An interview with Hamza Green on Bruce Lee, martial arts, reducing violence in Oakland 

Oakland honored martial artist and former resident Bruce Lee by renaming a street after him. In 1964, Lee opened up a martial arts school on Broadway. He taught Jeet Kune Do, the martial arts style he developed. Oakland dedicated “Bruce Lee Way” on Monday, September 23, near the location of Lee’s former school.

I grew up practicing martial arts. Now I’m an instructor. Bruce Lee is an inspiration to me and other martial artists in Oakland, the Bay, and across the world. 

I wanted to learn what others thought about this pending landmark, so I interviewed Hamza Green, 47, of Oakland. 

It has been announced that there is a street to be named after Bruce Lee, located near one of his first platforms where he taught martial arts. What are your thoughts?

I think that Bruce Lee is not only a legend, [but especially] a legend to Black people. It’s something in that identified with the Black community. When I think of him, I think legend, excellence, influential. And he’s from the Bay. Our people didn’t have many heroes that looked like us [then], so we embraced him. 

What measure of impact do you believe Bruce Lee has in the City of Oakland?

I don’t know the impact he has on this generation, [but] for him to be an immigrant, he showed he can be influential, [and] created a lane from what he mastered [in fighting skills]. He learned his art so well that people had to accept it. He broke barriers in mainstream media.

Do you have any background in Martial Arts/Combative training?

I have a background in boxing. The guy who trained me was very much influenced by Bruce Lee.

Would you say Oakland has an attractive martial arts scene?

I’m not so sure, because this generation don’t seem to be aware of Bruce Lee, or [whom] other fights are. 

Do you believe that martial arts practice would remedy the stigma or turmoil around gun violence in Oakland?

Absolutely. I’m from the era where we would fight and we may help each other off the ground in the end. We would accept a loss for that day, and keep it moving. We learned in order to give a black eye, you had to be able to take one. Fighting reputations could even help you not have to fight further. But now, because the youth aren’t inclined to know how to fight, it just goes straight into gunplay.