Rigel Robinson
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Rigel Robinson
| office1 =
| party = Democratic
| term_start = 2018
| term_end = 2024
| office = Berkeley City Council
| education = University of California, Berkeley (BA, MPA)
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|06|21}}
}}
Rigel Robinson is an American politician who served as a Berkeley city councilmember from 2018 to 2024. When elected, Robinson became the youngest city councilmember in Berkeley's history.{{Cite web |last=Orenstein |first=Natalie |date=2018-12-07 |title=All the Berkeley election results: Finalized counts confirm month-long leads |url=http://www.berkeleyside.org/2018/12/07/all-the-berkeley-election-results-finalized-counts-confirm-month-long-leads |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Berkeleyside |language=en-US}} Robinson was a candidate for Berkeley mayor in the 2024 election before suspending his campaign.{{Cite news |last=Garofoli |first=Joe |title=Why Berkeley's youngest-ever council member is leaving politics at 27 |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/berkeley-council-rigel-robinson-18601350.php |access-date=2024-02-06 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}}
Early life and education
Robinson grew up in St. Louis, Missouri.{{Cite web |date=2019-01-28 |title=Rigel Robinson Represents the Next Generation |url=https://eastbayexpress.com/rigel-robinson-represents-the-next-generation-1/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=East Bay Express {{!}} Oakland, Berkeley & Alameda |language=en-US}} He came to Berkeley as a student at UC Berkeley, where he was elected the external affairs vice president of the Associated Students of the University of California.{{Cite news |last=Honderich |first=Holly |title=In Year of the Millennial, Berkeley elects its youngest council member yet |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/In-Year-of-the-Millennial-Berkeley-elects-its-13412935.php |access-date=2024-02-06 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}} Robinson earned his master's degree at the Goldman School of Public Policy while serving on the city council.{{Cite web |last=Markovich |first=Ally |date=2023-06-30 |title=Berkeley reacts as court strikes down Biden's student loan forgiveness program |url=http://www.berkeleyside.org/2023/06/30/supreme-court-student-loan-forgiveness-struck-down-uc-berkeley |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Berkeleyside |language=en-US}}
Berkeley City Council
Robinson was elected to the Berkeley City Council in 2018 at age 22, becoming the youngest councilmember in the city's history.{{Cite news |last=Honderich |first=Holly |title=In Year of the Millennial, Berkeley elects its youngest council member yet |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/In-Year-of-the-Millennial-Berkeley-elects-its-13412935.php |access-date=2024-02-06 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}} Robinson represented District 7, which encompasses UC Berkeley, Telegraph Avenue, and surrounding neighborhoods.{{Cite web |title=City Council |url=https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council |website=City of Berkeley}}
On the Berkeley City Council, Robinson was a vocal advocate for increased housing production. Robinson led the city council in committing to end single-family zoning,{{Cite web |date=2021-02-24 |title=Berkeley votes to end single-family zoning |url=https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/berkeley-council-votes-to-end-single-family-zoning/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=KRON4 |language=en-US}} which was originated in Berkeley, and was an outspoken supporter of UC Berkeley's proposed student housing and permanent supportive housing project at People's Park.{{Cite web |date=2018-05-03 |title=On the grounds of People's Park, UC Berkeley proposes housing for students and the homeless |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-uc-berkeley-peoples-park-20180503-htmlstory.html |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} Robinson led the upzoning of his own city council district, which was approved in 2023, to dramatically accelerate construction of new housing in the neighborhoods around UC Berkeley.{{Cite web |last=Fabian |first=Jose |date=2023-11-21 |title=Berkeley City Council approves plan that could add over 2,000 housing units near university - CBS San Francisco |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/berkeley-city-council-approves-plan-that-could-add-over-2000-housing-units-near-university/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Savidge |first=Nico |date=2023-09-07 |title=Update: Berkeley's Southside neighborhood could get taller buildings to house more students |url=http://www.berkeleyside.org/2023/09/07/berkeley-southside-zoning-student-housing |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Berkeleyside |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Ravani |first=Sarah |title=Berkeley approves increased height limits near campus to ease UC student housing crunch |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/eastbay/article/berkeley-ok-s-taller-buildings-near-campus-ease-18506814.php |access-date=2024-02-06 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}}
Robinson was a supporter of public transit and active transportation projects and represented the City of Berkeley on the Alameda County Transportation Commission.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-10 |title=Bad News for Berkeley Advocates: Rigel Robinson Resigns from City Council - Streetsblog San Francisco |url=https://sf.streetsblog.org/2024/01/10/bad-news-for-berkeley-advocates-rigel-robinson-resigns-from-city-council |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=sf.streetsblog.org |language=en}} Robinson led calls for the construction of a new car-free public plaza on Telegraph Avenue,{{Cite web |last=Group |first=Nico Savidge {{!}} Bay Area News |date=2020-02-04 |title=Time to ban cars from iconic Telegraph Avenue blocks, councilman says |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/02/04/not-just-market-street-this-iconic-bay-area-avenue-could-ban-cars-too/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=The Mercury News |language=en-US}} was a consistent supporter of new bike lanes and pedestrian safety improvements,{{Cite web |date=2019-10-30 |title=Big Win for Bikes and Peds in Berkeley - Streetsblog San Francisco |url=https://sf.streetsblog.org/2019/10/30/big-win-for-bikes-and-peds-in-berkeley |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=sf.streetsblog.org |language=en}} and secured funding for the design of the planned Berkeley ferry terminal.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-28 |title=Berkeley awarded $5.1 million to study plan for revitalizing its pier with ferry service |url=https://eastbaytimes.com/2023/05/28/berkeley-awarded-5-1-million-to-study-plan-for-revitalizing-its-pier-with-ferry-service/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=East Bay Times |language=en-US}}
In 2019, Robinson attracted national attention when he rejected an invitation to appear on Tucker Carlson's show on Fox News. In an email exchange with Tucker Carlson's booker, Robinson referred to the talk show host as a "white supremacist goblin."{{Cite web |last=Daugherty |first=Owen |date=2019-07-19 |title=Berkeley City Council member calls Tucker Carlson 'white supremacist goblin' |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/453835-berkeley-city-council-member-calls-tucker-carlson-white-supremacist-goblin/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Costley |first=Drew |title=Berkeley pol calls Fox News host a 'goblin' in scathing email |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Berkeley-rigel-robinson-Tucker-Carlson-manholes-14106491.php |access-date=2024-02-06 |work=SFGATE |language=en}}
During the 2020 George Floyd protests, the City of Berkeley attracted national attention in response to Robinson's proposal to develop alternative response models to respond to low-level traffic violations.{{Cite news |last=Browning |first=Kellen |date=July 9, 2020 |title=How Berkeley Could Remove the Police From Traffic Stops |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/09/us/berkeley-ca-police-department-reform.html |work=The New York Times}}{{Cite web |last1=independent |first1=Associated Press The Associated Press is an |last2=City |first2=not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York |date=2020-07-14 |title=Berkeley considers removing police from traffic enforcement |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-14/berkeley-considers-removing-police-from-traffic-enforcement |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Simpson |first=Brett |title=Traffic enforcement has long been a cop's job. Berkeley may go another direction |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/Berkeley-could-ban-police-from-traffic-15399680.php |access-date=2024-02-06 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Simpson |first=Brett |title=Berkeley proposal calls for eliminating police from traffic and parking enforcement |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Berkeley-proposal-calls-for-eliminating-police-15375325.php |access-date=2024-02-06 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=A 24-Year-Old Council Member is Driving Police Reform in California: 'Driving While Black Shouldn't Be A Crime' |url=https://www.pretrialpartnership.org/news/rigel-robinson-california-police-reform-traffic-stops/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=National Partnership for Pretrial Justice |language=en-US}}
Robinson was re-elected in 2022 without opposition.{{Cite web |last=by |date=2022-09-29 |title=Election 2022: Who is Rigel Robinson? |url=http://www.berkeleyside.org/profile/rigel-robinson |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Berkeleyside |language=en-US}}
In 2023, Robinson announced his candidacy for mayor of Berkeley to succeed Jesse Arreguin, and was considered a front-runner in the race.{{Cite news |last=Garofoli |first=Joe |title=Why Berkeley's youngest-ever council member is leaving politics at 27 |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/berkeley-council-rigel-robinson-18601350.php |access-date=2024-02-06 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Savidge |first=Nico |date=2023-08-15 |title=Berkeley's 2024 mayoral race already has 4 candidates |url=http://www.berkeleyside.org/2023/08/15/berkeley-mayor-candidates-election-2024 |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Berkeleyside |language=en-US}}
In January 2024, shortly after UC Berkeley closed People's Park in anticipation of the construction of student housing and permanent supportive housing at the site,{{Cite news |title=UC Berkeley is fighting to develop People's Park. Here's what it would look like |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2024/peoples-park-map/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |work=The San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}} Robinson announced his decision to step down from the city council and suspend his mayoral campaign, citing harassment, stalking, and threats from opponents of the proposed project.{{Cite web |last=Relman |first=Ayelet Sheffey, Eliza |title=A 27-year-old Berkeley city council member wanted to build more affordable housing. Relentless harassment from 'left NIMBYs' pushed him to resign. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-development-berkeley-california-yimby-nimby-councilman-resigns-2024-1 |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Garofoli |first=Joe |title=Why Berkeley's youngest-ever council member is leaving politics at 27 |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/berkeley-council-rigel-robinson-18601350.php |access-date=2024-02-06 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Savidge |first=Nico |date=2024-01-09 |title=Berkeley Councilmember Rigel Robinson to step down, end run for mayor, citing 'harassment, stalking and threats' |url=http://www.berkeleyside.org/2024/01/09/rigel-robins-berkeley-resignation-city-council-peoples-park |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Berkeleyside |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-01-10 |title=Bad News for Berkeley Advocates: Rigel Robinson Resigns from City Council - Streetsblog San Francisco |url=https://sf.streetsblog.org/2024/01/10/bad-news-for-berkeley-advocates-rigel-robinson-resigns-from-city-council |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=sf.streetsblog.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-01-10 |title=Berkeley City Councilmember Rigel Robinson resigns, citing harassment, burnout |url=https://eastbaytimes.com/2024/01/09/berkeley-councilor-rigel-robinson-resigns-citing-harassment-burn-out/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=The Mercury News |language=en-US}}