Community

Sugar skulls, costumed toddlers and the aroma of fresh-cooked tamales filled the Port of Oakland waterfront on Sunday, as Jack London Square hosted its annual Halloween and Día de los Muertos festival. The event kicked off a string of holiday events throughout the city that will continue through the weekend. The celebration drew a diverse crowd of all ages, including from the nearby farmers market. Professional chalk artists, a mariachi band, and Mexican folklórico dancers provided free entertainment and highlighted…

BART is capturing the attention of the next generation of riders by introducing anime mascots, community events, and creative outreach programs that make public transit more engaging and accessible. BART’s initiative to increase youth ridership is centered on creating a connection between younger generations and public transportation. By building loyalty among younger riders, BART aims to secure its long-term future, ensuring it remains a vital option for the Bay Area’s evolving transportation needs. Spearheading this initiative is Alicia Trost, BART’s…

Former Warriors players gathered at City Hall last week to honor the head coach who helped them win the Oakland team’s first championship. The event, hosted by the city, honored Al Attles for his innovation and being one of five Black coaches in the NBA. Attles, who spent his entire career as an NBA player with the Warriors in the 1960s before becoming the team’s coach from 1970 to 1983, died in August at age 87.   “We had two great…

Chase Toler walked with his family through Jack London Square on Saturday under a clear blue sky and through a crowd of wagging tails and soft paws For his mother, Colleen Toler, it’s quite the sight. Despite there being loud music, lots of people and barking dogs, Chase, 15, is walking with confidence — something she once thought she’d never get to see. Typically, Chase finds crowds like this unsettling. “Chase becomes very overwhelmed, especially out in public,” Colleen said….

Over 250 people made their way to San Antonio Park in East Oakland Friday evening. Among the bright, inviting murals and delicious smells of popcorn and spaghetti launched Family Friday, a new program to give families a safe space to get to know each other and build community.  The program, started by Trybe, a nonprofit serving youth and families, is a continuation of Town Nights, a program by the city’s Department of Violence Prevention that hosts events in parks around…

When photographer Malcolm Ryder first moved to Oakland, the place he saw through his camera lens was different from what he saw on the news. “I became super sensitive to the incredible disparity between what was actually in Oakland and how it is usually portrayed in mass media. The mass media portrayal is not just borderline hostile, it is outright hostile. It doesn’t even make room for the possibility that the city could be or can be a better place,”…

A century ago, in the shadow of a newly constructed Tribune Tower, a group of women met at Hotel Oakland to establish an organization that would reflect their nascent civic power. Over the ensuing 100 years, both landmarks would close, but the League of Women Voters of Oakland remains. Last month, on the shore of Lake Merritt, members of the Oakland League celebrated the organization’s centennial. Under strings of shimmering lights and a massive eucalyptus tree, generations of volunteers came…

When Alameda County voters go to the polls in November, they may be asked to decide how affordable housing is financed for decades to come. At Tuesday’s Oakland City Council meeting, local and regional housing experts stressed the importance of an upcoming $20 billion regional bond measure that could bring as much as $765 million to Oakland.  “It really is the most ambitious affordable housing program that we have ever embarked upon in the region and even in the state…

Oakland has agreed to sell its stake in the Coliseum, ending decades of ownership at the storied East Bay event complex, Mayor Sheng Thao said at a news conference Wednesday. Following years of negotiations, Oakland and the African American Sports and Entertainment Group have reached an $105 million agreement for the city’s 50% ownership stake in the stadium site. The deal comes as city officials scramble to address a significant budget deficit while dealing with the loss of the city’s…