Culture Archives - Oakland Voices

Photos: Dia de los Muertos in Oakland

November 18, 2025 Howard Dyckoff

Fruitvale’s Día de los Muertos Festival filled International Boulevard with altars, dancers, lowriders, and food.

an outdoor catwalk with an audience in folding chairs outside

Creative Growth Shines at 50 Years-Old With a Vibrant Fashion Show

July 7, 2024 Bill Joyce

Creative Growth Art Center celebrates its 50th anniversary with a vibrant outdoor fashion show at the Valdez Street Vibes Festival. Featuring unique wearable art by artists with disabilities, the event highlights the center’s impact on the art world and disability culture.

A man sits inside a car and shows the camera a fried fish sandwich

TikTok Food Influencer Keith Lee Shows the Bay Love – But is it Enough?

January 11, 2024 Brandy Collins

Keith Lee’s visit to the Bay Area promises a surge of attention for local restaurants — but will it help restaurants in the long run?

Oakland hosts top Sci-Fi writing awards show

November 1, 2023 Dera R. Williams

On June 24, Oakland-based Locus Magazine hosted an awards show for speculative fiction writers. Special effort was made towards inclusion.

three Black men stand inside a large art exhibit and station in Oakland

Afro-Fatherism: A Downtown Oakland Photo Exhibit Illuminates the Power of Black Fatherhood

August 4, 2023 Kristal Raheem

In the heart of downtown Oakland stands two 7ft tall, larger-than-life sized photos depicting Black fathers and their sons. The two pieces are accompanied by a collection of black and white photo collages showcasing the

An elder African American woman with short hair and a dress smiles for camera inside a church with colorful windows

Oakland’s Plymouth United Church is Promoting Jazz and Justice

May 8, 2023 Katharine Davies Samway

The 120-year old church now embraces social justice and inclusion.

A black and a yellow lion dancer perform outside at Jack London Square

Oakland’s Lunar New Year Celebrations Kicked Off this Weekend in Jack London Square, Chinatown

January 23, 2023 Howard Dyckoff

Editor’s Note: On Saturday, our correspondent Howard Dyckoff attended two Lunar New Year-related events in Oakland. The celebrations in Jack London Square and Oakland Chinatown’s bazaar were both joyful events during one of the biggest

Image of Pomo Native American dancers at an outdoor event.

Indigenous Red Market in Oakland Brings Together Native American Art, Culture, Food

December 6, 2022 Howard Dyckoff

Earlier in November, the, Native American Health Center in the Fruitvale hosted another Indigenous Red Market on International Blvd. There was an extensive cultural entertainment program, featuring Native American dancers, Ohlone Sisters who sang traditional

Nightlight marquee of historic movie theater with the words "

“Oakanda” Tour Celebrates Marvel’s ‘Wakanda Forever’ with a Tour of Oakland’s Historic Black History Sites

November 18, 2022 Brandy Collins

Late in the afternoon next to the Grand Lake Theater, a group of strangers piled into a van to have a one-of-a-kind, educational experience in The Town. Called the “Oakanda tour,” this specialized guided tour

An African American director with a beanie chats with a tall man in a white tank top and with an Afro

How One Local Filmmaker Debuted First Film and Comic Book During Pandemic

July 15, 2022 Brandy Collins

Love Conquers All, a comic book and movie co-written by filmmakers Janell Grace and Malik Glass, is a story about Kennedy, a man reconciling his issues with trauma and grief after the passing of his