2012 East Oakland Project Blogs
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. […]
Month: February 2013
2012 East Oakland Project Blogs
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 […]
2012 East Oakland Project Blogs
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 […]
2012 East Oakland Project Blogs
Looking at Lam & What Needs to Be Done
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 […]
2012 East Oakland Project Blogs
Highland Journal, a Miniseries: Part III – The 7th Floor
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, […]
2012 East Oakland Project Blogs
Oakland Teacher Alison Ball Breathes Life into Math & Science
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), […]
2012 East Oakland Project Blogs
Highland Journal, a Miniseries: Part II
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. […]
2012 East Oakland Project Blogs
Highland Journal, a Miniseries: Part I
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: […]
2012 East Oakland Project Blogs
A Call to Lam’s Mother
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. […]
2012 East Oakland Project Blogs
Living Victoriously: Community Advocates Help Bay Area Women Transform Their Lives
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 […]