On January 30th, our beloved Wilson Riles — father, grandfather, mentor, community leader, and friend to so many — suffered a massive stroke. The stroke caused damage that has left him unable to move the right side of his body and unable to speak.
And yet — he is still very much with us.
He recognizes us. He smiles. He listens. He feels. He is present. Now he needs us in a new way.
For nearly five decades, Wilson has been a steadfast advocate for justice, education, housing, nuclear disarmament, and peace. He has devoted his life to the wellbeing of Oakland communities. A graduate of Stanford University, he began his career teaching mathematics in Sierra Leone with the Peace Corps before returning home to teach in the Oakland Unified School District. He later became principal of Oakland’s first social justice high school, helping to shape a generation of young people to think critically, organize ethically, and lead with integrity. In 1979, he was elected to the Oakland City Council, where he served for thirteen years and became a leading voice for affordable housing, public education funding, alternatives to incarceration, and international human rights. He helped lead Oakland’s Anti-Apartheid Ordinance, championed the city’s Nuclear Free Zone Ordinance, and fought to prevent the construction of a privately run detention facility in Oakland.
Throughout his career — including his years as Regional Director of the American Friends Service Committee — Wilson has consistently stood at the intersection of policy and people, pairing principled leadership with deep community accountability. Over the years he has continued to speak out, educate, organize, and mentor on local issues ranging from a municipal ID currency to community healing and economic justice. In more recent years, he has co-stewarded Nafsi Ya Jamii, an urban retreat center in Oakland dedicated to sustainable community, cultural practice, and restoring Indigenous ways of living in a modern world. And as a member of the Oakland Police Commission, Wilson has brought decades of civil rights leadership into the critical work of police accountability and community oversight. He has consistently advocated for transparency, equity, and systems that protect — rather than harm — Oakland residents.
Most importantly, Wilson is the father of six children and grandfather of six — beloved, adored, and foundational to his family’s life.
Why We Need Your Help
Wilson now requires around-the-clock home care.
We are truly grateful that his insurance — earned through decades of service through the American Friends Service Committee — provides strong support. But in the United States, even robust insurance does not fully cover the cost of in-home caregiving.
To ensure Wilson can stay in his home, surrounded by familiar rhythms, community, music, and love, we face the incredible cost of home care for the coming year, approximately $146,000.
We are seeking to raise just over half of this amount — and that’s where his village comes in.
Staying home means:
Care from trained caregivers
Visitors from friends, colleagues, and the community he has served
Listening to jazz, family voices, and old stories
A softer space to rest and recover in familiar surroundings
How You Can Support Wilson
Wilson has spent his life showing up: mentoring organizers, challenging power, educating young people, and building community. Over the years, Wilson has shown up for movements, for families, for students, for elders, for organizers, for neighbors. He has been a mentor, an advocate, and a steady moral compass in moments of crisis and possibility.
Now it is our turn.
If Wilson has ever mentored you, fought alongside you, opened a door for you, supported your work, or simply inspired you — we invite you to help us surround him with the care he deserves.
No amount is too small.
Sharing this page is also a gift.
Your love and support make it possible to keep him home.
From our family to yours — thank you for being part of his village.
With deep gratitude,
The Riles, St. Onge, Cole Family