2025 Year in Review: Community Organizing and Civic Engagement
Community Organizing and Civic Engagement
2025 has been a remarkable year for the Alameda Peeps community, marked by powerful demonstrations of civic engagement, community organizing, and collective action. From massive rallies that drew thousands of participants and national media attention, to rapid community responses protecting vulnerable neighbors, to celebrating victories for vital community resources, 2025 showcased how Alameda Peeps serves as a platform for meaningful community action and connection.
Alameda Food Bank Legal Victory
On April 22, 2025, Judge Michael Markman of the Alameda County Superior Court ruled in favor of the Alameda Food Bank project, dismissing a frivolous lawsuit that had tried to stop construction of the Food Bank’s permanent home at 677 W. Ranger Ave. in Alameda Point.
The Alameda Food Bank (AFB) has combated food insecurity by providing food to Alameda families for several decades. Founded in 1977 when it was operating out of a church, AFB has relocated several times to temporary locations over the years. In 2022, AFB approached the City about establishing a permanent home for the food bank, and subsequently purchased the site at 677 W. Ranger Ave. in Alameda Point from the City. In July 2024, AFB received its final City approvals and began construction of its new home.
Following this collaborative multi-year process, Petitioners Shelby Sheehan and Tod Hickman brought a lawsuit trying to stop construction of this vital community resource. The lawsuit claimed that the new foodbank would have negative impacts on a “historic parking lot” and that the City violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by approving the project. These allegations had no merit.
In response, the City and AFB filed a motion seeking to dismiss the lawsuit based on the Petitioners’ failure to comply with the basic requirements for challenging projects under CEQA. The Court heard oral arguments on the motion in January of 2025, and on April 22, 2025, the Honorable Judge Michael Markman granted the motion in the City’s and AFB’s favor and disposed of all of Petitioners’ baseless claims.
This positive outcome demonstrated the City’s unwavering commitment to support community partners and fight back against abusive and wasteful litigation threats. The Food Bank can now move into its forever home and continue to carry out its critical mission of bringing food security to all Alamedans.
No Kings Rallies: Community Organizing in Action
2025 saw Alameda Peeps members come together to organize and participate in powerful community demonstrations that drew thousands of participants and national attention.
June No Kings Rally
In June 2025, the Alameda community organized a massive No Kings rally that brought together an estimated 4,700 people to stand up peacefully against authoritarianism. The rally, which was organized through the Alameda Peeps Facebook group, demonstrated the power of community organizing and civic engagement.
The event was so significant that it garnered coverage on MSNBC, bringing national attention to Alameda’s commitment to democratic values and peaceful protest. Community members came together to create flags, signs, and organize logistics, showing how social media platforms like Alameda Peeps can serve as powerful tools for community mobilization.
October No Kings Day Rally
Building on the momentum from June, the community organized another No Kings rally on October 18, 2025 (No Kings Day). The event began with a community gathering at Chochenyo Park from 10:00 to 11:30 AM, followed by a march to Alameda City Hall, where a rally took place from 12:00 to 12:45 PM.
Thousands of community members turned out for the October rally, with many taking photos from elevated vantage points in parking garages to capture the scale of the gathering. The peaceful demonstration at City Hall showcased Alameda’s commitment to civic engagement and democratic participation.
4th of July Parade: Activism and Community Celebration
The Annual City of Alameda 4th of July Parade in 2025 became another platform for community activism and expression. Alameda Peeps members organized flag-making work parties, assembling hundreds of “No Kings Since 1776” flags to distribute at the parade. Community members came together for work parties, creating flags that combined patriotic symbols with messages of democratic values.
The parade served as both a celebration of community and a point of activism, with participants showcasing floats and displays that reflected Alameda’s values. Members of the Alameda Peeps community shared photos and stories of their favorite floats, using the event as an opportunity to connect with neighbors and express shared values.
These events demonstrated how Alameda Peeps serves as more than just a social media group—it’s a platform for community organizing, civic engagement, and bringing neighbors together around shared values and causes.
ICE Activity at Coast Guard Island and Community Response
In October 2025, Alameda’s Coast Guard Island was used as a staging area for federal immigration enforcement operations. When community members learned that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were being deployed to the Bay Area and staging from Alameda, the Alameda Peeps community quickly organized a response.
Community members organized vigils and monitoring efforts to keep track of ICE activity and help keep the community safe. Vigils were held at the entrance to Coast Guard Island, and community members worked together to share information, provide support, and ensure that residents were aware of the situation. The community’s rapid response demonstrated how Alameda Peeps serves as an effective platform for organizing community safety efforts and protecting vulnerable community members.
This incident also renewed discussions about data privacy and surveillance technology. Community members, including those with technical expertise, raised concerns about the City of Alameda’s use of Flock automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, which had previously been found to share data with ICE and other federal agencies. These concerns had been raised in 2022, and the 2025 ICE activity brought renewed attention to the importance of ensuring that surveillance technology used by the city does not compromise community safety or share data with federal immigration enforcement.
Trader Joe’s Freezer Renovation
In November 2025, Alameda Peeps members were abuzz about a major change that had everyone talking: the complete renovation of the Trader Joe’s freezer section. The transformation was so dramatic that longtime customers found themselves completely disoriented, with many community members sharing their experiences of not recognizing the store they’d shopped at for years.
The new freezer layout became a hot topic of conversation in the Alameda Peeps Facebook group, with members sharing photos and stories about navigating the newly redesigned space. It was a perfect example of how even the smallest changes in our community can bring neighbors together to share experiences and support each other through the adjustment period.
Looking Forward
As 2025 comes to a close, we reflect on a year that demonstrated the power of community organizing, civic engagement, and collective action. The Alameda Peeps community showed time and again that we can come together to support each other, protect vulnerable community members, celebrate our values, and make our voices heard.
From the massive No Kings rallies that brought thousands to City Hall, to the rapid response protecting our community from ICE operations, to the successful defense of the Alameda Food Bank’s permanent home, 2025 proved that when neighbors work together, we can achieve remarkable things.
We look forward to 2026 with continued commitment to community support, civic engagement, and bringing neighbors together around shared values and causes. The Alameda Peeps community remains a vital platform for connection, organizing, and making a difference in our island city.