Meet Syrak!
My name is Syrak Micael. I was born, raised, and educated in Berkeley, graduating from UC Berkeley with degrees in Economics and Public Policy in December 2025. Now, I’m running for Berkeley City Council to represent students and longtime residents of District 7, which includes the UC Berkeley campus and most of our Southside neighborhood. As an organizer and student advocate, I’m deeply committed to making the city more affordable and accessible to students and marginalized community members.
Growing up in Berkeley, I worked to support and empower my community. Surrounded by activists, I became involved in efforts within the Eritrean diaspora, where I raised awareness about our community and its experiences, spoke up for human rights and accountability, and advocated for services and support for Eritrean refugees and those seeking asylum when they arrived in the East Bay. My parents immigrated here during the Eritrean war for independence, and my passion for supporting those in need in Berkeley continues to be inspired by my family’s history and culture.
As a teenager, my community engagement expanded. To lift up the next generation, I mentored youth as a soccer coach for Eastshore Alliance FC. My Berkeley High peers and I held a sit-in at the Berkeley Police Department Headquarters in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. While studying at Berkeley City College, I was an Umoja Student Leader. I advocated for spaces for underserved Black students, facilitated the reopening of the Umoja village, and tutored my peers in calculus and statistics.
At UC Berkeley, I continued to collaborate alongside marginalized students as an organizer and advocate. In 2024, I was elected as the Transfer Student Representative in the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC). I worked closely with transfer and non-traditional students to work toward creation of re-entry themed student housing and write grants for better lighting across University Village. As a Berkeley student, I partnered with others to make significant institutional change as a member of the “Black Triad” (African American Student Development, Black Student Union, and Black Recruitment and Retention Center), Cal Young Democratic Socialists of America, Cal Berkeley Democrats, and the Berkeley Student Food Collective. During my last semester at Cal, I connected students to local politics: as a Campus Organizer intern with the Alameda Labor Council, I led the UC Berkeley registration and “Get Out the Vote” campaign for Prop 50. My leadership of student-centered campaigns for change expanded my commitment to making sustainable change in my hometown.
Credit: Introvert/Wikimedia Commons
In my current position as a Housing Advisory Commissioner for the City of Berkeley, I’ve voted to hold landlords accountable, fund improved housing infrastructure, support affordable housing development, and renovate existing affordable housing.
My track record of creating and sustaining change is visible in my communities, on campus, and in the city. As your District 7 Councilmember, I will continue to advocate for students and underserved community members. I strongly believe that housing is a human right, that living should be affordable, and that everyone should feel safe in our city. I will continue the fight for affordable housing, a lower cost of living, and a safe and inclusive Berkeley that we are proud to call home.
I can’t make change on the Council without your support!
If you want to help build a student-powered campaign in Berkeley, donate or sign up to volunteer.
To learn more about my platform, check out our detailed issues here. Stay up to date with our campaign by following me on Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok (@syrakforsouthside).
