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Patrick Messac
Patrick Messac
Patrick Messac is an educator and community advocate who has dedicated his professional life to working alongside communities to foster opportunity and advance equity. Patrick earned his B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University and began his teaching career in Phoenix while earning his M.Ed in Secondary Education from Arizona State University. While teaching at Pueblo Del Sol, Patrick discovered his passion for mentoring students and providing them tools to recognize the importance of their voice.
As a middle school science teacher in East Oakland, Patrick supported a group of his sixth graders as they wrote, produced, and released a song called Tale of 2 Highways. In it, students detail the current health impacts of a discriminatory transportation policy that dates back to 1951 and calls on elected officials to protect their right to breathe clean air. This song and the students’ unwavering call for justice sparked a broader conversation about environmental racism along highway I-880, and initiated an air pollution health impact study by California Department of Transportation.
Patrick currently serves as the Director of #OaklandUndivided, an equity-based, collective impact initiative dedicated to bridging Oakland’s digital divide. In this role, Patrick collaborates with community leaders, policymakers, and those most impacted to expand access to reliable home internet as a 21st century necessity. He has coordinated efforts to secure nearly $40 million to advance digital equity in East and West Oakland, spearheaded one of the largest ever internet performance studies, and has served as an expert witness before the California Assembly Committee on Communications and the Public Utilities Commission.
Last Updated: 4/21/2017