Posts Tagged ‘women’
Refugee group helps employ women in need
When Rafiullah Amiri, who had immigrated to the United States from Afghanistan, noticed that many women within his immigrant community were confined to their homes—shocked by the culture difference and unable to speak the language of their host country—he had an idea: They could earn money cooking.
Read MoreOpen mic highlights experiences of women of color
In Berkeley, the La Peña Cultural Center and the UC Berkeley Womxn of Color Initiative hosted an open mic night on January 26 called “Empowering Women of Color Open Mic.” The event opened a three-show series intended to provide a safe space for women of color to express themselves.
Read MoreFeminine hygiene products unavailable to many East Bay women
Every month, homeless and low-income women and girls in the East Bay have to contend with the high cost of feminine hygiene products. For some women, these products are a luxury they just cannot afford.
Read MoreIn Oakland, women take the lead as Airbnb hosts
Cynthia Mackey, a 56-year-old self-employed digital marketer, loves to talk about Airbnb. She laughs and smiles, growing excited as she talks about the joy that comes from opening up her home in Oakland’s Adams Point to a world of strangers. Mackey started hosting for Airbnb, an online international marketplace for booking accommodations, in July, 2013.…
Read MorePanel discusses “Women Breaking the Mold” in the film, animation and game development industries
Four leading women artists in the film, animation and game industries led the opening night of the Bay Area International Children’s Film Festival.
Read MoreMuslim women practice self-defense following election
President-elect Donald Trump is famous for his divisive, and some say hateful, rhetoric. During the campaign he called for a blanket ban on allowing Muslims into the country and proposed creating a national registry of Muslims.
Read MoreBusiness owners take damage done during anti-Trump protests in stride
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.
Read MoreTales of Two Cities Episode 10: Ladies Night
Welcome back to the Tales of Two Cities podcast. This week is all about the ladies-stories of women doing incredible things in their communities.
Read MoreFruitvale neighborhood hosts Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day celebration
On May 7, people gathered in Oakland’s Fruitvale district to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, commemorating the Mexican Army’s victory, despite the odds, against the French at the Battle in Puebla in 1862. The event, hosted by Oakland City Councilmember Noel Gallo (District 5) and the City of Oakland, began with a Mother’s Day mural dedication.
Read MoreBuilding the future for women in trades
The Bay Area’s first and only all-women construction and solar training program was launched last week in Berkeley. Women Build was launched in response to the low participation of women in the construction trades.
Read MoreOakland women rally for Bernie Sanders
A multicultural and multigenerational group of women met to discuss Sen. Bernie Sanders’ platform earlier this month in Oakland.
Read MoreFemale tattoo artists make their mark in Oakland
The artist wears black latex gloves and dips a needle into ink. She then draws blue waves around a colorless outline of the Buddha, carefully wiping excess ink off of her living canvas. The mechanical hum of the mechanized needle doesn’t interfere with the interaction between tattoo artist, Melissa Taylor of Oakland’s Sacred Tattoo, and…
Read MoreOakland’s Belles and Chimes is the first women’s-only pinball league
Apparently, pinball’s gender issues extend beyond the bikini-clad babes featured in the artwork of certain machines. The top 25 players in the world, according to the International Flipper Pinball Association, are all dudes.
Read MoreWomen veterans find peace in Alameda community group
When former Staff Sergeant Starlyn Lara joined the Army fresh out of high school in Roswell, New Mexico, it was a time of peace for those who were serving in the military. Then came September 11. Suddenly, for many who joined the armed forces in search of serving their country—what Lara calls a desire to…
Read MoreWomen and hip-hop: A discussion in downtown Oakland
On Friday, the Betti Ono art gallery in downtown Oakland hosted a panel discussion about women and Hip-Hop. The “My Art, My Culture: Women, media, and Hip-Hop” three-part discussion was the product of the combined efforts of a number of Bay Area arts organizations including Beats, Rhymes, and Life, which uses Hip-Hop to empower young people, and the Daughters of Dilla Project, which offers media arts programs for girls.
Read MoreAn Oaklander uses walks to inspire an active lifestyle
Meet Oakland resident Katrina Lashea, who leads walks for African-American women in the Bay Area with the goal of improving their health. Lashea is a yoga instructor and works as a program coordinator for Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theatre. She is also one of 10 recipients of GirlTrek’s 2012 Trailblazer Fellowship Award, which will sponsor her…
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