A big shout- out to Randolph Charles Belle for hosting Oakland Voices Cohort Group #6 at his space, RBA Creative, for our twice -a- month meetings. For sometimes entrusting his keys to our coordinator so he could get home to his family. For being alert and helpful during our meetings. For the proficiency and efficiency …Read more…
About Tonya Shipp
About Tonya Shipp
Tonya Shipp is a mother of two and avid supporter of education and development. For the past ten years, she has been freelancing and working through staffing agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area but recently began as Program Aide at Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency. She obtained an associate’s degree in the social sciences from Laney College and is one class shy of receiving a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. She also served eight years in the Army Reserves before being honorably discharged. She volunteers regularly at the events and offices of non-profits. Having experienced extensive periods of homelessness, unemployment and being without dental coverage is a strong advocate for the poor.
Cruising Through The Fruitvale District
The Fruitvale District is huge. I cruised it on three separate days. There are three business districts surrounded by residences. I rode up Fruitvale Avenue and walked along Foothill Boulevard a few blocks in each direction from Coolidge to 36th Avenue to Rutherford. I’ve ridden by the area on the bus on many occasions and …Read more…
On Volunteering
I’ve volunteered at three East Oakland organizations: Hieroglyphics Imperium, The Alameda County Food Bank and at The Unity Council. I had learned about a music festival online, Hiero Day 2017, where the prices were too expensive for me to attend. I, therefore, looked up the organizer’s contact information online; it turned out to be Hieroglyphics …Read more…
Avrahams Halwani Speaks His Mind
The OV team was assigned to interview East Oakland residents about Where Is East Oakland and What Is East Oakland Now. I interviewed six subjects and five of them were included in our video, presented at KALW local public radio’s Sights and Sounds of East Oakland event in May. Avraham had more to share than …Read more…
What’s New Around East Oakland
The Buzz And What’s New Around East Oakland: Through August 9th, every 2nd and 4th Thursday is Night Market at Fruitvale Village in the Fruitvale District on 34th and International Boulevard. Every 3rd Saturday is Laurel Makers Market in the Laurel District from 12-4:30 p.m. at Communite Table on …Read more…
The Fear of Living with I.C.E.
Some persons in Oakland live in fear of being arrested and sent back to their original land although Oakland is a sanctuary city. A sanctuary city is “a city (or a county, or a state) that limits its cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agents, “ICE”, in order to protect low-priority immigrants from deportation, while still …Read more…
Tonya Shipp reports for Google’s Bulletin
In January, Google invited Oakland Voices to participate in a pilot program that was to begin in Oakland, California and Nashville, Tennessee. Soon thereafter, they conducted a workshop on their new app, Bulletin. Bulletin is a hyperlocal storytelling tool where everyday citizens share community-oriented stories on the fly. Stories could be about non-profit organizations, grand …Read more…
My Stroll Through The Dimond District
I’d been locked away in the house for a few weeks and remembered consistently eyeballing Dimond Slice every time I’ve gone past it on the bus. Always trying to eat in a healthy manner, I was attracted to the elegant signage and the fact that it serves vegetarian food. I’ve been imagining big chunks of …Read more…
Discover or Reacquaint Yourself With The Laurel
The first thing that I saw of familiarity in the Laurel District was the Subway fast food restaurant across the street from the 76 Gas Station; it reminded me of my hometown, Philadelphia. Subway makes subs similar to hoagies, sandwiches that originated in Philadelphia and the name reminds me of the trains that run underground. …Read more…
Party Your Way Into Fitness at Club Ritmo!
Club Ritmo Fitness is located a few blocks from the Fruitvale BART station. From the Number 1 bus that runs up and down International Boulevard, it’s the stop just before or after the BART Station, depending on which direction you’re traveling from. It’s in the Fruitvale District, a busy business and residential location in East …Read more…