City, State and Nation: A Conversation with Mayor Barbara Lee

IGS and the Bancroft Library are pleased to announce that Barbara Lee, Mayor of Oakland and Former U.S. Representative for California's 12th District, will be in conversation with former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer as the 2026 Barbara Boxer Lecturer.

The 2026 Boxer Lecture will be a thoughtful conversation between Mayor Lee and Former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer with a focus on women in public service leadership.

About the Speaker:

Barbara Lee made history in 2025 as the first Black woman elected Mayor of Oakland, bringing over three decades of public service from the U.S. Congress and California State Legislature to City Hall. Throughout her career, Mayor Lee has fought tirelessly for justice, opportunity, and the communities who need it most.

Oakland is her home, and she understands firsthand the challenges residents face. Since taking office, Mayor Lee has been advancing her vision to make Oakland the safest, cleanest, and greenest city in America. She leverages her extensive federal, state, and local relationships to secure real resources and deliver solutions to the city's most pressing issues - from homelessness to public safety.

Mayor Lee believes that building a stronger Oakland requires all of us working together. She is committed to collaborating with community leaders, neighborhood organizations, businesses, and residents from every corner of the city to create opportunity and improve quality of life for all Oaklanders.

The Barbara Boxer Lecture is an annual event, sponsored jointly by the Institute of Governmental Studies and The Bancroft Library, that focuses on women in leadership. This event is co-sponsored by the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service.

Accessibility Notice:

This is an accessible event. If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact IGS at [email protected] with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days before the event.

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Host or Publisher UC Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies & The Bancroft Library