Oakland Voices is seeking 10 new correspondents for our 2014 East Oakland class. Applications will be available May 1, 2014. View Oakland Voices Summer 2014 target area in a larger map
PHOTOS: Congratulations, graduates!
Congratulations to all of our East Oakland 2012-2013 correspondents. We were thrilled to celebrate your hard work, and your commitment to your city, at our graduation last month. The Oakland Tribune, The Maynard Institute, and your site director Christopher Johnson wish you all nothing but the best as you continue to tell the stories of …Read more…
Our future doctors and nurses, straight out of East Oakland
By Katherine Brown In looking at the negative perception many people have of East Oakland, one would think that there was no opportunity for success, especially amongst youth. With limited resources and outlets to support youth in their professional and academic development, the future seems to be very bleak for young people. However, organizations like …Read more…
A Day in the Life of Lam Vo
By Debora Gordon Lam ended a recent letter with “Write me when you find the time. I certainly have all the time in the world to wait.” This prompted me to ask him what it is really like to be living in prison and what typical days are like. He sent me a detailed account. …Read more…
My Magic Pill
This piece was done in collaboration with the What’s Your Story? Project of KQED’s California Report. By Sabirah Mustafa I used to wish for a magic pill what would enable me to swallow away my problems so I could successfully navigate my unfulfilled life. But when I found it, it wasn’t in any pharmacy. For …Read more…
Why I Go to Oakland’s Public City Meetings, & You Should, Too
By Sabirah Mustafa If you attend town hall meetings, protests, and demonstrations, you may have heard the public demanding to be heard when public policies affect them. But when I recently attended two meetings – Alameda County Mental Health Board (ACMHB) and BART’s Citizen Review Board (CRB) – I discovered very few members of the …Read more…
The English Center
By Jian Di Liang Being in the United States for two and a half years, my happiest time was the period studying at the English Center – a non-profit organization that helps new immigrants, refugees, and international students improve English skills and find jobs. To me, the Center was like a small society. I met …Read more…
Body Art for Cars
By Debora Gordon Say you have a black Honda. Or a white Chevy van. Drive around all day and see dozens of cars indistinguishable from yours. But it does not have to be that way. About two and a half years ago, Terry Cullinane and Frank Placas founded My Beautiful Ride as a vehicle (pun …Read more…
A Former Teachers’ Union President Considers Her Legacy
Former Oakland Education Association President and current Sequoia Elementary School teacher Betty Olson-Jones poses in her 5th grade classroom Photo: Oakland Voices/Debora Gordon January 2013 By Debora Gordon Betty Olson-Jones is back in the classroom after two terms as the president of the Oakland Education Association. As Betty was approaching the end of her second …Read more…
To a Cop On a Chase, a Stolen Car May Be Worth More Than Your Life
By Ronald Owens What’s more valuable, your life or a stolen vehicle? To most people, that’s probably a no-brainer. Your life, of course. Let’s rephrase the question. What’s more valuable to a police officer chasing a suspected car thief – the stolen car, or your life? Judging from the frequency with which innocent bystanders are …Read more…