violence Archives - Oakland Voices

Urban Peace Movement statement following Juneteenth shooting at Lake Merritt

June 24, 2024 Oakland Voices

Urban Peace Movement is disheartened by the violence that took place during the Juneteenth gathering in our beloved Oakland.

A woman sits on the front step of a trailer home

‘Therapy groups have taught me to value and love myself’

November 20, 2023 Nuria Dardon and Vanessa Flores

When Nuria Dardón emigrated, she found the psychological help she needed to overcome her traumas and fears, after years of stigma, abuse and domestic violence in Guatemala.

A lake with a sign in it that says "don't give up hope."

Violence in Oakland: ‘We Can Fix This’

December 8, 2021 Debora Gordon

There is a maxim in journalism, “If it bleeds, it leads,” and there have been seemingly endless stories of violence both far and near. Here in Oakland, there is a seeming daily litany of violence

Her Resilience: Women in Control of their Own Image

December 9, 2014 Sara Rowley

Mural concept art by Nicole Gervacio Early in the morning on April 5th, 2014, the body of a young woman by the name of Kimberly Robertson was found, raped and beaten in Oakland’s F.M. Smith

A Day in the Life of Lam Vo

March 5, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon Lam ended a recent letter with “Write me when you find the time. I certainly have all the time in the world to wait.” This prompted me to ask him what it

Looking at Lam and what needs to Be done

February 23, 2013 Debora Gordon

Lam was, and perhaps still is, a young man with a lot of potential. He could have gone on to lead a life of commonplace trials and triumphs; having a family, a job or a career,

A Call to Lam’s Mother

February 20, 2013 Debora Gordon

Many, perhaps most, parts of this story have been hard to tell. I often imagine someone who might be personally affected by a particular part of the story looking over my shoulder. As I write

School-to-Prison Pipeline

February 13, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon Every time a student does poorly in school, or drops out, there is likely a great increase in the chances he will wind up in prison. I recall in my discussion with

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