I love Oakland. I really do. This city is bold, diverse, creative, complicated, resilient, messy, brilliant, frustrating, and beautiful all at the same time. Oakland has some of the best food you will ever eat, people who will organize a protest by noon and a healing circle by 3pm, and enough culture packed into one …
Support Oakland’s 1st LGBTQ Community Center!
As amazing as it sounds, Oakland has never had its own LGBTQ center. This is the first in the city's history, and the two founders are Joe Hawkins and Jeff Meyers, two amazingly dedicated and dynamic individuals who are wholeheartedly committed to enhancing and sustaining the well-being of Oakland’s LGBTQ individuals, our families and allies. They …
Continue reading "Support Oakland’s 1st LGBTQ Community Center!"
The Real Truth of the Black Panther Party
What has been made painfully clear to me recently is that few people truly know and understand precisely what the Black Panthers were all about. There are so many misconceptions and outlandish propaganda being thrown around when one hears the name Black Panther Party that I must admit at times it makes me cringe. Why …
Continue reading "The Real Truth of the Black Panther Party"
Real Talk about Gentrification in Oakland
 Gentrification: The process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influx of upper middle class or affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residents. Let me first say that I'm not against redevelopment. Oakland is one the most racially and culturally diverse cities in the Bay Area, so I am all for the city of Oakland …
Continue reading "Real Talk about Gentrification in Oakland"
Ferguson is just one city out of the country…
Since the DOJ came out with their report highlighting the fact that the Ferguson Police Department is completely corrupt, DOJ officials plan on meeting with Ferguson city officials in the next couple of weeks to discuss just what should and what can be done about the police department. Now don't get me wrong, I think …
Continue reading "Ferguson is just one city out of the country…"
Yes raise the minimum wage already!
So come November, on the ballot you will find San Francisco's Prop J and a similar measure in Oakland advocating the raising of the minimum wage from the ridiculously low $10.74 to $12.25, eventually reaching $15 by 2018. Now, if you live in California I don't have to tell you because you already know how …
Time 2 Wake Up Bay Area!
We have serious problems in the Bay Area. And when one attempts to peel away the layers upon layers of racism, classism, bigotry and gender bias, in order to get to the root of the problem, one must have an extremely thick skin to shield oneself from the mind-boggling ignorance of those who will resent …
