Community
In an empty Jack in the Box on Telegraph Avenue and 45th Street, a fast food worker wearing a black sweater vest and a short-sleeved dark red button-down shirt is moving slowly, trying to keep herself busy cleaning tables after the morning breakfast crowd had gone. All they left behind were burger wrappers and half-empty soda cups on tables; some had landed on the floor. It’s an overcast Thursday morning. The cashier behind the counter says, “It’s slow,” commenting on…
At 11:02 am, five people stand in line at Bakesale Betty, a small corner shop on Telegraph and 51st St that opens at 11:00 am. The soon-to-be customers are quiet, shuffling forward incrementally, eager for fried chicken sandwiches, but not making a fuss of it. Inside, it smells like seasoned oil and hot cookies. Customers order from the smiling, blue-haired Betty herself, who hands out paper bags pre-loaded with the joint’s specialty. Outside, the decadent aroma is swept away by…
On a Thursday morning, the slate-gray plaza is peppered with about a dozen black tables and chairs, some occupied, some conspicuously empty. Near a wood-topped concrete bench are two concrete planters, each hosting a handful of well-spaced shrubs and spiky plants. The building behind those planters houses chains both local and national (1st United Credit Union, Great Clips, and Philz Coffee) and the building behind them houses the main attraction of the plaza: a Safeway. The plants seem to be…
A feathered creature glides across a white-pillowed sky, flapping its wings as though to maintain pace with the whisking winds. Its ivory body nearly blends into the backdrop, but its smoky tail soars in opposition. Attracted by a clear lagoon, it lands. The seagull plops its webbed feet unto the waters of Lake Merritt, as its eyes meet the stares of geese. Unbothered by the others, it paddles. Western gulls share Lake Merritt with other birds including Canada geese and…
The gentle breeze carrying a cool mist from Oakland’s Inner Harbor, hits the faces of people scattered around the docks of Jack London Square. The area is without much activity and the water is calm. The sky is filled with clouds, but the wind is quickly shuffling them away, revealing the warm rays of the sun. The few people sitting on benches are either keeping up with the latest news or making tough life decisions. “Do you want to get…
Second grade children come out to the basketball court. They are all coming from the school next door to the Lincoln Square Park in Chinatown, Oakland. Almost all in uniform, they are all dressed in white tops and beige pants. But there’s one little girl who sticks out. She wears her jet-black straight hair in a ponytail, and is wearing a navy blue skirt and black tights that don’t quite match. The kids’ homeroom teacher instructs them to stretch. He…
On election night, protesters gathered in downtown Oakland after midnight yelling angry things like “Not my president!” and “Fuck Trump!” in the quiet streets. Others took it a step further and lashed out against nearby businesses, breaking glass doors and windows and spray-painting graffiti anywhere visible, like on the windows of the Chase bank, the walls of the BART public elevator and the pillars of the Oakland federal building.
Garbage cans were set on fire and worried faces peeked out through doors after the angry crowd passed. Confused bystanders were upset at the damage to their property, and others worried about their safety, while the rest followed the trail of fires left on Broadway, trying to catch up to the mob either by running or riding their bikes. By the next morning, garbage, broken glass and graffiti covered the downtown.
The Museum of Digital Art and Entertainment, or the M.A.D.E., is a gateway to, and an archive for, video game history, showcasing consoles and games from gaming’s early days in the 1970’s to the present day. Not only does it showcase video game history, the museum also holds free classes such as beginner coding and game designing for participants of all ages. Other museums have shown limited video game exhibits, while Stanford University has its own private video game archive. The M.A.D.E.,…
After a shocking Donald Trump presidential victory, groups in Oakland are taking action against the President-Elect’s proposed policies.