October 2015 - Oakland Voices

Barbara Zavala – The Personification of Giving Back

October 28, 2015 Bill Joyce

The morning wash flapped in the breeze in the backyard of the Oakland Catholic Worker (OCW), near the corner of International Blvd and 50th, on a recent Tuesday morning. Upstairs, a young mother — a

Everett and Jones – “Dream a dream that makes you happy.”

October 28, 2015 Saleem Gilmore

The success of Everett and Jones barbecue as a business is based on the values that have sustained the family for over four generations. Dorothy King, owner of Everett and Jones, reflected on her mother’s

From East Oakland to Tunis, Tunisia, Part I

October 28, 2015 Mustafa Solomon

I have a very interesting story I want to tell my readers. I was blessed to participate in the 2015 World Social Forum, held in Tunis, Tunisia. The Forum is an annual gathering of civil

Oakland Rising

October 26, 2015 Saleem Gilmore

In 2006, Jerry Brown was Mayor of Oakland, Arnold Schwarzenegger was Governor of California, and grassroots politics in Oakland was losing its voice. Local communities felt locked out of City Hall, their voices not being

La Estrellita – The Third Generation

October 26, 2015 Carlos Gonzalez

I interviewed Andrea Contreras, granddaughter of Isabela Macias, the matriarch and founder of the La Estrellita Cafe and Bar. Contreras described when it all first started in 1969. Initially her grandmother worked in various capacities

Punk Rock Oakland Style

October 23, 2015 Randy Filio

Punk Rock started in the U.K. in the late 70’s and is still recognized today for the wild looks and strong attitudes; it is still popular in a lot of places around the world. Oakland

The Power of Sharing Stories

October 20, 2015 Rosalinda Hernandez

“The tears are for those stories that need to be told.” – Albertina Zarazúa Padilla, Curator for MiHistoria Earlier this month, the César E. Chávez Branch of the Oakland Public Library and MiHistoria held a storytelling workshop in

Cooking with Integrity, Despite the Challenges

October 20, 2015 Marilu Aguilar

I don’t always walk the International Blvd. corridor between 23rd and 25th Street alone. I try to convince myself that it’ll be fine and that I’ll be safe, but a few months ago, a random

Laurel Cyclery – More than a Bike Shop

October 20, 2015 Bill Joyce

At any other bike shop, the word ‘hubs’ refers to internal or fixed gear hubs and often, the messy job of repacking them with tiny ball bearings. The two bike mechanics, certified wheel builder and

Community Investment – By the People for the People

October 16, 2015 Brenda Payton

Editor’s Note: The following article is in response to an Oakland Voices article, “Heroes, Pyramids and a Colossal Head.” By the East Oakland Youth Development Center Family The “G” word—gentrification. This word evokes pain and