Culture
On Friday evening, around 200 protesters gathered at Broadway and 14th Street near Frank Ogawa Plaza for a passionate but peaceful demonstration. Fewer people gathered than on previous nights–which drew crowds of between 2,000 and 7,000–but protesters expressed a need to come together in solidarity to condemn Donald Trump’s election and what they called state-sanctioned hate and violence. A woman with a megaphone rallied the crowd, saying, “This is bigger than Donald Trump. This is bigger than hate! We need…
Less than 24 hours after Donald Trump clinched the presidency, downtown Oakland filled with undocumented immigrants, families with young children, students and activists who gathered to reject their president-elect.
Reaching for the moon was the theme for Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf’s annual State of the City address on October 14, as she introduced the “Oakland Thrives Moon Shot,” a slate of goals to guide her office for the coming year.
The Black Panther Party (BPP) was founded on October 15, 1966 in Oakland, California by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. The party was a political organization that agitated for greater rights for Black people in the United States. Seale and Newton captured the attention of the country (and of law enforcement) through their tactic of openly carrying rifles and shotguns while observing police officers in their community.
On Thursday night, an intimate audience gathered at Pro Arts Gallery for a show called Executive Order Karaoke. There, they sang classic karaoke songs with lyrics from President Obama’s executive orders.
Facing a crowd of over 100 people, Nilton J. Serva, a 19 year-old Latino entrepreneur, pitched his idea for an app that connects career mentors with Latinos and Latinas. An audible “Wow!” was heard from the audience as a teammate showed a mock-up of the simple, elegant app on the screen with sections for career credentials, a profile photo and ratings.
With the 2016 local and presidential elections fast approaching, some Oakland groups are focusing heavily on Latino voter registration and education because the results will directly affect their community.
October 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of The Black Panther Party. The celebration started on October 20, when several of the original members of the Panthers came to Oakland to recognize their achievements and their struggles over the years.
Local chefs take over Steel Rail’s kitchen on Friday nights for the restaurant’s fall series, Off the Rails.