Is harmony and unity possible in East Oakland? The Laurel Merchant and Laurel District Association strive to prove that it does. The second annual Laurel Holiday Stroll and Donation Drive is just one of over 20 events held in the Laurel District geared towards strengthening relationships between the community and local business. […]
By Sabirah Mustafa Growing up in Oakland I used to imagine I was the mayor. Playgrounds and basketball courts would stay open 24 hours if I had my way. Big wheels and dirt bikes would […]
Is there any love left in The Town? If we look at the homicide rate of 2012 alone, one might say that love is impossible, if not non-existent. But I beg to differ. I see the love here. […]
Growing up in East Oakland, Dre Johnson, “the violence and crimes that go on, you don’t talk about. You’re just not supposed to name names, you’re not supposed to say shit out loud.” He says his spoken word allowed him to express his feelings about “how the shit went down.” Poetry became one of the few ways he saw to address some hard experiences. […]
Dear Ms. Gordon, Unfortunately, I am the Lam Vo your (sic) looking for. […]
It seems that if you’re not killed by a cop, you’re a just a garden variety homicide victim. People don’t get too upset. You might get an impromptu curbside memorial. The local TV news might mention the killing in passing. And then, the victim of the day will be forgotten until the next man, woman, or child gets shot and killed. People seem to get up in arms only if a cop does the killing, à la Oscar Grant or Alan Blueford. If it’s black on black, it’s business as usual. But if it’s cop on black – oh, damn, it’s on! […]
Like Sankofa – the mythical bird in West African culture that symbolizes going back to retrieve things lost in order to move forward – Michael Gibson also had to go back and reconnect, while he was incarcerated, with his own history. He regularly draws on his past struggles to help him improve his life, and those of others. […]
By Sabirah Mustafa Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes asked the question,”what happens to a dream deferred?” “Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?,” goes his famous poem Harlem, “or does it explode?” […]
I responded to the email Lam sent from Juvenile Hall within an hour of receiving it. That was more than 5 years ago, so I am trying to look back and remember what I was […]
By Howard Dyckoff Oaklanders are marching to demand an end to gun violence. There have been youth rallies, peace marches and on-going night walks in the most violence-plagued areas of East Oakland. Many of these […]
Copyright © 2023 Oakland Voices