It has been over one week since the death of Nia Wilson, an 18-year-old young woman from Oakland who was going home on Bart and was stabbed “prison-style” while trying to transfer trains with her sister. There was a lot … Continue reading Nia Wilson Vigil Unifies Oakland Activists to Confront White Supremacy and Media Perceptions
One sunny Saturday in October, I was sitting in the stands at McClymonds High School, watching some boys in cardinal red and gold uniforms tackle another team. I was rooting for the Bay Area Seminoles, a new youth football team, … Continue reading We Lead Ours in Oakland Program Sets Out to Turn Troubled Students to Successful Students
Early May, our world was shifted into a new outer-sphere as a video I shot featuring my husband and his friend dubbed BBQ Becky went super viral. Like, The Views Whoopi Goldberg commenting on video while laughing at the memes that exploded all over social media, viral.
This newest video of BBQing While Black Part 2 does not have a lot of barbecuing in it.
What was different about this event were the many subtle political statements. There was an art exhibit group called Alena Museum that put up an entire art exhibit to bring awareness of the eviction they are facing in West Oakland. They wanted to make a statement about gentrification pushing out artists. Continue reading BBQing While Black Part 2 Brought the Vibe and the Politics
Writer Joy Elan interviewed Kenzie Smith who is running for Oakland City Council District 2. Continue reading Raw Interview of Kenzie Smith Regarding Run for Oakland City Council District 2
Oakland, CA – After several viral videos hit national news in the last month at Lake Merritt Park, neighbors became even more active and outspoken on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. In response to issues like BBQ Becky, … Continue reading Oakland Neighbors Take to Organizing Offline
A week after a video of a White woman harassing two Black men barbecuing at Lake Merritt for hours went viral the story has somewhat lost its narrative. The two men involved, Kenzie Smith and Onsayo “Deacon” Abram, did not … Continue reading Oakland Organizers Take Action After BBQ Harassment at Lake Merritt
“She was saying things like, ‘We weren’t welcome in the area of the lake.’ She told me and Deacon that she owned Lake Merritt. Also, she said we were not welcomed to be there. I felt like she was saying Blacks weren’t welcome,” Smith said. Continue reading White Privilege Used to Fight Racially Charged Harassment at Lake Merritt