On Thursday, June 15, 2017, Oakland Voices sponsored Use Your Voice, a public forum on community news. Oakland Voices correspondents shared details about the stories they had reported about East Oakland and collected ideas for additional stories, including an investigation into child hunger in Oakland. The Native American Health Center generously hosted the forum, …Read more…
Martial Arts Sifu Bill Owens Reflects on his 50th Year
It’s Saturday afternoon and three rows of children stand frozen in anticipation, waiting for their Martial Arts Master, Sifu Bill Owens, to walk them through the next sequence of gestures. After the children mirror his right arm outstretched, jabbing the air with his palm open and fingers stiff, he pauses to ask them how that …Read more…
Cascos Martial Arts Academy – A Photo Essay
A Children’s Book Desert in the Fruitvale? Not Quite
If you walk up and down Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, you’ll pass by several independent bookstores, gift shops, and children’s clothing shops, all of which stock lots of books for children. In contrast, if you walk along International Blvd. in the Fruitvale, you won’t find any bookstores or any other stores selling many children’s books. …Read more…
Empowering Youth and Disrupting Cycles of Violence
“I give them all the advice that I didn’t get.” -Michael Muscadine The weather, like the multicultural crowd, was beautiful. The music was danceable, the live artwork was politically conscious, and the tacos and aguas frescas were plentiful. Organized by Homies 4 Justice, an internship program of Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ), the …Read more…
Warriors Affirm Committment to Oakland and Greater East Bay Youth
Oakland is celebrating the Warriors’ Championship win. Go Warriors! Dub Nation! When the confetti clears and the Warriors head across the Bay, what can the old hometown expect? “The Warriors are committed to Oakland and the greater East Bay,” states Joanne Pasternack newly- appointed executive director of the Warriors Community Foundation and vice president of community …Read more…
“Without 242 partner organizations and volunteers, we are limited in our capacity.”
How does the Alameda County Community Food Bank (ACCFB) provide the equivalent of 28 million meals a year? What do volunteers do? How does an organization manage, train and keep 17,000 volunteers a year? Why is there an urgent need for volunteers now? Residents throughout East Oakland see the food bank’s many food distribution centers …Read more…
A Place Where Community Happens
“We’re all different, but we all have that love for Sequoia.” -Zachary Hile At the risk of missing the start of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, several generations of Sequoia students, families, and staff showed up to honor veteran teacher Carol Pancho at her retirement party after a 40- year career; she spent the …Read more…
Lake Merritt Monster Sighting Near Oakland A’s Proposed Stadium Site is a Sea Lion
My first thought when I heard the splash and saw something slimy part the water was, “Dear God, the fabled Lake Merritt Monster has returned!” It was sunset and I was walking my dog Penny in one of the few secluded spots near the Lake we have left. My dog is afraid of strangers and …Read more…
Use Your Voice: A Community Forum sponsored by Oakland Voices
Oakland Voices is sponsoring a public forum on community news. What are the stories you want to see about your neighborhood? What are you most proud of? What concerns you? Come and share your thoughts about the news your community needs and doesn’t need. USE YOUR VOICE , June 15, 6:30 to 8 p.m. …Read more…