Oakland Voices

By Jo Ann Bell Hurricane Katrina left Louisiana and Mississippi with memories of utter destruction. It’s been a month since those and other Gulf states marked the fifth year anniversary of the storm, and the

By Tyrese Johnson OAKLAND, CA – Many would argue that music is essential to a full life. It makes us laugh, cry and think. It is this idea that musicians at the Oakland Green Youth

By Peace Harmony OAKLAND, CA – A new habitat for female artists was born last November. Valerie Troutt started The Shepeople’s, a collective of female vocalists, musicians, poets, dancers, filmmakers, visual artists, craft makers, foodies and

By Ida Hancox OAKLAND, CA – For most of Shawn Vasquez’s life, he’s been in trouble with the law. He started ditching school to sell drugs before he was a teenager. He hit the ninth

It is one of the most painful, difficult, and quintessentially American words in our language. It’s been used to dehumanize, to hurt feelings, to show love, and to sell records. When popular talk radio host

By Jo Ann Bell OAKLAND, CA – A warm and secure feeling of community thrives in the neighborhoods along Adeline Street.  Reflecting on the West Oakland stretch of Adeline during the 1940’s and 50’s brings

By Tyrese Johnson and Adimu Madyun OAKLAND, CA – Break, glide, pop, lock, backspin, suicide. These moves and more were on display last Friday at the All Styles Dance Battle in Jack London Square. The

By Jo Ann Bell OAKLAND, CA – The West Oakland Senior Center is not an especially big place. But the two-story building, located at a quiet intersection right across from deFremery Park, is a strong

By Diana Alonzo OAKLAND, CA – After a stroke in 2002 left Myra Chang unable to walk, she needed a home that was affordable and handicap-accessible. Chang, a San Francisco native, signed up for an

By Adimu Madyun OAKLAND, CA – It’s been nearly two decades since Ed Kikumoto proudly accepted his role as a Home Alert block captain in West Oakland. Kikumoto was 43 years old when he and