Bella
Vista students do major park clean-up, with help from 30 volunteers
from Kaiser Permanente's Educational Theatre Program.
Thursday, Friday & Saturday, May 8, 9 & 10: The Sisyphus Syndrome: A Jazz Opera by Amiri Baraka with music by David Murray
Saturday, May 10: Hershey's Track & Field Games – Laney College, 900 Fallon St – 9:00 am – 5:00 pmSaturday, May 10: Grand Avenue 3rd Annual Proud Parents’ Stroll Assemble in front of the Grand Lake Theater, corner of Grand and Lake Park avenues at 9:30 am; stroll from the theater to Safeway and back begins at 10 am
Saturday, May 10: 55th Annual Oakland "Mother of the Year" Celebration - Morcom Rose Garden, 700 Jean Street – 10:30 amSaturday, May 10: The Morcom Rose Garden Neighborhood Preservation Association is launching Special Monthly Work Days on the second Saturday of each month beginning in May
Saturday, May 10: "Asian Pacific Heritage Festival." Oakland Asian Cultural Center begins a month of free cultural and fun-filled events. Held at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, Pacific renaissance Plaza, 2nd floor, 388 9th Street, Oakland 94607. Includes musical performances and culinary workshops. (Learn to cook kimchi, larb, samosas and Chinese dumplings!)
Sunday, May 11: "Family Explorations" at the Oakland Museum. A day of fun that celebrates ALL Families, especially welcoming those with adopted, foster, mixed-race, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members.Monday, May 12: E. 18th St – Park Blvd Streetscape Planning. --Community Meeting
Saturday & Sunday, May 17 & 18: Introduction to Sculling at the Jack London Aquatic Center
Thursday, May 22: 7th Annual Small Business Symposium sponsored by the Oakland Merchants Leadership Forum - Oakland Marriott City Center - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday, May 31: Neighborhood Services Division’s Neighborhood Summit 2008: My Block. My Community. My Responsibility! All Oakland Residents invited.
...And Coming in June
REPORTS
Bella Vista Park Stewardship Day Grows Young Stewards and Paints Sunflowers
Plans for Renovating Chinese Gardens
Mayor Dellums’ E-Newsletter
Oakland Youth Advisory Commission Is Looking for Young Leaders
Become an ESL Volunteer and Teach Burmese Refugees in Oakland
Volunteer for the Oral Board Interviews and Help Reach the Goal of 803 Police Officers
EVENTS
Thursday, Friday & Saturday, May 8, 9 & 10: The Sisyphus Syndrome:
A Jazz Opera by Amiri Baraka with music by David Murray
This musical event will be held at the EastSide Cultural Center, 2277 International Blvd, starting at 8 pm. $20 for General Admission, $10 for Students up to19 years old. For more information, call (510) 533-6629.
Saturday, May 10: Hershey's
Track & Field Games for youth 9 - 14.
Laney College, 900 Fallon St – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Track meet for youth, ages 9 - 14; finalists advance to the Hershey's Track & Field Games regional meet. Participants can also try out at this meet to represent Team Oakland in Track & Field at the 2008 U.S.Youth Games! Registration is free and all abilities are welcome. Visit www.oaklandnet.com/parks for registration information.
Saturday, May 10: 3rd Annual Proud Parents’ Grand
Avenue Stroll. Assemble in front of the Grand Lake Theater, corner of
Grand and Lake Park avenues at 9:30 am; stroll from the theater to Safeway
and back begins at 10 am.
Saturday, May 10: 3rd Annual Proud Parents’ Grand Stroll presented by the Grand Avenue Business Association – Assemble in front of the Grand Lake Theater, corner of Grand and Lake Park avenues at 9:30 am; stroll from the theater to Safeway and back begins at 10 am. No advance registration is required for this free fun walk. Marching jazz band Blue Bone Express will provide entertainment during the stroll.
Families large and small, traditional and nontraditional are invited to show their pride by participating in the 3rd Annual Proud Parents’ Grand Stroll sponsored by Grand Avenue Business Association’s (GABA). Participants are encouraged to come in festive attire or costume and decorate their strollers, baby slings, wagons or other conveyance to amplify the jubilant atmosphere. GABA judges will award prizes to the best costume and best decorated stroller.
For the third year, Grand Avenue Merchants are donating a wide range of prizes for families at the Proud Parents Stroll. The list is growing; families will have a chance to win:
• Bay Mountain Martial Arts, Three Gift Certificates for Lessons, Value $840
• Citibank, Distinctive Desk Clock
• Grand Lake Theater, 12 passes
• Dr. Thomas Chew, DC, Consultation & Exam & Choice of Pillow, Value $130
• AVC Video Production, $120 Gift Certificate for Video Editing or Photo Montage
• Two $50 Gift Certificates, LaTaza de Cafe
• Galleria Scola, Custom Framing, Art or Furniture, Value $100
• Grand Lake Sew and Vac, $100 Gift Certificate
• Uhuru Furniture and Collectibles, $50 Gift Certificate
• Daily Delectibles, two $10 gift certificates
See a video of last year's Stroll here. See Blue Bone Express at Carnaval on KRON-TV here.
Historically on the day before Mothers Day, GABA sponsored a Mothers’ Day Stroll to coincide with the Mother of the Year Award at the Morcom Rose Garden (see separate announcement regarding this year’s winner). In celebration of the diversity of families in our community, GABA has updated the event to include all child caregivers – mothers, fathers, grandparents, foster parents, gay parents, step parents, godparents, nannies and daycare providers – to join in the celebration. This free event is honors everyone who cares for children. Just bring your child and a smile.
All participants will be entered in a prize drawing for exciting prizes donated by several Grand Avenue merchants. The drawing will be held at the conclusion of the Stroll.
For more information, call (510) 839-2020.
About GABA:
The Grand Avenue Business Association is a volunteer merchant organization that highlights the unique shops, restaurants and services found along Oakland’s Grand Avenue stretching from Lake Park Avenue to the Piedmont border through a variety of family-oriented events and collaborative promotions.
Saturday, May 10: 55th Annual Oakland "Mother of the Year" Celebration
- Morcom Rose Garden, 700 Jean Street – 10:30 am
Join us for the 55th Annual Oakland Mother of the Year Award Ceremony as we publicly honor Ms. Ellen Wyrick-Parkinson, a hard-working, dedicated community servant whose outstanding volunteerism has contributed positively to the livelihood of Oakland residents. Ms. Wyrick-Parkinson is actively involved in community development and has worked on many community initiatives over the years, including the Raimondi Park rehabilitation project and the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project. She has served on numerous committees including the West Oakland Project Area Committee, the City of Oakland Landmarks Commission, her local Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), and chaired the Oak Center Neighborhood Association for many years. Her nominators describe her as “a catalyst of positive change,” “a champion for the community and for social justice,” and “a mother we would have all liked to have.”
For more information, call (510) 238-2082.
Saturday, May 10: The
Morcom Rose Garden Neighborhood Preservation Association is launching
Special Monthly Work Days on the second Saturday of each month beginning
in May
Please mark your calendar for May 10, June14, July 12, August 9, September13, October 11 and November 8. There will be no Work Day in December. Work days will begin at 9 am.
Saturday, May 10: Asian Pacific Heritage Festival. The Oakland Asian Cultural
Center begins a month of free cultural and fun-filled events
in the month of May.
Location: Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 2nd floor of Pacific renaissance Plaza, 388 9th Street, Oakland 94607. Includes musical performances and culinary workshops.
Free admission and open to the public.
Performances and Activities:Asian Arts Together, a Family Hands-0n Activity Day - May 10, 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm,
• New Year Baby, a film screening - May 13, 6:00 pm
• Asian Rhythms, Asian Beats featuring performances by Oakland Asian Cultural Center artists in residence: Word & Violin, and Karmacy with special guests, Non-Stop Bhangra – May 31, 8:00 pm – 11:00 pmNational Dishes Workshops -10:30 am – noon on the following Saturdays – register by calling (510) 637-0462
• Korean kimchi– May 10
• Laotian Larb – May 24
• South Asian Samosas – June 7
• Chinese Dumplings – June 21
Sunday, May 11: "Family Explorations" - A day of fun at the
Oakland Museum celebrating ALL Families, with a special welcome for those
with adopted, foster, mixed-race, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender
members.
The event runs from 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm. Admission is free
The event offers something for everyone:
• The Oakland East Bay Gay Men’s Chorus Otto Voci ensemble
• Magician Timothy James
• Martial arts demonstration by Destiny Arts
• Gold panning
• Story time with the Oakland Public Library
• Games with COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere) and Oakland Parks & Recreation
• Screening of the film My People Are….
• Hands-on art projects with our friends from MOCHA and artist Josie Iselin.The California Families program is produced in partnership with Our Family Coalition, Family Builders by Adoption, the City of Oakland, and I-Pride, and with support from the museum’s new LGBT Task Force.
The partner organizations and other local community groups will staff tables with information on family-related services and programs. Browse the materials, visit current exhibitions, shop at the museum store, or relax in the lush museum gardens. Have a great family day!
For details, please visit here or call (510) 238-2200.
**Also, check out the Our Family Coalition website and monthly newsletter, with activity listings and great information for LGBT parents and families. Click here to read or subscribe.
Monday,
May 12: E. 18th St – Park Blvd Streetscape Community Meeting
We're seeking community input on plans and priorities for streetscape improvements and pedestrian safety improvements on E. 18th and lower Park Blvd. (In the vicinity of the big Lucky store and Parkway Theater.)
The Streetscape Community Meeting will be held at FM Smith Recreation Center, 1969 Park Blvd from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. Go here for flyer with more detail but please note that the graphic does not depict proposal to be considered at the meeting.
Thursday, May 16: 6th Annual Celebrate Aging – Making Oakland a
Great Place to Grow Old - Frank Ogawa Plaza, 14th Street at Broadway -
11:00 am to 2:00 pm
This free event will feature guest speaker Betty Reid Soskin, 86, a Park Ranger at Rosie the Riveter World War II - Homefront National Historical Park in Richmond, CA. Entertainers will include the Bay Area Blues Society, All Nation Singers and Medicine Warrior Dancers, and Chipman Middle School Cougar Cadet Corps, roaming clowns, stilt walkers and a Senior Art Exhibit featuring over 30 artists. Also, there will be resource booths with over 50 community agencies participating. Jerri Lange, veteran broadcaster and the first African American woman to have a syndicated national talk show on PBS, will serve as Mistress of Ceremonies.
Additionally, the City of Oakland will recognize four individuals with Gold and Silver Awards representative of the valued experience, wisdom and richness of older residents and for their tremendous and lasting contribution toward making Oakland a Great Place to Grow Old! The Gold and Silver Award recipients are:
• Ursula Blau, a tireless activist who volunteers as a community representative for the City of Oakland’s Emergency Food Provider Advisory Committee (EFPAC) and has served on the advisory board of the Public Authority of the Alameda County In-Home Supportive Services Program (IHSS);
• Henry Chang, Jr. At-Large Councilmember of Oakland who has provided endless commitment and support to the physical, metal and social well-being of seniors;
• Mildred Dillard, 90, who has worked with children at the Lasallian Educational Opportunities (LEO) Center for the last 25 years and volunteered with the Crime Prevention Program of the Oakland Police Department; and
• Terry Englehart whose innovative program, Senior Center Without Walls, offers homebound seniors more than 40 free telephone discussion groups, classes and support groups each week, thus improving the lives of many and inspiring others to model similar programs around the world, and wining the Mind Alert Award from the American Society on Aging and Metropolitan Life.
For more information, please call (510) 238-2377.
Saturday, May 17: 3rd Annual
Walk to End Poverty and Violence – Walk around Lake Merritt hosted
by Oakland Community Action Partnership
Registration starts at 8 am at the Edoff Memorial Bandstand in Lakeside Park, 666 Bellevue Ave. Walk begins at 9 am and Community Fair to follow.
This annual community event is intended to raise awareness about the conditions of those who live in poverty and call for an end to the violence that plagues our communities. Local agencies providing services to low-income residents, community organizations working to prevent violence, and the community at-large are encouraged to participate in this free event by organizing teams of supporters to walk. A community fair will immediately follow the walk with live music performances and a variety of activities for the children. Everyone who participates in the walk will receive a free T-shirt! Mark your calendar and make plans to join in the walk to end poverty and violence in the City of Oakland. For more information, go here or call (510) 238-2362. Click here for flyer with more details.
Saturday, May 17: 8th Annual Malcolm X Jazz Arts Festival – A free
event sponsored by the EastSide Arts Alliance
This free concert will be held at San Antonio Park, at 18th Ave & Foothill Blvd. For more information, go here or call (510) 533-6629.
Saturday & Sunday, May 17
& 18: Introduction to Sculling at the Jack London Aquatic Center
115 Embarcadero, 9 am to noon. This weekend course is for those interested in taking a single scull -- rowing with two oars -- out on their own. If you are looking for an individual sport, this is a great alternative. The class is taught by Sabrina Linden, Berkeley High School’s Women’s Crew Coach. The cost for both days of the class is $100. Participants must know how to swim.
This class will repeat every month through September. Dates are June 21-22, July 19-20, August 9-10 and September 6-7.
To register, call Hilary Meu at 208-6067 or email here. Click here for flyer.
Wednesday, May 21, AC Transit Community hearing on proposed Fare Increases
and Changes. 4:00 pm to at least 7:00pm, City Council Chambers, City Hall,
1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, downtown Oakland
AC Transit invites the public to this meeting to hear details and make comments. The fare change would help offset escalating costs faced by the District in areas such as fuel and health care coverage. The last time fares were raised was in the Fall 2005.
For details on the four proposals under consideration by the AC Transit Board of Directors, the public hearing, and how to comment, click here. The four proposals present the same cash and 10-ride ticket increases, and all four would raise one or more 31-day-ticket and monthly pass prices. Two of the proposals include changes to the transfer price and/or usage policy. All comments received will be compiled for the AC Transit Board’s consideration most likely at its June 11 meeting. Any fare changes adopted would likely go into effect in September or October 2008.
To comment, click here.
Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin interpreters can be provided. Call (510) 891-4851 no later than May 16th to make arrangements for translation. TDD/TTY for hearing-impaired (only), call 1-800-488-9790.
Thursday, May 22: 7th Annual Small Business Symposium sponsored by the
Oakland Merchants Leadership Forum - Oakland Marriott City Center - 8:00
am - 5:00 pm
Presented by the Office of Councilmember Larry Reid & the City of Oakland's Community and Economic Development Agency.
Start a business
Green your business
Start a Cooperative
And learn much more...Over 35 workshops to choose from.
The symposium is free but advance registration is required for all workshops. Each year the symposium is booked to maximum capacity.
Click here and learn more:
Saturday,
May 31: Neighborhood Services Division’s Neighborhood Summit 2008:
My Block. My Community. My Responsibility!
The summit will be held at Laney College, 200 Fallon St, from 8:15 am - 3:00 pm. All NCPC participants invited.
Registration is required; deadline to register is May 16, 2008; to register, go here, or for more information, call 238-7159. Go here for save-the-date postcard.
Translation upon request at time of registration.
BART, AC Transit and handicapped accessible.
Event Highlights
Keynote Speaker: Joe Marshall, Omega Boy’s Club
• Free Breakfast & Lunch
• Free Child Care
• Free Parking
• Free Workshops:How to Build a Strong, Cohesive Neighborhood (highlighting 3 Oakland neighborhoods)
Gang Intervention
Self Defense
Disaster Preparedness
Youth-Led Workshops
Sexually and Exploited Youth
OPD Area Breakout Sessions
… And More
...And Coming in Early June
Saturday June 7: 1st Annual “Summer Splash” Water Sports Celebration
at the Jack London Aquatic Center
115 Embarcadero, from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. This free event is your chance to try out the sports of rowing, kayaking and/or dragon boating. Every half-hour participants will leave from the dock and receive an introduction to sweep-oar rowing, kayaking or dragon boating. Meanwhile, on land, participants can celebrate Oakland’s Estuary with lively sea shanties from the Roving Tars musical group. Participants do not need to know how to swim. Everyone will be fitted for personal flotation devices and will be required to sign a waiver on site.
For more information, call (510) 208-6067. Go here for flyer.
Monday, June 9: Deadline for Muralists to Apply …
Oakland-based mural artists are invited to submit applications to design and paint murals in the Coliseum and Central City East Redevelopment Areas. There are sites for 6 murals ranging in size from 1,000 to 2,000 square feet. The artist will be charged not only with designing and painting the murals but also with teaching, engaging, and working with at-risk youth to fully implement the project. The project is part of the City’s Graffiti Abatement Campaign. The deadline for applying is Monday, June 9. Click here for more information on applying.
REPORTS
Bella Vista Park Stewardship Day Grows Young Stewards and Paints Sunflowers
Bella Vista Students Get Ready to Plant...
...and Paint Daisies in Bella Vista Park
Students at the Bella Vista Elementary School took to the adjacent Bella Vista Park on the recent Stewardship Day to learn to become good stewards of the park that serves as their school’s play yard. Joining them were Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theatre Program volunteers, East Bay Asian Youth Center staff, Friends of Bella Vista Park volunteers and staff of the Office of Parks & Recreation who turned out to guide student activities at eight stations.• Station 1 Butterfly Team: Learn about planting and plant in the Butterfly Garden
• Station 2 Sunflower Team: Painting the mural in the 10th Ave stairwell
• Station 3a Team Weed: Weeding/sheet mulching
• Station 3b Team Weed: Weeding/sheet mulching
• Station 4a Clean Team: Litter pick up
• Station 4b Clean Team: Litter pick up
• Station 5a Dream Team: Brainstorming about summer programming for park
• Station 5b Dream Team: Brainstorming about summer programming for parkAccording to School Principal Shannon Yip, “Kaiser Permanente initiated the program, reaching out to the Friends of Bella Vista Park, who have done so much to transform this park. This community event supported the school’s effort to get students and parents to learn, understand and experience what is considered ‘healthy’: safe, clean, educated and collaborative living. Both the involved and less involved Bella Vista teachers were excited, impressed and thankful for the event.”
Plans for Renovating
Chinese Gardens
Parks in the Chinatown area are getting plenty of love these days. Just as Madison Square Park recently celebrated its remodeling renovation, the Chinese Garden, located at 7th St and Harrison, will be slated to receive entryway improvements and pedestrian safety enhancements around the spring of 2009.The Chinese Garden was designated as one of the City parks to receive capital improvement funding, as determined by the City’s Park Capital Improvement Project Prioritization process. Councilmember Henry Chang, who moonlights as an architect, designed this park project and pushed it through the prioritization process. Although the full master plan for Chinese Garden will not be implemented due to funding issues, the Chinese Garden will enjoy entryway improvements such as installation of new concrete sidewalk, new lawn area, a new seat wall (a landscaping feature in front of 7th street), and new trees. Furthermore, anyone who has ever tried to cross the street at 7th and Harrison will certainly appreciate the bollards added to the median, which will be reworked, as a pedestrian safety enhancement.
This project is in the early design and planning stage. It is not expected to start until Spring of 2009, at the earliest.
Curious about what's up in the Mayor's Office? Check out the Mayor's e-newsletter and his office's website here.
Oakland Youth Advisory Commission
Is Looking for Young Leaders
Oakland Youth Advisory Commission is a group of 25 young people ages 13 to 21 who are appointed by the Mayor and City Council to advise the City on important youth issues.
The Oakland Youth Advisory Commission is looking for applicants for the 2008-2009 School Year. If you are a youth leader or know any youth leaders who would be interested in making a difference in our community, and want to improve their leadership skills and meet youth throughout the city from diverse backgrounds, please encourage them to apply to be on the City's Commission. The deadline for applications is May 30, 2008.
For an application or information, check out the OYAC website here, or
e-mail or call Andrea Tacdol here or (510) 238-3245. She can schedule an outreach presentation with your organization or class.
Become
an ESL Volunteer and Teach Burmese Refugees in Oakland
In the last year, more than 120 Karen, Chin, and other refugees from Burma have settled in Oakland, mostly in the Eastlake District. Like many tiny communities of newcomers to the U.S., many of these refugees lack the ability to speak and read English when they arrive. If you would like to help them learn English and gain a better understanding of their new communities, read on.
Refugee Transitions, an Oakland-based non-profit agency that pairs volunteer tutors with refugee and immigrant families for tutoring and mentoring, is looking for volunteers to teach English as a Second Language, civics education, and academic tutoring for youth. Volunteers and staff work together to help newcomers develop the language, life, job and academic skills needed to succeed in the U.S. You don’t need to speak Burmese or other any foreign language to volunteer!
Volunteers are sought to provide home-based tutoring/mentoring for adult and youth refugees from Burma. The commitment is 2-4 hours per week for a minimum of 6 months.
Volunteers will:
• Become effective tutors and mentors through Refugee Transitions' training program (no tutoring experience or knowledge of Burmese is necessary)
• Learn about another culture
• Develop a close personal bond with students
• Make a difference by helping a refugee family gain self-sufficiency
• Gain ESL teaching experience
• Have a flexible schedule
For more information or to sign up for an orientation, visit here or call (510) 834-6000.
Also, for anyone wanting to donate to help survivors of the recent Burmese cyclone, the SF Chronicle has a listing of agencies at www.sfgate.com
Volunteer for the Oral
Board Interviews and Help Reach the Goal of 803 Police Officers
Would you like to lend a hand to help the City of Oakland reach the goal of 803 police officers by the end of 2008? If so, please consider volunteering to serve on an oral board panel.
The Oakland Police Department needs community volunteers to serve as oral board panel assessors for the hiring of Police Officer Trainees. Interested candidates must meet one of the following criteria 1) live in Oakland, 2) work in Oakland or 3) own a business in Oakland.
The upcoming oral board dates are currently scheduled for:
• Monday, July 21, 2008
• Monday, August 25, 2008
• Monday, September 22, 2008
• Monday, October 20, 2008
• Monday, November 17, 2008
Community members interested in serving on the boards should email opdjobs@oaklandnet.com with their contact information, including name, address, phone number and e-mail address and note the dates they are available.