Cedric Akbar: Community advocate and catalyst for positive change in San Francisco

Cedric Akbar in his office at Positive Directions Equals Change at Third and Newcomb in downtown Bayview Hunters Point – Photo: Kevin Epps by Kevin Epps This past week I sat down with Cedric Akbar, candidate for the AD 17 (Assembly District 17) San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee (DCCC) in the March 5 election. I met at his office in the heart of Bayview Hunters Point, where he is the executive director of Positive Directions Equals Change. That organization has been on the frontlines providing comprehensive services to justice-involved individuals dealing with addiction, mental health and rehabilitation, as well as a range of support options and a commitment to long-term client success.& I asked Cedric about his reasons for running for elected office and how leading a drug rehabilitation center prepared him for transition into the political lane and a run for this position, which is totally different from the work he’s doing.& “The position I’m running for is not a paid position; it’s a position to be able to hold the mayor and supervisors accountable, and that is the most important thing to me,” says  Cedric. “What brought me to this platform is by being a community servant...