Oakland Voices, a program of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, celebrated a new class of graduates in April who joined the community journalism academy in 2023.
Oakland Voices instructor and co-director Rasheed Shabazz stated that he is “really excited for this group.” The graduates include Daniel Swafford, Dera Williams, Tanna Hall, Randi Cross, and Joy Quilatan. This marks the 10th graduating class for the community journalism training program, which supports community members in becoming local correspondents.
A New Class of Oakland Voices Correspondents
“We have such a unique intergenerational group of folks interested in healing, racial justice, arts and culture,” Shabazz said. “I’m hopeful they will continue developing their creative gifts so we can tell stories that lift up the beauty of Oakland.”
The class learned how to report and write short-form stories, health equity stories, op-eds, and more. Members have already published their writings, including stories such as a “person on the street” opinion on the best taco spots in Oakland by Cross, the role of bilingual lactation consultants by Quilatan, an op-ed on trash in Oakland by Swafford, a culture story about sci-fi writing awards by Williams, and an article on Oakland’s public swimming facilities and programs by Hall.
At a ceremony on Saturday, April 6, 2024, graduates received diplomas and celebrated their accomplishments. The graduation featured journalist, hip hop historian and professor Dave “Davey D” Cook as keynote speaker. In attendance was Shabazz, the members of the 2023 class, along with Maynard Institute co-directors Martin Reynolds and Evelyn Hsu.
Martin G. Reynolds, co-director of the Maynard Institute and co-founder of Oakland Voices, said he is always inspired by the Oakland Voices graduation. “The correspondents that take part in the program are such a wonderful group of folks from all over Oakland. They’ve spent all of this time investing in the craft of storytelling,” Reynolds said. “At a time when the news media is often distrusted by so many, this program helps to bring journalists and members of the community together.”
Reynolds also noted that the program provides an opportunity to add much-needed storytelling capacity in a city that has lost its dedicated newspaper, The Oakland Tribune, to corporate consolidation and staffing cuts.
The graduates will join dozens of Oakland Voices alumni who have gone on to serve Oakland in journalism, storytelling, and community involvement.
“Writing for the Community”
Over the course of the six-month program, community members selected to be a part of the program learn the ethics of journalism, conduct research on story topics, and develop their interview styles. Through hybrid online and in-person instruction, the class creates a body of writing that highlights the lesser-told stories of Oakland. Class members receive a stipend as part of the training program.
Guest journalists from KQED, Oaklandside, and the freelancing world visit the in-person sessions to provide insights that help shape the different types of storytelling. The guest journalists give first hand experience and knowledge of their fields ranging from podcasting, to arts and culture writing.
Hall learned about the program through friends, and had always wanted to take a formal writing class to learn different styles of storytelling. “My goal when joining the program was to find a way to utilize writing…for the community,” Hall said. Hall, who uses the last name “Samone” in her byline, hopes to dig more deeply into LGBTQ+ community stories.
The unique perspective of stories drives and inspires many of Oakland Voices’ correspondents. Dera Williams, who is in the works for a novel about the Great Migration, explained that her story about black maternal health ignited her passion to tell more stories around the topic.
The challenge the class faces is combating the negative narratives about Oakland and focus on communities that often get overlooked by mainstream media.
“That’s what I need to do is seek out those stories – the greatness of what is going on,” Williams said.
Daniel Swafford joined Oakland Voices to deepen his storytelling skills, as someone involved in the Laurel business district. “I really liked all the different experts and just experienced professionals and the wisdom that was able to be brought to the students from this really deep network of the Maynard Institute,” Swafford said.
Hall adds that learning new skills about storytelling is empowering. “One thing I learned about storytelling is that everyone has a story to tell, whether they write it themselves or not, and storytelling is one of the most effective ways to communicate.”
Oakland Voices welcomes its newly graduated class and looks forward to them continuing to share their passion for storytelling and this city’s vibrant culture through the Oakland Voices alumni program, which offers continued training and payment – and sharing the passion for the varying landscapes that represent Oakland.
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Brandy Collins is an alumna of the 2019 Oakland Voices community journalism academy, and a Maynard 200 Fellow.
Oakland Voices is funded by the California Endowment and the Akonadi Foundation.
Great article Brandy. Thanks for your support.