Debora Gordon

About Debora Gordon

Debora Gordon is a writer, artist, educator and non-violence activist. She has been living in Oakland since 1991, moving here to become a teacher in the Oakland Unified School District. In all of these roles, Debora is interested in developing a life of the mind. “As a mere human living in these simultaneously thrilling and troubled times,” Debora says, “I try to tread lightly, live thoughtfully, teach peace, and not take myself too seriously.”

Going to Prison, Part III: Lam Tells His Story

February 11, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon On Sunday, December 9th, I headed back to prison. When I arrived, I learned the previous day’s lock down had been lifted. Many of the same visitors were there again. The woman

Going to Prison, Part II: Getting In, the Visiting Room, and Lockdown

February 4, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon After my visit with Lt. Smith, I had some time to kill that Friday evening in Delano, California. While there may be more than meets the tourist eye, what the casual passer-through

‘Teacher Don’ Takes the Helm of OUSD’s New Adult Ed Learning Bus

January 30, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon One of the coolest things happening in the Oakland Unified School District right now is the high tech mobile adult education classroom, an RV outfitted with Wi-Fi and laptops, driven by Teacher

Going to Prison, Part I

January 28, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon I drove down to visit Lam in the Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) the weekend of December 7ththrough December 10th. I checked in by phone and email with the Public Information Officer,

Prison Phone Calls and Prison Visits

January 23, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon I decided I would visit Lam in prison. But prison is not a place where you drop in spontaneously. First, you must be approved for visitation, which requires the inmate to snail

Part-time Gangbanger, Part-time Boy Scout

January 22, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon It is occasionally said of someone of dubious repute, “He was no Boy Scout.” As it turned out, though, Lam was, and hence the double life: part-time gangbanger, part-time Boy Scout. Growing

The Stonehurst Edible Garden

January 22, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon Through the entrance to the Korematsu Discovery Academy and Esperanza Elementary School, and just off to the right, is the Stonehurst Edible Schoolyard. Suzanne Ludlum developed the project, and today she is the Garden

Alicia’s Story

January 21, 2013 Debora Gordon

I asked her what she would say directly to Lam if she could speak to him. At first, she was silent. And after a moment, tears flowed from her eyes, and her mother followed suit. Soon, all three of us were crying. What can someone say to someone else who caused such grievous injury? Finally, she just said that she would ask, “Why did you do this?” She said there was nothing Lam could say to her.

East Oakland Woman Fights Foreclosure

January 15, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon Gaylynne Hudson and her husband bought their East Oakland home at the height of the real estate boom. They paid about $370,000 for their home off Foothill Boulevard in February 2005. Both

Young Storytellers Fan Out to Collect Oakland’s Oral Histories

January 9, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon Story Bridges has been joining people across different values, generations, races, and organizations since April 2011. “We take bridging very seriously,” says founder Angela Zusman. “We’re always looking for collaborative partners to build