By Dondria Morgan
In honor of Black History and Women’s History Months, the LWVO invites you to get to know Felicia Bryant, who is inspired by Faith, Family and Fire Service.
The Positive Power of Women: She has served in multiple areas of the Fire Department: Firefighter, Driver, Operator/Engineer, Public Information Officer, Lieutenant, and Assistant Fire Marshall. Yes! As an Oakland Fire Operator/Engineer she drove the fire engine! Some of her favorite memories are seeing the surprised reactions of women and girls once they realized that a black woman was driving the fire engine. Once upon a time, at a public education event, a young girl approached Felicia to share that her pink nail polish was the same color as Felicia’s. Felicia explained that not only were there well-trained women firefighters in Oakland, but she was one of the commanding officers. Grabbing her mother and brothers, the wide eyed young girl asked Felicia to repeat the story for her family.
What inspired you to be a firefighter? Felicia has a family legacy in Oakland’s Fire Service. Her great grandfather Bill Williams was one of Oakland’s first African American firefighters. Felicia’s mother regularly took her children and their cousins to visit an exhibit at the Oakland Museum that included their great grandfather. These frequent visits to the Museum to honor Mr. Williams' life and legacy planted the seeds of fire service in Felicia's young mind. She thought it was awesome that her relative had a place of honor in his community’s history.
By high school Felicia knew that she wanted to pursue a career with Oakland Fire service. Led by the wisdom of the elders, and the tugging of her heart, Felicia began to research, discuss, study and further investigate her goal. Her parents encouraged her to graduate college and then, if she still wanted to pursue such a career, they would support her choice.
What is your mission? Felicia enjoys creating positive change for a better community. She credits her strong faith for the successful development of her twenty-year nontraditional career with Oakland Fire Service. That faith has helped her overcome the distractions and naysayers who have often challenged her presence in the male dominated environment.
What it means to be Fire Marshall under Chief Damon Covington: As Oakland’s Fire Marshal, Felicia serves in the Fire Prevention Bureau. The Bureau’s goal is to minimize fire risks and educate citizens and businesses regarding how to respond safely in the event of fire. Felicia and her team are primarily responsible for compliance with the California Fire Code. She focuses on the positive legacy she and her team will leave behind, knowing they have done the job well and that Oakland’s citizens are safer and more protected due to their hard work under the dynamic leadership of Oakland Fire Chief Damon Covington.
Oakland’s Keller Fire: Felicia served in a support role to provide meal and nutrition breaks to the firefighters battling the terrifying Keller blaze last fall. She also operated as support liaison for citizen evacuation and safe reoccupation of their homes after the evacuation order was lifted.
Family Life? Felicia’s current focus is to provide support during these pivotal decision-making years as her two teenaged daughters prepare to transition to college.
What made you join the League of Women Voters? She joined the League around 2020, recruited by President Ernestine Nettles, who had observed her interest in local political and current events. Ernestine helped Felicia become aware of how the League serves the community, and offers a strong voice in local government decision making.
What do you admire most about the League? League members are positive changemakers. She admires the expertise and investment the “all-volunteer” League members make to monitor civic meetings and provide expert analysis of ballot measures and legislative matters.
What surprises you about the League? The voter services and educational resources the League provides. All the work done behind the scenes, the thousands of volunteer hours invested to empower the vote locally, regionally and nationally via candidate forums, ballot measure presentations and recommendations, and voter education guides is phenomenal. The League is a collective of women who have influence and make a difference. As a member, she has become more aware of how our local government influences our lives and how we can all help Make Democracy Work.