especially when we’ve weighed in before on other issues. Berkeley has a responsibility to call for peace, to unify our city against injustice as it’s done in the past.”

Also setting the candidates apart from each other are their visions for how long they’d like to serve on the council if elected. Lunaparra said she’d finish out Robinson’s term, ending in 2026, after which she’d step aside to allow another young person take on the duty. Chang, on the other hand, did not rule out another run, asserting important work often takes a dedication of time and patience.

District 7 mail-in ballots went out March 18, and are due by April 16. In-person voting in the District 7 race can be done at the YWCA Berkeley/Oakland at 2600 Bancroft Way beginning April 6. Drop boxes will be located in front of Berkeley City Hall at 2180 Milvia St. and on the UC Berkeley campus between Sather Gate and the Architects & Engineers Building.

Voters in District 4 will also soon vote for their new representative after Councilmember Kate Harrison announced she’d be stepping down just weeks after Robinson, her reason being the city’s broken process. District 4 residents, those living in downtown and central Berkeley, have until May 13 to register to vote. Mail-in ballot voting will begin April 29, with ballots due by May 28.