LOCAL CHARM
What makes Oakland different from other cities?
Its demography...attractions...sports fans...local entrepreneurs...culture or music?
Its demography...attractions...sports fans...local entrepreneurs...culture or music?
Municipal signage in Oakland with the characteristic Oak tree [1]
WHAT DOES THE OAKLAND COMMUNITY LOOK LIKE?
General Statistics: American Community Survey (2006-2010) [2]:
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UNIQUE ATTRACTIONS
- Children's Fairyland
- Chabot Space & Science Center
- Oakland Museum of California
- Oakland Zoo
- Lake Merritt
- Oaksterdam University
In 2012, N.Y. TImes ranked the Oakland 5th best place to travel! Between #4: London, and #6: Tokyo. Well ahead of #20: Space.
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT
Oakland’s professional sports events and music/entertainment performances are held at the Oakland – Alameda County Coliseum Complex. This is a joint facility shared by Oakland’s teams which have moved into and out of the city throughout the years. The indoor and outdoor facilities, exhibit hall and shared parking lots originally cost a total of $30 million to complete. And additional $17.75 million applied between 1980 and 1990 for improvements and renovations. [4]
Current teams are the Golden State Warriors (basketball), Oakland Athletics (baseball), Oakland Raiders (football). MLB and NFL games share the outdoor facility, currently named O.Co (Overstock.com Coliseum) after its sponsor. NBA games are held indoors at the ORACLE Arena, along with music and other performances. There is no current NHL team in Oakland, the nearest being the San Jose Sharks.
Management of the complex is the responsibility of the local commission: Oakland-Alameda Coliseum Authority (JPA). The commission consists of 8 members, 2 elected from the Oakland City Council and 2 elected from the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, as well as 2 appointed/non-elected members from each. JPA was originally known as Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Inc. The local commission contracts with the complex’s owner firm: Oakland Coliseum Joint Venture (a subsidiary of SMG, an international management company). Oakland Coliseum Joint Venture manages events at the Complex, game day operation, and manages maintenance and construction of the Complex as well as overseeing employment of its staff [5].
Current teams are the Golden State Warriors (basketball), Oakland Athletics (baseball), Oakland Raiders (football). MLB and NFL games share the outdoor facility, currently named O.Co (Overstock.com Coliseum) after its sponsor. NBA games are held indoors at the ORACLE Arena, along with music and other performances. There is no current NHL team in Oakland, the nearest being the San Jose Sharks.
Management of the complex is the responsibility of the local commission: Oakland-Alameda Coliseum Authority (JPA). The commission consists of 8 members, 2 elected from the Oakland City Council and 2 elected from the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, as well as 2 appointed/non-elected members from each. JPA was originally known as Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Inc. The local commission contracts with the complex’s owner firm: Oakland Coliseum Joint Venture (a subsidiary of SMG, an international management company). Oakland Coliseum Joint Venture manages events at the Complex, game day operation, and manages maintenance and construction of the Complex as well as overseeing employment of its staff [5].
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Figure 1: Oakland Arena (left) and Coliseum (right) [6].
BUSINESSES
Oaklandish
http://oaklandish.com/
Originating from a street art movement, the Oaklandish brand of apparel now supports local artists, non-profits, and free public events in "The Town" (Oakland).
Originating from a street art movement, the Oaklandish brand of apparel now supports local artists, non-profits, and free public events in "The Town" (Oakland).
Roots Logo: One of Oaklandish's earliest and most famous designs (found on local architecture and public transit in sticker form).
Oakland Grown
https://www.oaklandgrown.org/
A movement supporting Oakland's local businesses that are "committed to strengthening the local economy, social well being, and unique sense of place" [7].
A movement supporting Oakland's local businesses that are "committed to strengthening the local economy, social well being, and unique sense of place" [7].
Oakland Local
http://oaklandlocal.com/
This independent, non-profit news website offers the latest information on Oakland's education, government, food, entertainment, art and culture and innovative tech. Founded in 2009, it supports local businesses and community organizations throughout the city with an emphasis on marginalized communities.
This independent, non-profit news website offers the latest information on Oakland's education, government, food, entertainment, art and culture and innovative tech. Founded in 2009, it supports local businesses and community organizations throughout the city with an emphasis on marginalized communities.
Mix'd Ingrdntshttp://www.mixdi.com/
A ”collective of female artists who work together as an all styles dance group with the intent of cultivating a stronger community of artists of all ages through urban performance and education.”[8]
Turf dancing originated in Oakland. Other than being incredible dancers, Turf Feinz received a large following when the following video went viral on youtube. It is a memorial of one of the dancer’s brother who died in an accidents. Other of their dance videos reflect life in East Oakland,or comment on social issues such as gun violence and the Oscar Grant shooting.
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MUSIC
Hyphy Movement
The term hyphy, short for "hyperactive" appeared in by in the late 1990s/ early 2000s. It is dance music with a loud base, that in some way responds to mainstream rap ignoring the Bay Area's contributions. [9]
Los Rakas
http://www.losrakas.com/
Self described “pioneering panamanians by way of the Bay Area on the Frontier of New Latin Urban Music”, this duo have gained success throughout the United States and in Panama.
Self described “pioneering panamanians by way of the Bay Area on the Frontier of New Latin Urban Music”, this duo have gained success throughout the United States and in Panama.
Tower of Powerhttp://www.towerofpower.com/
Originating in Oakland, they create “urban soul music” since 1968. The band writes, arranges, mixes and performs all of their own songs that combine a powerful rhythm and vocals. Yoshi'shttp://www.yoshis.com/
A sushi restaurant and jazz club, located in Jack London Square as part of the revitalization plan. It hosts a wide arrange internationally known jazz, latin jazz, R&B, funk, hip-hop and blues artists. |
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ARTS and CULTURE
The Bay Lights
http://thebaylights.org/
At 1.8 miles wide and 500 feet tall it is the world's largest LED light sculpture. Designed for the Bay Bridge's 75th Anniversary, the LED lights create a "never-repeating, dazzling display across the Bay Bridge West Span through 2015" [6]. The official website projects that this art project with add $97 million dollars to the local economy (conservatively). The project cost 8.8 million privately funded dollars, but still needs an addition 2 million to continue to run until 2015 [10].
Artist Leo Villareal on the project:
At 1.8 miles wide and 500 feet tall it is the world's largest LED light sculpture. Designed for the Bay Bridge's 75th Anniversary, the LED lights create a "never-repeating, dazzling display across the Bay Bridge West Span through 2015" [6]. The official website projects that this art project with add $97 million dollars to the local economy (conservatively). The project cost 8.8 million privately funded dollars, but still needs an addition 2 million to continue to run until 2015 [10].
Artist Leo Villareal on the project:
Eastside Arts Alliance
http://www.eastsideartsalliance.com/
An organization of artists and community organizers of color in the San Antonio community of Oakland. It sees art and culture as a way to advocate for socia change and create a healthy, unified community.
See Current Affordable Housing Projects to learn about their unique office space!
An organization of artists and community organizers of color in the San Antonio community of Oakland. It sees art and culture as a way to advocate for socia change and create a healthy, unified community.
See Current Affordable Housing Projects to learn about their unique office space!
Sideshows and Ghost riding
A part of Oakland urban culture, sideshows are informal and illegal automobile stunt exhibitions. Ghost riding is a particular stunt of standing on top of the hood of your car, or dancing next to it, while the car continues to move. Both have been promoted by various Bay Area rappers, particularly those in the hyphy movement.
Multi-car sideshow on Interstate-880 in Oakland [2013]
WORKS CITED_____________________________________________________
- Welcome to Oakland Image: http://janesasuzanne.wordpress.com/gallery/15320023-2/
- MTC-ABAG Library. Oakland, Alameda County, Bay Area, California Census Data. http://www.bayareacensus.ca.gov
- Oakland's Sister Cities. http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/CityAdministration/d/EconomicDevelopment/s/WFD/DOWD008138
- Baim, D. (1994). The sports stadium as a municipal investment. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press.
- Oracle Coliseum and Overstock.com Coliseum. Accessed March 6, 2013. www.coliseum.com
- O.co Coliseum and ORACLE Arena: Oakland Convention and Visitors Bureau."Oakland Convention & Visitors Bureau - Visit Oakland - visitoakland.org. Web. 7 Mar. 2013.<http://visitoakland.org/BLOWUP.cfm?vid=796&colormode=2>
- Oakland Grown."About Oakland Grown". https://www.oaklandgrown.org/abou-oakland-grown/
- Mix'd Ingrdnts. "Vision". http://www.mixdi.com/
- Rosen, Jody. "Go Dumb: Why hyphy is the best hip-hop right now". Slate, February 13, 2007. http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/music_box/2007/02/go_dumb.html
- The Bay Lights. "About". http://thebaylights.org/about
- CBS San Francisco. "The Bay Lights' Officially Unveiled On Bay Bridge" . March 7, 2013. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/03/06/the-bay-lights-officially-unveiled-on-bay-bridge/
- Oakland Raiders http://onepithyparable.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/profilepic40880_1.jpg
- Golden State Warriors http://nbawallpapers10.net/wp-content/uploads/images/cc/golden-state-warriors.jpg
- Oakland Athletics http://www.homerunchallenge.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Oakland-Athletics-Logo1.bmp
