Immigration
2015 brought another group of student reporters to Oakland North, and they covered the daily news of a changing city: The rising cost of rent and concerns about gentrification, the debate over raising the minimum wage, a controversial plan to ship coal through the Port of Oakland, efforts to stem crime and the lives of those lost to gun violence, the fate of refugees who have resettled here. But they also dug deep into stories about the people, places and ideas that…
Founded in April 2009, the Ger Youth Center is a non-profit organization based in Oakland dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional Mongolian visual and performing arts, culture and language among Bay Area Mongolian and Mongolian-American youth. Its flagship program, the Bi Mongol — or “I am Mongolian” — School operates out of the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. The school offers biweekly classes in art, dancing, Mongolian language, chess, and more. The Ger Youth Center also coordinates a variety of cultural events open…
Interactive Map: follow Jeremías’ journey as an unaccompanied minor, from his neighborhood in El Salvador, to resettlement in Oakland, here. In the shadow of the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris and the ongoing strife in Syria, America’s role in handling the refugee crisis has been catapulted to the forefront of political debates. Discussions about whether the United States would accept Syrian refugees began after governors from over 30 states said they would not welcome them within their borders. In…
Oakland City Council approved a funding increase for legal support for unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in the U.S., authorized the creation of a “Director of Race and Equity” staffing position within the city government and received a report from the Oakland Police Department about funding for a gun tracing program.
Order of Malta Free Clinic, the only religious-based free health clinic in Oakland, CA, hopes to expand hours from two and half days a week to five days a week after raising $175,000 in funds.
East Bay Burkinabes got together Sunday at the Faso Braidy braiding shop on Webster and 19th Street to discuss the political situation back home and what lies ahead for their country after its September coup. For these former residents of Burkina Faso, the conversation was largely about what they can really do to positively contribute to the political situation back home.
The Catholic Dioceses of Oakland, Catholic Charities of the East Bay (CCEB), and the East Bay Naturalization Collaborative co-organized a citizenship workshop, offering legal assistance to over 200 participants.
It’s hard for immigrants to be away from their home countries. It’s even harder when they learn that there’s been a coup back home where their friends and families still live. On September 16, military guards in Burkina Faso took over the airwaves, announcing that they were now in charge. Burkinabes living in the Bay Area say they are concerned about the safety of their friends and relatives back home.
On Saturday at Peralta Hacienda Historical Park, panels at least ten feet tall displayed pictures of Oakland immigrants, artists and business owners of different ethnic backgrounds. As Latin music played, visitors strolled by and read the biographies of those featured in the exhibit. “Alla en el Rancho Grande,” referring to a traditional Mexican song, was the first of a series of upcoming events related to the public programming initiative called Latino Americans: 500 Years of History. The National Endowment of…