Culture
At the precipice of spring, before the proper time of year, only a few roses bloom at the Morcom Amphitheater of Roses, though pruned rose bushes—bare, spiky, grey, brown, some a sunny red-green—line the area profusely, thorns prominently on display. It’s a clear, crisp, cloudless day: The sun shines upon an ovular green reflecting pool and small children play among rose bushes above a gurgling stone fountain. Large trees surround the garden, providing shade and camouflaging the occasional looming apartment…
Craftspeople all over the country are busy preparing for holiday sales. Many will make half their annual income in these final two months of the year. Hopefully, it’s enough to make it through the slow months that follow—or at least to justify pressing on.
Oaklanders can take in neon art on display at Transmission Gallery now through March.
Bay Area religious leaders and activists use their faith to fight for immigrants.
Incarceration doesn’t just affect the incarcerated, it alters the lives of their loved ones as well. Families struggle to maintain these relationships because of the financial and emotional burdens that the prison system places on them.
Community Works is a nonprofit organization in Oakland that provides services for formerly incarcerated people. These include parenting classes and groups that help men discuss ways they can overcome “toxic” masculine behaviors. For the past year, Community Works has hosted a weekly “restorative justice circle,” also known as a “citizens’ circle,” in their office for people who have been paroled after initially being sentenced to life in prison. There are two separate groups that meet on Tuesday and Wednesday nights to…
At the seventh annual Magic Makers event last week, artists and healers celebrated queer culture and promoted self-care.
The city of Oakland implemented a new food vending program in 2017. But, how accessible is the industry to immigrant communities? And how does one family go about creating community through a food truck business?