Column: The bravery of Jennifer Siebel Newsom facing Harvey Weinstein — and facing us all
Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the Democratic mayor of Oakland — and, according to her press release, the first woman to be elected mayor in the state of California — has taken on the man who has been accused by many women of being the most powerful person in America.
In an interview with The Intercept, Newsom defended her actions, describing how she had to “take action” when she saw images and heard stories about Harvey Weinstein — and then take action to help other women who had similar experiences.
Now, she says, she’s standing firm in calling for a meeting with him and his top adviser. In a Facebook post, Newsom wrote, “It’s been 20 years since the #MeToo movement began, and many men who have used their power to exploit and damage others still remain free to act with impunity.”
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Newsom is leading the charge in taking a strong stance. And she says she’s not alone.
“There are so many women, across the country, who are speaking out, speaking up — and saying, ‘You have to know, we’re still here and we’re not going anywhere,'” she said. “We want Harvey Weinstein to know that we’re going to fight for you.
“I was so shaken by what I saw on my very first day in office that I immediately went to the governor’s office and said, ‘Hey, I want to know what you guys are doing about this.’ And then I got in touch with my colleagues across the state and said, ‘If you need anything I need to know. We need to be on the same page.'”
I’ve spent the past 22 years covering the world of sports but I’ve never been to the NBA but I can tell you from experience that there is nothing more beautiful, less pretentious, and more humbling than watching Magic Johnson and then Michael Jordan play ball.
— LeBron James
Sensing the power these athletes and their teams had, my wife, who is a sports fan, and who loves the NBA, told me I needed to go to the NBA Finals. I couldn’t get tickets. No one wanted to go to the Finals.
I would go to the game on TV and I’d leave the game and walk away. I would sit there for hours in the media center