Oakland Voices

PHOTOS: Congratulations, graduates!

Katrina Davis — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 02:04:05 +0000

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... [Continue Reading]

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For my father: the places a dresser drawer can take you

Katrina Davis — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:28:21 +0000

By Katrina Davis I can’t find my social security card, which sucks because I’m moving and I really really need it. My dad keeps everything important I own in his possession because we both know I’ll end up losing it. As I’m looking through his drawer to find it, I find one of the first... [Continue Reading]

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Our future doctors and nurses, straight out of East Oakland

Katherine Brown — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:24:17 +0000

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... [Continue Reading]

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A Day in the Life of Lam Vo

Debora Gordon — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:42:18 +0000

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.... [Continue Reading]

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My Magic Pill

Sabirah Mustafa — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:14:59 +0000

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... [Continue Reading]

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Why I Go to Oakland’s Public City Meetings, & You Should, Too

Sabirah Mustafa — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:04:06 +0000

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... [Continue Reading]

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The English Center

Jian Di Liang — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:32:41 +0000

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... [Continue Reading]

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Body Art for Cars

Debora Gordon — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 09:13:53 +0000

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... [Continue Reading]

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A Former Teachers’ Union President Considers Her Legacy

Debora Gordon — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 09:28:37 +0000

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... [Continue Reading]

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To a Cop On a Chase, a Stolen Car May Be Worth More Than Your Life

Ronald Owens — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 02:49:18 +0000

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... [Continue Reading]

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Looking at Lam & What Needs to Be Done

Debora Gordon — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 01:48:56 +0000

By Debora Gordon Lam was, and perhaps still is, a young man with a lot of potential. He could have gone on to lead a life of commonplace trials and triumphs; having a family, a job or a career, exploring his personal interests in art and body-building. Maybe he would have been one of the exceptional... [Continue Reading]

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Highland Journal, a Miniseries: Part III – The 7th Floor

Howard — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 00:39:28 +0000

By Howard Dyckoff First, there is Sam, the handy man. The “Eat at Mel’s, go for a 6 pack in the park” kind of guy. Having no medical insurance, ignoring health needs, eating the cheaper, high-calorie, low-nutrient food found in mini-marts and the scattered fast-food outlets of Deep East he slowly gets sick. So he... [Continue Reading]

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Oakland Teacher Alison Ball Breathes Life into Math & Science

Debora Gordon — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 17:27:48 +0000

By Debora Gordon After early teaching stints in far flung locales from Ecuador and China to New York and Sunnyvale, 4th year middle school teacher Alison Ball, 29, came to Urban Promise Academy (UPA), where she is having a blast teaching seventh grade. Aside from computation and life science, Alison is excited about Crew,... [Continue Reading]

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Highland Journal, a Miniseries: Part II

Howard — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 01:13:36 +0000

By Howard Dyckoff She carries needles and tubes, held in slender fingers. She’s looking for human blood. I see earrings, and under her white jacket, jewelry, a sequined top. I catch a honeysuckle scent. Leather heels. She clearly has a life outside of all this bloodsucking. It all happens in the early morning and the late... [Continue Reading]

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Highland Journal, a Miniseries: Part I

Howard — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:38:25 +0000

By Howard Dyckoff This is a tale of pain and fear, abated by the service, smiles and laughter of the Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) staff. This is a story about my worst November ever: more than 2 weeks in Highland Hospital, with pain continuing both inside and outside. Those quiet, always working, critical but... [Continue Reading]

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A Call to Lam’s Mother

Debora Gordon — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:40:09 +0000

By Debora Gordon Many, perhaps most, parts of this story have been hard to tell. I often imagine someone who might be personally affected by a particular part of the story looking over my shoulder. As I write this section, I feel the phantom presence of Qui Lam, Lam Vo’s mother, although I had only... [Continue Reading]

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Living Victoriously: Community Advocates Help Bay Area Women Transform Their Lives

Katherine Brown — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 22:24:50 +0000

By Katherine Brown It is rare to encounter folks that have faced numerous adversities, yet never complain. They continue to hold their heads up high, dig in their heels, and keep pushing for a better outcome. It is even more uncommon to find someone who is willing to sacrifice and give their all so that... [Continue Reading]

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Oakland Art Teacher Thi Bui Urges Students to Draw, Think Outside the Box

Debora Gordon — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:20:53 +0000

By Debora Gordon Thi Bui, an art and digital media teacher at Oakland International High School, described herself as “a little reckless. I break a lot of rules. I’m very comfortable letting go of the reins if there is enthusiasm. To some people, it might be a little freaky when students aren’t all sitting down... [Continue Reading]

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Happy New Year! Oakland’s Chinatown Welcomes The Year of the Snake

Jian Di Liang — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 03:40:12 +0000

By Jian Di Liang The Lunar New Year is coming, and so is The Year of the Snake. The New Year is one of the most important festivals in Chinese culture. The Street Festival held on the 2nd and 3rd of February in Oakland’s Chinatown attracted many people to consume and prepare for their celebration.... [Continue Reading]

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Computer Love: East Oaklanders Tweet Their Affection for The Town

Katherine Brown — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 02:52:32 +0000

By Katherine Brown While on this love experience, I learned that you don’t need very many words to define or explain it. 140 will do. To find out more about how folks from Oakland view love – and whether or not it exist in the city – I conducted a few Twitter chats with some... [Continue Reading]

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