Talk of the Town: Is Oakland a political place?

Over the last several generations, one of the few constants in Oakland has been change. Changing neighborhoods, changing costs of living, and changes to Oaklanders’ relationship with politics have rendered the landscape all but unrecognizable to previous generations. 

The Town is host to a dense cross section of political ideologies—at times converging, complementing, dissolving, or otherwise clashing violently. Compared to eras bygone, Oakland’s current moment may tend to appear stripped of political inkling or passion. But perhaps not.

I set out to Downtown Oakland to question local passersby, “Do you consider Oakland a political city to live in? And if so, is that a good thing?”

Nakai Foster

“Damn…For young people of color, I feel like it’s a lot less political now. I feel like people is living their lives with politics less at the forefront of they mind now, than they used to. It’s something that I’m disappointed in, because everybody know this, it’s Oakland, it’s the Panthers birthplace and everything, and that’s a Black militant organization. I feel like it’s a lot of people my age now who really not trying to participate in politics and don’t wanna think about it, so I see a lot of that. 

But I think it’s still for sure a political place. I think people still aware of what’s going on in a way that’s different from other places. It’s a discourse around politics here that’s heightened compared to other places still.  Yea, I think it’s a good thing.”

Nakai Foster, Downtown

Naa Kwale Quartey

“I don’t think Oakland is a political city to live in in general; I think there are specific pockets. I don’t think it’s good or bad.”

Naa Kwale Quartey, West Oakland

Gabrian Mulrooney

“Yeah, I guess it is. 

I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, it kind of just is. We live in a political world, I don’t know. Life is however you look at it, you know? I mean, it sounds like a Hallmark card—and it is a Hallmark card—but I can’t say that it’s a good thing or a bad thing. I’m not a super political person. I really just have a hard time trying to stay happy in life, and trying to look people in the eye and mind my manners, which is an excuse I guess… But I’m glad there’s people that are politically minded and people that are different from me, that see the world differently. 

So is it good or bad? Yes and no, like most questions in life.”

Gabrian Mulrooney, Downtown Oakland

Pedro Cardeño

“Yes, and yes. It has a long history of political activism, grassroots level on a variety of stances, which makes it not just a one note kind of town. Like, not only liberal; you have all the viewpoints and you have representatives to battle those out in—ideally—a civil discourse. 

Secondly, yes it is a good thing, because that means that you live in a place where people care enough to be involved, that has some of the most active town hall meetings I’ve ever seen. More active than the various places I’ve been involved in, in the East Bay my whole life. That’s great to see, because I’ve seen some town meetings where people just sit by and let politicians just pass things through. 

Being inactive, or lazy, or apathetic, is not the way. That does not give you a right to fight, if that’s what you want to do.”

Pedro Cardeño, Downtown Oakland