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"title": "11 Vibrant Bay Area Matcha Cafes to Keep You Well Caffeinated",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These days, every young person in the Bay Area seems to be walking around with some variation of the same green drink: matcha. Traditionally made by whisking finely ground green tea leaves with hot water, the beverage has been used for ceremonial practices in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/japanese-food\">Japan\u003c/a> for thousands of years. Over the past decade, however, the vibrant drink has taken America by storm. The United States now imports \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd2PpIvUKwo\">over 2,000 tons\u003c/a> of matcha per year, turning the tea powder into drinks, ice cream treats and even skin care products. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here in the Bay, it feels like a new matcha cafe or matcha-forward coffee shop opens almost every day. Each place offers its own take on the drink, whether it be a latte with your choice of milk, an obsessively sweet concoction of cookie butters and banana puddings, or a simple americano.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Matcha, like life, is all about balance. I spent the past several weeks trying many of the Bay Area’s hundreds of matcha cafes. Here are some of my favorites. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>EAST BAY: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding a cup of iced coffee topped with a layer of pale green matcha cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993215\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The matcha americano with cream top at Yume Mori on August 21, 2026, in Berkeley. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yumemori.matcha/\">Yume Mori \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>2319 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jazz plays inside this minimalist cafe located in a line of popular matcha cafes near UC Berkeley. The spot is hard to miss because there is always a crowd of people waiting outside — tweens holding mom’s spot in line while she searches for a parking space.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yume Mori is one of the few shops where customers get to choose a specific regional variety of matcha for your drink, each one boasting a different flavor profile. The cafe also serves matcha soft serve, matcha crepes and house specialties like clear matcha (made with coconut water and topped with matcha cream) and genmaicha lattes (made with green tea blended with roasted rice). The matcha here has a vibrant color and taste, but if you don’t care for those intense nutty and astringent flavors, there are also sweeter options like tiramisu, yuzu miso and cold brew options. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mindcoffee.ca/\">Mind Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1816 Euclid Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Away from the traffic of the busier parts of Berkeley sits Mind Coffee, a popular study spot for students on the north side of campus. Mind has a large selection of coffee, teas and pastries, and the matcha drinks, in particular, are some of the most creative in the Bay. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Einspänners are especially popular here. These froth-topped drinks, named after a type of horse-drawn carriage, originated in Vienna, Austria. But they’d been a fixture in Korean dramas for years by the time they made their way to the States. Einspänners are traditionally a coffee drink, but Mind features less common versions like an Earl Grey matcha Einspänner latte (which tastes a bit like a sweet, syrupy bowl of cereal) and an iced matcha sakura Einspänner with pink milk, which transports you into a forest of cherry blossom trees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte on a sun-dappled wooden table.\" class=\"wp-image-13993222\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte from Kitsch Coffee in Oakland on Aug. 20, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kitschcoffeeoakland/\">Kitsch Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>590 2nd St., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kitsch Coffee shares space with a vintage furniture and home goods store in Jack London Square. The big open space is always full with people working behind laptops, chatting with friends or sifting through racks of vintage clothes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kitsch is a coffee shop, but the place takes matcha seriously. Matcha here is bright green and can be amped up with housemade syrups with flavors like ginger and lavender. The carrot cake matcha even comes with a cream cheese foam to mimic the frosting on a slice of cake. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofmatchacafe/\">For the Love of Matcha\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Grand Lake Farmers Market (Grand Avenue and Lake Park Avenue, Oakland)\u003cbr>Temescal Farmers Market (5300 Claremont Ave., Oakland)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This weekly pop-up at the Grand Lake and Temescal farmers markets closes once it sells out, so it’s best to arrive early. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The menu rotates based on the season. For summer, they have sweet corn, fig, vanilla and the forever favorite strawberry matcha latte. The farmers market stand is popular, so oftentimes you’ll find many of the flavors crossed out in permanent marker. The Matchacano is my go-to drink, but you can always up the flavor with their seasonal syrups and cream tops. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding matcha soft serve ice cream on a sugar cone.\" class=\"wp-image-13993225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A customer holds a matcha-and-vanilla swirl soft serve ice cream cone from Urban Matcha in Castro Valley on Aug. 20, 2026 (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/urbanmatcha.castrovalley/\">Urban Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3311 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A hidden gem in suburban Castro Valley, Urban Matcha provides a matcha oasis in a somewhat unlikely part of the Bay. At 7 p.m. on a recent Tuesday evening, the cafe was full of chatty teens, people finding a calm place to get work done and families ending their night with their favorite sweet treats. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Part of a chain that extends from California to Las Vegas, the cafe is especially notable for its matcha-flavored desserts. This is the kind of place where every other customer walks out with their hands full of matcha parfaits loaded with agar jelly, corn flakes, matcha gelato, red bean paste, mochi balls and a big scoop of matcha soft serve. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SAN FRANCISCO: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/constance.tea/\">Constance Tea\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3512 Balboa St., San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Located on Balboa Street, in the Outer Richmond, Constance Tea is the only place in San Francisco where tea leaves are stone-milled into matcha in house. This new shop isn’t the place to find the drinks that satisfy your sweet tooth. Instead, Constance focuses on the basics: a small selection of hōjicha (roasted green tea), Einspänners and traditional matcha drinks made with matcha sourced from various regions in Japan, showcasing different flavor profiles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During a recent visit, my matcha americano was a vivid green, perfectly balanced between earthiness and a nutty aftertaste, with a cream top that provided just the right amount of milkiness to complement the grassy taste of the tea. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Two customers side by side holding creamy matcha drinks.\" class=\"wp-image-13993221\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers hold their matcha drinks at Ceré Tea on Valencia Street in San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2026. The tea shop specializes in matcha and hōjicha drinks. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cereteaxyz/\">Ceré Tea \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1186 Valencia St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This popular matcha spot in the Mission, with locations throughout the Bay Area, has all the makings for a viral cafe, with its full-body selfie mirror and minimalist design. The menu puts matcha and hōjicha at the forefront, featuring drinks infused with yuzu, ube, guava and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matcha leans toward the brighter and more bitter side, but you can always sweeten the deal with a banana or crème brûlée cream top. Trendy offerings like Einspänners and cheese cream toppings are also available. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matchacafemaiko/\">Matcha Café Maiko \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1581 Webster St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This wildly popular Honolulu-based chain has become a Bay Area mall staple. It’s a quick, convenient and portable way to take your matcha to go. Big chains often don’t maintain their quality, but Maiko is always consistent, offering a convenient option to grab your matcha on the go. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Perfect for a matcha beginner, the shop is known for its wide variety of matcha desserts:soft serves, shaved ices, parfaits, frappes and floats. The matcha here strikes just the right balance of sweetness and rich matcha flavor, providing the best caffeine boost after a day at the mall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SOUTH BAY AND PENINSULA: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha drink with white swirls of crème brûlée–flavored cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993424\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crème brûlée matcha swirl at Izumi Matcha in San Mateo on Aug. 27, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/izumi.matcha/\">Izumi Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>180 E. 3rd Ave. Unit 100A, San Mateo\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With three locations in the Peninsula and South Bay, Izumi is one of the only cafes in the US that \u003ca href=\"https://izumimatcha.com/premium-matcha-powder/\">sources its matcha from Marukyu Koyamaen\u003c/a>, a highly regarded producer in Uji, Japan. Inside, the walls are lined with tins of the Marukyu matcha powder, along with tea kettles, matcha serving bowls and matcha whisks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The broad menu of teas and desserts really highlight the quality of the matcha itself. The matcha latte options include trendy flavors like a crème brûlée swirl that adds an element of creaminess as a counterpoint to the bright matcha flavor. In addition to the drinks, the shop also offers a diverse selection of matcha- and tea-flavored ice creams — everything from ube to “intense matcha.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/aroma.cct/\">Aroma\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3005 Silver Creek Rd. Ste. 150, San José\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This East San José tea, coffee and chè shop sells a wide variety of Vietnamese-inspired coffee and tea drinks. Matcha is the powerhouse of the menu, available in 10 different flavors, many of them featuring Southeast Asian ingredients like pandan, guava, banana cream and mango sticky rice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matcha at Aroma is strong, but not overpoweringly bitter. The quality of the tea shines through even when paired with thick, sweet, syrupy banana, mango and yuzu puddings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha parfait in a sundae glass, layered with fresh strawberries and ice cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Another view of the matcha strawberry parfait at Matsu Matcha. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matsumatcha.usa/\">Matsu Matcha\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3030 El Camino Real, Santa Clara\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> A calm oasis located inside a busy shopping plaza in Santa Clara, Matsu serves bright green matcha in many different formats. The cafe’s extensive menu offers matcha gelato (available in five levels of increasing intensity, plus a seasonal flavor), matcha floats, matcha flights and much more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matcha flights are a good option for customers who have trouble deciding. They feature a triple dose of matcha, a matcha latte with matcha cream on top, a seasonal matcha (guava during my recent visit) and a matcha float (available in flavors like grape and dark chocolate). \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These days, every young person in the Bay Area seems to be walking around with some variation of the same green drink: matcha. Traditionally made by whisking finely ground green tea leaves with hot water, the beverage has been used for ceremonial practices in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/japanese-food\">Japan\u003c/a> for thousands of years. Over the past decade, however, the vibrant drink has taken America by storm. The United States now imports \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd2PpIvUKwo\">over 2,000 tons\u003c/a> of matcha per year, turning the tea powder into drinks, ice cream treats and even skin care products. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>These days, every young person in the Bay Area seems to be walking around with some variation of the same green drink: matcha. Traditionally made by whisking finely ground green tea leaves with hot water, the beverage has been used for ceremonial practices in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/japanese-food\">Japan\u003c/a> for thousands of years. Over the past decade, however, the vibrant drink has taken America by storm. The United States now imports \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd2PpIvUKwo\">over 2,000 tons\u003c/a> of matcha per year, turning the tea powder into drinks, ice cream treats and even skin care products. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Here in the Bay, it feels like a new matcha cafe or matcha-forward coffee shop opens almost every day. Each place offers its own take on the drink, whether it be a latte with your choice of milk, an obsessively sweet concoction of cookie butters and banana puddings, or a simple americano.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Here in the Bay, it feels like a new matcha cafe or matcha-forward coffee shop opens almost every day. Each place offers its own take on the drink, whether it be a latte with your choice of milk, an obsessively sweet concoction of cookie butters and banana puddings, or a simple americano.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Matcha, like life, is all about balance. I spent the past several weeks trying many of the Bay Area’s hundreds of matcha cafes. Here are some of my favorites. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Matcha, like life, is all about balance. I spent the past several weeks trying many of the Bay Area’s hundreds of matcha cafes. Here are some of my favorites. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "EAST BAY: ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>EAST BAY: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>EAST BAY: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"attrs": {
"id": 13993215,
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"alt": "Hand holding a cup of iced coffee topped with a layer of pale green matcha cream.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding a cup of iced coffee topped with a layer of pale green matcha cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993215\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The matcha americano with cream top at Yume Mori on August 21, 2026, in Berkeley.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding a cup of iced coffee topped with a layer of pale green matcha cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993215\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The matcha americano with cream top at Yume Mori on August 21, 2026, in Berkeley.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Yume Mori ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yumemori.matcha/\">Yume Mori \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yumemori.matcha/\">Yume Mori \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>2319 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>2319 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jazz plays inside this minimalist cafe located in a line of popular matcha cafes near UC Berkeley. The spot is hard to miss because there is always a crowd of people waiting outside — tweens holding mom’s spot in line while she searches for a parking space.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jazz plays inside this minimalist cafe located in a line of popular matcha cafes near UC Berkeley. The spot is hard to miss because there is always a crowd of people waiting outside — tweens holding mom’s spot in line while she searches for a parking space.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yume Mori is one of the few shops where customers get to choose a specific regional variety of matcha for your drink, each one boasting a different flavor profile. The cafe also serves matcha soft serve, matcha crepes and house specialties like clear matcha (made with coconut water and topped with matcha cream) and genmaicha lattes (made with green tea blended with roasted rice). The matcha here has a vibrant color and taste, but if you don’t care for those intense nutty and astringent flavors, there are also sweeter options like tiramisu, yuzu miso and cold brew options. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yume Mori is one of the few shops where customers get to choose a specific regional variety of matcha for your drink, each one boasting a different flavor profile. The cafe also serves matcha soft serve, matcha crepes and house specialties like clear matcha (made with coconut water and topped with matcha cream) and genmaicha lattes (made with green tea blended with roasted rice). The matcha here has a vibrant color and taste, but if you don’t care for those intense nutty and astringent flavors, there are also sweeter options like tiramisu, yuzu miso and cold brew options. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Mind Coffee",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mindcoffee.ca/\">Mind Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mindcoffee.ca/\">Mind Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1816 Euclid Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1816 Euclid Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Away from the traffic of the busier parts of Berkeley sits Mind Coffee, a popular study spot for students on the north side of campus. Mind has a large selection of coffee, teas and pastries, and the matcha drinks, in particular, are some of the most creative in the Bay. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Away from the traffic of the busier parts of Berkeley sits Mind Coffee, a popular study spot for students on the north side of campus. Mind has a large selection of coffee, teas and pastries, and the matcha drinks, in particular, are some of the most creative in the Bay. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Einspänners are especially popular here. These froth-topped drinks, named after a type of horse-drawn carriage, originated in Vienna, Austria. But they’d been a fixture in Korean dramas for years by the time they made their way to the States. Einspänners are traditionally a coffee drink, but Mind features less common versions like an Earl Grey matcha Einspänner latte (which tastes a bit like a sweet, syrupy bowl of cereal) and an iced matcha sakura Einspänner with pink milk, which transports you into a forest of cherry blossom trees.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Einspänners are especially popular here. These froth-topped drinks, named after a type of horse-drawn carriage, originated in Vienna, Austria. But they’d been a fixture in Korean dramas for years by the time they made their way to the States. Einspänners are traditionally a coffee drink, but Mind features less common versions like an Earl Grey matcha Einspänner latte (which tastes a bit like a sweet, syrupy bowl of cereal) and an iced matcha sakura Einspänner with pink milk, which transports you into a forest of cherry blossom trees.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"id": 13993222,
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"alt": "Matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte on a sun-dappled wooden table.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte on a sun-dappled wooden table.\" class=\"wp-image-13993222\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte from Kitsch Coffee in Oakland on Aug. 20, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte on a sun-dappled wooden table.\" class=\"wp-image-13993222\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte from Kitsch Coffee in Oakland on Aug. 20, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kitschcoffeeoakland/\">Kitsch Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kitschcoffeeoakland/\">Kitsch Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>590 2nd St., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>590 2nd St., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kitsch Coffee shares space with a vintage furniture and home goods store in Jack London Square. The big open space is always full with people working behind laptops, chatting with friends or sifting through racks of vintage clothes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kitsch Coffee shares space with a vintage furniture and home goods store in Jack London Square. The big open space is always full with people working behind laptops, chatting with friends or sifting through racks of vintage clothes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kitsch is a coffee shop, but the place takes matcha seriously. Matcha here is bright green and can be amped up with housemade syrups with flavors like ginger and lavender. The carrot cake matcha even comes with a cream cheese foam to mimic the frosting on a slice of cake. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Kitsch is a coffee shop, but the place takes matcha seriously. Matcha here is bright green and can be amped up with housemade syrups with flavors like ginger and lavender. The carrot cake matcha even comes with a cream cheese foam to mimic the frosting on a slice of cake. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "For the Love of Matcha",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofmatchacafe/\">For the Love of Matcha\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofmatchacafe/\">For the Love of Matcha\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Grand Lake Farmers Market (Grand Avenue and Lake Park Avenue, Oakland)\u003cbr>Temescal Farmers Market (5300 Claremont Ave., Oakland)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Grand Lake Farmers Market (Grand Avenue and Lake Park Avenue, Oakland)\u003cbr>Temescal Farmers Market (5300 Claremont Ave., Oakland)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This weekly pop-up at the Grand Lake and Temescal farmers markets closes once it sells out, so it’s best to arrive early. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This weekly pop-up at the Grand Lake and Temescal farmers markets closes once it sells out, so it’s best to arrive early. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The menu rotates based on the season. For summer, they have sweet corn, fig, vanilla and the forever favorite strawberry matcha latte. The farmers market stand is popular, so oftentimes you’ll find many of the flavors crossed out in permanent marker. The Matchacano is my go-to drink, but you can always up the flavor with their seasonal syrups and cream tops. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The menu rotates based on the season. For summer, they have sweet corn, fig, vanilla and the forever favorite strawberry matcha latte. The farmers market stand is popular, so oftentimes you’ll find many of the flavors crossed out in permanent marker. The Matchacano is my go-to drink, but you can always up the flavor with their seasonal syrups and cream tops. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"attrs": {
"id": 13993225,
"sizeSlug": "full",
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"alt": "Hand holding matcha soft serve ice cream on a sugar cone.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding matcha soft serve ice cream on a sugar cone.\" class=\"wp-image-13993225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A customer holds a matcha-and-vanilla swirl soft serve ice cream cone from Urban Matcha in Castro Valley on Aug. 20, 2026\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding matcha soft serve ice cream on a sugar cone.\" class=\"wp-image-13993225\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A customer holds a matcha-and-vanilla swirl soft serve ice cream cone from Urban Matcha in Castro Valley on Aug. 20, 2026\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Urban Matcha ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/urbanmatcha.castrovalley/\">Urban Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/urbanmatcha.castrovalley/\">Urban Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3311 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3311 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A hidden gem in suburban Castro Valley, Urban Matcha provides a matcha oasis in a somewhat unlikely part of the Bay. At 7 p.m. on a recent Tuesday evening, the cafe was full of chatty teens, people finding a calm place to get work done and families ending their night with their favorite sweet treats. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A hidden gem in suburban Castro Valley, Urban Matcha provides a matcha oasis in a somewhat unlikely part of the Bay. At 7 p.m. on a recent Tuesday evening, the cafe was full of chatty teens, people finding a calm place to get work done and families ending their night with their favorite sweet treats. \u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Part of a chain that extends from California to Las Vegas, the cafe is especially notable for its matcha-flavored desserts. This is the kind of place where every other customer walks out with their hands full of matcha parfaits loaded with agar jelly, corn flakes, matcha gelato, red bean paste, mochi balls and a big scoop of matcha soft serve. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Part of a chain that extends from California to Las Vegas, the cafe is especially notable for its matcha-flavored desserts. This is the kind of place where every other customer walks out with their hands full of matcha parfaits loaded with agar jelly, corn flakes, matcha gelato, red bean paste, mochi balls and a big scoop of matcha soft serve. \u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "SAN FRANCISCO: ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SAN FRANCISCO: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SAN FRANCISCO: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Constance Tea",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/constance.tea/\">Constance Tea\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/constance.tea/\">Constance Tea\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
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},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3512 Balboa St., San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3512 Balboa St., San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Located on Balboa Street, in the Outer Richmond, Constance Tea is the only place in San Francisco where tea leaves are stone-milled into matcha in house. This new shop isn’t the place to find the drinks that satisfy your sweet tooth. Instead, Constance focuses on the basics: a small selection of hōjicha (roasted green tea), Einspänners and traditional matcha drinks made with matcha sourced from various regions in Japan, showcasing different flavor profiles. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Located on Balboa Street, in the Outer Richmond, Constance Tea is the only place in San Francisco where tea leaves are stone-milled into matcha in house. This new shop isn’t the place to find the drinks that satisfy your sweet tooth. Instead, Constance focuses on the basics: a small selection of hōjicha (roasted green tea), Einspänners and traditional matcha drinks made with matcha sourced from various regions in Japan, showcasing different flavor profiles. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During a recent visit, my matcha americano was a vivid green, perfectly balanced between earthiness and a nutty aftertaste, with a cream top that provided just the right amount of milkiness to complement the grassy taste of the tea. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>During a recent visit, my matcha americano was a vivid green, perfectly balanced between earthiness and a nutty aftertaste, with a cream top that provided just the right amount of milkiness to complement the grassy taste of the tea. \u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13993221,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "Two customers side by side holding creamy matcha drinks.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Two customers side by side holding creamy matcha drinks.\" class=\"wp-image-13993221\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers hold their matcha drinks at Ceré Tea on Valencia Street in San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2026. The tea shop specializes in matcha and hōjicha drinks.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Two customers side by side holding creamy matcha drinks.\" class=\"wp-image-13993221\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers hold their matcha drinks at Ceré Tea on Valencia Street in San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2026. The tea shop specializes in matcha and hōjicha drinks.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Ceré Tea ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cereteaxyz/\">Ceré Tea \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cereteaxyz/\">Ceré Tea \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1186 Valencia St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1186 Valencia St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This popular matcha spot in the Mission, with locations throughout the Bay Area, has all the makings for a viral cafe, with its full-body selfie mirror and minimalist design. The menu puts matcha and hōjicha at the forefront, featuring drinks infused with yuzu, ube, guava and more. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This popular matcha spot in the Mission, with locations throughout the Bay Area, has all the makings for a viral cafe, with its full-body selfie mirror and minimalist design. The menu puts matcha and hōjicha at the forefront, featuring drinks infused with yuzu, ube, guava and more. \u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The matcha leans toward the brighter and more bitter side, but you can always sweeten the deal with a banana or crème brûlée cream top. Trendy offerings like Einspänners and cheese cream toppings are also available. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The matcha leans toward the brighter and more bitter side, but you can always sweeten the deal with a banana or crème brûlée cream top. Trendy offerings like Einspänners and cheese cream toppings are also available. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Matcha Café Maiko ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matchacafemaiko/\">Matcha Café Maiko \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matchacafemaiko/\">Matcha Café Maiko \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
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},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1581 Webster St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1581 Webster St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This wildly popular Honolulu-based chain has become a Bay Area mall staple. It’s a quick, convenient and portable way to take your matcha to go. Big chains often don’t maintain their quality, but Maiko is always consistent, offering a convenient option to grab your matcha on the go. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This wildly popular Honolulu-based chain has become a Bay Area mall staple. It’s a quick, convenient and portable way to take your matcha to go. Big chains often don’t maintain their quality, but Maiko is always consistent, offering a convenient option to grab your matcha on the go. \u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Perfect for a matcha beginner, the shop is known for its wide variety of matcha desserts:soft serves, shaved ices, parfaits, frappes and floats. The matcha here strikes just the right balance of sweetness and rich matcha flavor, providing the best caffeine boost after a day at the mall.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Perfect for a matcha beginner, the shop is known for its wide variety of matcha desserts:soft serves, shaved ices, parfaits, frappes and floats. The matcha here strikes just the right balance of sweetness and rich matcha flavor, providing the best caffeine boost after a day at the mall.\u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "SOUTH BAY AND PENINSULA: ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SOUTH BAY AND PENINSULA: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SOUTH BAY AND PENINSULA: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
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},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13993424,
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"alt": "A matcha drink with white swirls of crème brûlée–flavored cream.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha drink with white swirls of crème brûlée–flavored cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993424\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crème brûlée matcha swirl at Izumi Matcha in San Mateo on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha drink with white swirls of crème brûlée–flavored cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993424\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crème brûlée matcha swirl at Izumi Matcha in San Mateo on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Izumi Matcha ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/izumi.matcha/\">Izumi Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/izumi.matcha/\">Izumi Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>180 E. 3rd Ave. Unit 100A, San Mateo\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With three locations in the Peninsula and South Bay, Izumi is one of the only cafes in the US that \u003ca href=\"https://izumimatcha.com/premium-matcha-powder/\">sources its matcha from Marukyu Koyamaen\u003c/a>, a highly regarded producer in Uji, Japan. Inside, the walls are lined with tins of the Marukyu matcha powder, along with tea kettles, matcha serving bowls and matcha whisks. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>With three locations in the Peninsula and South Bay, Izumi is one of the only cafes in the US that \u003ca href=\"https://izumimatcha.com/premium-matcha-powder/\">sources its matcha from Marukyu Koyamaen\u003c/a>, a highly regarded producer in Uji, Japan. Inside, the walls are lined with tins of the Marukyu matcha powder, along with tea kettles, matcha serving bowls and matcha whisks. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The broad menu of teas and desserts really highlight the quality of the matcha itself. The matcha latte options include trendy flavors like a crème brûlée swirl that adds an element of creaminess as a counterpoint to the bright matcha flavor. In addition to the drinks, the shop also offers a diverse selection of matcha- and tea-flavored ice creams — everything from ube to “intense matcha.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The broad menu of teas and desserts really highlight the quality of the matcha itself. The matcha latte options include trendy flavors like a crème brûlée swirl that adds an element of creaminess as a counterpoint to the bright matcha flavor. In addition to the drinks, the shop also offers a diverse selection of matcha- and tea-flavored ice creams — everything from ube to “intense matcha.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Aroma",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/aroma.cct/\">Aroma\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/aroma.cct/\">Aroma\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3005 Silver Creek Rd. Ste. 150, San José\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3005 Silver Creek Rd. Ste. 150, San José\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This East San José tea, coffee and chè shop sells a wide variety of Vietnamese-inspired coffee and tea drinks. Matcha is the powerhouse of the menu, available in 10 different flavors, many of them featuring Southeast Asian ingredients like pandan, guava, banana cream and mango sticky rice. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This East San José tea, coffee and chè shop sells a wide variety of Vietnamese-inspired coffee and tea drinks. Matcha is the powerhouse of the menu, available in 10 different flavors, many of them featuring Southeast Asian ingredients like pandan, guava, banana cream and mango sticky rice. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The matcha at Aroma is strong, but not overpoweringly bitter. The quality of the tea shines through even when paired with thick, sweet, syrupy banana, mango and yuzu puddings.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The matcha at Aroma is strong, but not overpoweringly bitter. The quality of the tea shines through even when paired with thick, sweet, syrupy banana, mango and yuzu puddings.\u003c/p>\n"
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"alt": "A matcha parfait in a sundae glass, layered with fresh strawberries and ice cream.",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha parfait in a sundae glass, layered with fresh strawberries and ice cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Another view of the matcha strawberry parfait at Matsu Matcha.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha parfait in a sundae glass, layered with fresh strawberries and ice cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993421\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Another view of the matcha strawberry parfait at Matsu Matcha.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Matsu Matcha ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matsumatcha.usa/\">Matsu Matcha\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matsumatcha.usa/\">Matsu Matcha\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3030 El Camino Real, Santa Clara\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp> A calm oasis located inside a busy shopping plaza in Santa Clara, Matsu serves bright green matcha in many different formats. The cafe’s extensive menu offers matcha gelato (available in five levels of increasing intensity, plus a seasonal flavor), matcha floats, matcha flights and much more. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp> A calm oasis located inside a busy shopping plaza in Santa Clara, Matsu serves bright green matcha in many different formats. The cafe’s extensive menu offers matcha gelato (available in five levels of increasing intensity, plus a seasonal flavor), matcha floats, matcha flights and much more. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The matcha flights are a good option for customers who have trouble deciding. They feature a triple dose of matcha, a matcha latte with matcha cream on top, a seasonal matcha (guava during my recent visit) and a matcha float (available in flavors like grape and dark chocolate). \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The matcha flights are a good option for customers who have trouble deciding. They feature a triple dose of matcha, a matcha latte with matcha cream on top, a seasonal matcha (guava during my recent visit) and a matcha float (available in flavors like grape and dark chocolate). \u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "A guide to the best matcha lattes, Einspänners and soft serve in the Bay.",
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"title": "The Best Matcha Cafes in the Bay Area | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These days, every young person in the Bay Area seems to be walking around with some variation of the same green drink: matcha. Traditionally made by whisking finely ground green tea leaves with hot water, the beverage has been used for ceremonial practices in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/japanese-food\">Japan\u003c/a> for thousands of years. Over the past decade, however, the vibrant drink has taken America by storm. The United States now imports \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd2PpIvUKwo\">over 2,000 tons\u003c/a> of matcha per year, turning the tea powder into drinks, ice cream treats and even skin care products. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here in the Bay, it feels like a new matcha cafe or matcha-forward coffee shop opens almost every day. Each place offers its own take on the drink, whether it be a latte with your choice of milk, an obsessively sweet concoction of cookie butters and banana puddings, or a simple americano.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Matcha, like life, is all about balance. I spent the past several weeks trying many of the Bay Area’s hundreds of matcha cafes. Here are some of my favorites. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>EAST BAY: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding a cup of iced coffee topped with a layer of pale green matcha cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993215\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The matcha americano with cream top at Yume Mori on August 21, 2026, in Berkeley. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yumemori.matcha/\">Yume Mori \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>2319 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jazz plays inside this minimalist cafe located in a line of popular matcha cafes near UC Berkeley. The spot is hard to miss because there is always a crowd of people waiting outside — tweens holding mom’s spot in line while she searches for a parking space.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yume Mori is one of the few shops where customers get to choose a specific regional variety of matcha for your drink, each one boasting a different flavor profile. The cafe also serves matcha soft serve, matcha crepes and house specialties like clear matcha (made with coconut water and topped with matcha cream) and genmaicha lattes (made with green tea blended with roasted rice). The matcha here has a vibrant color and taste, but if you don’t care for those intense nutty and astringent flavors, there are also sweeter options like tiramisu, yuzu miso and cold brew options. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mindcoffee.ca/\">Mind Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1816 Euclid Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Away from the traffic of the busier parts of Berkeley sits Mind Coffee, a popular study spot for students on the north side of campus. Mind has a large selection of coffee, teas and pastries, and the matcha drinks, in particular, are some of the most creative in the Bay. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Einspänners are especially popular here. These froth-topped drinks, named after a type of horse-drawn carriage, originated in Vienna, Austria. But they’d been a fixture in Korean dramas for years by the time they made their way to the States. Einspänners are traditionally a coffee drink, but Mind features less common versions like an Earl Grey matcha Einspänner latte (which tastes a bit like a sweet, syrupy bowl of cereal) and an iced matcha sakura Einspänner with pink milk, which transports you into a forest of cherry blossom trees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte on a sun-dappled wooden table.\" class=\"wp-image-13993222\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte from Kitsch Coffee in Oakland on Aug. 20, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kitschcoffeeoakland/\">Kitsch Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>590 2nd St., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kitsch Coffee shares space with a vintage furniture and home goods store in Jack London Square. The big open space is always full with people working behind laptops, chatting with friends or sifting through racks of vintage clothes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kitsch is a coffee shop, but the place takes matcha seriously. Matcha here is bright green and can be amped up with housemade syrups with flavors like ginger and lavender. The carrot cake matcha even comes with a cream cheese foam to mimic the frosting on a slice of cake. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofmatchacafe/\">For the Love of Matcha\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Grand Lake Farmers Market (Grand Avenue and Lake Park Avenue, Oakland)\u003cbr>Temescal Farmers Market (5300 Claremont Ave., Oakland)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This weekly pop-up at the Grand Lake and Temescal farmers markets closes once it sells out, so it’s best to arrive early. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The menu rotates based on the season. For summer, they have sweet corn, fig, vanilla and the forever favorite strawberry matcha latte. The farmers market stand is popular, so oftentimes you’ll find many of the flavors crossed out in permanent marker. The Matchacano is my go-to drink, but you can always up the flavor with their seasonal syrups and cream tops. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding matcha soft serve ice cream on a sugar cone.\" class=\"wp-image-13993225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A customer holds a matcha-and-vanilla swirl soft serve ice cream cone from Urban Matcha in Castro Valley on Aug. 20, 2026 (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/urbanmatcha.castrovalley/\">Urban Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3311 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A hidden gem in suburban Castro Valley, Urban Matcha provides a matcha oasis in a somewhat unlikely part of the Bay. At 7 p.m. on a recent Tuesday evening, the cafe was full of chatty teens, people finding a calm place to get work done and families ending their night with their favorite sweet treats. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Part of a chain that extends from California to Las Vegas, the cafe is especially notable for its matcha-flavored desserts. This is the kind of place where every other customer walks out with their hands full of matcha parfaits loaded with agar jelly, corn flakes, matcha gelato, red bean paste, mochi balls and a big scoop of matcha soft serve. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SAN FRANCISCO: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/constance.tea/\">Constance Tea\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3512 Balboa St., San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Located on Balboa Street, in the Outer Richmond, Constance Tea is the only place in San Francisco where tea leaves are stone-milled into matcha in house. This new shop isn’t the place to find the drinks that satisfy your sweet tooth. Instead, Constance focuses on the basics: a small selection of hōjicha (roasted green tea), Einspänners and traditional matcha drinks made with matcha sourced from various regions in Japan, showcasing different flavor profiles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During a recent visit, my matcha americano was a vivid green, perfectly balanced between earthiness and a nutty aftertaste, with a cream top that provided just the right amount of milkiness to complement the grassy taste of the tea. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Two customers side by side holding creamy matcha drinks.\" class=\"wp-image-13993221\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers hold their matcha drinks at Ceré Tea on Valencia Street in San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2026. The tea shop specializes in matcha and hōjicha drinks. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cereteaxyz/\">Ceré Tea \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1186 Valencia St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This popular matcha spot in the Mission, with locations throughout the Bay Area, has all the makings for a viral cafe, with its full-body selfie mirror and minimalist design. The menu puts matcha and hōjicha at the forefront, featuring drinks infused with yuzu, ube, guava and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matcha leans toward the brighter and more bitter side, but you can always sweeten the deal with a banana or crème brûlée cream top. Trendy offerings like Einspänners and cheese cream toppings are also available. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matchacafemaiko/\">Matcha Café Maiko \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1581 Webster St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This wildly popular Honolulu-based chain has become a Bay Area mall staple. It’s a quick, convenient and portable way to take your matcha to go. Big chains often don’t maintain their quality, but Maiko is always consistent, offering a convenient option to grab your matcha on the go. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Perfect for a matcha beginner, the shop is known for its wide variety of matcha desserts:soft serves, shaved ices, parfaits, frappes and floats. The matcha here strikes just the right balance of sweetness and rich matcha flavor, providing the best caffeine boost after a day at the mall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SOUTH BAY AND PENINSULA: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha drink with white swirls of crème brûlée–flavored cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993424\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crème brûlée matcha swirl at Izumi Matcha in San Mateo on Aug. 27, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/izumi.matcha/\">Izumi Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>180 E. 3rd Ave. Unit 100A, San Mateo\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With three locations in the Peninsula and South Bay, Izumi is one of the only cafes in the US that \u003ca href=\"https://izumimatcha.com/premium-matcha-powder/\">sources its matcha from Marukyu Koyamaen\u003c/a>, a highly regarded producer in Uji, Japan. Inside, the walls are lined with tins of the Marukyu matcha powder, along with tea kettles, matcha serving bowls and matcha whisks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The broad menu of teas and desserts really highlight the quality of the matcha itself. The matcha latte options include trendy flavors like a crème brûlée swirl that adds an element of creaminess as a counterpoint to the bright matcha flavor. In addition to the drinks, the shop also offers a diverse selection of matcha- and tea-flavored ice creams — everything from ube to “intense matcha.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/aroma.cct/\">Aroma\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3005 Silver Creek Rd. Ste. 150, San José\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This East San José tea, coffee and chè shop sells a wide variety of Vietnamese-inspired coffee and tea drinks. Matcha is the powerhouse of the menu, available in 10 different flavors, many of them featuring Southeast Asian ingredients like pandan, guava, banana cream and mango sticky rice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matcha at Aroma is strong, but not overpoweringly bitter. The quality of the tea shines through even when paired with thick, sweet, syrupy banana, mango and yuzu puddings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha parfait in a sundae glass, layered with fresh strawberries and ice cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Another view of the matcha strawberry parfait at Matsu Matcha. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matsumatcha.usa/\">Matsu Matcha\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3030 El Camino Real, Santa Clara\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> A calm oasis located inside a busy shopping plaza in Santa Clara, Matsu serves bright green matcha in many different formats. The cafe’s extensive menu offers matcha gelato (available in five levels of increasing intensity, plus a seasonal flavor), matcha floats, matcha flights and much more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matcha flights are a good option for customers who have trouble deciding. They feature a triple dose of matcha, a matcha latte with matcha cream on top, a seasonal matcha (guava during my recent visit) and a matcha float (available in flavors like grape and dark chocolate). \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "bay-area-restaurants-pay-what-you-can-2026-reems-bombera-sfizio",
"title": "These 9 Bay Area Restaurants Are Asking You to Pay What You Can",
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"headTitle": "These 9 Bay Area Restaurants Are Asking You to Pay What You Can | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>It started with a simple idea: In this time when dining out is an increasingly unattainable proposition for so many people, what if restaurants took money out of the equation? What if — for one day, at least — diners only had to pay however much they could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">afford\u003c/a>?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This was the vision that Mexico City chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval had when they started hosting “Paga Lo Que Puedas” days at their now-Michelin-starred restaurant Masala y Maiz. They weren’t the first restaurant owners to experiment with a Pay What You Can model, but they may be the first to try to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13988641/pay-what-you-can-bay-area-restaurants-reems-bombera-masala-y-maiz-oakland-sf\">turn it into a worldwide movement\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This Wednesday, Aug. 26, will be the first \u003cem>global\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.pagaloquepuedas-paywhatyoucan.com/\">Paga Lo Que Puedas day\u003c/a>, a Masala y Maiz–organized initiative that has prompted more than 100 restaurants worldwide to sign up, including nine in the Bay Area. For this one day, these restaurants will serve their regular menus, and diners who come can order whatever they like and pay whatever amount they choose — nothing, even, if that’s all they can afford. (Drinks will still be full price.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri.jpg\" alt=\"In an outdoor courtyard, a man and woman in blue aprons prepare banana-leaf tamales in a large pot.\" class=\"wp-image-13987862\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Norma Listman and Saqib Keval cooking at the first iteration of their Mexico City restaurant, Masala y Maiz. The chefs are organizing the first global Paga Lo Que Puedas initiative on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (Sana Javeri Kadri, courtesy of Masala y Maiz)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The restaurant industry generally is kind of shitty … and it’s really easy to get caught in that spiral of everything that’s wrong about the industry,” says Keval, who’s probably best known in the Bay Area as one of the co-founders of Oakland-based \u003ca href=\"https://peopleskitchencollective.com/\">People’s Kitchen Collective\u003c/a> food justice organization. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But this wave of interest from restaurants all over the world made me feel hopeful,” he says. It made me see that we’re not alone.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is where Keval and Listman \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13987839/masala-y-maiz-mexico-city-restaurant-oakland-bay-area-roots\">first met and fell in love\u003c/a>, and where they began their years-long collaboration in creating community-oriented food spaces. So they’d been hopeful that there would be a strong Bay Area turnout for this initiative. The nine Bay Area participants run the gamut from casual pasta counters (Sfizio in Oakland and Pasta Supply Co. in SF) to upscale Mexican (Bombera in Oakland and Acopio Alta Cocina in San José) and a wine country clam shack (Sonoma’s Valley Swim Club). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If there’s any commonality between the restaurants, Keval says, it’s these are the exact places he would have predicted would sign up for the initiative. These are the restaurants that have an explicit focus on social consciousness and aren’t shy about being outspoken with their activism. That includes places like \u003ca href=\"https://www.reemscalifornia.com/\">Reem’s\u003c/a>, slinger of the California-influenced Palestinian flatbreads known as man’oushe, which recently shifted to a \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/06/24/reems-california-jack-london-square/\">worker-owned business model\u003c/a> for its new Jack London Square storefront in Oakland. Worker collective–owned \u003ca href=\"https://understoryoakland.com/\">Understory\u003c/a>, meanwhile, is joining the initiative as an extension of its own Pay What You Can program, which it offers daily in the form of a single entree.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16.jpg\" alt=\"Sun-dappled table inside a sunny restaurant dining room.\" class=\"wp-image-13993318\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A picturesque table at Bombera in Oakland. (Clara Rice, courtesy of Bombera)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Keval puts it, “They’re the people who I know I can always count on — that are always the first to step up for community and the first to use their restaurants as tools to create change.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In truth, Keval admits he wishes that \u003cem>more \u003c/em>Bay Area restaurants had signed up, particularly in the fine dining sector. Albi and Oyster Oyster, two participants in Washington, D.C., are both Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants; New York’s Caribbean hotspot Kabawa, which topped several \u003ca href=\"https://www.foodandwine.com/top-united-states-restaurants-2026-11919583\">best restaurant\u003c/a> lists \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/dining/best-nyc-restaurants.html\">this year\u003c/a>, occupies a similarly rarefied, high-end space. And Masala y Maiz itself has a Michelin star.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, no restaurants in that tier are participating this year. But Keval believes it would send a powerful message if they did. After all, he says, the cost of operating a restaurant and the cost of dining out have both gone up so much that it’s caused many restaurants to become segregated along lines of race and class.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In areas like the Bay Area, where this is pushed to the extreme, it makes it feel like the only people who get to experience a certain style of hospitality are the people who can afford to pay for it,” he says. “And that goes against why so many of us joined the [restaurant] industry in the first place.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1333\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie.jpg\" alt=\"A dish of mussels in a red sauce, with rolls of bread on the side.\" class=\"wp-image-13987863\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A plate of Balchão-style mussels at Masala y Maiz in Mexico City. (Ana Lorenzana, courtesy of Masala y Maiz)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But what if restaurants like, say, The French Laundry or Chez Panisse were accessible to \u003cem>anyone\u003c/em>, at least for one day? How would that change people’s perspectives on who and what fine dining is for? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What’s the point of it if it’s so exclusive?” Keval says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>His hope is that by soliciting feedback from this year’s participants, he’ll get a better sense of how restaurants across different cultures, price points and service styles experienced the Pay What You Can model — and that next year, even more restaurants, including fine dining restaurants, will be inspired to join.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In Keval’s experience, for instance, Masala y Maiz doesn’t actually lose money on the Paga Lo Que Puedas days. Some diners pay very little or dine for free, but that’s offset by wealthier patrons who willingly pay more to help subsidize those meals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the end, isn’t that what community is all about?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What we’re trying to do, ultimately,” Keval says, “is build a global community of like-minded chefs and restaurateurs that are trying to create change.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>See the full list of Bay Area restaurants participating in this year’s Paga Lo Que Puedas initiative below:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Oakland\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcei0tPIJ_J/?img_index=1\">Bombera\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reemscalifornia/\">Reem’s\u003c/a> (Jack London Square location only; the Mission restaurant is \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbYoCqbMJKr/\">temporarily closed\u003c/a>) \u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sfiziopasta/\">Sfizio\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcfFMUCGicq/?img_index=1\">Tacos Oscar\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcfEEUPm8dn/?img_index=1\">Understory\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/merkadosf/\">Merkado\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pastasupplyco/\">Pasta Supply Co.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>San José\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbytnYWy_Ig/\">Acopio Alta Cocina \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DYx7cHCjieW/\">Valley Swim Club\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Correction:\u003c/em> \u003cem>An earlier version of this story omitted Tacos Oscar, which is also participating in the Aug. 26 Pay What You Can initiative.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This was the vision that Mexico City chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval had when they started hosting “Paga Lo Que Puedas” days at their now-Michelin-starred restaurant Masala y Maiz. They weren’t the first restaurant owners to experiment with a Pay What You Can model, but they may be the first to try to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13988641/pay-what-you-can-bay-area-restaurants-reems-bombera-masala-y-maiz-oakland-sf\">turn it into a worldwide movement\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This was the vision that Mexico City chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval had when they started hosting “Paga Lo Que Puedas” days at their now-Michelin-starred restaurant Masala y Maiz. They weren’t the first restaurant owners to experiment with a Pay What You Can model, but they may be the first to try to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13988641/pay-what-you-can-bay-area-restaurants-reems-bombera-masala-y-maiz-oakland-sf\">turn it into a worldwide movement\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This Wednesday, Aug. 26, will be the first \u003cem>global\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.pagaloquepuedas-paywhatyoucan.com/\">Paga Lo Que Puedas day\u003c/a>, a Masala y Maiz–organized initiative that has prompted more than 100 restaurants worldwide to sign up, including nine in the Bay Area. For this one day, these restaurants will serve their regular menus, and diners who come can order whatever they like and pay whatever amount they choose — nothing, even, if that’s all they can afford. (Drinks will still be full price.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This Wednesday, Aug. 26, will be the first \u003cem>global\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.pagaloquepuedas-paywhatyoucan.com/\">Paga Lo Que Puedas day\u003c/a>, a Masala y Maiz–organized initiative that has prompted more than 100 restaurants worldwide to sign up, including nine in the Bay Area. For this one day, these restaurants will serve their regular menus, and diners who come can order whatever they like and pay whatever amount they choose — nothing, even, if that’s all they can afford. (Drinks will still be full price.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri.jpg\" alt=\"In an outdoor courtyard, a man and woman in blue aprons prepare banana-leaf tamales in a large pot.\" class=\"wp-image-13987862\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Norma Listman and Saqib Keval cooking at the first iteration of their Mexico City restaurant, Masala y Maiz. The chefs are organizing the first global Paga Lo Que Puedas initiative on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri.jpg\" alt=\"In an outdoor courtyard, a man and woman in blue aprons prepare banana-leaf tamales in a large pot.\" class=\"wp-image-13987862\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Norma Listman and Saqib Keval cooking at the first iteration of their Mexico City restaurant, Masala y Maiz. The chefs are organizing the first global Paga Lo Que Puedas initiative on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The restaurant industry generally is kind of shitty … and it’s really easy to get caught in that spiral of everything that’s wrong about the industry,” says Keval, who’s probably best known in the Bay Area as one of the co-founders of Oakland-based \u003ca href=\"https://peopleskitchencollective.com/\">People’s Kitchen Collective\u003c/a> food justice organization. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The restaurant industry generally is kind of shitty … and it’s really easy to get caught in that spiral of everything that’s wrong about the industry,” says Keval, who’s probably best known in the Bay Area as one of the co-founders of Oakland-based \u003ca href=\"https://peopleskitchencollective.com/\">People’s Kitchen Collective\u003c/a> food justice organization. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“But this wave of interest from restaurants all over the world made me feel hopeful,” he says. It made me see that we’re not alone.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“But this wave of interest from restaurants all over the world made me feel hopeful,” he says. It made me see that we’re not alone.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is where Keval and Listman \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13987839/masala-y-maiz-mexico-city-restaurant-oakland-bay-area-roots\">first met and fell in love\u003c/a>, and where they began their years-long collaboration in creating community-oriented food spaces. So they’d been hopeful that there would be a strong Bay Area turnout for this initiative. The nine Bay Area participants run the gamut from casual pasta counters (Sfizio in Oakland and Pasta Supply Co. in SF) to upscale Mexican (Bombera in Oakland and Acopio Alta Cocina in San José) and a wine country clam shack (Sonoma’s Valley Swim Club). \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is where Keval and Listman \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13987839/masala-y-maiz-mexico-city-restaurant-oakland-bay-area-roots\">first met and fell in love\u003c/a>, and where they began their years-long collaboration in creating community-oriented food spaces. So they’d been hopeful that there would be a strong Bay Area turnout for this initiative. The nine Bay Area participants run the gamut from casual pasta counters (Sfizio in Oakland and Pasta Supply Co. in SF) to upscale Mexican (Bombera in Oakland and Acopio Alta Cocina in San José) and a wine country clam shack (Sonoma’s Valley Swim Club). \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If there’s any commonality between the restaurants, Keval says, it’s these are the exact places he would have predicted would sign up for the initiative. These are the restaurants that have an explicit focus on social consciousness and aren’t shy about being outspoken with their activism. That includes places like \u003ca href=\"https://www.reemscalifornia.com/\">Reem’s\u003c/a>, slinger of the California-influenced Palestinian flatbreads known as man’oushe, which recently shifted to a \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/06/24/reems-california-jack-london-square/\">worker-owned business model\u003c/a> for its new Jack London Square storefront in Oakland. Worker collective–owned \u003ca href=\"https://understoryoakland.com/\">Understory\u003c/a>, meanwhile, is joining the initiative as an extension of its own Pay What You Can program, which it offers daily in the form of a single entree.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If there’s any commonality between the restaurants, Keval says, it’s these are the exact places he would have predicted would sign up for the initiative. These are the restaurants that have an explicit focus on social consciousness and aren’t shy about being outspoken with their activism. That includes places like \u003ca href=\"https://www.reemscalifornia.com/\">Reem’s\u003c/a>, slinger of the California-influenced Palestinian flatbreads known as man’oushe, which recently shifted to a \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/06/24/reems-california-jack-london-square/\">worker-owned business model\u003c/a> for its new Jack London Square storefront in Oakland. Worker collective–owned \u003ca href=\"https://understoryoakland.com/\">Understory\u003c/a>, meanwhile, is joining the initiative as an extension of its own Pay What You Can program, which it offers daily in the form of a single entree.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16.jpg\" alt=\"Sun-dappled table inside a sunny restaurant dining room.\" class=\"wp-image-13993318\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A picturesque table at Bombera in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16.jpg\" alt=\"Sun-dappled table inside a sunny restaurant dining room.\" class=\"wp-image-13993318\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A picturesque table at Bombera in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As Keval puts it, “They’re the people who I know I can always count on — that are always the first to step up for community and the first to use their restaurants as tools to create change.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As Keval puts it, “They’re the people who I know I can always count on — that are always the first to step up for community and the first to use their restaurants as tools to create change.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In truth, Keval admits he wishes that \u003cem>more \u003c/em>Bay Area restaurants had signed up, particularly in the fine dining sector. Albi and Oyster Oyster, two participants in Washington, D.C., are both Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants; New York’s Caribbean hotspot Kabawa, which topped several \u003ca href=\"https://www.foodandwine.com/top-united-states-restaurants-2026-11919583\">best restaurant\u003c/a> lists \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/dining/best-nyc-restaurants.html\">this year\u003c/a>, occupies a similarly rarefied, high-end space. And Masala y Maiz itself has a Michelin star.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In truth, Keval admits he wishes that \u003cem>more \u003c/em>Bay Area restaurants had signed up, particularly in the fine dining sector. Albi and Oyster Oyster, two participants in Washington, D.C., are both Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants; New York’s Caribbean hotspot Kabawa, which topped several \u003ca href=\"https://www.foodandwine.com/top-united-states-restaurants-2026-11919583\">best restaurant\u003c/a> lists \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/dining/best-nyc-restaurants.html\">this year\u003c/a>, occupies a similarly rarefied, high-end space. And Masala y Maiz itself has a Michelin star.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, no restaurants in that tier are participating this year. But Keval believes it would send a powerful message if they did. After all, he says, the cost of operating a restaurant and the cost of dining out have both gone up so much that it’s caused many restaurants to become segregated along lines of race and class.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, no restaurants in that tier are participating this year. But Keval believes it would send a powerful message if they did. After all, he says, the cost of operating a restaurant and the cost of dining out have both gone up so much that it’s caused many restaurants to become segregated along lines of race and class.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In areas like the Bay Area, where this is pushed to the extreme, it makes it feel like the only people who get to experience a certain style of hospitality are the people who can afford to pay for it,” he says. “And that goes against why so many of us joined the [restaurant] industry in the first place.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“In areas like the Bay Area, where this is pushed to the extreme, it makes it feel like the only people who get to experience a certain style of hospitality are the people who can afford to pay for it,” he says. “And that goes against why so many of us joined the [restaurant] industry in the first place.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie.jpg\" alt=\"A dish of mussels in a red sauce, with rolls of bread on the side.\" class=\"wp-image-13987863\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A plate of Balchão-style mussels at Masala y Maiz in Mexico City.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie.jpg\" alt=\"A dish of mussels in a red sauce, with rolls of bread on the side.\" class=\"wp-image-13987863\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A plate of Balchão-style mussels at Masala y Maiz in Mexico City.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But what if restaurants like, say, The French Laundry or Chez Panisse were accessible to \u003cem>anyone\u003c/em>, at least for one day? How would that change people’s perspectives on who and what fine dining is for? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But what if restaurants like, say, The French Laundry or Chez Panisse were accessible to \u003cem>anyone\u003c/em>, at least for one day? How would that change people’s perspectives on who and what fine dining is for? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What’s the point of it if it’s so exclusive?” Keval says.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“What’s the point of it if it’s so exclusive?” Keval says.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>His hope is that by soliciting feedback from this year’s participants, he’ll get a better sense of how restaurants across different cultures, price points and service styles experienced the Pay What You Can model — and that next year, even more restaurants, including fine dining restaurants, will be inspired to join.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>His hope is that by soliciting feedback from this year’s participants, he’ll get a better sense of how restaurants across different cultures, price points and service styles experienced the Pay What You Can model — and that next year, even more restaurants, including fine dining restaurants, will be inspired to join.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In Keval’s experience, for instance, Masala y Maiz doesn’t actually lose money on the Paga Lo Que Puedas days. Some diners pay very little or dine for free, but that’s offset by wealthier patrons who willingly pay more to help subsidize those meals.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In Keval’s experience, for instance, Masala y Maiz doesn’t actually lose money on the Paga Lo Que Puedas days. Some diners pay very little or dine for free, but that’s offset by wealthier patrons who willingly pay more to help subsidize those meals.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the end, isn’t that what community is all about?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the end, isn’t that what community is all about?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What we’re trying to do, ultimately,” Keval says, “is build a global community of like-minded chefs and restaurateurs that are trying to create change.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“What we’re trying to do, ultimately,” Keval says, “is build a global community of like-minded chefs and restaurateurs that are trying to create change.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>See the full list of Bay Area restaurants participating in this year’s Paga Lo Que Puedas initiative below:\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>See the full list of Bay Area restaurants participating in this year’s Paga Lo Que Puedas initiative below:\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Oakland\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcei0tPIJ_J/?img_index=1\">Bombera\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reemscalifornia/\">Reem’s\u003c/a> (Jack London Square location only; the Mission restaurant is \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbYoCqbMJKr/\">temporarily closed\u003c/a>) \u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sfiziopasta/\">Sfizio\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcfFMUCGicq/?img_index=1\">Tacos Oscar\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcfEEUPm8dn/?img_index=1\">Understory\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Correction:\u003c/em> \u003cem>An earlier version of this story omitted Tacos Oscar, which is also participating in the Aug. 26 Pay What You Can initiative.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Reem’s, Bombera, Pasta Supply Co. and more join a global initiative on Aug. 26.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It started with a simple idea: In this time when dining out is an increasingly unattainable proposition for so many people, what if restaurants took money out of the equation? What if — for one day, at least — diners only had to pay however much they could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">afford\u003c/a>?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This was the vision that Mexico City chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval had when they started hosting “Paga Lo Que Puedas” days at their now-Michelin-starred restaurant Masala y Maiz. They weren’t the first restaurant owners to experiment with a Pay What You Can model, but they may be the first to try to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13988641/pay-what-you-can-bay-area-restaurants-reems-bombera-masala-y-maiz-oakland-sf\">turn it into a worldwide movement\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This Wednesday, Aug. 26, will be the first \u003cem>global\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.pagaloquepuedas-paywhatyoucan.com/\">Paga Lo Que Puedas day\u003c/a>, a Masala y Maiz–organized initiative that has prompted more than 100 restaurants worldwide to sign up, including nine in the Bay Area. For this one day, these restaurants will serve their regular menus, and diners who come can order whatever they like and pay whatever amount they choose — nothing, even, if that’s all they can afford. (Drinks will still be full price.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri.jpg\" alt=\"In an outdoor courtyard, a man and woman in blue aprons prepare banana-leaf tamales in a large pot.\" class=\"wp-image-13987862\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/8_PhotoCredit-Sana-Javeri-Kadri-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Norma Listman and Saqib Keval cooking at the first iteration of their Mexico City restaurant, Masala y Maiz. The chefs are organizing the first global Paga Lo Que Puedas initiative on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (Sana Javeri Kadri, courtesy of Masala y Maiz)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The restaurant industry generally is kind of shitty … and it’s really easy to get caught in that spiral of everything that’s wrong about the industry,” says Keval, who’s probably best known in the Bay Area as one of the co-founders of Oakland-based \u003ca href=\"https://peopleskitchencollective.com/\">People’s Kitchen Collective\u003c/a> food justice organization. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But this wave of interest from restaurants all over the world made me feel hopeful,” he says. It made me see that we’re not alone.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is where Keval and Listman \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13987839/masala-y-maiz-mexico-city-restaurant-oakland-bay-area-roots\">first met and fell in love\u003c/a>, and where they began their years-long collaboration in creating community-oriented food spaces. So they’d been hopeful that there would be a strong Bay Area turnout for this initiative. The nine Bay Area participants run the gamut from casual pasta counters (Sfizio in Oakland and Pasta Supply Co. in SF) to upscale Mexican (Bombera in Oakland and Acopio Alta Cocina in San José) and a wine country clam shack (Sonoma’s Valley Swim Club). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If there’s any commonality between the restaurants, Keval says, it’s these are the exact places he would have predicted would sign up for the initiative. These are the restaurants that have an explicit focus on social consciousness and aren’t shy about being outspoken with their activism. That includes places like \u003ca href=\"https://www.reemscalifornia.com/\">Reem’s\u003c/a>, slinger of the California-influenced Palestinian flatbreads known as man’oushe, which recently shifted to a \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/06/24/reems-california-jack-london-square/\">worker-owned business model\u003c/a> for its new Jack London Square storefront in Oakland. Worker collective–owned \u003ca href=\"https://understoryoakland.com/\">Understory\u003c/a>, meanwhile, is joining the initiative as an extension of its own Pay What You Can program, which it offers daily in the form of a single entree.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16.jpg\" alt=\"Sun-dappled table inside a sunny restaurant dining room.\" class=\"wp-image-13993318\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Bombera-Jan2024-16-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A picturesque table at Bombera in Oakland. (Clara Rice, courtesy of Bombera)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Keval puts it, “They’re the people who I know I can always count on — that are always the first to step up for community and the first to use their restaurants as tools to create change.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In truth, Keval admits he wishes that \u003cem>more \u003c/em>Bay Area restaurants had signed up, particularly in the fine dining sector. Albi and Oyster Oyster, two participants in Washington, D.C., are both Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants; New York’s Caribbean hotspot Kabawa, which topped several \u003ca href=\"https://www.foodandwine.com/top-united-states-restaurants-2026-11919583\">best restaurant\u003c/a> lists \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/dining/best-nyc-restaurants.html\">this year\u003c/a>, occupies a similarly rarefied, high-end space. And Masala y Maiz itself has a Michelin star.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, no restaurants in that tier are participating this year. But Keval believes it would send a powerful message if they did. After all, he says, the cost of operating a restaurant and the cost of dining out have both gone up so much that it’s caused many restaurants to become segregated along lines of race and class.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In areas like the Bay Area, where this is pushed to the extreme, it makes it feel like the only people who get to experience a certain style of hospitality are the people who can afford to pay for it,” he says. “And that goes against why so many of us joined the [restaurant] industry in the first place.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1333\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie.jpg\" alt=\"A dish of mussels in a red sauce, with rolls of bread on the side.\" class=\"wp-image-13987863\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Credit_Ana-Lorenzana_PlatilloAlmejas3-copie-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A plate of Balchão-style mussels at Masala y Maiz in Mexico City. (Ana Lorenzana, courtesy of Masala y Maiz)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But what if restaurants like, say, The French Laundry or Chez Panisse were accessible to \u003cem>anyone\u003c/em>, at least for one day? How would that change people’s perspectives on who and what fine dining is for? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What’s the point of it if it’s so exclusive?” Keval says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>His hope is that by soliciting feedback from this year’s participants, he’ll get a better sense of how restaurants across different cultures, price points and service styles experienced the Pay What You Can model — and that next year, even more restaurants, including fine dining restaurants, will be inspired to join.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In Keval’s experience, for instance, Masala y Maiz doesn’t actually lose money on the Paga Lo Que Puedas days. Some diners pay very little or dine for free, but that’s offset by wealthier patrons who willingly pay more to help subsidize those meals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the end, isn’t that what community is all about?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What we’re trying to do, ultimately,” Keval says, “is build a global community of like-minded chefs and restaurateurs that are trying to create change.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>See the full list of Bay Area restaurants participating in this year’s Paga Lo Que Puedas initiative below:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Oakland\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcei0tPIJ_J/?img_index=1\">Bombera\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reemscalifornia/\">Reem’s\u003c/a> (Jack London Square location only; the Mission restaurant is \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbYoCqbMJKr/\">temporarily closed\u003c/a>) \u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sfiziopasta/\">Sfizio\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcfFMUCGicq/?img_index=1\">Tacos Oscar\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcfEEUPm8dn/?img_index=1\">Understory\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/merkadosf/\">Merkado\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pastasupplyco/\">Pasta Supply Co.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>San José\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbytnYWy_Ig/\">Acopio Alta Cocina \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DYx7cHCjieW/\">Valley Swim Club\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Correction:\u003c/em> \u003cem>An earlier version of this story omitted Tacos Oscar, which is also participating in the Aug. 26 Pay What You Can initiative.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">\u003cem>026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Abundance is the word that comes to mind when looking at the Bay Area’s concert offerings this fall. Local legends are celebrating major milestones; several grassroots music festivals are spotlighting independent artists; and Bay Area musicians are mingling with boundary-pushing acts from across the globe. Below you’ll find 10 shows you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13934882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hieroglyphics on stage at Hiero Day in Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, Sept. 4, 2023. (Eric Arnold/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/midwaysf/events/hiero-day-189661\">Hiero Day \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 7, 2 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Midway, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What started as a grassroots block party in Oakland over a decade ago has evolved into one of the Bay Area’s staple celebrations of hip-hop culture. For the second year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hiero-day\">Hiero Day\u003c/a> returns to San Francisco’s Midway for a day party with headliners Killer Mike, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mereba and, of course, its namesake hip-hop collective, Oakland’s own Hieroglyphics. Joining them on the bill is San Francisco rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985660/frak-four-square-mixtape\">Frak\u003c/a>, who recently blew minds with his interactive, videogame-themed concert, Foursquare at The Independent. Multilingual MC \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ruby-ibarra\">Ruby Ibarra\u003c/a>, who won 2025’s Tiny Desk Contest, will take the stage with her band the Balikbayans, alongside Young Bari, Boss Life Big Spence, Chuy Gomez and a formidable lineup of rappers, singers and DJs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1082\" height=\"724\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg\" alt=\"Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Friday August 12, 2022.\" class=\"wp-image-13917667\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg 1082w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-1020x683.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-768x514.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1082px) 100vw, 1082px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Aug. 12, 2022. (Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://crybaby.live/tm-attraction/lil-kayla/\">Lil Kayla\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 11, 9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Crybaby, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ever since she burst onto the scene with her scammer anthem, “Make His Pockets Hurt,” in 2019, Lil Kayla has established herself as one of the hardest rappers in the San Francisco scene. Full of witty bars and lyrical mischief, tracks like “Throw Dat Shit” and “11:11” are what you crank up when you want to feel like you’re on your worst behavior. Lil Kayla’s legions of young, female fans are bound to be screaming in the front at her show at the intimate Oakland club Crybaby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13962540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kaytranada performs at Outside Lands on Aug. 11, 2024. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sleeping-on-gems-fest-w-kaytranada-more-discovery-meadow-san-jose-tickets-1993569655505\">Sleeping on Gems Fest with Kaytranada\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 13, 2–9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Discovery Meadow, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whether it’s his timeless remix of Teedra Moses’ “Just Wanna Be Your Girl” or his 3 a.m. dance floor heater “Drip Sweat” with Chanel Tres, Kaytranada’s signature blend of house music with rap and R&B has drawn a massive global fanbase. At Discovery Meadow in San José, the Montreal producer will spin alongside standout house vocalist Rochelle Jordan, L.A. rap duo Partyof2, Amsterdam electronic producer Jael, the Bay’s own Ruby Ibarra, and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"798\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png\" alt=\"group of musicians pose on a street\" class=\"wp-image-13982833\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-160x106.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-768x511.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Spiritual Cramp. (Sarah Davis)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://bottomofthehill.com/20260919.html\">Spiritual Cramp\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 19, 8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since they formed in San Francisco in 2017, punk rockers Spiritual Cramp have spread out all over the country, but the City remains their muse. In their video for the charmingly self-deprecating banger, “At My Funeral,” singer Mike Bingham frolics through Green Apple Books, Kilowatt and Oracle Park, paying homage to the places that shaped him. Spiritual Cramp will pack out the legendary rock club Bottom of the Hill for a homecoming show this fall. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg\" alt=\"a Black man with a guitar, gold outfit and hat sings into a microphone onstage while holding a guitar\" class=\"wp-image-13970421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fantastic Negrito performing at the Annual Americana Honors Awards in September 2024 in Nashville. (Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Americana Music Association)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2026-27/Fantastic-Negrito\">Fantastic Negrito and San Francisco Symphony\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fantastic-negrito\">Fantastic Negrito\u003c/a> might be a three-time Grammy winner, but he remains deeply rooted in his hometown of Oakland, tending to his urban farm and writing and recording in his West Oakland studio. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of his landmark album \u003cem>The Last Days of Oakland\u003c/em>, a fiery, blues-rock meditation on the working-class struggle in a rapidly gentrifying city. At Davies Symphony Hall, he’ll perform reimagined versions of tracks from his discography, backed by a full orchestra. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13903425\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Erykah Badu performs at Lights On Festival at Concord Pavilion on Sept. 18, 2021. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://thegreekberkeley.com/events/erykah-badu-260927\">Erykah Badu\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 27, 7 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Greek Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Few artists’ influence on music, fashion and culture is as deeply felt as Erykah Badu’s. Almost two decades since her genre-defining neo-soul debut, \u003cem>Baduizm\u003c/em>, the singer’s career remains a blueprint for creative excellence and free-spirited self-expression. This month, she’ll release her highly anticipated collaborative album with producer The Alchemist, who’ll join her on her North American tour along with St. Louis rapper Smino. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg\" alt=\"A blonde, white singer strikes a pose in front of a diverse crew of female dancers. \" class=\"wp-image-13992906\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zara Larsson performs during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on July 31, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Joshua Applegate/WireImage)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://portolamusicfestival.com/\">Portola Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26–27 \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Pier 80, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electronic music giants, cult-favorite DJs and left-field pop acts unite for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/portola-festival\">Portola\u003c/a>, a festival whose eclectic lineup just makes sense for San Francisco. 2026 seems to be somewhat of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13990263/portola-festival-lineup-2026-robyn-zara-larsson-four-tet\">Swedish takeover\u003c/a>, with EDM supergroup Swedish House Mafia and pop stars Robyn and Zara Larsson. Also among the headliners are Skrillex and Boys Noize’s duo Dog Blood, Four Tet and Tiësto. Legendary San José turntablist DJ Shadow will celebrate 30 years of his album \u003cem>Endtroducing….. \u003c/em>Other highlights from the bill include City Girls rapper JT, Argentinian perreo-rave singer Six Sex, San Francisco hyperpop artist Underscores, trip-hop legend Tricky and more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1638\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a woman with white hair and sunglasses smiles as she plays guitar on an outdoor stage\" class=\"wp-image-13917394\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-800x512.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1020x652.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-768x491.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1536x983.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-2048x1310.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1920x1228.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass veteran Emmylou Harris will return to this year’s free musical festival. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/headline/2026-lineup-announcements/\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 2–4\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Gate Park, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s second summer typically lasts well into October, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hardly-strictly-bluegrass\">Hardly Strictly\u003c/a> is a capstone event of the season. The free, family-friendly music festival takes over Golden Gate Park with performances by singer, fiddler and music producer Alison Krauss and her band Union Station, Yemeni band El Khat (who make their own instruments), country-rock legend Emmylou Harris and rockers My Morning Jacket.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg\" alt=\"A Black hip-hop artist raps into a microphone, flanked by backup singers and musicians. \" class=\"wp-image-13992907\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cameron McCloud (center) of Cure for Paranoia performs in concert during NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour at Emo’s Austin on June 24, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.theindependentsf.com/tm-event/cure-for-paranoia/\">Cure for Paranoia\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 6, 8 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Independent, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With irresistible charisma, an off-kilter flow and bold lyrics about Black, queer life in Texas, Cure for Paranoia is blowing up after winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest this year. The alternative hip-hop collective will bring their dynamic live show, backed by a full band, to San Francisco’s Independent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072.jpg\" alt=\"A Mexican DJ smiles as he looks up from behind the decks. \" class=\"wp-image-13992908\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mexican Institute of Sound spins at Family Time: Arrullos Mexicanos at The GRAMMY Museum on July 29, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://fest.psychedradiosf.com/psychedfest-sf-2026/\">Psyched! Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 11–Nov. 6\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Various venues, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>D.I.Y. online radio station \u003ca href=\"https://www.psychedradiosf.com/\">Psyched! Radio\u003c/a> is one of San Francisco’s homes for the underground music scene, and its festival takes over independent venues including Rickshaw Stop, Great American Music Hall and Neck of the Woods for a month of shows this fall. The expansive lineup features several notable acts from Mexico — including Mexican Institute of Sound, Diles Que No Me Maten and Amantes del Futuro — sharing stages with Bay Area and stateside artists.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">\u003cem>026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">\u003cem>026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Abundance is the word that comes to mind when looking at the Bay Area’s concert offerings this fall. Local legends are celebrating major milestones; several grassroots music festivals are spotlighting independent artists; and Bay Area musicians are mingling with boundary-pushing acts from across the globe. Below you’ll find 10 shows you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13934882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hieroglyphics on stage at Hiero Day in Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, Sept. 4, 2023.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13934882\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hieroglyphics on stage at Hiero Day in Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, Sept. 4, 2023.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/midwaysf/events/hiero-day-189661\">Hiero Day \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/midwaysf/events/hiero-day-189661\">Hiero Day \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 7, 2 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Midway, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 7, 2 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Midway, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What started as a grassroots block party in Oakland over a decade ago has evolved into one of the Bay Area’s staple celebrations of hip-hop culture. For the second year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hiero-day\">Hiero Day\u003c/a> returns to San Francisco’s Midway for a day party with headliners Killer Mike, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mereba and, of course, its namesake hip-hop collective, Oakland’s own Hieroglyphics. Joining them on the bill is San Francisco rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985660/frak-four-square-mixtape\">Frak\u003c/a>, who recently blew minds with his interactive, videogame-themed concert, Foursquare at The Independent. Multilingual MC \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ruby-ibarra\">Ruby Ibarra\u003c/a>, who won 2025’s Tiny Desk Contest, will take the stage with her band the Balikbayans, alongside Young Bari, Boss Life Big Spence, Chuy Gomez and a formidable lineup of rappers, singers and DJs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What started as a grassroots block party in Oakland over a decade ago has evolved into one of the Bay Area’s staple celebrations of hip-hop culture. For the second year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hiero-day\">Hiero Day\u003c/a> returns to San Francisco’s Midway for a day party with headliners Killer Mike, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mereba and, of course, its namesake hip-hop collective, Oakland’s own Hieroglyphics. Joining them on the bill is San Francisco rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985660/frak-four-square-mixtape\">Frak\u003c/a>, who recently blew minds with his interactive, videogame-themed concert, Foursquare at The Independent. Multilingual MC \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ruby-ibarra\">Ruby Ibarra\u003c/a>, who won 2025’s Tiny Desk Contest, will take the stage with her band the Balikbayans, alongside Young Bari, Boss Life Big Spence, Chuy Gomez and a formidable lineup of rappers, singers and DJs.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg\" alt=\"Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Friday August 12, 2022.\" class=\"wp-image-13917667\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg 1082w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-1020x683.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-768x514.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Aug. 12, 2022.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg\" alt=\"Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Friday August 12, 2022.\" class=\"wp-image-13917667\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Aug. 12, 2022.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Lil Kayla",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://crybaby.live/tm-attraction/lil-kayla/\">Lil Kayla\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://crybaby.live/tm-attraction/lil-kayla/\">Lil Kayla\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 11, 9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Crybaby, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 11, 9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Crybaby, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ever since she burst onto the scene with her scammer anthem, “Make His Pockets Hurt,” in 2019, Lil Kayla has established herself as one of the hardest rappers in the San Francisco scene. Full of witty bars and lyrical mischief, tracks like “Throw Dat Shit” and “11:11” are what you crank up when you want to feel like you’re on your worst behavior. Lil Kayla’s legions of young, female fans are bound to be screaming in the front at her show at the intimate Oakland club Crybaby. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ever since she burst onto the scene with her scammer anthem, “Make His Pockets Hurt,” in 2019, Lil Kayla has established herself as one of the hardest rappers in the San Francisco scene. Full of witty bars and lyrical mischief, tracks like “Throw Dat Shit” and “11:11” are what you crank up when you want to feel like you’re on your worst behavior. Lil Kayla’s legions of young, female fans are bound to be screaming in the front at her show at the intimate Oakland club Crybaby. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13962540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kaytranada performs at Outside Lands on Aug. 11, 2024.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13962540\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kaytranada performs at Outside Lands on Aug. 11, 2024.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Sleeping on Gems Fest with Kaytranada",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sleeping-on-gems-fest-w-kaytranada-more-discovery-meadow-san-jose-tickets-1993569655505\">Sleeping on Gems Fest with Kaytranada\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sleeping-on-gems-fest-w-kaytranada-more-discovery-meadow-san-jose-tickets-1993569655505\">Sleeping on Gems Fest with Kaytranada\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 13, 2–9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Discovery Meadow, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 13, 2–9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Discovery Meadow, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Whether it’s his timeless remix of Teedra Moses’ “Just Wanna Be Your Girl” or his 3 a.m. dance floor heater “Drip Sweat” with Chanel Tres, Kaytranada’s signature blend of house music with rap and R&B has drawn a massive global fanbase. At Discovery Meadow in San José, the Montreal producer will spin alongside standout house vocalist Rochelle Jordan, L.A. rap duo Partyof2, Amsterdam electronic producer Jael, the Bay’s own Ruby Ibarra, and more. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Whether it’s his timeless remix of Teedra Moses’ “Just Wanna Be Your Girl” or his 3 a.m. dance floor heater “Drip Sweat” with Chanel Tres, Kaytranada’s signature blend of house music with rap and R&B has drawn a massive global fanbase. At Discovery Meadow in San José, the Montreal producer will spin alongside standout house vocalist Rochelle Jordan, L.A. rap duo Partyof2, Amsterdam electronic producer Jael, the Bay’s own Ruby Ibarra, and more. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
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"imageCredit": "Sarah Davis",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-160x106.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-768x511.png 768w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png\" alt=\"group of musicians pose on a street\" class=\"wp-image-13982833\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-160x106.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-768x511.png 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Spiritual Cramp.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png\" alt=\"group of musicians pose on a street\" class=\"wp-image-13982833\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Spiritual Cramp.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://bottomofthehill.com/20260919.html\">Spiritual Cramp\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 19, 8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 19, 8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since they formed in San Francisco in 2017, punk rockers Spiritual Cramp have spread out all over the country, but the City remains their muse. In their video for the charmingly self-deprecating banger, “At My Funeral,” singer Mike Bingham frolics through Green Apple Books, Kilowatt and Oracle Park, paying homage to the places that shaped him. Spiritual Cramp will pack out the legendary rock club Bottom of the Hill for a homecoming show this fall. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Since they formed in San Francisco in 2017, punk rockers Spiritual Cramp have spread out all over the country, but the City remains their muse. In their video for the charmingly self-deprecating banger, “At My Funeral,” singer Mike Bingham frolics through Green Apple Books, Kilowatt and Oracle Park, paying homage to the places that shaped him. Spiritual Cramp will pack out the legendary rock club Bottom of the Hill for a homecoming show this fall. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-768x512.jpg 768w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg\" alt=\"a Black man with a guitar, gold outfit and hat sings into a microphone onstage while holding a guitar\" class=\"wp-image-13970421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fantastic Negrito performing at the Annual Americana Honors Awards in September 2024 in Nashville.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg\" alt=\"a Black man with a guitar, gold outfit and hat sings into a microphone onstage while holding a guitar\" class=\"wp-image-13970421\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fantastic Negrito performing at the Annual Americana Honors Awards in September 2024 in Nashville.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2026-27/Fantastic-Negrito\">Fantastic Negrito and San Francisco Symphony\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fantastic-negrito\">Fantastic Negrito\u003c/a> might be a three-time Grammy winner, but he remains deeply rooted in his hometown of Oakland, tending to his urban farm and writing and recording in his West Oakland studio. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of his landmark album \u003cem>The Last Days of Oakland\u003c/em>, a fiery, blues-rock meditation on the working-class struggle in a rapidly gentrifying city. At Davies Symphony Hall, he’ll perform reimagined versions of tracks from his discography, backed by a full orchestra. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fantastic-negrito\">Fantastic Negrito\u003c/a> might be a three-time Grammy winner, but he remains deeply rooted in his hometown of Oakland, tending to his urban farm and writing and recording in his West Oakland studio. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of his landmark album \u003cem>The Last Days of Oakland\u003c/em>, a fiery, blues-rock meditation on the working-class struggle in a rapidly gentrifying city. At Davies Symphony Hall, he’ll perform reimagined versions of tracks from his discography, backed by a full orchestra. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13903425\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Erykah Badu performs at Lights On Festival at Concord Pavilion on Sept. 18, 2021.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13903425\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Erykah Badu performs at Lights On Festival at Concord Pavilion on Sept. 18, 2021.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Erykah Badu",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://thegreekberkeley.com/events/erykah-badu-260927\">Erykah Badu\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://thegreekberkeley.com/events/erykah-badu-260927\">Erykah Badu\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 27, 7 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Greek Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 27, 7 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Greek Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Few artists’ influence on music, fashion and culture is as deeply felt as Erykah Badu’s. Almost two decades since her genre-defining neo-soul debut, \u003cem>Baduizm\u003c/em>, the singer’s career remains a blueprint for creative excellence and free-spirited self-expression. This month, she’ll release her highly anticipated collaborative album with producer The Alchemist, who’ll join her on her North American tour along with St. Louis rapper Smino. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Few artists’ influence on music, fashion and culture is as deeply felt as Erykah Badu’s. Almost two decades since her genre-defining neo-soul debut, \u003cem>Baduizm\u003c/em>, the singer’s career remains a blueprint for creative excellence and free-spirited self-expression. This month, she’ll release her highly anticipated collaborative album with producer The Alchemist, who’ll join her on her North American tour along with St. Louis rapper Smino. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg\" alt=\"A blonde, white singer strikes a pose in front of a diverse crew of female dancers. \" class=\"wp-image-13992906\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zara Larsson performs during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on July 31, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg\" alt=\"A blonde, white singer strikes a pose in front of a diverse crew of female dancers. \" class=\"wp-image-13992906\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zara Larsson performs during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on July 31, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Portola Festival",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://portolamusicfestival.com/\">Portola Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://portolamusicfestival.com/\">Portola Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26–27 \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Pier 80, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26–27 \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Pier 80, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Electronic music giants, cult-favorite DJs and left-field pop acts unite for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/portola-festival\">Portola\u003c/a>, a festival whose eclectic lineup just makes sense for San Francisco. 2026 seems to be somewhat of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13990263/portola-festival-lineup-2026-robyn-zara-larsson-four-tet\">Swedish takeover\u003c/a>, with EDM supergroup Swedish House Mafia and pop stars Robyn and Zara Larsson. Also among the headliners are Skrillex and Boys Noize’s duo Dog Blood, Four Tet and Tiësto. Legendary San José turntablist DJ Shadow will celebrate 30 years of his album \u003cem>Endtroducing….. \u003c/em>Other highlights from the bill include City Girls rapper JT, Argentinian perreo-rave singer Six Sex, San Francisco hyperpop artist Underscores, trip-hop legend Tricky and more.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Electronic music giants, cult-favorite DJs and left-field pop acts unite for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/portola-festival\">Portola\u003c/a>, a festival whose eclectic lineup just makes sense for San Francisco. 2026 seems to be somewhat of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13990263/portola-festival-lineup-2026-robyn-zara-larsson-four-tet\">Swedish takeover\u003c/a>, with EDM supergroup Swedish House Mafia and pop stars Robyn and Zara Larsson. Also among the headliners are Skrillex and Boys Noize’s duo Dog Blood, Four Tet and Tiësto. Legendary San José turntablist DJ Shadow will celebrate 30 years of his album \u003cem>Endtroducing….. \u003c/em>Other highlights from the bill include City Girls rapper JT, Argentinian perreo-rave singer Six Sex, San Francisco hyperpop artist Underscores, trip-hop legend Tricky and more.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-800x512.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1020x652.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-768x491.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1536x983.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-2048x1310.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1920x1228.jpg 1920w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a woman with white hair and sunglasses smiles as she plays guitar on an outdoor stage\" class=\"wp-image-13917394\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-800x512.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1020x652.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-768x491.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1536x983.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-2048x1310.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1920x1228.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass veteran Emmylou Harris will return to this year’s free musical festival.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a woman with white hair and sunglasses smiles as she plays guitar on an outdoor stage\" class=\"wp-image-13917394\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass veteran Emmylou Harris will return to this year’s free musical festival.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/headline/2026-lineup-announcements/\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/headline/2026-lineup-announcements/\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 2–4\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Gate Park, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 2–4\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Gate Park, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s second summer typically lasts well into October, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hardly-strictly-bluegrass\">Hardly Strictly\u003c/a> is a capstone event of the season. The free, family-friendly music festival takes over Golden Gate Park with performances by singer, fiddler and music producer Alison Krauss and her band Union Station, Yemeni band El Khat (who make their own instruments), country-rock legend Emmylou Harris and rockers My Morning Jacket.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s second summer typically lasts well into October, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hardly-strictly-bluegrass\">Hardly Strictly\u003c/a> is a capstone event of the season. The free, family-friendly music festival takes over Golden Gate Park with performances by singer, fiddler and music producer Alison Krauss and her band Union Station, Yemeni band El Khat (who make their own instruments), country-rock legend Emmylou Harris and rockers My Morning Jacket.\u003c/p>\n"
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"id": 13992907,
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"imageCredit": "Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg\" alt=\"A Black hip-hop artist raps into a microphone, flanked by backup singers and musicians. \" class=\"wp-image-13992907\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cameron McCloud (center) of Cure for Paranoia performs in concert during NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour at Emo’s Austin on June 24, 2026 in Austin, Texas.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg\" alt=\"A Black hip-hop artist raps into a microphone, flanked by backup singers and musicians. \" class=\"wp-image-13992907\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cameron McCloud (center) of Cure for Paranoia performs in concert during NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour at Emo’s Austin on June 24, 2026 in Austin, Texas.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Cure for Paranoia",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.theindependentsf.com/tm-event/cure-for-paranoia/\">Cure for Paranoia\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.theindependentsf.com/tm-event/cure-for-paranoia/\">Cure for Paranoia\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 6, 8 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Independent, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 6, 8 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Independent, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With irresistible charisma, an off-kilter flow and bold lyrics about Black, queer life in Texas, Cure for Paranoia is blowing up after winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest this year. The alternative hip-hop collective will bring their dynamic live show, backed by a full band, to San Francisco’s Independent. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://fest.psychedradiosf.com/psychedfest-sf-2026/\">Psyched! Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://fest.psychedradiosf.com/psychedfest-sf-2026/\">Psyched! Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 11–Nov. 6\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Various venues, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>D.I.Y. online radio station \u003ca href=\"https://www.psychedradiosf.com/\">Psyched! Radio\u003c/a> is one of San Francisco’s homes for the underground music scene, and its festival takes over independent venues including Rickshaw Stop, Great American Music Hall and Neck of the Woods for a month of shows this fall. The expansive lineup features several notable acts from Mexico — including Mexican Institute of Sound, Diles Que No Me Maten and Amantes del Futuro — sharing stages with Bay Area and stateside artists.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>D.I.Y. online radio station \u003ca href=\"https://www.psychedradiosf.com/\">Psyched! Radio\u003c/a> is one of San Francisco’s homes for the underground music scene, and its festival takes over independent venues including Rickshaw Stop, Great American Music Hall and Neck of the Woods for a month of shows this fall. The expansive lineup features several notable acts from Mexico — including Mexican Institute of Sound, Diles Que No Me Maten and Amantes del Futuro — sharing stages with Bay Area and stateside artists.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Hiero Day with Mereba and Sleeping on Gems with Kaytranada are among our selection of must-see shows.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">\u003cem>026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Abundance is the word that comes to mind when looking at the Bay Area’s concert offerings this fall. Local legends are celebrating major milestones; several grassroots music festivals are spotlighting independent artists; and Bay Area musicians are mingling with boundary-pushing acts from across the globe. Below you’ll find 10 shows you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13934882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hiero.Group_.2023-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hieroglyphics on stage at Hiero Day in Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, Sept. 4, 2023. (Eric Arnold/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tixr.com/groups/midwaysf/events/hiero-day-189661\">Hiero Day \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 7, 2 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Midway, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What started as a grassroots block party in Oakland over a decade ago has evolved into one of the Bay Area’s staple celebrations of hip-hop culture. For the second year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hiero-day\">Hiero Day\u003c/a> returns to San Francisco’s Midway for a day party with headliners Killer Mike, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mereba and, of course, its namesake hip-hop collective, Oakland’s own Hieroglyphics. Joining them on the bill is San Francisco rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985660/frak-four-square-mixtape\">Frak\u003c/a>, who recently blew minds with his interactive, videogame-themed concert, Foursquare at The Independent. Multilingual MC \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ruby-ibarra\">Ruby Ibarra\u003c/a>, who won 2025’s Tiny Desk Contest, will take the stage with her band the Balikbayans, alongside Young Bari, Boss Life Big Spence, Chuy Gomez and a formidable lineup of rappers, singers and DJs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1082\" height=\"724\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg\" alt=\"Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Friday August 12, 2022.\" class=\"wp-image-13917667\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C.jpg 1082w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-1020x683.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/DBCDF006-A71C-4C63-AECE-36723CC08E8C-768x514.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1082px) 100vw, 1082px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lil Kayla holding court during a performance at The Chapel on Aug. 12, 2022. (Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://crybaby.live/tm-attraction/lil-kayla/\">Lil Kayla\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 11, 9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Crybaby, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ever since she burst onto the scene with her scammer anthem, “Make His Pockets Hurt,” in 2019, Lil Kayla has established herself as one of the hardest rappers in the San Francisco scene. Full of witty bars and lyrical mischief, tracks like “Throw Dat Shit” and “11:11” are what you crank up when you want to feel like you’re on your worst behavior. Lil Kayla’s legions of young, female fans are bound to be screaming in the front at her show at the intimate Oakland club Crybaby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13962540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/240811_OutsideLands__EG_038-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kaytranada performs at Outside Lands on Aug. 11, 2024. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sleeping-on-gems-fest-w-kaytranada-more-discovery-meadow-san-jose-tickets-1993569655505\">Sleeping on Gems Fest with Kaytranada\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 13, 2–9 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Discovery Meadow, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whether it’s his timeless remix of Teedra Moses’ “Just Wanna Be Your Girl” or his 3 a.m. dance floor heater “Drip Sweat” with Chanel Tres, Kaytranada’s signature blend of house music with rap and R&B has drawn a massive global fanbase. At Discovery Meadow in San José, the Montreal producer will spin alongside standout house vocalist Rochelle Jordan, L.A. rap duo Partyof2, Amsterdam electronic producer Jael, the Bay’s own Ruby Ibarra, and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"798\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png\" alt=\"group of musicians pose on a street\" class=\"wp-image-13982833\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis.png 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-160x106.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/HeroImage_SarahDavis-768x511.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Spiritual Cramp. (Sarah Davis)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://bottomofthehill.com/20260919.html\">Spiritual Cramp\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 19, 8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since they formed in San Francisco in 2017, punk rockers Spiritual Cramp have spread out all over the country, but the City remains their muse. In their video for the charmingly self-deprecating banger, “At My Funeral,” singer Mike Bingham frolics through Green Apple Books, Kilowatt and Oracle Park, paying homage to the places that shaped him. Spiritual Cramp will pack out the legendary rock club Bottom of the Hill for a homecoming show this fall. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg\" alt=\"a Black man with a guitar, gold outfit and hat sings into a microphone onstage while holding a guitar\" class=\"wp-image-13970421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/GettyImages-2173024199-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fantastic Negrito performing at the Annual Americana Honors Awards in September 2024 in Nashville. (Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Americana Music Association)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2026-27/Fantastic-Negrito\">Fantastic Negrito and San Francisco Symphony\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fantastic-negrito\">Fantastic Negrito\u003c/a> might be a three-time Grammy winner, but he remains deeply rooted in his hometown of Oakland, tending to his urban farm and writing and recording in his West Oakland studio. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of his landmark album \u003cem>The Last Days of Oakland\u003c/em>, a fiery, blues-rock meditation on the working-class struggle in a rapidly gentrifying city. At Davies Symphony Hall, he’ll perform reimagined versions of tracks from his discography, backed by a full orchestra. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13903425\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/D7A5194-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Erykah Badu performs at Lights On Festival at Concord Pavilion on Sept. 18, 2021. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://thegreekberkeley.com/events/erykah-badu-260927\">Erykah Badu\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 27, 7 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Greek Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Few artists’ influence on music, fashion and culture is as deeply felt as Erykah Badu’s. Almost two decades since her genre-defining neo-soul debut, \u003cem>Baduizm\u003c/em>, the singer’s career remains a blueprint for creative excellence and free-spirited self-expression. This month, she’ll release her highly anticipated collaborative album with producer The Alchemist, who’ll join her on her North American tour along with St. Louis rapper Smino. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg\" alt=\"A blonde, white singer strikes a pose in front of a diverse crew of female dancers. \" class=\"wp-image-13992906\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2288547681-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zara Larsson performs during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on July 31, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Joshua Applegate/WireImage)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://portolamusicfestival.com/\">Portola Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 26–27 \u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Pier 80, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electronic music giants, cult-favorite DJs and left-field pop acts unite for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/portola-festival\">Portola\u003c/a>, a festival whose eclectic lineup just makes sense for San Francisco. 2026 seems to be somewhat of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13990263/portola-festival-lineup-2026-robyn-zara-larsson-four-tet\">Swedish takeover\u003c/a>, with EDM supergroup Swedish House Mafia and pop stars Robyn and Zara Larsson. Also among the headliners are Skrillex and Boys Noize’s duo Dog Blood, Four Tet and Tiësto. Legendary San José turntablist DJ Shadow will celebrate 30 years of his album \u003cem>Endtroducing….. \u003c/em>Other highlights from the bill include City Girls rapper JT, Argentinian perreo-rave singer Six Sex, San Francisco hyperpop artist Underscores, trip-hop legend Tricky and more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1638\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a woman with white hair and sunglasses smiles as she plays guitar on an outdoor stage\" class=\"wp-image-13917394\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-800x512.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1020x652.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-768x491.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1536x983.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-2048x1310.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/GettyImages-859339040-1-1920x1228.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass veteran Emmylou Harris will return to this year’s free musical festival. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/headline/2026-lineup-announcements/\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 2–4\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Gate Park, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s second summer typically lasts well into October, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/hardly-strictly-bluegrass\">Hardly Strictly\u003c/a> is a capstone event of the season. The free, family-friendly music festival takes over Golden Gate Park with performances by singer, fiddler and music producer Alison Krauss and her band Union Station, Yemeni band El Khat (who make their own instruments), country-rock legend Emmylou Harris and rockers My Morning Jacket.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg\" alt=\"A Black hip-hop artist raps into a microphone, flanked by backup singers and musicians. \" class=\"wp-image-13992907\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-2283245764-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cameron McCloud (center) of Cure for Paranoia performs in concert during NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour at Emo’s Austin on June 24, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.theindependentsf.com/tm-event/cure-for-paranoia/\">Cure for Paranoia\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 6, 8 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Independent, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With irresistible charisma, an off-kilter flow and bold lyrics about Black, queer life in Texas, Cure for Paranoia is blowing up after winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest this year. The alternative hip-hop collective will bring their dynamic live show, backed by a full band, to San Francisco’s Independent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072.jpg\" alt=\"A Mexican DJ smiles as he looks up from behind the decks. \" class=\"wp-image-13992908\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1579120072-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mexican Institute of Sound spins at Family Time: Arrullos Mexicanos at The GRAMMY Museum on July 29, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://fest.psychedradiosf.com/psychedfest-sf-2026/\">Psyched! Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 11–Nov. 6\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Various venues, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>D.I.Y. online radio station \u003ca href=\"https://www.psychedradiosf.com/\">Psyched! Radio\u003c/a> is one of San Francisco’s homes for the underground music scene, and its festival takes over independent venues including Rickshaw Stop, Great American Music Hall and Neck of the Woods for a month of shows this fall. The expansive lineup features several notable acts from Mexico — including Mexican Institute of Sound, Diles Que No Me Maten and Amantes del Futuro — sharing stages with Bay Area and stateside artists.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "oakland-mural-5th-avenue-laney-peralta-colleges",
"title": "A Massive New Oakland Mural Inspires Lasting Friendships and New Life Callings",
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"headTitle": "A Massive New Oakland Mural Inspires Lasting Friendships and New Life Callings | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/findingyourpeople\">Finding Your People\u003c/a>, a series celebrating the Bay Area’s meetups and subcultures that bring people together IRL in an increasingly online world.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s a new gigantic work of art on 5th Avenue in Oakland, and it’s as colorful as the community that created it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sorbet-like shades of yellow and red provide a background for an array of flora. An Iranian dancer in orange strikes a fierce pose on one side. And on the other, a young Aztec dancer with piercing eyes holds a drum. Double meanings and secret messages are interlaced throughout the piece.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Painted on a Peralta Community College District warehouse, the mural centers the four school mascots from the network of East Bay junior colleges: a Merritt College black panther, a Berkeley City College owl, a College of Alameda cougar and a Laney College eagle.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992971\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes (left) and instructor Fredericko Alvarado touch up a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course in Oakland. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Roughly 20 students and a handful of volunteers painted the murals as part of \u003ca href=\"https://laney.edu/news/unity-through-diversity-mural-celebrates-oakland-education-community\">Laney’s Art 129 summer course\u003c/a>. It covers the broadside of a nondescript building, visible to a steady flow of thousands of daily commuters on 5th Avenue and Interstate 880.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This undertaking shows the power of individuals coming together in pursuit of a simple lesson in art. When they signed up for the class, they knew they’d create a gigantic mural. What they didn’t realize was that they’d also walk away with cross-cultural connections and lasting bonds with dope artists that go beyond paint on a wall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Mural making is a cross-section between labor, psychotherapy, art making and community work,” says instructor \u003ca href=\"https://fredalvaradoarchives.space/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAae14fUv8GL1aoaws95Lc4vfKaUaVlLIo8WvWSMBoxZy4vGRxISkLOIpMlyalg_aem_vFPtRnB2d61orrWem_4YVA\">Fredericko Alvarado\u003c/a>, who has taught the class for the past four years. All of this happens at once, he stresses while painting in the sun. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s labor-intensive and heavy on the body,” adds Alvarado, a longtime muralist himself, “especially at the scale that we were working.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992958\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(From left) Ernesto Cortes, Fredericko Alvarado and Emilio Hernandez look at the mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course after a fence blocking it from view was removed in Oakland on Aug. 18, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Yet according to his students, the hard work pays off.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m finally giving myself permission to go to art school,” says Malena Mayorga, standing on a patch of grass near the sprawling mural. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mayorga, a longtime Oakland resident originally from El Salvador, contributed a tree that represents the original people of this land, the Ohlone people. Her painting of a large oak has cultural references etched into the bark. There’s a Chinese dragon, Brazilian flags and an Aztec Quetzalcōātl, as well as a Palestinian keffiyeh, Filipino markings, West African Adinkra symbols, Ethiopian embroidery, a Mayan figure that represents the universe and more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992969\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes speaks with fellow student Malena Mayorga from Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course as they gather to see their completed mural. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Looking at the bigger picture, Mayorga professes, “We need to be changing the world [and moving] in the direction we want to see.” For her, the mural embodies that idea.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The artists had to first agree on what the mural would collectively depict, and then design their individual contributions before placing them on a wall. They made minor miscalculations and adjusted them along the way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992955\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992955\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sketches for a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 course. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992954\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992954\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-01-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A completed sketch of the mural. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The end result is a towering community collage that illustrates the importance of community college. It stands about a paint bucket-toss from the Peralta District headquarters, a place that has recently dealt with a storm of budgetary issues.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Recently, California’s community colleges lost the support of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/2025/06/california-bay-area-community-colleges-funding-formula/\">a cost-of-living fund\u003c/a>, and the Peralta School District dealt with a $11.8 million deficit by cutting numerous classes and over 60 positions. This past spring they began closing \u003ca href=\"https://peraltacitizen.com/2026/02/03/laney-college-tower-to-retire/\">the Laney tower building\u003c/a>, and in June they agreed to \u003ca href=\"https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/peralta/Board.nsf/files/DURLE55624C7/%24file/25_26-212%20RESOLUTION%20AFFIRMING%20THE%20DISTRICT%20TRANSFORMATION%20PLAN%20AND%20THE%20CREATION%20OF%20OAKLAND%20CITY%20COLLEGE.pdf\">move forward with a plan to consolidate two schools\u003c/a> — Merritt and Laney — under one umbrella, Oakland City College. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite the instability, this summer voters overwhelmingly approved a nine-year \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Peralta_Community_College_District,_California,_Measure_A,_Reauthorize_Parcel_Tax_to_Fund_Community_Colleges_Measure_(June_2026)\">parcel tax\u003c/a> to help fund the district, easing the tension and assuring students that the district plans on remaining affordable and accessible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992973\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emilio Hernandez looks at the mural he helped paint during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The class of muralists reflects the wide array of reasons people choose to pursue their education at a community college. Some students are dealing with housing insecurity and physical health issues. Some are elders finally prioritizing art careers, and others are young students chasing their creative dreams. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Twenty-year-old \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/vintage.vrtbre\">Kiana Tondre\u003c/a>, born and raised in Oakland, is a studio arts major at San Francisco State University. Partially inspired by her grandfather, a former California College of the Arts and Crafts professor, Tondre has long known that she’s an artist. And after taking this course at Laney over the past two summers, she honed in on murals as her preferred format. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is what I want to do with my life,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992957\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Student Kiana Tondre and instructor Fredericko Alvarado prepare to touch up a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992956\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Student Kiana Tondre and instructor Fredericko Alvarado prepare paint for a mural touch-up. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Through the class she got connected to the legendary community arts organization \u003ca href=\"https://www.precitaeyes.org/\">Precita Eyes\u003c/a>, as well as a world of students she wouldn’t have met at her more expensive four-year college.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>”In terms of community, I think Laney brings people together a lot more,” Tondre says. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tondre painted a beautifully stoic Iranian dancer, an image that’s emblematic of a group of women who are “very misrepresented,” she explains. An Iranian woman herself, Tondre imagined the design as an homage to her grandmother. “She is kind of like one of the guardians to the mural,” Tondre says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992964\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Qi Han takes a photo of Kiana Tondre in front of the section of the mural she created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course in Oakland on Aug. 14, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>On the other side of that stands Ernesto Cortes’ painting based on an old photo of his nephew, who began learning about traditional Aztec dances and culture at nine years old. Cortes tells KQED in Spanish that his nephew is now a young adult, and teaches cultural classes at the college level. Noting the importance of remaining steadfast in your calling and cultural pride, despite racism and other oppressive forces, Cortes says he had to honor his nephew’s vision.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Below Cortes’ dancing nephew, depicted in vibrant shades of green and blue, are the Ngíva words for grass and water. And to the righthand side of that image is a mocha-colored owl with spread wings and huge eyes, painted by traditionally trained fine artist \u003ca href=\"https://hanqiart.com/\">Qi Han\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992974\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes touches up a section of the mural he created. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992972\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes speaks with fellow student Qi Han. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Before taking Alvarado’s class, Han had never painted a mural. Now, she’s already completed a second one through connections she made in the class. “Yeah, I think I’m hooked,” says Han.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When you do a mural,” the Chinese-born artist reflects, “so many people can get to enjoy it. It’s just a different kind of art.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It also takes more people to make it. “The project is very big, you cannot do it by yourself,” Han says. “So you really have to work with other people.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Puerto Rican artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/liodez\">Emilio Hernandez\u003c/a> says this is the most diverse group of people he’s ever worked with. Not just a variety of ethnicities, but ages, expertise and interests in the craft. “There are students who are there just to dip their toes in art,” he says, “then there are artists like myself, who’ve been doing it for a few years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hernandez spent a decade working as a commercial painter, specializing in coating metal surfaces and scaling huge items. His second job was painting the cranes at the Port of Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992959\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-09-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992959\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-09-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-09-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-09-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-09-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emilio Hernandez prepares to touch up a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992960\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-10-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-10-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-10-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-10-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-10-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emilio Hernandez works on a section of the mural he created. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He enjoyed the view from the towering machines, but the labor was rigorous, the schedule was stressful and racist interactions were pervasive. A lingering injury from a car accident years ago prompted him to save money, walk away from the job and return to art school.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Not easy for a married father of four, especially after he’d already gone through the Bay Area housing ringer. After facing a couple of eviction notices and multiple slumlords, he and his family ended up squatting in an abandoned apartment building. Hernandez used his painting abilities to renovate the spot with the help of a few others. Backed by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaclt.org/\">Bay Area Community Land Trust\u003c/a>, he and the residents of the apartment building successfully earned the right to stay in their home on \u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaclt.org/our-houses/12th-ave\">12th Avenue\u003c/a>, not far from the mural.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hernandez wanted to paint the mural’s black panther “as close to the sun as possible” to uplift Black and brown people’s legacy of activism. “I don’t want the children to be raised and not know the history of where we came from and what got us to get to where we’re at today,” he explains. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-11-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992961\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-11-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-11-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-11-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-11-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emilio Hernandez touches up a section of the mural he created. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992962\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Instructor Fredericko Alvarado (left) and student Emilio Hernandez prepare to touch up the mural. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>When he shared his stance with the class early in the semester, the discussion resulted in a bit of friction among students. But the tough conversation paid dividends in the end. “I couldn’t believe that we were having a civil conversation with a lot of tension,” Hernandez reflects, “and we ended it at peace.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lamakina510/\">Makina\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/shishi.madriz/\">Shi Shi\u003c/a>, two mural-painting vets who volunteered with this summer’s class, agree that creating art with a collective is a surefire way to get artists in conversation and out of their silos. Shi Shi, who is also a dancer and tattoo artist from Berkeley, originally took the Peralta college class with late artist and professor \u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2024/04/ray-patlan-mayor-of-balmy-alley-dies/\">Ray Patlán\u003c/a>. Proud that Alvarado is continuing the class’ legacy, Shi Shi highlights how it contributes to the region’s larger artist ecosystem.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When I took that class,” she says, “I met other artists, and also tapped in with other maestros and maestras here in the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Makina concurs, noting that the class is a catalyst for creatives to “think bigger about the impact of your arts.” Public art can inspire “community dialogue around the visual landscape of your neighborhood, around the way your city is represented and the cultural equity that it offers,” she says. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992967\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mural advisor Makina speaks with students from Laney College’s ART 129 course. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Donald Diggs, a 72-year-old Monterey-raised returning student, says his life changed when he found the world of public art. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I happened to be incarcerated for 43 years,” Diggs shares, explaining that he got bit by the creative bug while taking classes through the \u003ca href=\"https://williamjamesassociation.org/\">William James Association\u003c/a> in prison. “I just focused on art and it was like my escape.” For four decades he sat behind bars, working mostly with ceramics. After his release he joined the Peralta college network, signing up for Alvarado’s class only a few months after his return.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He showed up and morally supported the group this year after helping paint last year’s piece — an adjacent mural that’s roughly a quarter of the size of this year’s mural. “Art school,” Diggs says with an exhale, “was probably the best choice I could have made. And God has been blessing me ever since, so I just keep doing it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each semester, Alvarado, the instructor, designs the class slightly differently, but he keeps the “scaffolding” the same. It’s hard to fail, he admits, no matter your skill level. “Active engagement, being present, participating and just trying” are his grading criteria. “I don’t judge too much on aesthetics,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992963\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Instructor Fredericko Alvarado (left) and student Emilio Hernandez prepare paint. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Alvarado, who took over the class just as pandemic restrictions lifted, says he’s seen how the student artists have created their own community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Laney now has their own art club,” Alvarado says, referring to the newly-founded \u003ca href=\"https://linktr.ee/societyofartistsandmakers\">Society of Artists & Markers\u003c/a>. With an email list of over 100 artists, the collective has already held two art openings since it began last spring, and a handful of Alvarado’s students are in the mix.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The beauty of the art club, much like his class, is the variety of work and different perspectives it offers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-16-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992966\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-16-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-16-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-16-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-16-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students and volunteers from Laney College’s ART 129 mural summer course gather for a group photo in front of their completed mural. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our classes are always filled or overfilled,” Alvarado says, explaining that the art department is always thinking of new ways to leverage access to resources and studio space for students in the Peralta system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In reality,” Alvarado concludes, “the community college belongs to everybody, right? So it should always be available to folks in some sort of way.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/findingyourpeople\">Finding Your People\u003c/a>, a series celebrating the Bay Area’s meetups and subcultures that bring people together IRL in an increasingly online world.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/findingyourpeople\">Finding Your People\u003c/a>, a series celebrating the Bay Area’s meetups and subcultures that bring people together IRL in an increasingly online world.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s a new gigantic work of art on 5th Avenue in Oakland, and it’s as colorful as the community that created it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sorbet-like shades of yellow and red provide a background for an array of flora. An Iranian dancer in orange strikes a fierce pose on one side. And on the other, a young Aztec dancer with piercing eyes holds a drum. Double meanings and secret messages are interlaced throughout the piece.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sorbet-like shades of yellow and red provide a background for an array of flora. An Iranian dancer in orange strikes a fierce pose on one side. And on the other, a young Aztec dancer with piercing eyes holds a drum. Double meanings and secret messages are interlaced throughout the piece.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Painted on a Peralta Community College District warehouse, the mural centers the four school mascots from the network of East Bay junior colleges: a Merritt College black panther, a Berkeley City College owl, a College of Alameda cougar and a Laney College eagle.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Painted on a Peralta Community College District warehouse, the mural centers the four school mascots from the network of East Bay junior colleges: a Merritt College black panther, a Berkeley City College owl, a College of Alameda cougar and a Laney College eagle.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992971\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes (left) and instructor Fredericko Alvarado touch up a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992971\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes (left) and instructor Fredericko Alvarado touch up a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Roughly 20 students and a handful of volunteers painted the murals as part of \u003ca href=\"https://laney.edu/news/unity-through-diversity-mural-celebrates-oakland-education-community\">Laney’s Art 129 summer course\u003c/a>. It covers the broadside of a nondescript building, visible to a steady flow of thousands of daily commuters on 5th Avenue and Interstate 880.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Roughly 20 students and a handful of volunteers painted the murals as part of \u003ca href=\"https://laney.edu/news/unity-through-diversity-mural-celebrates-oakland-education-community\">Laney’s Art 129 summer course\u003c/a>. It covers the broadside of a nondescript building, visible to a steady flow of thousands of daily commuters on 5th Avenue and Interstate 880.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This undertaking shows the power of individuals coming together in pursuit of a simple lesson in art. When they signed up for the class, they knew they’d create a gigantic mural. What they didn’t realize was that they’d also walk away with cross-cultural connections and lasting bonds with dope artists that go beyond paint on a wall.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This undertaking shows the power of individuals coming together in pursuit of a simple lesson in art. When they signed up for the class, they knew they’d create a gigantic mural. What they didn’t realize was that they’d also walk away with cross-cultural connections and lasting bonds with dope artists that go beyond paint on a wall.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Mural making is a cross-section between labor, psychotherapy, art making and community work,” says instructor \u003ca href=\"https://fredalvaradoarchives.space/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAae14fUv8GL1aoaws95Lc4vfKaUaVlLIo8WvWSMBoxZy4vGRxISkLOIpMlyalg_aem_vFPtRnB2d61orrWem_4YVA\">Fredericko Alvarado\u003c/a>, who has taught the class for the past four years. All of this happens at once, he stresses while painting in the sun. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Mural making is a cross-section between labor, psychotherapy, art making and community work,” says instructor \u003ca href=\"https://fredalvaradoarchives.space/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAae14fUv8GL1aoaws95Lc4vfKaUaVlLIo8WvWSMBoxZy4vGRxISkLOIpMlyalg_aem_vFPtRnB2d61orrWem_4YVA\">Fredericko Alvarado\u003c/a>, who has taught the class for the past four years. All of this happens at once, he stresses while painting in the sun. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s labor-intensive and heavy on the body,” adds Alvarado, a longtime muralist himself, “especially at the scale that we were working.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s labor-intensive and heavy on the body,” adds Alvarado, a longtime muralist himself, “especially at the scale that we were working.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992958\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(From left) Ernesto Cortes, Fredericko Alvarado and Emilio Hernandez look at the mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course after a fence blocking it from view was removed in Oakland on Aug. 18, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992958\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(From left) Ernesto Cortes, Fredericko Alvarado and Emilio Hernandez look at the mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course after a fence blocking it from view was removed in Oakland on Aug. 18, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yet according to his students, the hard work pays off.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m finally giving myself permission to go to art school,” says Malena Mayorga, standing on a patch of grass near the sprawling mural. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’m finally giving myself permission to go to art school,” says Malena Mayorga, standing on a patch of grass near the sprawling mural. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mayorga, a longtime Oakland resident originally from El Salvador, contributed a tree that represents the original people of this land, the Ohlone people. Her painting of a large oak has cultural references etched into the bark. There’s a Chinese dragon, Brazilian flags and an Aztec Quetzalcōātl, as well as a Palestinian keffiyeh, Filipino markings, West African Adinkra symbols, Ethiopian embroidery, a Mayan figure that represents the universe and more.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mayorga, a longtime Oakland resident originally from El Salvador, contributed a tree that represents the original people of this land, the Ohlone people. Her painting of a large oak has cultural references etched into the bark. There’s a Chinese dragon, Brazilian flags and an Aztec Quetzalcōātl, as well as a Palestinian keffiyeh, Filipino markings, West African Adinkra symbols, Ethiopian embroidery, a Mayan figure that represents the universe and more.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992969\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes speaks with fellow student Malena Mayorga from Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course as they gather to see their completed mural.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992969\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes speaks with fellow student Malena Mayorga from Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course as they gather to see their completed mural.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Looking at the bigger picture, Mayorga professes, “We need to be changing the world [and moving] in the direction we want to see.” For her, the mural embodies that idea.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Looking at the bigger picture, Mayorga professes, “We need to be changing the world [and moving] in the direction we want to see.” For her, the mural embodies that idea.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The artists had to first agree on what the mural would collectively depict, and then design their individual contributions before placing them on a wall. They made minor miscalculations and adjusted them along the way.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The artists had to first agree on what the mural would collectively depict, and then design their individual contributions before placing them on a wall. They made minor miscalculations and adjusted them along the way.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992955\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sketches for a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 course.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992955\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sketches for a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 course.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The end result is a towering community collage that illustrates the importance of community college. It stands about a paint bucket-toss from the Peralta District headquarters, a place that has recently dealt with a storm of budgetary issues.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Recently, California’s community colleges lost the support of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/2025/06/california-bay-area-community-colleges-funding-formula/\">a cost-of-living fund\u003c/a>, and the Peralta School District dealt with a $11.8 million deficit by cutting numerous classes and over 60 positions. This past spring they began closing \u003ca href=\"https://peraltacitizen.com/2026/02/03/laney-college-tower-to-retire/\">the Laney tower building\u003c/a>, and in June they agreed to \u003ca href=\"https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/peralta/Board.nsf/files/DURLE55624C7/$file/25_26-212%20RESOLUTION%20AFFIRMING%20THE%20DISTRICT%20TRANSFORMATION%20PLAN%20AND%20THE%20CREATION%20OF%20OAKLAND%20CITY%20COLLEGE.pdf\">move forward with a plan to consolidate two schools\u003c/a> — Merritt and Laney — under one umbrella, Oakland City College. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Recently, California’s community colleges lost the support of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/2025/06/california-bay-area-community-colleges-funding-formula/\">a cost-of-living fund\u003c/a>, and the Peralta School District dealt with a $11.8 million deficit by cutting numerous classes and over 60 positions. This past spring they began closing \u003ca href=\"https://peraltacitizen.com/2026/02/03/laney-college-tower-to-retire/\">the Laney tower building\u003c/a>, and in June they agreed to \u003ca href=\"https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/peralta/Board.nsf/files/DURLE55624C7/$file/25_26-212%20RESOLUTION%20AFFIRMING%20THE%20DISTRICT%20TRANSFORMATION%20PLAN%20AND%20THE%20CREATION%20OF%20OAKLAND%20CITY%20COLLEGE.pdf\">move forward with a plan to consolidate two schools\u003c/a> — Merritt and Laney — under one umbrella, Oakland City College. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite the instability, this summer voters overwhelmingly approved a nine-year \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Peralta_Community_College_District,_California,_Measure_A,_Reauthorize_Parcel_Tax_to_Fund_Community_Colleges_Measure_(June_2026)\">parcel tax\u003c/a> to help fund the district, easing the tension and assuring students that the district plans on remaining affordable and accessible.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Despite the instability, this summer voters overwhelmingly approved a nine-year \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Peralta_Community_College_District,_California,_Measure_A,_Reauthorize_Parcel_Tax_to_Fund_Community_Colleges_Measure_(June_2026)\">parcel tax\u003c/a> to help fund the district, easing the tension and assuring students that the district plans on remaining affordable and accessible.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992973\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emilio Hernandez looks at the mural he helped paint during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992973\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emilio Hernandez looks at the mural he helped paint during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The class of muralists reflects the wide array of reasons people choose to pursue their education at a community college. Some students are dealing with housing insecurity and physical health issues. Some are elders finally prioritizing art careers, and others are young students chasing their creative dreams. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The class of muralists reflects the wide array of reasons people choose to pursue their education at a community college. Some students are dealing with housing insecurity and physical health issues. Some are elders finally prioritizing art careers, and others are young students chasing their creative dreams. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Twenty-year-old \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/vintage.vrtbre\">Kiana Tondre\u003c/a>, born and raised in Oakland, is a studio arts major at San Francisco State University. Partially inspired by her grandfather, a former California College of the Arts and Crafts professor, Tondre has long known that she’s an artist. And after taking this course at Laney over the past two summers, she honed in on murals as her preferred format. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Twenty-year-old \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/vintage.vrtbre\">Kiana Tondre\u003c/a>, born and raised in Oakland, is a studio arts major at San Francisco State University. Partially inspired by her grandfather, a former California College of the Arts and Crafts professor, Tondre has long known that she’s an artist. And after taking this course at Laney over the past two summers, she honed in on murals as her preferred format. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is what I want to do with my life,” she says.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992957\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Student Kiana Tondre and instructor Fredericko Alvarado prepare to touch up a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992956\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Student Kiana Tondre and instructor Fredericko Alvarado prepare paint for a mural touch-up.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992956\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Student Kiana Tondre and instructor Fredericko Alvarado prepare paint for a mural touch-up.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Through the class she got connected to the legendary community arts organization \u003ca href=\"https://www.precitaeyes.org/\">Precita Eyes\u003c/a>, as well as a world of students she wouldn’t have met at her more expensive four-year college.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Through the class she got connected to the legendary community arts organization \u003ca href=\"https://www.precitaeyes.org/\">Precita Eyes\u003c/a>, as well as a world of students she wouldn’t have met at her more expensive four-year college.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>”In terms of community, I think Laney brings people together a lot more,” Tondre says. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tondre painted a beautifully stoic Iranian dancer, an image that’s emblematic of a group of women who are “very misrepresented,” she explains. An Iranian woman herself, Tondre imagined the design as an homage to her grandmother. “She is kind of like one of the guardians to the mural,” Tondre says.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tondre painted a beautifully stoic Iranian dancer, an image that’s emblematic of a group of women who are “very misrepresented,” she explains. An Iranian woman herself, Tondre imagined the design as an homage to her grandmother. “She is kind of like one of the guardians to the mural,” Tondre says.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992964\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Qi Han takes a photo of Kiana Tondre in front of the section of the mural she created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course in Oakland on Aug. 14, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992964\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Qi Han takes a photo of Kiana Tondre in front of the section of the mural she created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course in Oakland on Aug. 14, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On the other side of that stands Ernesto Cortes’ painting based on an old photo of his nephew, who began learning about traditional Aztec dances and culture at nine years old. Cortes tells KQED in Spanish that his nephew is now a young adult, and teaches cultural classes at the college level. Noting the importance of remaining steadfast in your calling and cultural pride, despite racism and other oppressive forces, Cortes says he had to honor his nephew’s vision.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On the other side of that stands Ernesto Cortes’ painting based on an old photo of his nephew, who began learning about traditional Aztec dances and culture at nine years old. Cortes tells KQED in Spanish that his nephew is now a young adult, and teaches cultural classes at the college level. Noting the importance of remaining steadfast in your calling and cultural pride, despite racism and other oppressive forces, Cortes says he had to honor his nephew’s vision.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Below Cortes’ dancing nephew, depicted in vibrant shades of green and blue, are the Ngíva words for grass and water. And to the righthand side of that image is a mocha-colored owl with spread wings and huge eyes, painted by traditionally trained fine artist \u003ca href=\"https://hanqiart.com/\">Qi Han\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Below Cortes’ dancing nephew, depicted in vibrant shades of green and blue, are the Ngíva words for grass and water. And to the righthand side of that image is a mocha-colored owl with spread wings and huge eyes, painted by traditionally trained fine artist \u003ca href=\"https://hanqiart.com/\">Qi Han\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992974\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes touches up a section of the mural he created.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992972\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes speaks with fellow student Qi Han.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Before taking Alvarado’s class, Han had never painted a mural. Now, she’s already completed a second one through connections she made in the class. “Yeah, I think I’m hooked,” says Han.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Before taking Alvarado’s class, Han had never painted a mural. Now, she’s already completed a second one through connections she made in the class. “Yeah, I think I’m hooked,” says Han.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When you do a mural,” the Chinese-born artist reflects, “so many people can get to enjoy it. It’s just a different kind of art.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It also takes more people to make it. “The project is very big, you cannot do it by yourself,” Han says. “So you really have to work with other people.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Puerto Rican artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/liodez\">Emilio Hernandez\u003c/a> says this is the most diverse group of people he’s ever worked with. Not just a variety of ethnicities, but ages, expertise and interests in the craft. “There are students who are there just to dip their toes in art,” he says, “then there are artists like myself, who’ve been doing it for a few years.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Puerto Rican artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/liodez\">Emilio Hernandez\u003c/a> says this is the most diverse group of people he’s ever worked with. Not just a variety of ethnicities, but ages, expertise and interests in the craft. “There are students who are there just to dip their toes in art,” he says, “then there are artists like myself, who’ve been doing it for a few years.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-09-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992959\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emilio Hernandez prepares to touch up a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He enjoyed the view from the towering machines, but the labor was rigorous, the schedule was stressful and racist interactions were pervasive. A lingering injury from a car accident years ago prompted him to save money, walk away from the job and return to art school.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He enjoyed the view from the towering machines, but the labor was rigorous, the schedule was stressful and racist interactions were pervasive. A lingering injury from a car accident years ago prompted him to save money, walk away from the job and return to art school.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Not easy for a married father of four, especially after he’d already gone through the Bay Area housing ringer. After facing a couple of eviction notices and multiple slumlords, he and his family ended up squatting in an abandoned apartment building. Hernandez used his painting abilities to renovate the spot with the help of a few others. Backed by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaclt.org/\">Bay Area Community Land Trust\u003c/a>, he and the residents of the apartment building successfully earned the right to stay in their home on \u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaclt.org/our-houses/12th-ave\">12th Avenue\u003c/a>, not far from the mural.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Not easy for a married father of four, especially after he’d already gone through the Bay Area housing ringer. After facing a couple of eviction notices and multiple slumlords, he and his family ended up squatting in an abandoned apartment building. Hernandez used his painting abilities to renovate the spot with the help of a few others. Backed by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaclt.org/\">Bay Area Community Land Trust\u003c/a>, he and the residents of the apartment building successfully earned the right to stay in their home on \u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaclt.org/our-houses/12th-ave\">12th Avenue\u003c/a>, not far from the mural.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hernandez wanted to paint the mural’s black panther “as close to the sun as possible” to uplift Black and brown people’s legacy of activism. “I don’t want the children to be raised and not know the history of where we came from and what got us to get to where we’re at today,” he explains. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Hernandez wanted to paint the mural’s black panther “as close to the sun as possible” to uplift Black and brown people’s legacy of activism. “I don’t want the children to be raised and not know the history of where we came from and what got us to get to where we’re at today,” he explains. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992962\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Instructor Fredericko Alvarado (left) and student Emilio Hernandez prepare to touch up the mural.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992962\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Instructor Fredericko Alvarado (left) and student Emilio Hernandez prepare to touch up the mural.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When he shared his stance with the class early in the semester, the discussion resulted in a bit of friction among students. But the tough conversation paid dividends in the end. “I couldn’t believe that we were having a civil conversation with a lot of tension,” Hernandez reflects, “and we ended it at peace.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When he shared his stance with the class early in the semester, the discussion resulted in a bit of friction among students. But the tough conversation paid dividends in the end. “I couldn’t believe that we were having a civil conversation with a lot of tension,” Hernandez reflects, “and we ended it at peace.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lamakina510/\">Makina\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/shishi.madriz/\">Shi Shi\u003c/a>, two mural-painting vets who volunteered with this summer’s class, agree that creating art with a collective is a surefire way to get artists in conversation and out of their silos. Shi Shi, who is also a dancer and tattoo artist from Berkeley, originally took the Peralta college class with late artist and professor \u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2024/04/ray-patlan-mayor-of-balmy-alley-dies/\">Ray Patlán\u003c/a>. Proud that Alvarado is continuing the class’ legacy, Shi Shi highlights how it contributes to the region’s larger artist ecosystem.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lamakina510/\">Makina\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/shishi.madriz/\">Shi Shi\u003c/a>, two mural-painting vets who volunteered with this summer’s class, agree that creating art with a collective is a surefire way to get artists in conversation and out of their silos. Shi Shi, who is also a dancer and tattoo artist from Berkeley, originally took the Peralta college class with late artist and professor \u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2024/04/ray-patlan-mayor-of-balmy-alley-dies/\">Ray Patlán\u003c/a>. Proud that Alvarado is continuing the class’ legacy, Shi Shi highlights how it contributes to the region’s larger artist ecosystem.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When I took that class,” she says, “I met other artists, and also tapped in with other maestros and maestras here in the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When I took that class,” she says, “I met other artists, and also tapped in with other maestros and maestras here in the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Makina concurs, noting that the class is a catalyst for creatives to “think bigger about the impact of your arts.” Public art can inspire “community dialogue around the visual landscape of your neighborhood, around the way your city is represented and the cultural equity that it offers,” she says. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Makina concurs, noting that the class is a catalyst for creatives to “think bigger about the impact of your arts.” Public art can inspire “community dialogue around the visual landscape of your neighborhood, around the way your city is represented and the cultural equity that it offers,” she says. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992967\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mural advisor Makina speaks with students from Laney College’s ART 129 course.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992967\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mural advisor Makina speaks with students from Laney College’s ART 129 course.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Donald Diggs, a 72-year-old Monterey-raised returning student, says his life changed when he found the world of public art. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I happened to be incarcerated for 43 years,” Diggs shares, explaining that he got bit by the creative bug while taking classes through the \u003ca href=\"https://williamjamesassociation.org/\">William James Association\u003c/a> in prison. “I just focused on art and it was like my escape.” For four decades he sat behind bars, working mostly with ceramics. After his release he joined the Peralta college network, signing up for Alvarado’s class only a few months after his return.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I happened to be incarcerated for 43 years,” Diggs shares, explaining that he got bit by the creative bug while taking classes through the \u003ca href=\"https://williamjamesassociation.org/\">William James Association\u003c/a> in prison. “I just focused on art and it was like my escape.” For four decades he sat behind bars, working mostly with ceramics. After his release he joined the Peralta college network, signing up for Alvarado’s class only a few months after his return.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He showed up and morally supported the group this year after helping paint last year’s piece — an adjacent mural that’s roughly a quarter of the size of this year’s mural. “Art school,” Diggs says with an exhale, “was probably the best choice I could have made. And God has been blessing me ever since, so I just keep doing it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He showed up and morally supported the group this year after helping paint last year’s piece — an adjacent mural that’s roughly a quarter of the size of this year’s mural. “Art school,” Diggs says with an exhale, “was probably the best choice I could have made. And God has been blessing me ever since, so I just keep doing it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each semester, Alvarado, the instructor, designs the class slightly differently, but he keeps the “scaffolding” the same. It’s hard to fail, he admits, no matter your skill level. “Active engagement, being present, participating and just trying” are his grading criteria. “I don’t judge too much on aesthetics,” he says.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Each semester, Alvarado, the instructor, designs the class slightly differently, but he keeps the “scaffolding” the same. It’s hard to fail, he admits, no matter your skill level. “Active engagement, being present, participating and just trying” are his grading criteria. “I don’t judge too much on aesthetics,” he says.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992963\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Instructor Fredericko Alvarado (left) and student Emilio Hernandez prepare paint.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992963\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Instructor Fredericko Alvarado (left) and student Emilio Hernandez prepare paint.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alvarado, who took over the class just as pandemic restrictions lifted, says he’s seen how the student artists have created their own community.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Alvarado, who took over the class just as pandemic restrictions lifted, says he’s seen how the student artists have created their own community.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Laney now has their own art club,” Alvarado says, referring to the newly-founded \u003ca href=\"https://linktr.ee/societyofartistsandmakers\">Society of Artists & Markers\u003c/a>. With an email list of over 100 artists, the collective has already held two art openings since it began last spring, and a handful of Alvarado’s students are in the mix.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Laney now has their own art club,” Alvarado says, referring to the newly-founded \u003ca href=\"https://linktr.ee/societyofartistsandmakers\">Society of Artists & Markers\u003c/a>. With an email list of over 100 artists, the collective has already held two art openings since it began last spring, and a handful of Alvarado’s students are in the mix.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The beauty of the art club, much like his class, is the variety of work and different perspectives it offers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In reality,” Alvarado concludes, “the community college belongs to everybody, right? So it should always be available to folks in some sort of way.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Community college students of all ages and cultural backgrounds came together to paint the vibrant wall on 5th Avenue. ",
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"title": "A Massive New Oakland Mural Inspires Lasting Friendships and New Life Callings | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/findingyourpeople\">Finding Your People\u003c/a>, a series celebrating the Bay Area’s meetups and subcultures that bring people together IRL in an increasingly online world.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s a new gigantic work of art on 5th Avenue in Oakland, and it’s as colorful as the community that created it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sorbet-like shades of yellow and red provide a background for an array of flora. An Iranian dancer in orange strikes a fierce pose on one side. And on the other, a young Aztec dancer with piercing eyes holds a drum. Double meanings and secret messages are interlaced throughout the piece.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Painted on a Peralta Community College District warehouse, the mural centers the four school mascots from the network of East Bay junior colleges: a Merritt College black panther, a Berkeley City College owl, a College of Alameda cougar and a Laney College eagle.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992971\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes (left) and instructor Fredericko Alvarado touch up a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course in Oakland. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Roughly 20 students and a handful of volunteers painted the murals as part of \u003ca href=\"https://laney.edu/news/unity-through-diversity-mural-celebrates-oakland-education-community\">Laney’s Art 129 summer course\u003c/a>. It covers the broadside of a nondescript building, visible to a steady flow of thousands of daily commuters on 5th Avenue and Interstate 880.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This undertaking shows the power of individuals coming together in pursuit of a simple lesson in art. When they signed up for the class, they knew they’d create a gigantic mural. What they didn’t realize was that they’d also walk away with cross-cultural connections and lasting bonds with dope artists that go beyond paint on a wall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Mural making is a cross-section between labor, psychotherapy, art making and community work,” says instructor \u003ca href=\"https://fredalvaradoarchives.space/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAae14fUv8GL1aoaws95Lc4vfKaUaVlLIo8WvWSMBoxZy4vGRxISkLOIpMlyalg_aem_vFPtRnB2d61orrWem_4YVA\">Fredericko Alvarado\u003c/a>, who has taught the class for the past four years. All of this happens at once, he stresses while painting in the sun. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s labor-intensive and heavy on the body,” adds Alvarado, a longtime muralist himself, “especially at the scale that we were working.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992958\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(From left) Ernesto Cortes, Fredericko Alvarado and Emilio Hernandez look at the mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course after a fence blocking it from view was removed in Oakland on Aug. 18, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Yet according to his students, the hard work pays off.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m finally giving myself permission to go to art school,” says Malena Mayorga, standing on a patch of grass near the sprawling mural. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mayorga, a longtime Oakland resident originally from El Salvador, contributed a tree that represents the original people of this land, the Ohlone people. Her painting of a large oak has cultural references etched into the bark. There’s a Chinese dragon, Brazilian flags and an Aztec Quetzalcōātl, as well as a Palestinian keffiyeh, Filipino markings, West African Adinkra symbols, Ethiopian embroidery, a Mayan figure that represents the universe and more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992969\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes speaks with fellow student Malena Mayorga from Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course as they gather to see their completed mural. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Looking at the bigger picture, Mayorga professes, “We need to be changing the world [and moving] in the direction we want to see.” For her, the mural embodies that idea.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The artists had to first agree on what the mural would collectively depict, and then design their individual contributions before placing them on a wall. They made minor miscalculations and adjusted them along the way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992955\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992955\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sketches for a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 course. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992954\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992954\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-01-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A completed sketch of the mural. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The end result is a towering community collage that illustrates the importance of community college. It stands about a paint bucket-toss from the Peralta District headquarters, a place that has recently dealt with a storm of budgetary issues.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Recently, California’s community colleges lost the support of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/2025/06/california-bay-area-community-colleges-funding-formula/\">a cost-of-living fund\u003c/a>, and the Peralta School District dealt with a $11.8 million deficit by cutting numerous classes and over 60 positions. This past spring they began closing \u003ca href=\"https://peraltacitizen.com/2026/02/03/laney-college-tower-to-retire/\">the Laney tower building\u003c/a>, and in June they agreed to \u003ca href=\"https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/peralta/Board.nsf/files/DURLE55624C7/%24file/25_26-212%20RESOLUTION%20AFFIRMING%20THE%20DISTRICT%20TRANSFORMATION%20PLAN%20AND%20THE%20CREATION%20OF%20OAKLAND%20CITY%20COLLEGE.pdf\">move forward with a plan to consolidate two schools\u003c/a> — Merritt and Laney — under one umbrella, Oakland City College. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite the instability, this summer voters overwhelmingly approved a nine-year \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Peralta_Community_College_District,_California,_Measure_A,_Reauthorize_Parcel_Tax_to_Fund_Community_Colleges_Measure_(June_2026)\">parcel tax\u003c/a> to help fund the district, easing the tension and assuring students that the district plans on remaining affordable and accessible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992973\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-20-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emilio Hernandez looks at the mural he helped paint during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The class of muralists reflects the wide array of reasons people choose to pursue their education at a community college. Some students are dealing with housing insecurity and physical health issues. Some are elders finally prioritizing art careers, and others are young students chasing their creative dreams. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Twenty-year-old \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/vintage.vrtbre\">Kiana Tondre\u003c/a>, born and raised in Oakland, is a studio arts major at San Francisco State University. Partially inspired by her grandfather, a former California College of the Arts and Crafts professor, Tondre has long known that she’s an artist. And after taking this course at Laney over the past two summers, she honed in on murals as her preferred format. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is what I want to do with my life,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992957\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-06-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Student Kiana Tondre and instructor Fredericko Alvarado prepare to touch up a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992956\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-05-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Student Kiana Tondre and instructor Fredericko Alvarado prepare paint for a mural touch-up. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Through the class she got connected to the legendary community arts organization \u003ca href=\"https://www.precitaeyes.org/\">Precita Eyes\u003c/a>, as well as a world of students she wouldn’t have met at her more expensive four-year college.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>”In terms of community, I think Laney brings people together a lot more,” Tondre says. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tondre painted a beautifully stoic Iranian dancer, an image that’s emblematic of a group of women who are “very misrepresented,” she explains. An Iranian woman herself, Tondre imagined the design as an homage to her grandmother. “She is kind of like one of the guardians to the mural,” Tondre says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992964\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-08-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Qi Han takes a photo of Kiana Tondre in front of the section of the mural she created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course in Oakland on Aug. 14, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>On the other side of that stands Ernesto Cortes’ painting based on an old photo of his nephew, who began learning about traditional Aztec dances and culture at nine years old. Cortes tells KQED in Spanish that his nephew is now a young adult, and teaches cultural classes at the college level. Noting the importance of remaining steadfast in your calling and cultural pride, despite racism and other oppressive forces, Cortes says he had to honor his nephew’s vision.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Below Cortes’ dancing nephew, depicted in vibrant shades of green and blue, are the Ngíva words for grass and water. And to the righthand side of that image is a mocha-colored owl with spread wings and huge eyes, painted by traditionally trained fine artist \u003ca href=\"https://hanqiart.com/\">Qi Han\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992974\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-21-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes touches up a section of the mural he created. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992972\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-03-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ernesto Cortes speaks with fellow student Qi Han. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Before taking Alvarado’s class, Han had never painted a mural. Now, she’s already completed a second one through connections she made in the class. “Yeah, I think I’m hooked,” says Han.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When you do a mural,” the Chinese-born artist reflects, “so many people can get to enjoy it. It’s just a different kind of art.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It also takes more people to make it. “The project is very big, you cannot do it by yourself,” Han says. “So you really have to work with other people.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Puerto Rican artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/liodez\">Emilio Hernandez\u003c/a> says this is the most diverse group of people he’s ever worked with. Not just a variety of ethnicities, but ages, expertise and interests in the craft. “There are students who are there just to dip their toes in art,” he says, “then there are artists like myself, who’ve been doing it for a few years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hernandez spent a decade working as a commercial painter, specializing in coating metal surfaces and scaling huge items. His second job was painting the cranes at the Port of Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992959\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-09-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992959\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-09-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-09-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-09-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-09-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emilio Hernandez prepares to touch up a mural created during Laney College’s ART 129 summer mural course. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992960\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-10-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-10-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-10-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-10-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-10-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emilio Hernandez works on a section of the mural he created. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He enjoyed the view from the towering machines, but the labor was rigorous, the schedule was stressful and racist interactions were pervasive. A lingering injury from a car accident years ago prompted him to save money, walk away from the job and return to art school.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Not easy for a married father of four, especially after he’d already gone through the Bay Area housing ringer. After facing a couple of eviction notices and multiple slumlords, he and his family ended up squatting in an abandoned apartment building. Hernandez used his painting abilities to renovate the spot with the help of a few others. Backed by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaclt.org/\">Bay Area Community Land Trust\u003c/a>, he and the residents of the apartment building successfully earned the right to stay in their home on \u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaclt.org/our-houses/12th-ave\">12th Avenue\u003c/a>, not far from the mural.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hernandez wanted to paint the mural’s black panther “as close to the sun as possible” to uplift Black and brown people’s legacy of activism. “I don’t want the children to be raised and not know the history of where we came from and what got us to get to where we’re at today,” he explains. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-11-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992961\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-11-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-11-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-11-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-11-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emilio Hernandez touches up a section of the mural he created. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992962\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-14-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Instructor Fredericko Alvarado (left) and student Emilio Hernandez prepare to touch up the mural. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>When he shared his stance with the class early in the semester, the discussion resulted in a bit of friction among students. But the tough conversation paid dividends in the end. “I couldn’t believe that we were having a civil conversation with a lot of tension,” Hernandez reflects, “and we ended it at peace.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lamakina510/\">Makina\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/shishi.madriz/\">Shi Shi\u003c/a>, two mural-painting vets who volunteered with this summer’s class, agree that creating art with a collective is a surefire way to get artists in conversation and out of their silos. Shi Shi, who is also a dancer and tattoo artist from Berkeley, originally took the Peralta college class with late artist and professor \u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2024/04/ray-patlan-mayor-of-balmy-alley-dies/\">Ray Patlán\u003c/a>. Proud that Alvarado is continuing the class’ legacy, Shi Shi highlights how it contributes to the region’s larger artist ecosystem.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When I took that class,” she says, “I met other artists, and also tapped in with other maestros and maestras here in the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Makina concurs, noting that the class is a catalyst for creatives to “think bigger about the impact of your arts.” Public art can inspire “community dialogue around the visual landscape of your neighborhood, around the way your city is represented and the cultural equity that it offers,” she says. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992967\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-19-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mural advisor Makina speaks with students from Laney College’s ART 129 course. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Donald Diggs, a 72-year-old Monterey-raised returning student, says his life changed when he found the world of public art. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I happened to be incarcerated for 43 years,” Diggs shares, explaining that he got bit by the creative bug while taking classes through the \u003ca href=\"https://williamjamesassociation.org/\">William James Association\u003c/a> in prison. “I just focused on art and it was like my escape.” For four decades he sat behind bars, working mostly with ceramics. After his release he joined the Peralta college network, signing up for Alvarado’s class only a few months after his return.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He showed up and morally supported the group this year after helping paint last year’s piece — an adjacent mural that’s roughly a quarter of the size of this year’s mural. “Art school,” Diggs says with an exhale, “was probably the best choice I could have made. And God has been blessing me ever since, so I just keep doing it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each semester, Alvarado, the instructor, designs the class slightly differently, but he keeps the “scaffolding” the same. It’s hard to fail, he admits, no matter your skill level. “Active engagement, being present, participating and just trying” are his grading criteria. “I don’t judge too much on aesthetics,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992963\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260818-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-15-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Instructor Fredericko Alvarado (left) and student Emilio Hernandez prepare paint. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Alvarado, who took over the class just as pandemic restrictions lifted, says he’s seen how the student artists have created their own community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Laney now has their own art club,” Alvarado says, referring to the newly-founded \u003ca href=\"https://linktr.ee/societyofartistsandmakers\">Society of Artists & Markers\u003c/a>. With an email list of over 100 artists, the collective has already held two art openings since it began last spring, and a handful of Alvarado’s students are in the mix.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The beauty of the art club, much like his class, is the variety of work and different perspectives it offers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-16-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992966\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-16-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-16-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-16-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260814-FYP-CommunityCollegeArtClass-16-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students and volunteers from Laney College’s ART 129 mural summer course gather for a group photo in front of their completed mural. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our classes are always filled or overfilled,” Alvarado says, explaining that the art department is always thinking of new ways to leverage access to resources and studio space for students in the Peralta system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In reality,” Alvarado concludes, “the community college belongs to everybody, right? So it should always be available to folks in some sort of way.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "ys-choice-soul-food-oxtails-oakland-late-night",
"title": "Y’s Choice Is a Haven of Late-Night Soul Food in Oakland",
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"headTitle": "Y’s Choice Is a Haven of Late-Night Soul Food in Oakland | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration Two men dig into an abundant spread of braised oxtails and other soul food dishes.\" class=\"wp-image-13993078\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Y’s Choice, a soul food restaurant in Uptown Oakland, specializes in braised oxtails and other classic soul food dishes. (Thien Pham)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners\">\u003cem>The Midnight Diners\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a regular collaboration between KQED food editor Luke Tsai and graphic novelist \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">\u003cem>Thien Pham\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. Follow them each week as they explore the hot pot restaurants, taco carts and 24-hour casino buffets that make up the Bay Area’s after-hours dining scene. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A late-night hankering for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/soul-food\">soul food\u003c/a> brings us to an unobtrusive building on a relatively quiet block on San Pablo Avenue in Oakland, just down the street from the Fox Theater. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Y’s Choice” reads the neon sign outside — after chef-owner “Y” Ahmed, \u003ca href=\"https://www.yschoice.space/our-story\">we later learn\u003c/a>. The restaurant stays open until 11 p.m. on weekends, and at a little past 9 on a Friday night, the bustling dining room smells of garlic, butter and spice. A steady stream of old \u003cem>Martin \u003c/em>episodes plays on the flatscreen TV in the corner. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Already, we feel like we’ve made a good decision coming here. (“Make A Wise Choice,” the sign behind the bar counter reads; I finally get the pun in the restaurant’s name after re-reading it five or six times.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the night of our visit, the crowd is roughly 90% Black women. One big, exuberant group of twentysomethings is dressed to the nines, maybe only just kicking off their night out on the town. At the table next to ours, a pair of middle-aged ladies is having a cozy chat in sweatshirts and mom jeans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2.jpg\" alt=\"Exterior of a restaurant at nighttime. The sign outside reads, "Y's Choice."\" class=\"wp-image-13993080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Located about a block away from the Fox Theater, the restaurant is open until 11 p.m. on weekends. (Thien Pham)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We make ourselves comfortable too. The menu at Y’s covers a fairly wide range of diasporic cuisines — soul food classics and fried seafood, but also Jamaican dishes and African dishes. We start with a couple of the oxtail sambusas, one of a handful of East African–inspired dishes that nod to the chef’s Sudanese roots. After one bite, we know we’re in good hands. These are chonky, square-edged specimens stuffed to the brim with tender, luscious shreds of spice-tinged braised oxtail. The thin, crispy wrappers taste, improbably, just like Chinese \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtiao\">youtiao\u003c/a>, fresh out of the fryer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And because we’re constitutionally incapable of resisting when we see any form of braised oxtails on a menu, we doubled up with a full entree order. At Y’s Choice, these are served like stew over a big bowl of gravy-soaked rice that tastes strongly of mushrooms — wildly delicious in its own right. The tails themselves are meaty and succulent, with soft nubs of fat and collagen we sucked clean off the bone. (The dish’s soupy, slow-cooked quality is so wonderful, we immediately make plans to come back to try the gumbo.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All of the soul food dishes come with a choice of two sides, and as soon as we taste the green beans and the mac and cheese, I give myself a round of applause for choosing well: The savory green beans have been stewed with smoked turkey until they’re falling-apart soft; the mac and cheese has just the right level of cheddar sharpness and ooze. It’s like we’re eating some holy trinity of soul food. Alternating bites between the oxtails, the green beans and the cheesy pasta shells, everything works together in perfect, complementary balance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It is worth noting that Y’s Choice isn’t necessarily an inexpensive restaurant. There are a couple of sandwich- and chicken wing–type options for less than $20, but if you splurge on a soul food plate or one of the big “Y’s Special” seafood or surf ’n’ turf combinations — the kind of stacked plates folks like to show off on Instagram — chances are you’ll be dropping at least $40 or $50 on the entree alone. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What you get in exchange, though, is a whole lot of food. The least expensive of the specials, the Lil Sis ($40), comes with grilled lamb chops (a bit overcooked but fatty and aggressively seasoned, just how I like them), thickly battered fried prawns and a big bed of sweet, buttery \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13900855/garlic-noodles-sf-bay-area-iconic-foods-thanh-long-smellys\">garlic noodles\u003c/a>. Tasty as it all is, we manage to finish maybe half the plate before waving the white flag.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also delicious (despite us having ordered way too many carbs): Y’s take on rasta pasta — a huge, and incredibly addicting, portion of creamy, jerk-spiced penne for $15. And for dessert, there’s peach cobbler. Their version comes out looking like an oozy puddle on the plate, but in the best way: soft, syrupy peach chunks with shards of soft, buttery crust mixed in, all topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Full as we are, we hoover up every last bite.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Busy as it is, even past 10 o’clock, the restaurant is big enough and quiet enough to allow for quiet conversation. Before we’d even placed our orders, our friendly server had told us that because everything is cooked to order, it can take a bit of time for the food to come out. It’s a good place to catch up with a friend over a long, languorous meal — not somewhere you go when you’re in a hurry. But the food is delicious enough, and the atmosphere has enough of a whiff of elegance, to make the restaurant feel celebratory. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We feel that, especially when that one long table of decked-out twentysomethings breaks into the happy birthday song not once but twice. As soon as they finish their second rendition, the servers distribute what looks to be about five dozen takeout cartons. Like us, it seems, the ladies found the portions so abundant that they — very happily — had several meals’ worth of leftovers to take home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ys_choice_/\">\u003cem>Y’s Choice\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is open Friday to Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m. and Sunday to Tuesday 11 a.m.–9 p.m. at 1825 San Pablo Ave. in Oakland.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration Two men dig into an abundant spread of braised oxtails and other soul food dishes.\" class=\"wp-image-13993078\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Y’s Choice, a soul food restaurant in Uptown Oakland, specializes in braised oxtails and other classic soul food dishes.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners\">\u003cem>The Midnight Diners\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a regular collaboration between KQED food editor Luke Tsai and graphic novelist \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">\u003cem>Thien Pham\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. Follow them each week as they explore the hot pot restaurants, taco carts and 24-hour casino buffets that make up the Bay Area’s after-hours dining scene. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners\">\u003cem>The Midnight Diners\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a regular collaboration between KQED food editor Luke Tsai and graphic novelist \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">\u003cem>Thien Pham\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. Follow them each week as they explore the hot pot restaurants, taco carts and 24-hour casino buffets that make up the Bay Area’s after-hours dining scene. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A late-night hankering for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/soul-food\">soul food\u003c/a> brings us to an unobtrusive building on a relatively quiet block on San Pablo Avenue in Oakland, just down the street from the Fox Theater. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A late-night hankering for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/soul-food\">soul food\u003c/a> brings us to an unobtrusive building on a relatively quiet block on San Pablo Avenue in Oakland, just down the street from the Fox Theater. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Y’s Choice” reads the neon sign outside — after chef-owner “Y” Ahmed, \u003ca href=\"https://www.yschoice.space/our-story\">we later learn\u003c/a>. The restaurant stays open until 11 p.m. on weekends, and at a little past 9 on a Friday night, the bustling dining room smells of garlic, butter and spice. A steady stream of old \u003cem>Martin \u003c/em>episodes plays on the flatscreen TV in the corner. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Y’s Choice” reads the neon sign outside — after chef-owner “Y” Ahmed, \u003ca href=\"https://www.yschoice.space/our-story\">we later learn\u003c/a>. The restaurant stays open until 11 p.m. on weekends, and at a little past 9 on a Friday night, the bustling dining room smells of garlic, butter and spice. A steady stream of old \u003cem>Martin \u003c/em>episodes plays on the flatscreen TV in the corner. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Already, we feel like we’ve made a good decision coming here. (“Make A Wise Choice,” the sign behind the bar counter reads; I finally get the pun in the restaurant’s name after re-reading it five or six times.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Already, we feel like we’ve made a good decision coming here. (“Make A Wise Choice,” the sign behind the bar counter reads; I finally get the pun in the restaurant’s name after re-reading it five or six times.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On the night of our visit, the crowd is roughly 90% Black women. One big, exuberant group of twentysomethings is dressed to the nines, maybe only just kicking off their night out on the town. At the table next to ours, a pair of middle-aged ladies is having a cozy chat in sweatshirts and mom jeans.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On the night of our visit, the crowd is roughly 90% Black women. One big, exuberant group of twentysomethings is dressed to the nines, maybe only just kicking off their night out on the town. At the table next to ours, a pair of middle-aged ladies is having a cozy chat in sweatshirts and mom jeans.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2.jpg\" alt=\"Exterior of a restaurant at nighttime. The sign outside reads, "Y's Choice."\" class=\"wp-image-13993080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Located about a block away from the Fox Theater, the restaurant is open until 11 p.m. on weekends.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2.jpg\" alt=\"Exterior of a restaurant at nighttime. The sign outside reads, "Y's Choice."\" class=\"wp-image-13993080\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Located about a block away from the Fox Theater, the restaurant is open until 11 p.m. on weekends.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>We make ourselves comfortable too. The menu at Y’s covers a fairly wide range of diasporic cuisines — soul food classics and fried seafood, but also Jamaican dishes and African dishes. We start with a couple of the oxtail sambusas, one of a handful of East African–inspired dishes that nod to the chef’s Sudanese roots. After one bite, we know we’re in good hands. These are chonky, square-edged specimens stuffed to the brim with tender, luscious shreds of spice-tinged braised oxtail. The thin, crispy wrappers taste, improbably, just like Chinese \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtiao\">youtiao\u003c/a>, fresh out of the fryer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>We make ourselves comfortable too. The menu at Y’s covers a fairly wide range of diasporic cuisines — soul food classics and fried seafood, but also Jamaican dishes and African dishes. We start with a couple of the oxtail sambusas, one of a handful of East African–inspired dishes that nod to the chef’s Sudanese roots. After one bite, we know we’re in good hands. These are chonky, square-edged specimens stuffed to the brim with tender, luscious shreds of spice-tinged braised oxtail. The thin, crispy wrappers taste, improbably, just like Chinese \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtiao\">youtiao\u003c/a>, fresh out of the fryer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And because we’re constitutionally incapable of resisting when we see any form of braised oxtails on a menu, we doubled up with a full entree order. At Y’s Choice, these are served like stew over a big bowl of gravy-soaked rice that tastes strongly of mushrooms — wildly delicious in its own right. The tails themselves are meaty and succulent, with soft nubs of fat and collagen we sucked clean off the bone. (The dish’s soupy, slow-cooked quality is so wonderful, we immediately make plans to come back to try the gumbo.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And because we’re constitutionally incapable of resisting when we see any form of braised oxtails on a menu, we doubled up with a full entree order. At Y’s Choice, these are served like stew over a big bowl of gravy-soaked rice that tastes strongly of mushrooms — wildly delicious in its own right. The tails themselves are meaty and succulent, with soft nubs of fat and collagen we sucked clean off the bone. (The dish’s soupy, slow-cooked quality is so wonderful, we immediately make plans to come back to try the gumbo.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>All of the soul food dishes come with a choice of two sides, and as soon as we taste the green beans and the mac and cheese, I give myself a round of applause for choosing well: The savory green beans have been stewed with smoked turkey until they’re falling-apart soft; the mac and cheese has just the right level of cheddar sharpness and ooze. It’s like we’re eating some holy trinity of soul food. Alternating bites between the oxtails, the green beans and the cheesy pasta shells, everything works together in perfect, complementary balance. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>All of the soul food dishes come with a choice of two sides, and as soon as we taste the green beans and the mac and cheese, I give myself a round of applause for choosing well: The savory green beans have been stewed with smoked turkey until they’re falling-apart soft; the mac and cheese has just the right level of cheddar sharpness and ooze. It’s like we’re eating some holy trinity of soul food. Alternating bites between the oxtails, the green beans and the cheesy pasta shells, everything works together in perfect, complementary balance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It is worth noting that Y’s Choice isn’t necessarily an inexpensive restaurant. There are a couple of sandwich- and chicken wing–type options for less than $20, but if you splurge on a soul food plate or one of the big “Y’s Special” seafood or surf ’n’ turf combinations — the kind of stacked plates folks like to show off on Instagram — chances are you’ll be dropping at least $40 or $50 on the entree alone. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It is worth noting that Y’s Choice isn’t necessarily an inexpensive restaurant. There are a couple of sandwich- and chicken wing–type options for less than $20, but if you splurge on a soul food plate or one of the big “Y’s Special” seafood or surf ’n’ turf combinations — the kind of stacked plates folks like to show off on Instagram — chances are you’ll be dropping at least $40 or $50 on the entree alone. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What you get in exchange, though, is a whole lot of food. The least expensive of the specials, the Lil Sis ($40), comes with grilled lamb chops (a bit overcooked but fatty and aggressively seasoned, just how I like them), thickly battered fried prawns and a big bed of sweet, buttery \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13900855/garlic-noodles-sf-bay-area-iconic-foods-thanh-long-smellys\">garlic noodles\u003c/a>. Tasty as it all is, we manage to finish maybe half the plate before waving the white flag.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What you get in exchange, though, is a whole lot of food. The least expensive of the specials, the Lil Sis ($40), comes with grilled lamb chops (a bit overcooked but fatty and aggressively seasoned, just how I like them), thickly battered fried prawns and a big bed of sweet, buttery \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13900855/garlic-noodles-sf-bay-area-iconic-foods-thanh-long-smellys\">garlic noodles\u003c/a>. Tasty as it all is, we manage to finish maybe half the plate before waving the white flag.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Also delicious (despite us having ordered way too many carbs): Y’s take on rasta pasta — a huge, and incredibly addicting, portion of creamy, jerk-spiced penne for $15. And for dessert, there’s peach cobbler. Their version comes out looking like an oozy puddle on the plate, but in the best way: soft, syrupy peach chunks with shards of soft, buttery crust mixed in, all topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Full as we are, we hoover up every last bite.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Also delicious (despite us having ordered way too many carbs): Y’s take on rasta pasta — a huge, and incredibly addicting, portion of creamy, jerk-spiced penne for $15. And for dessert, there’s peach cobbler. Their version comes out looking like an oozy puddle on the plate, but in the best way: soft, syrupy peach chunks with shards of soft, buttery crust mixed in, all topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Full as we are, we hoover up every last bite.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Busy as it is, even past 10 o’clock, the restaurant is big enough and quiet enough to allow for quiet conversation. Before we’d even placed our orders, our friendly server had told us that because everything is cooked to order, it can take a bit of time for the food to come out. It’s a good place to catch up with a friend over a long, languorous meal — not somewhere you go when you’re in a hurry. But the food is delicious enough, and the atmosphere has enough of a whiff of elegance, to make the restaurant feel celebratory. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Busy as it is, even past 10 o’clock, the restaurant is big enough and quiet enough to allow for quiet conversation. Before we’d even placed our orders, our friendly server had told us that because everything is cooked to order, it can take a bit of time for the food to come out. It’s a good place to catch up with a friend over a long, languorous meal — not somewhere you go when you’re in a hurry. But the food is delicious enough, and the atmosphere has enough of a whiff of elegance, to make the restaurant feel celebratory. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>We feel that, especially when that one long table of decked-out twentysomethings breaks into the happy birthday song not once but twice. As soon as they finish their second rendition, the servers distribute what looks to be about five dozen takeout cartons. Like us, it seems, the ladies found the portions so abundant that they — very happily — had several meals’ worth of leftovers to take home.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>We feel that, especially when that one long table of decked-out twentysomethings breaks into the happy birthday song not once but twice. As soon as they finish their second rendition, the servers distribute what looks to be about five dozen takeout cartons. Like us, it seems, the ladies found the portions so abundant that they — very happily — had several meals’ worth of leftovers to take home.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ys_choice_/\">\u003cem>Y’s Choice\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is open Friday to Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m. and Sunday to Tuesday 11 a.m.–9 p.m. at 1825 San Pablo Ave. in Oakland.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Braised oxtails, in both sambusa and soupy rice bowl form, are the star of this San Pablo Avenue gem.",
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"headline": "Y’s Choice Is a Haven of Late-Night Soul Food in Oakland",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration Two men dig into an abundant spread of braised oxtails and other soul food dishes.\" class=\"wp-image-13993078\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Y’s Choice, a soul food restaurant in Uptown Oakland, specializes in braised oxtails and other classic soul food dishes. (Thien Pham)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners\">\u003cem>The Midnight Diners\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is a regular collaboration between KQED food editor Luke Tsai and graphic novelist \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thiendog/?hl=en\">\u003cem>Thien Pham\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. Follow them each week as they explore the hot pot restaurants, taco carts and 24-hour casino buffets that make up the Bay Area’s after-hours dining scene. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A late-night hankering for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/soul-food\">soul food\u003c/a> brings us to an unobtrusive building on a relatively quiet block on San Pablo Avenue in Oakland, just down the street from the Fox Theater. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Y’s Choice” reads the neon sign outside — after chef-owner “Y” Ahmed, \u003ca href=\"https://www.yschoice.space/our-story\">we later learn\u003c/a>. The restaurant stays open until 11 p.m. on weekends, and at a little past 9 on a Friday night, the bustling dining room smells of garlic, butter and spice. A steady stream of old \u003cem>Martin \u003c/em>episodes plays on the flatscreen TV in the corner. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Already, we feel like we’ve made a good decision coming here. (“Make A Wise Choice,” the sign behind the bar counter reads; I finally get the pun in the restaurant’s name after re-reading it five or six times.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the night of our visit, the crowd is roughly 90% Black women. One big, exuberant group of twentysomethings is dressed to the nines, maybe only just kicking off their night out on the town. At the table next to ours, a pair of middle-aged ladies is having a cozy chat in sweatshirts and mom jeans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2.jpg\" alt=\"Exterior of a restaurant at nighttime. The sign outside reads, "Y's Choice."\" class=\"wp-image-13993080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/yschoice2-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Located about a block away from the Fox Theater, the restaurant is open until 11 p.m. on weekends. (Thien Pham)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We make ourselves comfortable too. The menu at Y’s covers a fairly wide range of diasporic cuisines — soul food classics and fried seafood, but also Jamaican dishes and African dishes. We start with a couple of the oxtail sambusas, one of a handful of East African–inspired dishes that nod to the chef’s Sudanese roots. After one bite, we know we’re in good hands. These are chonky, square-edged specimens stuffed to the brim with tender, luscious shreds of spice-tinged braised oxtail. The thin, crispy wrappers taste, improbably, just like Chinese \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtiao\">youtiao\u003c/a>, fresh out of the fryer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And because we’re constitutionally incapable of resisting when we see any form of braised oxtails on a menu, we doubled up with a full entree order. At Y’s Choice, these are served like stew over a big bowl of gravy-soaked rice that tastes strongly of mushrooms — wildly delicious in its own right. The tails themselves are meaty and succulent, with soft nubs of fat and collagen we sucked clean off the bone. (The dish’s soupy, slow-cooked quality is so wonderful, we immediately make plans to come back to try the gumbo.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All of the soul food dishes come with a choice of two sides, and as soon as we taste the green beans and the mac and cheese, I give myself a round of applause for choosing well: The savory green beans have been stewed with smoked turkey until they’re falling-apart soft; the mac and cheese has just the right level of cheddar sharpness and ooze. It’s like we’re eating some holy trinity of soul food. Alternating bites between the oxtails, the green beans and the cheesy pasta shells, everything works together in perfect, complementary balance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It is worth noting that Y’s Choice isn’t necessarily an inexpensive restaurant. There are a couple of sandwich- and chicken wing–type options for less than $20, but if you splurge on a soul food plate or one of the big “Y’s Special” seafood or surf ’n’ turf combinations — the kind of stacked plates folks like to show off on Instagram — chances are you’ll be dropping at least $40 or $50 on the entree alone. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What you get in exchange, though, is a whole lot of food. The least expensive of the specials, the Lil Sis ($40), comes with grilled lamb chops (a bit overcooked but fatty and aggressively seasoned, just how I like them), thickly battered fried prawns and a big bed of sweet, buttery \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13900855/garlic-noodles-sf-bay-area-iconic-foods-thanh-long-smellys\">garlic noodles\u003c/a>. Tasty as it all is, we manage to finish maybe half the plate before waving the white flag.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also delicious (despite us having ordered way too many carbs): Y’s take on rasta pasta — a huge, and incredibly addicting, portion of creamy, jerk-spiced penne for $15. And for dessert, there’s peach cobbler. Their version comes out looking like an oozy puddle on the plate, but in the best way: soft, syrupy peach chunks with shards of soft, buttery crust mixed in, all topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Full as we are, we hoover up every last bite.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Busy as it is, even past 10 o’clock, the restaurant is big enough and quiet enough to allow for quiet conversation. Before we’d even placed our orders, our friendly server had told us that because everything is cooked to order, it can take a bit of time for the food to come out. It’s a good place to catch up with a friend over a long, languorous meal — not somewhere you go when you’re in a hurry. But the food is delicious enough, and the atmosphere has enough of a whiff of elegance, to make the restaurant feel celebratory. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We feel that, especially when that one long table of decked-out twentysomethings breaks into the happy birthday song not once but twice. As soon as they finish their second rendition, the servers distribute what looks to be about five dozen takeout cartons. Like us, it seems, the ladies found the portions so abundant that they — very happily — had several meals’ worth of leftovers to take home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ys_choice_/\">\u003cem>Y’s Choice\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is open Friday to Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m. and Sunday to Tuesday 11 a.m.–9 p.m. at 1825 San Pablo Ave. in Oakland.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-hyphy-sna-jose-oakland",
"title": "20 Years Later, Traxamillion’s ‘Slapp Addict’ Remains the Royal Hyphy Standard",
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"headTitle": "20 Years Later, Traxamillion’s ‘Slapp Addict’ Remains the Royal Hyphy Standard | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Traxamillion’s album \u003cem>The Slapp Addict\u003c/em> is a Renaissance painting; a still life, depicting a moment in time of oversized white T’s and Gucci Air Forces, dancing a \u003cem>little different\u003c/em> to a sound unlike anything hip-hop had heard before.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a proper portrayal of the hyphy period, it combines the San José-raised producer’s canvas of banging beats with lyrics from rap heavyweights in the region. The result is a record that represents hyphy-era royalty — but the only Regals referenced are Buicks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Released in August 2006, the album joined an onslaught from Bay Area hip-hop artists that same year. Vallejo’s E-40 dropped \u003cem>My Ghetto Report Card\u003c/em> and Oakland’s Too Short released \u003cem>Blow The Whistle\u003c/em>. The Pack came out of Berkeley with the song “Vans,” while San Francisco’s Messy Marv had a run of seven back-to-back albums.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the midst of it all, Traxamillion delivered one of the most significant and underrated albums of the entire subgenre that had folks going dumb.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2023\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in oversized T-shirt and jeans, with dreadlocks and a backwards cap, amid text and a UPC code\" class=\"wp-image-13992864\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-160x162.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-768x777.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-1519x1536.jpg 1519w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘The Slapp Addict’ album cover was styled like a magazine, and numbered ‘Issue 408’ after San José’s area code. (Slapp Addict Productions)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s audible time capsule, preserving a slice of culture while serving as a history lesson that you can still gig to, 20 years later. On Saturday, Aug. 22 at Passport Bar & Lounge in Oakland, an event \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-day-party-tickets-1996318754133?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaetrh9j8FTEryTdLFwPpmR9aZuZmuilCte0_jBfAWql3FLQqyk3Qgfp2XbTGw_aem_yR3U2jfjWmr9fR76s_j6wA\">honors the album’s 20th anniversary.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It has so many hits on it,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbqsT_rplbR/\">Alex Jimenez\u003c/a>, event co-organizer and Traxamillion’s former assistant, adding that the album is “arguably one of the top records for that era.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Near the top of the project is “Wakin Em Up” (feat. Dem Hoodstarz and Turf Talk), made to be played at a high volume, preferably by an old-school car with a huge sound system. (It pairs well with whistle tips, the kind that go \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhVWeDwSkzc\">woo early in the morning\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The track “Grown Man (Remix)” (feat. Clyde Carson, Dem Hoodstarz, Mistah F.A.B., San Quinn and Turf Talk) is a function anthem. It’s also a bit of a protest song, pushing back against the dress codes at hip-hop clubs in the early 2000s. The high-energy track essentially says: \u003cem>Even with these Stacy Adams shoes on, I’m still finna go dumb\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The track “From The Hood” (feat. Husalah, The Jacka and San Quinn) is an ode to the real ones. Over a slower, menacing beat, the rappers bring audiences into the underbelly of the Yay Area. The gritty black-and-white music video is a perfect compliment to the song.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kk_2q7rvkQ\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The project captures certain people at early stages of their careers. “We Like the Slapps” features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978372/saaed-crumpler-oakland-bravemaker-film-festival\">Saeed Crumpler\u003c/a>, rapping under the name Balance; Crumpler is now a full-time television writer and filmmaker. “Club Stuntin” features Lil B when he was with The Pack, and before he became the Based God. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some people on the album are no longer with us, like The Jacka, who guests on “From the Hood.” There’s also “Top Down” with Zion I; the duo’s lead lyricist, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13962689/zumbi-zion-i-stephen-gaines-lawsuit-vigil-update\">Stephen “Zumbi” Gaines\u003c/a>, was killed five years ago during an altercation with a security guard at a hospital in Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The interludes further illustrate the era. In one skit, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/rita-forte\">Rita Forte\u003c/a> (then known as DJ Backside) calls Traxamillion looking to help deliver his songs to DJs around the nation. In another, someone calls Traxamillion impersonating then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, frustrated after trying to get in contact with the producer via Myspace.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1861\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in an oversized red T-shirt, backwards white striped baseball cap, studded belt and large jeans, in front of a hamburger stand\" class=\"wp-image-13992865\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-160x149.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-768x715.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-1536x1429.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traxamillion, pictured in 2006 style, from the CD booklet for ‘The Slapp Addict.’ (Awnica ‘Flix’ Browne / Slapp Addict Productions)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The album also contains aspects of the time that didn’t age well, namely using the term “retarded” to describe dancing; “Yellow Bus” by Mistah F.A.B. is a reminder of that. Meanwhile, \u003ca href=\"https://rap.fandom.com/wiki/Mistah_F.A.B.\">Mistah F.A.B.\u003c/a>’s “Sideshow” (which also features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/mistah-fab\">T\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/too-short\">oo Short\u003c/a>) has provided a soundtrack to car culture in this region for two decades, featured in street parties, bootleg DVDs and Instagram stories.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And the bass-heavy track “On Citas” (feat. Keak da Sneak), which made kids turf dance at the bus stop back in the day, is now being paired with a popular dance routine \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/On-Citas-6757185322213214210\">on TikTok\u003c/a> by the next generation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jimenez, who has a nine-year-old and 13-year old, reports that “When [the song] started trending last year, they came up to me like, ‘You know Traxamillion is trending?’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And that’s the larger goal, Jimenez tells me — to “reintroduce” Traxamillion’s work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541.jpeg\" alt=\"A black and white photo of an African American man in a backwards hat and plaid shirt.\" class=\"wp-image-13992722\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-160x160.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-1536x1536.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-600x600.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sultan ‘Traxamillion’ Banks was a producer known for his heavy drums and uptempo sound. He died in January of 2022 from nasopharyngeal cancer. (Courtesy of Traxamillion's estate)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With appearances from Keak Da Sneak and Turf Talk, Jimenez says the 20th anniversary event will feel like a “hyphy reunion.” Co-hosted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pricelessdaroc/\">Priceless Da ROC\u003c/a>, with a headlining DJ set from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/djmindmotion1/\">DJ Mind Motion\u003c/a>, the event will also benefit Traxamillion’s estate.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Traxamillion never stopped reaching new heights. He produced City Girls’ 2020 song “Broke N—-s” (feat. Yo Gotti) and E-40’s 2021 track “I Stand On That” (feat. Joyner Lucas and T.I.). Today, 20 years after his debut album and nearly five years after his passing, he’s still moving the people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The people that are coming together,” Jimenez says of the upcoming event, “probably haven’t been together in the same room in a while. That’s going to be pretty cool to see.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Traxamillion ‘Slapp Addict’ 20th Anniversary Day Party takes place Saturday, Aug. 22, at Passport Bar & Lounge (1915 Broadway, Oakland). \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-day-party-tickets-1996318754133?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaetrh9j8FTEryTdLFwPpmR9aZuZmuilCte0_jBfAWql3FLQqyk3Qgfp2XbTGw_aem_yR3U2jfjWmr9fR76s_j6wA\">Tickets and more information here\u003c/a>\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Released in August 2006, the album joined an onslaught from Bay Area hip-hop artists that same year. Vallejo’s E-40 dropped \u003cem>My Ghetto Report Card\u003c/em> and Oakland’s Too Short released \u003cem>Blow The Whistle\u003c/em>. The Pack came out of Berkeley with the song “Vans,” while San Francisco’s Messy Marv had a run of seven back-to-back albums.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in oversized T-shirt and jeans, with dreadlocks and a backwards cap, amid text and a UPC code\" class=\"wp-image-13992864\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-160x162.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-768x777.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-1519x1536.jpg 1519w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘The Slapp Addict’ album cover was styled like a magazine, and numbered ‘Issue 408’ after San José’s area code. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in oversized T-shirt and jeans, with dreadlocks and a backwards cap, amid text and a UPC code\" class=\"wp-image-13992864\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘The Slapp Addict’ album cover was styled like a magazine, and numbered ‘Issue 408’ after San José’s area code. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s audible time capsule, preserving a slice of culture while serving as a history lesson that you can still gig to, 20 years later. On Saturday, Aug. 22 at Passport Bar & Lounge in Oakland, an event \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-day-party-tickets-1996318754133?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaetrh9j8FTEryTdLFwPpmR9aZuZmuilCte0_jBfAWql3FLQqyk3Qgfp2XbTGw_aem_yR3U2jfjWmr9fR76s_j6wA\">honors the album’s 20th anniversary.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It has so many hits on it,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbqsT_rplbR/\">Alex Jimenez\u003c/a>, event co-organizer and Traxamillion’s former assistant, adding that the album is “arguably one of the top records for that era.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It has so many hits on it,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbqsT_rplbR/\">Alex Jimenez\u003c/a>, event co-organizer and Traxamillion’s former assistant, adding that the album is “arguably one of the top records for that era.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Near the top of the project is “Wakin Em Up” (feat. Dem Hoodstarz and Turf Talk), made to be played at a high volume, preferably by an old-school car with a huge sound system. (It pairs well with whistle tips, the kind that go \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhVWeDwSkzc\">woo early in the morning\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Near the top of the project is “Wakin Em Up” (feat. Dem Hoodstarz and Turf Talk), made to be played at a high volume, preferably by an old-school car with a huge sound system. (It pairs well with whistle tips, the kind that go \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhVWeDwSkzc\">woo early in the morning\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The track “Grown Man (Remix)” (feat. Clyde Carson, Dem Hoodstarz, Mistah F.A.B., San Quinn and Turf Talk) is a function anthem. It’s also a bit of a protest song, pushing back against the dress codes at hip-hop clubs in the early 2000s. The high-energy track essentially says: \u003cem>Even with these Stacy Adams shoes on, I’m still finna go dumb\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The track “Grown Man (Remix)” (feat. Clyde Carson, Dem Hoodstarz, Mistah F.A.B., San Quinn and Turf Talk) is a function anthem. It’s also a bit of a protest song, pushing back against the dress codes at hip-hop clubs in the early 2000s. The high-energy track essentially says: \u003cem>Even with these Stacy Adams shoes on, I’m still finna go dumb\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The track “From The Hood” (feat. Husalah, The Jacka and San Quinn) is an ode to the real ones. Over a slower, menacing beat, the rappers bring audiences into the underbelly of the Yay Area. The gritty black-and-white music video is a perfect compliment to the song.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The track “From The Hood” (feat. Husalah, The Jacka and San Quinn) is an ode to the real ones. Over a slower, menacing beat, the rappers bring audiences into the underbelly of the Yay Area. The gritty black-and-white music video is a perfect compliment to the song.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kk_2q7rvkQ\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The project captures certain people at early stages of their careers. “We Like the Slapps” features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978372/saaed-crumpler-oakland-bravemaker-film-festival\">Saeed Crumpler\u003c/a>, rapping under the name Balance; Crumpler is now a full-time television writer and filmmaker. “Club Stuntin” features Lil B when he was with The Pack, and before he became the Based God. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The project captures certain people at early stages of their careers. “We Like the Slapps” features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978372/saaed-crumpler-oakland-bravemaker-film-festival\">Saeed Crumpler\u003c/a>, rapping under the name Balance; Crumpler is now a full-time television writer and filmmaker. “Club Stuntin” features Lil B when he was with The Pack, and before he became the Based God. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some people on the album are no longer with us, like The Jacka, who guests on “From the Hood.” There’s also “Top Down” with Zion I; the duo’s lead lyricist, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13962689/zumbi-zion-i-stephen-gaines-lawsuit-vigil-update\">Stephen “Zumbi” Gaines\u003c/a>, was killed five years ago during an altercation with a security guard at a hospital in Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The interludes further illustrate the era. In one skit, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/rita-forte\">Rita Forte\u003c/a> (then known as DJ Backside) calls Traxamillion looking to help deliver his songs to DJs around the nation. In another, someone calls Traxamillion impersonating then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, frustrated after trying to get in contact with the producer via Myspace.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The interludes further illustrate the era. In one skit, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/rita-forte\">Rita Forte\u003c/a> (then known as DJ Backside) calls Traxamillion looking to help deliver his songs to DJs around the nation. In another, someone calls Traxamillion impersonating then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, frustrated after trying to get in contact with the producer via Myspace.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-160x149.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-768x715.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-1536x1429.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in an oversized red T-shirt, backwards white striped baseball cap, studded belt and large jeans, in front of a hamburger stand\" class=\"wp-image-13992865\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-160x149.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-768x715.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-1536x1429.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traxamillion, pictured in 2006 style, from the CD booklet for ‘The Slapp Addict.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in an oversized red T-shirt, backwards white striped baseball cap, studded belt and large jeans, in front of a hamburger stand\" class=\"wp-image-13992865\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traxamillion, pictured in 2006 style, from the CD booklet for ‘The Slapp Addict.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The album also contains aspects of the time that didn’t age well, namely using the term “retarded” to describe dancing; “Yellow Bus” by Mistah F.A.B. is a reminder of that. Meanwhile, \u003ca href=\"https://rap.fandom.com/wiki/Mistah_F.A.B.\">Mistah F.A.B.\u003c/a>’s “Sideshow” (which also features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/mistah-fab\">T\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/too-short\">oo Short\u003c/a>) has provided a soundtrack to car culture in this region for two decades, featured in street parties, bootleg DVDs and Instagram stories.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The album also contains aspects of the time that didn’t age well, namely using the term “retarded” to describe dancing; “Yellow Bus” by Mistah F.A.B. is a reminder of that. Meanwhile, \u003ca href=\"https://rap.fandom.com/wiki/Mistah_F.A.B.\">Mistah F.A.B.\u003c/a>’s “Sideshow” (which also features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/mistah-fab\">T\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/too-short\">oo Short\u003c/a>) has provided a soundtrack to car culture in this region for two decades, featured in street parties, bootleg DVDs and Instagram stories.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And the bass-heavy track “On Citas” (feat. Keak da Sneak), which made kids turf dance at the bus stop back in the day, is now being paired with a popular dance routine \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/On-Citas-6757185322213214210\">on TikTok\u003c/a> by the next generation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jimenez, who has a nine-year-old and 13-year old, reports that “When [the song] started trending last year, they came up to me like, ‘You know Traxamillion is trending?’”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541.jpeg\" alt=\"A black and white photo of an African American man in a backwards hat and plaid shirt.\" class=\"wp-image-13992722\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-160x160.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-1536x1536.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-600x600.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sultan ‘Traxamillion’ Banks was a producer known for his heavy drums and uptempo sound. He died in January of 2022 from nasopharyngeal cancer. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541.jpeg\" alt=\"A black and white photo of an African American man in a backwards hat and plaid shirt.\" class=\"wp-image-13992722\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sultan ‘Traxamillion’ Banks was a producer known for his heavy drums and uptempo sound. He died in January of 2022 from nasopharyngeal cancer. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With appearances from Keak Da Sneak and Turf Talk, Jimenez says the 20th anniversary event will feel like a “hyphy reunion.” Co-hosted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pricelessdaroc/\">Priceless Da ROC\u003c/a>, with a headlining DJ set from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/djmindmotion1/\">DJ Mind Motion\u003c/a>, the event will also benefit Traxamillion’s estate.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Traxamillion never stopped reaching new heights. He produced City Girls’ 2020 song “Broke N—-s” (feat. Yo Gotti) and E-40’s 2021 track “I Stand On That” (feat. Joyner Lucas and T.I.). Today, 20 years after his debut album and nearly five years after his passing, he’s still moving the people.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Traxamillion ‘Slapp Addict’ 20th Anniversary Day Party takes place Saturday, Aug. 22, at Passport Bar & Lounge (1915 Broadway, Oakland). \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-day-party-tickets-1996318754133?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaetrh9j8FTEryTdLFwPpmR9aZuZmuilCte0_jBfAWql3FLQqyk3Qgfp2XbTGw_aem_yR3U2jfjWmr9fR76s_j6wA\">Tickets and more information here\u003c/a>\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Traxamillion ‘Slapp Addict’ 20th Anniversary Day Party takes place Saturday, Aug. 22, at Passport Bar & Lounge (1915 Broadway, Oakland). \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-day-party-tickets-1996318754133?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaetrh9j8FTEryTdLFwPpmR9aZuZmuilCte0_jBfAWql3FLQqyk3Qgfp2XbTGw_aem_yR3U2jfjWmr9fR76s_j6wA\">Tickets and more information here\u003c/a>\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The San José producer’s debut album is a cultural time capsule of the hyphy movement in 2006.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Traxamillion’s album \u003cem>The Slapp Addict\u003c/em> is a Renaissance painting; a still life, depicting a moment in time of oversized white T’s and Gucci Air Forces, dancing a \u003cem>little different\u003c/em> to a sound unlike anything hip-hop had heard before.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a proper portrayal of the hyphy period, it combines the San José-raised producer’s canvas of banging beats with lyrics from rap heavyweights in the region. The result is a record that represents hyphy-era royalty — but the only Regals referenced are Buicks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Released in August 2006, the album joined an onslaught from Bay Area hip-hop artists that same year. Vallejo’s E-40 dropped \u003cem>My Ghetto Report Card\u003c/em> and Oakland’s Too Short released \u003cem>Blow The Whistle\u003c/em>. The Pack came out of Berkeley with the song “Vans,” while San Francisco’s Messy Marv had a run of seven back-to-back albums.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the midst of it all, Traxamillion delivered one of the most significant and underrated albums of the entire subgenre that had folks going dumb.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2023\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in oversized T-shirt and jeans, with dreadlocks and a backwards cap, amid text and a UPC code\" class=\"wp-image-13992864\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-160x162.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-768x777.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Cover_-1519x1536.jpg 1519w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘The Slapp Addict’ album cover was styled like a magazine, and numbered ‘Issue 408’ after San José’s area code. (Slapp Addict Productions)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s audible time capsule, preserving a slice of culture while serving as a history lesson that you can still gig to, 20 years later. On Saturday, Aug. 22 at Passport Bar & Lounge in Oakland, an event \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-day-party-tickets-1996318754133?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaetrh9j8FTEryTdLFwPpmR9aZuZmuilCte0_jBfAWql3FLQqyk3Qgfp2XbTGw_aem_yR3U2jfjWmr9fR76s_j6wA\">honors the album’s 20th anniversary.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It has so many hits on it,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbqsT_rplbR/\">Alex Jimenez\u003c/a>, event co-organizer and Traxamillion’s former assistant, adding that the album is “arguably one of the top records for that era.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Near the top of the project is “Wakin Em Up” (feat. Dem Hoodstarz and Turf Talk), made to be played at a high volume, preferably by an old-school car with a huge sound system. (It pairs well with whistle tips, the kind that go \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhVWeDwSkzc\">woo early in the morning\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The track “Grown Man (Remix)” (feat. Clyde Carson, Dem Hoodstarz, Mistah F.A.B., San Quinn and Turf Talk) is a function anthem. It’s also a bit of a protest song, pushing back against the dress codes at hip-hop clubs in the early 2000s. The high-energy track essentially says: \u003cem>Even with these Stacy Adams shoes on, I’m still finna go dumb\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The track “From The Hood” (feat. Husalah, The Jacka and San Quinn) is an ode to the real ones. Over a slower, menacing beat, the rappers bring audiences into the underbelly of the Yay Area. The gritty black-and-white music video is a perfect compliment to the song.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/-kk_2q7rvkQ'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/-kk_2q7rvkQ'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The project captures certain people at early stages of their careers. “We Like the Slapps” features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978372/saaed-crumpler-oakland-bravemaker-film-festival\">Saeed Crumpler\u003c/a>, rapping under the name Balance; Crumpler is now a full-time television writer and filmmaker. “Club Stuntin” features Lil B when he was with The Pack, and before he became the Based God. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some people on the album are no longer with us, like The Jacka, who guests on “From the Hood.” There’s also “Top Down” with Zion I; the duo’s lead lyricist, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13962689/zumbi-zion-i-stephen-gaines-lawsuit-vigil-update\">Stephen “Zumbi” Gaines\u003c/a>, was killed five years ago during an altercation with a security guard at a hospital in Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The interludes further illustrate the era. In one skit, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/rita-forte\">Rita Forte\u003c/a> (then known as DJ Backside) calls Traxamillion looking to help deliver his songs to DJs around the nation. In another, someone calls Traxamillion impersonating then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, frustrated after trying to get in contact with the producer via Myspace.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1861\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet.jpg\" alt=\"A young Black man in an oversized red T-shirt, backwards white striped baseball cap, studded belt and large jeans, in front of a hamburger stand\" class=\"wp-image-13992865\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-160x149.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-768x715.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Traxamillion.SlappAddict.Booklet-1536x1429.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traxamillion, pictured in 2006 style, from the CD booklet for ‘The Slapp Addict.’ (Awnica ‘Flix’ Browne / Slapp Addict Productions)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The album also contains aspects of the time that didn’t age well, namely using the term “retarded” to describe dancing; “Yellow Bus” by Mistah F.A.B. is a reminder of that. Meanwhile, \u003ca href=\"https://rap.fandom.com/wiki/Mistah_F.A.B.\">Mistah F.A.B.\u003c/a>’s “Sideshow” (which also features \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/mistah-fab\">T\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/too-short\">oo Short\u003c/a>) has provided a soundtrack to car culture in this region for two decades, featured in street parties, bootleg DVDs and Instagram stories.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And the bass-heavy track “On Citas” (feat. Keak da Sneak), which made kids turf dance at the bus stop back in the day, is now being paired with a popular dance routine \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/On-Citas-6757185322213214210\">on TikTok\u003c/a> by the next generation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jimenez, who has a nine-year-old and 13-year old, reports that “When [the song] started trending last year, they came up to me like, ‘You know Traxamillion is trending?’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And that’s the larger goal, Jimenez tells me — to “reintroduce” Traxamillion’s work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541.jpeg\" alt=\"A black and white photo of an African American man in a backwards hat and plaid shirt.\" class=\"wp-image-13992722\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-160x160.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-1536x1536.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Resized_IMG_44541-600x600.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sultan ‘Traxamillion’ Banks was a producer known for his heavy drums and uptempo sound. He died in January of 2022 from nasopharyngeal cancer. (Courtesy of Traxamillion's estate)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With appearances from Keak Da Sneak and Turf Talk, Jimenez says the 20th anniversary event will feel like a “hyphy reunion.” Co-hosted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pricelessdaroc/\">Priceless Da ROC\u003c/a>, with a headlining DJ set from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/djmindmotion1/\">DJ Mind Motion\u003c/a>, the event will also benefit Traxamillion’s estate.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Traxamillion never stopped reaching new heights. He produced City Girls’ 2020 song “Broke N—-s” (feat. Yo Gotti) and E-40’s 2021 track “I Stand On That” (feat. Joyner Lucas and T.I.). Today, 20 years after his debut album and nearly five years after his passing, he’s still moving the people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The people that are coming together,” Jimenez says of the upcoming event, “probably haven’t been together in the same room in a while. That’s going to be pretty cool to see.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Traxamillion ‘Slapp Addict’ 20th Anniversary Day Party takes place Saturday, Aug. 22, at Passport Bar & Lounge (1915 Broadway, Oakland). \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traxamillion-slapp-addict-20-year-anniversary-day-party-tickets-1996318754133?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaetrh9j8FTEryTdLFwPpmR9aZuZmuilCte0_jBfAWql3FLQqyk3Qgfp2XbTGw_aem_yR3U2jfjWmr9fR76s_j6wA\">Tickets and more information here\u003c/a>\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "shock-g-digital-underground-book-memoir-autobiography-oakland-rap",
"title": "A New Memoir Captures Shock G’s Brilliance — In All Its Funkiest Forms",
"publishDate": 1787092839,
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"headTitle": "A New Memoir Captures Shock G’s Brilliance — In All Its Funkiest Forms | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2067\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992877\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg 2067w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-2000x2477.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-160x198.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-768x951.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1240x1536.jpg 1240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1654x2048.jpg 1654w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2067px) 100vw, 2067px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground,’ chronicles the incredible life of the late East Bay rapper, artist and musician. (Penguin Random House)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 1990, \u003cem>USA Today\u003c/em> formally contacted NASA to clarify rumors about their latest technology, apparently dubbed “sex packets.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Weeks prior, Oakland’s afrosurrealist rap collective Digital Underground (DU) had released their debut album, \u003cem>Sex Packets\u003c/em>, themed around a new drug for astronauts that could instantly gratify their sexual desires. As DU’s transgressive lyrics glorified the illicit substance, news of the invention leaked onto the Bay Area’s streets: pamphlets were distributed, and condoms were passed out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>NASA was forced to respond to the coital discourse: “NASA has not in the past, nor will they in the future, be working on such a pill … It would be impossible to satisfy the carnal urges of astronauts … To my knowledge, unbridled lust has never interfered with a space mission.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s the first and likely last instance of NASA being outmaneuvered by Oakland rappers. (It turned out DU had created the pamphlets and condoms as subversive promotional materials.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The elaborate prank was a piece of artistic genius orchestrated by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929900/shock-g-revolutionized-hip-hop-and-created-a-secret-trove-of-funky-art\">Gregory Jacobs — the late MC, songwriter, illustrator, pianist and costume-wearing virtuoso\u003c/a> known as Shock G. The NASA incident is just one of the many shenanigans detailed in his posthumous memoir, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground\u003c/em>, out Aug. 25 — Shock G’s birthday — from \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738825/keep-it-beautiful-by-alexis-wolfe-mbassa-and-gregory-e-jacobs/\">Penguin Random House\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992875\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shock G and Alexis Wolfe Mbassa in Tampa, Fla., working on the memoir ‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground.’ (Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The book combines handwritten notes, interview transcripts, personal photos and rare sketches compiled by Jacobs’ longtime friend and photographer, Alexis Wolfe Mbassa, who tagged along with Jacobs in order to document his eccentric life for over a decade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The association was intentional; in 2011, Jacobs personally recruited Wolfe Mbassa as a co-author for his autobiography. In 2021, just eight months after submitting the book to literary agents, Jacobs died from a drug overdose in Florida. He was 57.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was never about money or becoming successful for him; it was about having the freedom to create,” Wolfe Mbassa told KQED. “He put himself in wild situations just to hold on to that freedom.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A natural rebel\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wild situations form much of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>. It details Jacobs’ stints in pimping, homelessness and jail, while containing all of the exuberant, out-of-pocket abundance of a Shock G production. A conversation between Shock G and George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic? Yup. An African gray parrot named Afro who lives in Shock G’s childhood home and imitates his stepmom, Sonya? That too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One entire chapter is dedicated to his early friendship with a teenage Tupac Shakur, who joined DU as a member before going solo. (Apparently Pac had a “fucked” jump shot in basketball, and no one wanted him on their team).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992876\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2000x1500.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Notes on a draft of the book, written by Shock G, show his involvement in the book’s phrasing and layout. Pictured together are Shock G and Tupac Shakur. (Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Largely stream-of-consciousness in homage to Jacobs’ creative process, the book is divided into sections based on the regions where he lived. Wolfe Mbassa traveled to each of them to conduct interviews: Topanga Canyon, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Oakland, New York City and Tampa.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jacobs recounts his first job as a 15-year-old, DJing at a local radio station in Tampa. He was fired for disobeying the radio’s directives and opting to spin the full 15-minute version of “(Not Just) Knee Deep” by Funkadelic instead of airing commercials.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It isn’t the only example in the book of his natural inclination to rebel. Jacobs extensively details how he evaded authorities, and circumvented court appearances, from age 17 to 22. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Music as a savior \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even for the most studious hip-hop heads, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em> reveals overlooked wrinkles in Shock’s personality and biography. (Did you know that DU’s original band name was “Spice Regime”?) The book also includes a trove of never-before-seen drawings by Jacobs, showcasing a crude and whimsical style that would come to define his artistry, which sometimes reached ridiculous levels of raunch. (One sketch portrays an anthropomorphic anus forcing an “ASS-PIRIN” pill down its own hole.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1296\" height=\"996\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg 1296w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-160x123.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-768x590.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1296px) 100vw, 1296px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A young Shock G (left) with his grandmother Gloria. (Courtesy Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the main thrust of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful \u003c/em>are the granular narratives that Jacobs discloses, like his memories of being jailed in San Diego for six months for grand theft auto, where he used art as a bartering tool. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In scattered, disconnected bursts, he and Wolfe Mbassa recount his side quests and failures (such as his brief time as a male “gigolo” in Pennsylvania) revealing the down-bad experiences that molded his worldview before his rap and art careers took off. Glimpses of that fast life can be heard in his lyrics, but the book shows in detail how Shock G actually did \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqJAnQTwmJs&list=RDYqJAnQTwmJs&start_radio=1\">get around\u003c/a> from coast to coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At its core, the collage of archival material shows how music and art became Jacobs’ salvation, therapy and refuge. Putting it all together was a joyous challenge for Wolfe Mbassa, personally tasked by Jacobs to retain the book’s silliness and humor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2045\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992878\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2000x1597.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--768x613.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--1536x1227.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2048x1636.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of a later-era lineup of Digital Underground, pictured in Oakland, with Shock G second from left. (Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One of the most difficult parts was trying to figure out how to pull all the pieces together. He always wanted it to be like a scrapbook,” she says. “He wanted it to feel like his personal journals did: stories, mixed with memorabilia and art.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In sitting with \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>, its spiritual thesis is clear: Jacobs’ everlasting search for beauty, creativity and funky originality shone brightest during his darkest hours. It’s about keeping it beautiful, especially when beauty isn’t easily kept.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was so much fun,” Wolfe Mbassa confirms, “to live in his world.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground’ will be released on Aug. 25\u003c/em>. \u003cem>A free release party with Alexis Wolfe Mbassa and members of Digital Underground takes place Saturday, Aug. 22 at Drake’s Dealership (2325 Broadway, Oakland). \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbtkbvQSXrw/\">\u003cem>Event information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992877\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg 2067w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-2000x2477.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-160x198.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-768x951.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1240x1536.jpg 1240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1654x2048.jpg 1654w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground,’ chronicles the incredible life of the late East Bay rapper, artist and musician.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992877\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground,’ chronicles the incredible life of the late East Bay rapper, artist and musician.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 1990, \u003cem>USA Today\u003c/em> formally contacted NASA to clarify rumors about their latest technology, apparently dubbed “sex packets.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Weeks prior, Oakland’s afrosurrealist rap collective Digital Underground (DU) had released their debut album, \u003cem>Sex Packets\u003c/em>, themed around a new drug for astronauts that could instantly gratify their sexual desires. As DU’s transgressive lyrics glorified the illicit substance, news of the invention leaked onto the Bay Area’s streets: pamphlets were distributed, and condoms were passed out.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Weeks prior, Oakland’s afrosurrealist rap collective Digital Underground (DU) had released their debut album, \u003cem>Sex Packets\u003c/em>, themed around a new drug for astronauts that could instantly gratify their sexual desires. As DU’s transgressive lyrics glorified the illicit substance, news of the invention leaked onto the Bay Area’s streets: pamphlets were distributed, and condoms were passed out.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>NASA was forced to respond to the coital discourse: “NASA has not in the past, nor will they in the future, be working on such a pill … It would be impossible to satisfy the carnal urges of astronauts … To my knowledge, unbridled lust has never interfered with a space mission.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>NASA was forced to respond to the coital discourse: “NASA has not in the past, nor will they in the future, be working on such a pill … It would be impossible to satisfy the carnal urges of astronauts … To my knowledge, unbridled lust has never interfered with a space mission.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The elaborate prank was a piece of artistic genius orchestrated by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929900/shock-g-revolutionized-hip-hop-and-created-a-secret-trove-of-funky-art\">Gregory Jacobs — the late MC, songwriter, illustrator, pianist and costume-wearing virtuoso\u003c/a> known as Shock G. The NASA incident is just one of the many shenanigans detailed in his posthumous memoir, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground\u003c/em>, out Aug. 25 — Shock G’s birthday — from \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738825/keep-it-beautiful-by-alexis-wolfe-mbassa-and-gregory-e-jacobs/\">Penguin Random House\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The elaborate prank was a piece of artistic genius orchestrated by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929900/shock-g-revolutionized-hip-hop-and-created-a-secret-trove-of-funky-art\">Gregory Jacobs — the late MC, songwriter, illustrator, pianist and costume-wearing virtuoso\u003c/a> known as Shock G. The NASA incident is just one of the many shenanigans detailed in his posthumous memoir, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground\u003c/em>, out Aug. 25 — Shock G’s birthday — from \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738825/keep-it-beautiful-by-alexis-wolfe-mbassa-and-gregory-e-jacobs/\">Penguin Random House\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992875\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shock G and Alexis Wolfe Mbassa in Tampa, Fla., working on the memoir ‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The association was intentional; in 2011, Jacobs personally recruited Wolfe Mbassa as a co-author for his autobiography. In 2021, just eight months after submitting the book to literary agents, Jacobs died from a drug overdose in Florida. He was 57.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The association was intentional; in 2011, Jacobs personally recruited Wolfe Mbassa as a co-author for his autobiography. In 2021, just eight months after submitting the book to literary agents, Jacobs died from a drug overdose in Florida. He was 57.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wild situations form much of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>. It details Jacobs’ stints in pimping, homelessness and jail, while containing all of the exuberant, out-of-pocket abundance of a Shock G production. A conversation between Shock G and George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic? Yup. An African gray parrot named Afro who lives in Shock G’s childhood home and imitates his stepmom, Sonya? That too. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Wild situations form much of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>. It details Jacobs’ stints in pimping, homelessness and jail, while containing all of the exuberant, out-of-pocket abundance of a Shock G production. A conversation between Shock G and George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic? Yup. An African gray parrot named Afro who lives in Shock G’s childhood home and imitates his stepmom, Sonya? That too. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One entire chapter is dedicated to his early friendship with a teenage Tupac Shakur, who joined DU as a member before going solo. (Apparently Pac had a “fucked” jump shot in basketball, and no one wanted him on their team).\u003c/p>\n",
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2000x1500.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992876\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2000x1500.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Notes on a draft of the book, written by Shock G, show his involvement in the book’s phrasing and layout. Pictured together are Shock G and Tupac Shakur.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992876\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Notes on a draft of the book, written by Shock G, show his involvement in the book’s phrasing and layout. Pictured together are Shock G and Tupac Shakur.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Largely stream-of-consciousness in homage to Jacobs’ creative process, the book is divided into sections based on the regions where he lived. Wolfe Mbassa traveled to each of them to conduct interviews: Topanga Canyon, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Oakland, New York City and Tampa.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Largely stream-of-consciousness in homage to Jacobs’ creative process, the book is divided into sections based on the regions where he lived. Wolfe Mbassa traveled to each of them to conduct interviews: Topanga Canyon, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Oakland, New York City and Tampa.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jacobs recounts his first job as a 15-year-old, DJing at a local radio station in Tampa. He was fired for disobeying the radio’s directives and opting to spin the full 15-minute version of “(Not Just) Knee Deep” by Funkadelic instead of airing commercials.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jacobs recounts his first job as a 15-year-old, DJing at a local radio station in Tampa. He was fired for disobeying the radio’s directives and opting to spin the full 15-minute version of “(Not Just) Knee Deep” by Funkadelic instead of airing commercials.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It isn’t the only example in the book of his natural inclination to rebel. Jacobs extensively details how he evaded authorities, and circumvented court appearances, from age 17 to 22. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even for the most studious hip-hop heads, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em> reveals overlooked wrinkles in Shock’s personality and biography. (Did you know that DU’s original band name was “Spice Regime”?) The book also includes a trove of never-before-seen drawings by Jacobs, showcasing a crude and whimsical style that would come to define his artistry, which sometimes reached ridiculous levels of raunch. (One sketch portrays an anthropomorphic anus forcing an “ASS-PIRIN” pill down its own hole.) \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Even for the most studious hip-hop heads, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em> reveals overlooked wrinkles in Shock’s personality and biography. (Did you know that DU’s original band name was “Spice Regime”?) The book also includes a trove of never-before-seen drawings by Jacobs, showcasing a crude and whimsical style that would come to define his artistry, which sometimes reached ridiculous levels of raunch. (One sketch portrays an anthropomorphic anus forcing an “ASS-PIRIN” pill down its own hole.) \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg 1296w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-160x123.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-768x590.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A young Shock G (left) with his grandmother Gloria. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the main thrust of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful \u003c/em>are the granular narratives that Jacobs discloses, like his memories of being jailed in San Diego for six months for grand theft auto, where he used art as a bartering tool. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In scattered, disconnected bursts, he and Wolfe Mbassa recount his side quests and failures (such as his brief time as a male “gigolo” in Pennsylvania) revealing the down-bad experiences that molded his worldview before his rap and art careers took off. Glimpses of that fast life can be heard in his lyrics, but the book shows in detail how Shock G actually did \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqJAnQTwmJs&list=RDYqJAnQTwmJs&start_radio=1\">get around\u003c/a> from coast to coast.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At its core, the collage of archival material shows how music and art became Jacobs’ salvation, therapy and refuge. Putting it all together was a joyous challenge for Wolfe Mbassa, personally tasked by Jacobs to retain the book’s silliness and humor.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992878\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2000x1597.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--768x613.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--1536x1227.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2048x1636.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of a later-era lineup of Digital Underground, pictured in Oakland, with Shock G second from left. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992878\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of a later-era lineup of Digital Underground, pictured in Oakland, with Shock G second from left. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“One of the most difficult parts was trying to figure out how to pull all the pieces together. He always wanted it to be like a scrapbook,” she says. “He wanted it to feel like his personal journals did: stories, mixed with memorabilia and art.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“One of the most difficult parts was trying to figure out how to pull all the pieces together. He always wanted it to be like a scrapbook,” she says. “He wanted it to feel like his personal journals did: stories, mixed with memorabilia and art.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In sitting with \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>, its spiritual thesis is clear: Jacobs’ everlasting search for beauty, creativity and funky originality shone brightest during his darkest hours. It’s about keeping it beautiful, especially when beauty isn’t easily kept.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In sitting with \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>, its spiritual thesis is clear: Jacobs’ everlasting search for beauty, creativity and funky originality shone brightest during his darkest hours. It’s about keeping it beautiful, especially when beauty isn’t easily kept.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was so much fun,” Wolfe Mbassa confirms, “to live in his world.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground’ will be released on Aug. 25\u003c/em>. \u003cem>A free release party with Alexis Wolfe Mbassa and members of Digital Underground takes place Saturday, Aug. 22 at Drake’s Dealership (2325 Broadway, Oakland). \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbtkbvQSXrw/\">\u003cem>Event information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground’ will be released on Aug. 25\u003c/em>. \u003cem>A free release party with Alexis Wolfe Mbassa and members of Digital Underground takes place Saturday, Aug. 22 at Drake’s Dealership (2325 Broadway, Oakland). \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbtkbvQSXrw/\">\u003cem>Event information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "‘Keep It Beautiful’ is an inside look at the Digital Underground frontman’s artistry and complexities.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2067\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992877\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-scaled.jpg 2067w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-2000x2477.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-160x198.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-768x951.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1240x1536.jpg 1240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/COVER_Keep-It-Beautiful-1654x2048.jpg 1654w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2067px) 100vw, 2067px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground,’ chronicles the incredible life of the late East Bay rapper, artist and musician. (Penguin Random House)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 1990, \u003cem>USA Today\u003c/em> formally contacted NASA to clarify rumors about their latest technology, apparently dubbed “sex packets.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Weeks prior, Oakland’s afrosurrealist rap collective Digital Underground (DU) had released their debut album, \u003cem>Sex Packets\u003c/em>, themed around a new drug for astronauts that could instantly gratify their sexual desires. As DU’s transgressive lyrics glorified the illicit substance, news of the invention leaked onto the Bay Area’s streets: pamphlets were distributed, and condoms were passed out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>NASA was forced to respond to the coital discourse: “NASA has not in the past, nor will they in the future, be working on such a pill … It would be impossible to satisfy the carnal urges of astronauts … To my knowledge, unbridled lust has never interfered with a space mission.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s the first and likely last instance of NASA being outmaneuvered by Oakland rappers. (It turned out DU had created the pamphlets and condoms as subversive promotional materials.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The elaborate prank was a piece of artistic genius orchestrated by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929900/shock-g-revolutionized-hip-hop-and-created-a-secret-trove-of-funky-art\">Gregory Jacobs — the late MC, songwriter, illustrator, pianist and costume-wearing virtuoso\u003c/a> known as Shock G. The NASA incident is just one of the many shenanigans detailed in his posthumous memoir, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground\u003c/em>, out Aug. 25 — Shock G’s birthday — from \u003ca href=\"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738825/keep-it-beautiful-by-alexis-wolfe-mbassa-and-gregory-e-jacobs/\">Penguin Random House\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992875\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alexis-and-Greg-in-Tampa-p228-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shock G and Alexis Wolfe Mbassa in Tampa, Fla., working on the memoir ‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground.’ (Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The book combines handwritten notes, interview transcripts, personal photos and rare sketches compiled by Jacobs’ longtime friend and photographer, Alexis Wolfe Mbassa, who tagged along with Jacobs in order to document his eccentric life for over a decade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The association was intentional; in 2011, Jacobs personally recruited Wolfe Mbassa as a co-author for his autobiography. In 2021, just eight months after submitting the book to literary agents, Jacobs died from a drug overdose in Florida. He was 57.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was never about money or becoming successful for him; it was about having the freedom to create,” Wolfe Mbassa told KQED. “He put himself in wild situations just to hold on to that freedom.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A natural rebel\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wild situations form much of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>. It details Jacobs’ stints in pimping, homelessness and jail, while containing all of the exuberant, out-of-pocket abundance of a Shock G production. A conversation between Shock G and George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic? Yup. An African gray parrot named Afro who lives in Shock G’s childhood home and imitates his stepmom, Sonya? That too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One entire chapter is dedicated to his early friendship with a teenage Tupac Shakur, who joined DU as a member before going solo. (Apparently Pac had a “fucked” jump shot in basketball, and no one wanted him on their team).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992876\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2000x1500.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/ShocksNotes_inSharpie-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Notes on a draft of the book, written by Shock G, show his involvement in the book’s phrasing and layout. Pictured together are Shock G and Tupac Shakur. (Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Largely stream-of-consciousness in homage to Jacobs’ creative process, the book is divided into sections based on the regions where he lived. Wolfe Mbassa traveled to each of them to conduct interviews: Topanga Canyon, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Oakland, New York City and Tampa.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jacobs recounts his first job as a 15-year-old, DJing at a local radio station in Tampa. He was fired for disobeying the radio’s directives and opting to spin the full 15-minute version of “(Not Just) Knee Deep” by Funkadelic instead of airing commercials.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It isn’t the only example in the book of his natural inclination to rebel. Jacobs extensively details how he evaded authorities, and circumvented court appearances, from age 17 to 22. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Music as a savior \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even for the most studious hip-hop heads, \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em> reveals overlooked wrinkles in Shock’s personality and biography. (Did you know that DU’s original band name was “Spice Regime”?) The book also includes a trove of never-before-seen drawings by Jacobs, showcasing a crude and whimsical style that would come to define his artistry, which sometimes reached ridiculous levels of raunch. (One sketch portrays an anthropomorphic anus forcing an “ASS-PIRIN” pill down its own hole.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1296\" height=\"996\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria.jpg 1296w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-160x123.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p212-Grandma-Gloria-768x590.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1296px) 100vw, 1296px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A young Shock G (left) with his grandmother Gloria. (Courtesy Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the main thrust of \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful \u003c/em>are the granular narratives that Jacobs discloses, like his memories of being jailed in San Diego for six months for grand theft auto, where he used art as a bartering tool. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In scattered, disconnected bursts, he and Wolfe Mbassa recount his side quests and failures (such as his brief time as a male “gigolo” in Pennsylvania) revealing the down-bad experiences that molded his worldview before his rap and art careers took off. Glimpses of that fast life can be heard in his lyrics, but the book shows in detail how Shock G actually did \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqJAnQTwmJs&list=RDYqJAnQTwmJs&start_radio=1\">get around\u003c/a> from coast to coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At its core, the collage of archival material shows how music and art became Jacobs’ salvation, therapy and refuge. Putting it all together was a joyous challenge for Wolfe Mbassa, personally tasked by Jacobs to retain the book’s silliness and humor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2045\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992878\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2000x1597.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--160x128.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--768x613.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--1536x1227.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/p171-Underground-oakland--2048x1636.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of a later-era lineup of Digital Underground, pictured in Oakland, with Shock G second from left. (Alexis Wolfe Mbassa)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One of the most difficult parts was trying to figure out how to pull all the pieces together. He always wanted it to be like a scrapbook,” she says. “He wanted it to feel like his personal journals did: stories, mixed with memorabilia and art.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In sitting with \u003cem>Keep It Beautiful\u003c/em>, its spiritual thesis is clear: Jacobs’ everlasting search for beauty, creativity and funky originality shone brightest during his darkest hours. It’s about keeping it beautiful, especially when beauty isn’t easily kept.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was so much fun,” Wolfe Mbassa confirms, “to live in his world.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Keep It Beautiful: Inside the Funkyverse of Shock G and Digital Underground’ will be released on Aug. 25\u003c/em>. \u003cem>A free release party with Alexis Wolfe Mbassa and members of Digital Underground takes place Saturday, Aug. 22 at Drake’s Dealership (2325 Broadway, Oakland). \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbtkbvQSXrw/\">\u003cem>Event information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "bens-chinese-restaurant-oakland-not-closing",
"title": "Oakland’s Most Underrated Chinese Restaurant Isn’t Closing After All",
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"content": "\u003cp>As it turns out, reports on the demise of Ben’s, a spot I once called “\u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/the-best-chinese-restaurant-in-oakland-that-youve-never-heard-of-1/\">the best Chinese restaurant in Oakland that you haven’t heard of\u003c/a>,” were a little bit premature.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Local news outlets \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/bens-chinese-restaurant-closed-oakland-22377342.php\">reported\u003c/a> that the Jack London staple had closed after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/1vgh85y/bens_on_3rd_st_in_jls/\">Reddit poster\u003c/a> found the restaurant shuttered unexpectedly last week. A sign in the window read, “Since 1986, thank you for a great 40 years.” There was no previous warning that Ben’s had been planning to close.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When reached by phone, however, second-generation owner David Fung clarified that Ben’s wasn’t closing permanently after all. Instead, the restaurant will be taking extended break with the goal of reopening in two or three months.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Pops needed a break,” David explained, referring to his father, Ben Fung, the restaurant’s lone chef and namesake since he opened the place in 1986.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a regular at Ben’s when I worked down the street in the early 2010s, I fell in love with the restaurant’s homey, unpretentious Cantonese American lunch plates, which at the time were priced at around just $6 a pop: heaping portions of garlic fried chicken, shrimp and scrambled egg over rice, and curry-spiced Singapore rice noodles, all laden with an abundance of fresh vegetables. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce.jpg\" alt=\"Metal container with chili sauce.\" class=\"wp-image-13992747\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The restaurant’s housemade black bean chili sauce might be even more famous and beloved than its actual dishes. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>My favorite is the off-menu “David Special” rice plate, which folds plump shrimp and tender beef into a fluffy, golden-brown egg omelet. Paired with heaping dollops of Ben’s fiendishly delicious housemade black bean chili sauce, it’s one of my favorite comfort meals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the restaurant’s temporary closure happened all of a sudden, the Fungs will take the time off to make some much-needed updates. First, they’ve transferred ownership to David’s name. At 76 years old, the elder Fung has long contemplated retirement. The idea, David says, is that when Ben’s reopens, his father can just come in and cook for a few hours every day. Meanwhile, David himself will take over all of the other day-to-day responsibilities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The restaurant itself also needs a fairly significant renovation — new floors, a new fire escape, an updated bathroom. For the entirety of its 40-year history, Ben’s has been the very definition of a tiny, barebones hole-in-the-wall. While David doesn’t expect that to change, he does hope to make the space a little bit more modern and inviting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Part of what the family is beginning to prepare, then, is a succession plan for when Beneventually does retire. David says he’s already learned most of the recipes — in fact, when Ben’s reopens, he’s thinking about keeping the restaurant open in the evenings for the first time and cooking the dinner service himself. Eventually, though, they’ll need to hire and train a new chef they trust.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As for his father’s real retirement plan? They want to bottle and sell that \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/best-homemade-hot-sauce-2-1/\">famous chili sauce\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens-exterior.jpg\" alt=\"Light blue exterior of a well-worn Chinese restaurant. The English-language signage reads, "Ben's." \" class=\"wp-image-13992748\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens-exterior.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens-exterior-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens-exterior-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens-exterior-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ben’s has been serving a notably diverse range of customers since 1986. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>David, for his part, was an infant when his father first opened Ben’s in 1986 — he literally grew up at the restaurant. Back in those early days, the nearby Port of Oakland and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12047368/while-oakland-sleeps-a-100-year-old-produce-market-bustles-with-life\">wholesale produce market\u003c/a> were both a lot busier, and the railroad tracks used to go all the way through 3rd Street. (“At any given moment,” David recalls, “the freight trains would go through right in front of our store.”) The restaurant used to open at 4 a.m. to serve breakfast to folks finishing up a late-night shift.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What never changed, though, is the diversity of the restaurant’s clientele, which has always included doctors, lawyers, blue-collar dock workers, construction workers and everyone in between. To all of those longtime fans of the restaurant, David promises that there’s no need to worry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The David Special is not going extinct,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Ben’s is located at 398 3rd St. in Oakland. The restaurant expects to be closed for renovation for at least two or three months.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Local news outlets \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/bens-chinese-restaurant-closed-oakland-22377342.php\">reported\u003c/a> that the Jack London staple had closed after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/1vgh85y/bens_on_3rd_st_in_jls/\">Reddit poster\u003c/a> found the restaurant shuttered unexpectedly last week. A sign in the window read, “Since 1986, thank you for a great 40 years.” There was no previous warning that Ben’s had been planning to close.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When reached by phone, however, second-generation owner David Fung clarified that Ben’s wasn’t closing permanently after all. Instead, the restaurant will be taking extended break with the goal of reopening in two or three months.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When reached by phone, however, second-generation owner David Fung clarified that Ben’s wasn’t closing permanently after all. Instead, the restaurant will be taking extended break with the goal of reopening in two or three months.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Pops needed a break,” David explained, referring to his father, Ben Fung, the restaurant’s lone chef and namesake since he opened the place in 1986.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As a regular at Ben’s when I worked down the street in the early 2010s, I fell in love with the restaurant’s homey, unpretentious Cantonese American lunch plates, which at the time were priced at around just $6 a pop: heaping portions of garlic fried chicken, shrimp and scrambled egg over rice, and curry-spiced Singapore rice noodles, all laden with an abundance of fresh vegetables. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As a regular at Ben’s when I worked down the street in the early 2010s, I fell in love with the restaurant’s homey, unpretentious Cantonese American lunch plates, which at the time were priced at around just $6 a pop: heaping portions of garlic fried chicken, shrimp and scrambled egg over rice, and curry-spiced Singapore rice noodles, all laden with an abundance of fresh vegetables. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce.jpg\" alt=\"Metal container with chili sauce.\" class=\"wp-image-13992747\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The restaurant’s housemade black bean chili sauce might be even more famous and beloved than its actual dishes.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While the restaurant’s temporary closure happened all of a sudden, the Fungs will take the time off to make some much-needed updates. First, they’ve transferred ownership to David’s name. At 76 years old, the elder Fung has long contemplated retirement. The idea, David says, is that when Ben’s reopens, his father can just come in and cook for a few hours every day. Meanwhile, David himself will take over all of the other day-to-day responsibilities. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The restaurant itself also needs a fairly significant renovation — new floors, a new fire escape, an updated bathroom. For the entirety of its 40-year history, Ben’s has been the very definition of a tiny, barebones hole-in-the-wall. While David doesn’t expect that to change, he does hope to make the space a little bit more modern and inviting.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Part of what the family is beginning to prepare, then, is a succession plan for when Beneventually does retire. David says he’s already learned most of the recipes — in fact, when Ben’s reopens, he’s thinking about keeping the restaurant open in the evenings for the first time and cooking the dinner service himself. Eventually, though, they’ll need to hire and train a new chef they trust.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As for his father’s real retirement plan? They want to bottle and sell that \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/best-homemade-hot-sauce-2-1/\">famous chili sauce\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>David, for his part, was an infant when his father first opened Ben’s in 1986 — he literally grew up at the restaurant. Back in those early days, the nearby Port of Oakland and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12047368/while-oakland-sleeps-a-100-year-old-produce-market-bustles-with-life\">wholesale produce market\u003c/a> were both a lot busier, and the railroad tracks used to go all the way through 3rd Street. (“At any given moment,” David recalls, “the freight trains would go through right in front of our store.”) The restaurant used to open at 4 a.m. to serve breakfast to folks finishing up a late-night shift.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>David, for his part, was an infant when his father first opened Ben’s in 1986 — he literally grew up at the restaurant. Back in those early days, the nearby Port of Oakland and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12047368/while-oakland-sleeps-a-100-year-old-produce-market-bustles-with-life\">wholesale produce market\u003c/a> were both a lot busier, and the railroad tracks used to go all the way through 3rd Street. (“At any given moment,” David recalls, “the freight trains would go through right in front of our store.”) The restaurant used to open at 4 a.m. to serve breakfast to folks finishing up a late-night shift.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What never changed, though, is the diversity of the restaurant’s clientele, which has always included doctors, lawyers, blue-collar dock workers, construction workers and everyone in between. To all of those longtime fans of the restaurant, David promises that there’s no need to worry. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What never changed, though, is the diversity of the restaurant’s clientele, which has always included doctors, lawyers, blue-collar dock workers, construction workers and everyone in between. To all of those longtime fans of the restaurant, David promises that there’s no need to worry. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The David Special is not going extinct,” he says.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Ben’s is located at 398 3rd St. in Oakland. The restaurant expects to be closed for renovation for at least two or three months.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Ben’s is located at 398 3rd St. in Oakland. The restaurant expects to be closed for renovation for at least two or three months.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Ben’s, a beloved hole-in-the-wall in the Jack London District, plans to renovate and reopen.",
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"title": "Ben’s Chinese Restaurant in Oakland Isn’t Closing After All | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As it turns out, reports on the demise of Ben’s, a spot I once called “\u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/the-best-chinese-restaurant-in-oakland-that-youve-never-heard-of-1/\">the best Chinese restaurant in Oakland that you haven’t heard of\u003c/a>,” were a little bit premature.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Local news outlets \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/bens-chinese-restaurant-closed-oakland-22377342.php\">reported\u003c/a> that the Jack London staple had closed after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/1vgh85y/bens_on_3rd_st_in_jls/\">Reddit poster\u003c/a> found the restaurant shuttered unexpectedly last week. A sign in the window read, “Since 1986, thank you for a great 40 years.” There was no previous warning that Ben’s had been planning to close.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When reached by phone, however, second-generation owner David Fung clarified that Ben’s wasn’t closing permanently after all. Instead, the restaurant will be taking extended break with the goal of reopening in two or three months.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Pops needed a break,” David explained, referring to his father, Ben Fung, the restaurant’s lone chef and namesake since he opened the place in 1986.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a regular at Ben’s when I worked down the street in the early 2010s, I fell in love with the restaurant’s homey, unpretentious Cantonese American lunch plates, which at the time were priced at around just $6 a pop: heaping portions of garlic fried chicken, shrimp and scrambled egg over rice, and curry-spiced Singapore rice noodles, all laden with an abundance of fresh vegetables. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce.jpg\" alt=\"Metal container with chili sauce.\" class=\"wp-image-13992747\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens_chili-sauce-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The restaurant’s housemade black bean chili sauce might be even more famous and beloved than its actual dishes. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>My favorite is the off-menu “David Special” rice plate, which folds plump shrimp and tender beef into a fluffy, golden-brown egg omelet. Paired with heaping dollops of Ben’s fiendishly delicious housemade black bean chili sauce, it’s one of my favorite comfort meals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the restaurant’s temporary closure happened all of a sudden, the Fungs will take the time off to make some much-needed updates. First, they’ve transferred ownership to David’s name. At 76 years old, the elder Fung has long contemplated retirement. The idea, David says, is that when Ben’s reopens, his father can just come in and cook for a few hours every day. Meanwhile, David himself will take over all of the other day-to-day responsibilities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The restaurant itself also needs a fairly significant renovation — new floors, a new fire escape, an updated bathroom. For the entirety of its 40-year history, Ben’s has been the very definition of a tiny, barebones hole-in-the-wall. While David doesn’t expect that to change, he does hope to make the space a little bit more modern and inviting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Part of what the family is beginning to prepare, then, is a succession plan for when Beneventually does retire. David says he’s already learned most of the recipes — in fact, when Ben’s reopens, he’s thinking about keeping the restaurant open in the evenings for the first time and cooking the dinner service himself. Eventually, though, they’ll need to hire and train a new chef they trust.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As for his father’s real retirement plan? They want to bottle and sell that \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/best-homemade-hot-sauce-2-1/\">famous chili sauce\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens-exterior.jpg\" alt=\"Light blue exterior of a well-worn Chinese restaurant. The English-language signage reads, "Ben's." \" class=\"wp-image-13992748\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens-exterior.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens-exterior-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens-exterior-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/bens-exterior-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ben’s has been serving a notably diverse range of customers since 1986. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>David, for his part, was an infant when his father first opened Ben’s in 1986 — he literally grew up at the restaurant. Back in those early days, the nearby Port of Oakland and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12047368/while-oakland-sleeps-a-100-year-old-produce-market-bustles-with-life\">wholesale produce market\u003c/a> were both a lot busier, and the railroad tracks used to go all the way through 3rd Street. (“At any given moment,” David recalls, “the freight trains would go through right in front of our store.”) The restaurant used to open at 4 a.m. to serve breakfast to folks finishing up a late-night shift.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What never changed, though, is the diversity of the restaurant’s clientele, which has always included doctors, lawyers, blue-collar dock workers, construction workers and everyone in between. To all of those longtime fans of the restaurant, David promises that there’s no need to worry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The David Special is not going extinct,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Ben’s is located at 398 3rd St. in Oakland. The restaurant expects to be closed for renovation for at least two or three months.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "7-parties-not-to-miss-during-oakland-pride-weekend",
"title": "7 Parties Not to Miss During Oakland Pride Weekend",
"publishDate": 1786633200,
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"headTitle": "7 Parties Not to Miss During Oakland Pride Weekend | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>San Francisco might go all out for Pride in June, but Oakland keeps the party going. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandprideofficial.org/\">Oakland Pride\u003c/a> parade and festival takes over downtown Oakland on Aug. 16, with a headlining performance by “1 Thing” hitmaker Amerie on the main stage. Organized by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandlgbtqcenter.org/\">Oakland LGBTQ Community Center\u003c/a>, the festival features a Latin stage, a Mighty Real stage dedicated to dance music and a Sexy Town stage with adult entertainment for the 18+ crowd. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The extensive lineup reflects the many vibrant cultures and identities under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Performers include Mexican hitmaker Fey; electronic singer-producer Star Amerasu, who’ll perform with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978071/voguing-ballroom-bayview-opera-house-san-francisco-oakland-to-all\">ballroom\u003c/a> collective Oakland to All; and singer Lady Alma, whose virtuosic vocals elevate house music into the spiritual realm. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>True to the Oakland LGBTQ Cultural Center’s mission to help the queer community thrive, Oakland Pride includes activities for youth and elders, plus health and wellness services, including STI testing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Oakland gears up for its big Pride celebration, the Town’s promoters, DJs and drag artists will be hard at work this weekend, lighting up Oakland’s bars and clubs with top-tier queer entertainment. These are the seven parties you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13989802\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luismi Munster poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://shotgun.live/en/festivals/oaklash-pride-block-party-2026\">Oaklash Oakland Pride Block Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Friday, Aug. 14, 5–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Calabash, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oaklash is synonymous with drag in Oakland. Its Oakland Pride block party celebrates drag performers of all genders and genres, and encourages artists to bring out their most eye-popping reveals, tallest wigs and most athletic dance moves. Hosted by Luismi Monstruo Rude, a performer whose special-effects makeup lends itself to some truly freaky transformations, Oaklash’s Oakland Pride Block Party will feature numbers from Anna Tuesday, Princess Capri, Rosie Petals, Yayah the Artist and St. Germain. DJs Dalikamata, Zaalimaa, Ka’lonji and Ledao will be behind the decks, pumping club beats through the speakers all evening long. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbhC2D6GPb6/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Maligrosa\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15\u003c/em>, \u003cem>9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Tallboy, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Queers who love to sweat it out on the dance floor should look no further than Maligrosa at Oakland martini bar Tallboy. DJs Lobottomy, Estrella and Boyprincess will spin Latincore and uptempo global club beats while go-go dancers Nala and Kisa keep the vibes sexy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13980949\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">DJ Shellheart plays a set for the Golden State Valkyries during a game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Aug. 19, 2025. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db8Brscmx4G/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Thee Queer Dance Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15, 9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Ratio, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>DJ Shellheart keeps the crowd hyped at Golden State Valkyries games, and during Oakland Pride weekend she’ll be in the mix at Golden Ratio, the bar co-owned by fellow Valkyries DJ Lady Ryan. Keezy, the producer of the popular Klituation party for women, will join Shellheart for a fiery set of back-to-back twerk anthems, 2000s rap throwbacks and maybe even a line-dancing moment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.queeraunties.com/event/aunties--oak-dayparty\">Queer Aunties\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 4–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Hella Bees, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Queer Aunties is for the grown and sexy — a safe space for queer Black and brown women in their 30s, 40s and beyond to get down. The traveling party originated in L.A. but has spent the year roving to Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. before touching back down in Oakland, where it has a devoted following. The Queer Aunties day party at the sunlit, spacious venue Hella Bees features DJ sets by Micahtron, DJ Ignacia and DJ Bill. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992544\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nicki Jizz host Reparations during the Oasis takeover of the Dolores’ stage at Outside Lands on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tickettailor.com/events/soulovely/2323644\">Soulovely Prom\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16 3:30–8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>7th West, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For 15 years, Soulovely’s day parties have provided a thoughtful space that centers Oakland’s Black and brown queer community, with feel-good music on a sunshine-filled patio. Soulovely Prom invites attendees to wear their most futuristic finery. Fela Kutchii, the Oakland Soul Soccer Club’s official DJ, will spin alongside Zuri Alexa and Koma Tee, with drag performances by Mojo Carter, Miss Bea Haven and Bobby. San Francisco drag star Nicki Jizz will host.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbqgdo3TVdW/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Oakland Pride Sunday at Town Bar\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 12 p.m.–1 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Town Bar, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Located on the Oakland Pride parade route, swanky cocktail lounge Town Bar will stay open all day and all night, with genre-bending DJ sets by React, John Lau and Rus Slumbeautiful to heat up the dance floor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.quericonightclub.com/\">Pride After Dark \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 5 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Que Rico Nightclub, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Que Rico is curating Oakland Pride’s Latin stage, and after the festival the bar will host a block party, with drag, DJs and cute gogos — exact lineup to be announced.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco might go all out for Pride in June, but Oakland keeps the party going. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandprideofficial.org/\">Oakland Pride\u003c/a> parade and festival takes over downtown Oakland on Aug. 16, with a headlining performance by “1 Thing” hitmaker Amerie on the main stage. Organized by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandlgbtqcenter.org/\">Oakland LGBTQ Community Center\u003c/a>, the festival features a Latin stage, a Mighty Real stage dedicated to dance music and a Sexy Town stage with adult entertainment for the 18+ crowd. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandprideofficial.org/\">Oakland Pride\u003c/a> parade and festival takes over downtown Oakland on Aug. 16, with a headlining performance by “1 Thing” hitmaker Amerie on the main stage. Organized by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandlgbtqcenter.org/\">Oakland LGBTQ Community Center\u003c/a>, the festival features a Latin stage, a Mighty Real stage dedicated to dance music and a Sexy Town stage with adult entertainment for the 18+ crowd. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The extensive lineup reflects the many vibrant cultures and identities under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Performers include Mexican hitmaker Fey; electronic singer-producer Star Amerasu, who’ll perform with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978071/voguing-ballroom-bayview-opera-house-san-francisco-oakland-to-all\">ballroom\u003c/a> collective Oakland to All; and singer Lady Alma, whose virtuosic vocals elevate house music into the spiritual realm. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The extensive lineup reflects the many vibrant cultures and identities under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Performers include Mexican hitmaker Fey; electronic singer-producer Star Amerasu, who’ll perform with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978071/voguing-ballroom-bayview-opera-house-san-francisco-oakland-to-all\">ballroom\u003c/a> collective Oakland to All; and singer Lady Alma, whose virtuosic vocals elevate house music into the spiritual realm. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>True to the Oakland LGBTQ Cultural Center’s mission to help the queer community thrive, Oakland Pride includes activities for youth and elders, plus health and wellness services, including STI testing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>True to the Oakland LGBTQ Cultural Center’s mission to help the queer community thrive, Oakland Pride includes activities for youth and elders, plus health and wellness services, including STI testing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As Oakland gears up for its big Pride celebration, the Town’s promoters, DJs and drag artists will be hard at work this weekend, lighting up Oakland’s bars and clubs with top-tier queer entertainment. These are the seven parties you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As Oakland gears up for its big Pride celebration, the Town’s promoters, DJs and drag artists will be hard at work this weekend, lighting up Oakland’s bars and clubs with top-tier queer entertainment. These are the seven parties you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n"
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"imageCredit": "Juliana Yamada for KQED",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13989802\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luismi Munster poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, May 16, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13989802\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luismi Munster poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, May 16, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Oaklash Oakland Pride Block Party",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://shotgun.live/en/festivals/oaklash-pride-block-party-2026\">Oaklash Oakland Pride Block Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://shotgun.live/en/festivals/oaklash-pride-block-party-2026\">Oaklash Oakland Pride Block Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Friday, Aug. 14, 5–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Calabash, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Friday, Aug. 14, 5–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Calabash, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Oaklash is synonymous with drag in Oakland. Its Oakland Pride block party celebrates drag performers of all genders and genres, and encourages artists to bring out their most eye-popping reveals, tallest wigs and most athletic dance moves. Hosted by Luismi Monstruo Rude, a performer whose special-effects makeup lends itself to some truly freaky transformations, Oaklash’s Oakland Pride Block Party will feature numbers from Anna Tuesday, Princess Capri, Rosie Petals, Yayah the Artist and St. Germain. DJs Dalikamata, Zaalimaa, Ka’lonji and Ledao will be behind the decks, pumping club beats through the speakers all evening long. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Oaklash is synonymous with drag in Oakland. Its Oakland Pride block party celebrates drag performers of all genders and genres, and encourages artists to bring out their most eye-popping reveals, tallest wigs and most athletic dance moves. Hosted by Luismi Monstruo Rude, a performer whose special-effects makeup lends itself to some truly freaky transformations, Oaklash’s Oakland Pride Block Party will feature numbers from Anna Tuesday, Princess Capri, Rosie Petals, Yayah the Artist and St. Germain. DJs Dalikamata, Zaalimaa, Ka’lonji and Ledao will be behind the decks, pumping club beats through the speakers all evening long. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"attrs": {
"text": "Maligrosa",
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},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbhC2D6GPb6/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Maligrosa\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbhC2D6GPb6/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Maligrosa\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15\u003c/em>, \u003cem>9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Tallboy, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15\u003c/em>, \u003cem>9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Tallboy, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Queers who love to sweat it out on the dance floor should look no further than Maligrosa at Oakland martini bar Tallboy. DJs Lobottomy, Estrella and Boyprincess will spin Latincore and uptempo global club beats while go-go dancers Nala and Kisa keep the vibes sexy. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Queers who love to sweat it out on the dance floor should look no further than Maligrosa at Oakland martini bar Tallboy. DJs Lobottomy, Estrella and Boyprincess will spin Latincore and uptempo global club beats while go-go dancers Nala and Kisa keep the vibes sexy. \u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
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"attrs": {
"id": 13980949,
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13980949\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">DJ Shellheart plays a set for the Golden State Valkyries during a game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Aug. 19, 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13980949\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">DJ Shellheart plays a set for the Golden State Valkyries during a game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Aug. 19, 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Thee Queer Dance Party",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db8Brscmx4G/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Thee Queer Dance Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db8Brscmx4G/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Thee Queer Dance Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15, 9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Ratio, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15, 9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Ratio, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>DJ Shellheart keeps the crowd hyped at Golden State Valkyries games, and during Oakland Pride weekend she’ll be in the mix at Golden Ratio, the bar co-owned by fellow Valkyries DJ Lady Ryan. Keezy, the producer of the popular Klituation party for women, will join Shellheart for a fiery set of back-to-back twerk anthems, 2000s rap throwbacks and maybe even a line-dancing moment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>DJ Shellheart keeps the crowd hyped at Golden State Valkyries games, and during Oakland Pride weekend she’ll be in the mix at Golden Ratio, the bar co-owned by fellow Valkyries DJ Lady Ryan. Keezy, the producer of the popular Klituation party for women, will join Shellheart for a fiery set of back-to-back twerk anthems, 2000s rap throwbacks and maybe even a line-dancing moment.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Queer Aunties",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.queeraunties.com/event/aunties--oak-dayparty\">Queer Aunties\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.queeraunties.com/event/aunties--oak-dayparty\">Queer Aunties\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 4–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Hella Bees, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 4–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Hella Bees, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
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"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Queer Aunties is for the grown and sexy — a safe space for queer Black and brown women in their 30s, 40s and beyond to get down. The traveling party originated in L.A. but has spent the year roving to Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. before touching back down in Oakland, where it has a devoted following. The Queer Aunties day party at the sunlit, spacious venue Hella Bees features DJ sets by Micahtron, DJ Ignacia and DJ Bill. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16 3:30–8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>7th West, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16 3:30–8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>7th West, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For 15 years, Soulovely’s day parties have provided a thoughtful space that centers Oakland’s Black and brown queer community, with feel-good music on a sunshine-filled patio. Soulovely Prom invites attendees to wear their most futuristic finery. Fela Kutchii, the Oakland Soul Soccer Club’s official DJ, will spin alongside Zuri Alexa and Koma Tee, with drag performances by Mojo Carter, Miss Bea Haven and Bobby. San Francisco drag star Nicki Jizz will host.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For 15 years, Soulovely’s day parties have provided a thoughtful space that centers Oakland’s Black and brown queer community, with feel-good music on a sunshine-filled patio. Soulovely Prom invites attendees to wear their most futuristic finery. Fela Kutchii, the Oakland Soul Soccer Club’s official DJ, will spin alongside Zuri Alexa and Koma Tee, with drag performances by Mojo Carter, Miss Bea Haven and Bobby. San Francisco drag star Nicki Jizz will host.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Oakland Pride Sunday at Town Bar",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbqgdo3TVdW/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Oakland Pride Sunday at Town Bar\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbqgdo3TVdW/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Oakland Pride Sunday at Town Bar\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 12 p.m.–1 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Town Bar, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Located on the Oakland Pride parade route, swanky cocktail lounge Town Bar will stay open all day and all night, with genre-bending DJ sets by React, John Lau and Rus Slumbeautiful to heat up the dance floor. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Located on the Oakland Pride parade route, swanky cocktail lounge Town Bar will stay open all day and all night, with genre-bending DJ sets by React, John Lau and Rus Slumbeautiful to heat up the dance floor. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 5 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Que Rico Nightclub, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Que Rico is curating Oakland Pride’s Latin stage, and after the festival the bar will host a block party, with drag, DJs and cute gogos — exact lineup to be announced.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>San Francisco might go all out for Pride in June, but Oakland keeps the party going. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandprideofficial.org/\">Oakland Pride\u003c/a> parade and festival takes over downtown Oakland on Aug. 16, with a headlining performance by “1 Thing” hitmaker Amerie on the main stage. Organized by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandlgbtqcenter.org/\">Oakland LGBTQ Community Center\u003c/a>, the festival features a Latin stage, a Mighty Real stage dedicated to dance music and a Sexy Town stage with adult entertainment for the 18+ crowd. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The extensive lineup reflects the many vibrant cultures and identities under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Performers include Mexican hitmaker Fey; electronic singer-producer Star Amerasu, who’ll perform with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978071/voguing-ballroom-bayview-opera-house-san-francisco-oakland-to-all\">ballroom\u003c/a> collective Oakland to All; and singer Lady Alma, whose virtuosic vocals elevate house music into the spiritual realm. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>True to the Oakland LGBTQ Cultural Center’s mission to help the queer community thrive, Oakland Pride includes activities for youth and elders, plus health and wellness services, including STI testing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Oakland gears up for its big Pride celebration, the Town’s promoters, DJs and drag artists will be hard at work this weekend, lighting up Oakland’s bars and clubs with top-tier queer entertainment. These are the seven parties you shouldn’t miss. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13989802\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luismi Munster poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://shotgun.live/en/festivals/oaklash-pride-block-party-2026\">Oaklash Oakland Pride Block Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Friday, Aug. 14, 5–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Calabash, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oaklash is synonymous with drag in Oakland. Its Oakland Pride block party celebrates drag performers of all genders and genres, and encourages artists to bring out their most eye-popping reveals, tallest wigs and most athletic dance moves. Hosted by Luismi Monstruo Rude, a performer whose special-effects makeup lends itself to some truly freaky transformations, Oaklash’s Oakland Pride Block Party will feature numbers from Anna Tuesday, Princess Capri, Rosie Petals, Yayah the Artist and St. Germain. DJs Dalikamata, Zaalimaa, Ka’lonji and Ledao will be behind the decks, pumping club beats through the speakers all evening long. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DbhC2D6GPb6/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Maligrosa\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15\u003c/em>, \u003cem>9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Tallboy, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Queers who love to sweat it out on the dance floor should look no further than Maligrosa at Oakland martini bar Tallboy. DJs Lobottomy, Estrella and Boyprincess will spin Latincore and uptempo global club beats while go-go dancers Nala and Kisa keep the vibes sexy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13980949\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/250819-VALKYRIESDJS_00605_TV-KQED-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">DJ Shellheart plays a set for the Golden State Valkyries during a game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Aug. 19, 2025. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db8Brscmx4G/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Thee Queer Dance Party\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Saturday, Aug. 15, 9 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Golden Ratio, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>DJ Shellheart keeps the crowd hyped at Golden State Valkyries games, and during Oakland Pride weekend she’ll be in the mix at Golden Ratio, the bar co-owned by fellow Valkyries DJ Lady Ryan. Keezy, the producer of the popular Klituation party for women, will join Shellheart for a fiery set of back-to-back twerk anthems, 2000s rap throwbacks and maybe even a line-dancing moment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.queeraunties.com/event/aunties--oak-dayparty\">Queer Aunties\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 4–10 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Hella Bees, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Queer Aunties is for the grown and sexy — a safe space for queer Black and brown women in their 30s, 40s and beyond to get down. The traveling party originated in L.A. but has spent the year roving to Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. before touching back down in Oakland, where it has a devoted following. The Queer Aunties day party at the sunlit, spacious venue Hella Bees features DJ sets by Micahtron, DJ Ignacia and DJ Bill. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992544\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260807_OutsideLandsDay2_EG_005_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nicki Jizz host Reparations during the Oasis takeover of the Dolores’ stage at Outside Lands on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.tickettailor.com/events/soulovely/2323644\">Soulovely Prom\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16 3:30–8:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>7th West, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For 15 years, Soulovely’s day parties have provided a thoughtful space that centers Oakland’s Black and brown queer community, with feel-good music on a sunshine-filled patio. Soulovely Prom invites attendees to wear their most futuristic finery. Fela Kutchii, the Oakland Soul Soccer Club’s official DJ, will spin alongside Zuri Alexa and Koma Tee, with drag performances by Mojo Carter, Miss Bea Haven and Bobby. San Francisco drag star Nicki Jizz will host.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbqgdo3TVdW/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Oakland Pride Sunday at Town Bar\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 12 p.m.–1 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Town Bar, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Located on the Oakland Pride parade route, swanky cocktail lounge Town Bar will stay open all day and all night, with genre-bending DJ sets by React, John Lau and Rus Slumbeautiful to heat up the dance floor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.quericonightclub.com/\">Pride After Dark \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sunday, Aug. 16, 5 p.m.–2 a.m.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Que Rico Nightclub, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Que Rico is curating Oakland Pride’s Latin stage, and after the festival the bar will host a block party, with drag, DJs and cute gogos — exact lineup to be announced.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "jenny-cabbage-craft-night-alameda-oakland-free-events",
"title": "This Craft Night Might Be the Hottest Party in Alameda",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/findingyourpeople\">Finding Your People\u003c/a>, a series celebrating the Bay Area’s meetups and subcultures that bring people together IRL in an increasingly online world.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s almost 6 o’clock on a recent Thursday, and a 50-person line has formed in the narrow brick alleyway of the Alameda Brewing warehouse. Twenty-somethings with K-pop keychains; millennial parents pushing strollers; Gen X mothers with teenage daughters; tatted queer couples; and fashion girlies with bleached eyebrows are waiting to get into the hottest party on this side of the island: an all-ages craft night.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wearing a silver dress shaped like an exquisitely frosted cupcake, Jenny Baquing flits about the line, exchanging smiles and hugs with regulars. When the doors open, she warmly welcomes each person and explains the instructions for tonight’s activity: coloring sticker designs — cowboy boots, teddy bears and kittens — that she’s laid out along with markers and pencils at each table, no art experience required.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This evening is part of the increasingly popular series of mixers Baquing calls \u003ca href=\"https://jennyandcabbage.com/\">Jenny and Cabbage\u003c/a>. (Cabbage is her fluffy brown poodle.) Baquing appears comfortable in her element, a true social butterfly, but when we go off to the side to chat, she confesses that she started her craft nights a year ago because she struggled to make friends.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When I was growing up, socializing was very difficult for me,” she admits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992675\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-01-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jenny Baquing speaks with attendees at Jenny and Cabbage at Alameda Brewing in Alameda on July 9, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992458\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jenny Baquing reacts to a surprise gift, a drawing of herself made by a friend. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Some of the event attendees describe themselves as neurodivergent, like Baquing herself. Many have told her they feel similarly out of sorts making small talk. It turns out shiny beads and cute drawings are the perfect ice breakers. “You technically could do all of these crafts by yourself at home,” she says, “but I think so many people come out because they want to be with other creative people. They want to make connections.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Born in Oakland and raised in Antioch, Baquing, 38, has lived in Dallas, Japan and Los Angeles. When she moved back to the Bay Area two years ago, she realized she needed to expand her social circle in her home region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It can feel really vulnerable and scary and sad to say, ‘I want more friends, but I don’t know how to make them,’” she says. “When you are willing to come into a space like this, your bravery is really rewarded with friendship and community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Baquing’s first event, rock painting, drew 75 attendees. That one-off blossomed into a series, and she now hosts craft nights at least twice a month at rotating venues, including Oakland’s Temescal Brewing and Alameda’s Faction Brewing. Popular activities like purse-charm making have drawn upwards of 250 crafters. Her philosophy is simple: make the barrier to entry as low as possible, with supplies provided, and no cover charge or RSVP.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992234\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-06-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992234\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-06-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-06-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-06-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-06-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Participants make crafts at an event hosted by Jenny and Cabbage. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992464\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992464\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee cuts out stickers. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I feel like you can kind of show up, like in the good old days when you would just show up at a friend’s house,” says Baquing. “It just feels like a big party.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each attendee has a different reason for coming to Jenny and Cabbage, but as laughter echoes through the warehouse and scissors and pencils change hands, it becomes clear that everyone arrives with a sense of warmth and openness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tamia Manning, 27, recently moved to the Bay Area from Chicago. After completing two masters programs, she says she felt out of practice when it came to making friends outside of a campus setting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1953\" height=\"1301\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992674\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL.jpg 1953w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1953px) 100vw, 1953px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tamia Manning greets participants attending the craft event at Alameda Brewing. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is really the first time that I’ve ventured out,” she says. “And honestly, it’s a process of relearning what my hobbies are, what my passions are.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now a volunteer for the event, Manning has played “bead fairy” on friendship bracelet night, and has done astrology readings for her fellow crafters on multiple occasions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think joy is resistance,” she says. “I know people say that a lot, but truly it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At a nearby table, Lucia Capezzuto, 20, draws Studio Ghibli-inspired characters freehand. As I join her table and start coloring in a cowboy boot, we chat about the phase of life she’s in. Many of her high school friends from El Cerrito have moved away, and bars and clubs aren’t an option since she’s not yet of drinking age. Instead, she goes to Jenny and Cabbage events to make friends of all ages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve become insanely close to Jenny, and she’s truly like the biggest mentor to me,” Capezzuto gushes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992457\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-02-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-02-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-02-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lucia Capezzuto (center) holds a drawing of herself. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jenny Baquing (left) sits with friend Lucia Capezzuto at Alameda Brewing.\u003cbr> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>With blue hair, a lip ring and loud laugh, Capezzuto’s outgoing presence pulls shyer crafters like Natalie Vega into conversation. A fellow regular, Vega, 30, felt isolated working from home. After hearing about Jenny and Cabbage, it took her weeks to psych herself up to go.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Coming to an event by yourself can be a little intimidating, but [Jenny] had, even just through her TikToks and Instagram videos, she had very good welcoming vibes,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Her first time attending, Vega told herself, “‘If it’s really bad, I can just head out.’ But it was lovely. … I was a little nervous at first, but very quickly, that went away.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992460\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jenny Baquing (left) chats with Natalie Vega and Lucia Capezzuto during her craft event. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Baquing’s craft nights are a volunteer effort. In addition to a handful of regulars who sign up to help, her husband, Chris O’Brien, packs boxes and hauls tables so that Baquing can focus on designing the activities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m like the roadie,” he jokes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The couple spends a lot of time talking about how to make it easier for people to connect face-to-face in our technology-addled world. They were both in college when Facebook began to take off, but any excitement O’Brien once felt about social media has curdled into disappointment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It felt like it was really going to connect a lot of people, and in a lot of ways it kind of did the opposite,” he reflects. “People are really isolated. They have every excuse in the world to just stay home.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to assisting with Jenny and Cabbage events, O’Brien hosts three trivia nights a week: Mondays at Dragon Gate in Oakland, Tuesdays at Doghouse in West Berkeley and Wednesdays at Raleigh’s near the UC Berkeley campus. The craft nights and trivia nights have created a positive feedback loop where people from one find out about the other and join in.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I feel like people actually know how to connect with each other. It’s an ancient need that we all have,” Baquing says. “We’ve been doing it since the beginning of time, sharing stories and laughing together in community over food and something to do. And I feel if people are just given a little sunshine, then they can do the rest themselves.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992467\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992467\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Participants make cat-related crafts at Emeryville Public Market. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1616\" height=\"1077\" data-id=\"13992459\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992459\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg 1616w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1616px) 100vw, 1616px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Marzan Woo holds a painting she made of her cat Mouse Catcher, who she calls MC, during a Jenny and Cabbage event at Emeryville Public Market. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260723-FYP-CraftNight-07-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992238\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260723-FYP-CraftNight-07-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260723-FYP-CraftNight-07-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260723-FYP-CraftNight-07-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260723-FYP-CraftNight-07-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jenny Baquing practices a dance routine at Emeryville Public Market. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Back inside Alameda Brewing, the happy chatter of hundreds of eager crafters echoes through the cavernous space as Baquing proudly looks on. Everyone’s hands are busy, and she can now finally relax and color a few stickers herself. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Jenny and Cabbage is certainly growing, the goal, Baquing says, has never been to build a crafting empire. It’s actually a bit more simple: to find more creative friends of her own. One year in, she’s more than succeeded, and is now paying it forward.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I actually feel very lucky,” she sighs. “I’ve never had this many people that I cared about at the same time.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Jenny and Cabbage’s next events take place at Temescal Brewing (4115 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland) on Aug. 13 and at Faction Brewing (2501 Monarch Street, Alameda) on Aug. 20. Check the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jennyandcabbage/\">Jenny and Cabbage Instagram\u003c/a> for additional details. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s almost 6 o’clock on a recent Thursday, and a 50-person line has formed in the narrow brick alleyway of the Alameda Brewing warehouse. Twenty-somethings with K-pop keychains; millennial parents pushing strollers; Gen X mothers with teenage daughters; tatted queer couples; and fashion girlies with bleached eyebrows are waiting to get into the hottest party on this side of the island: an all-ages craft night.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wearing a silver dress shaped like an exquisitely frosted cupcake, Jenny Baquing flits about the line, exchanging smiles and hugs with regulars. When the doors open, she warmly welcomes each person and explains the instructions for tonight’s activity: coloring sticker designs — cowboy boots, teddy bears and kittens — that she’s laid out along with markers and pencils at each table, no art experience required.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Wearing a silver dress shaped like an exquisitely frosted cupcake, Jenny Baquing flits about the line, exchanging smiles and hugs with regulars. When the doors open, she warmly welcomes each person and explains the instructions for tonight’s activity: coloring sticker designs — cowboy boots, teddy bears and kittens — that she’s laid out along with markers and pencils at each table, no art experience required.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cp>This evening is part of the increasingly popular series of mixers Baquing calls \u003ca href=\"https://jennyandcabbage.com/\">Jenny and Cabbage\u003c/a>. (Cabbage is her fluffy brown poodle.) Baquing appears comfortable in her element, a true social butterfly, but when we go off to the side to chat, she confesses that she started her craft nights a year ago because she struggled to make friends.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some of the event attendees describe themselves as neurodivergent, like Baquing herself. Many have told her they feel similarly out of sorts making small talk. It turns out shiny beads and cute drawings are the perfect ice breakers. “You technically could do all of these crafts by yourself at home,” she says, “but I think so many people come out because they want to be with other creative people. They want to make connections.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Born in Oakland and raised in Antioch, Baquing, 38, has lived in Dallas, Japan and Los Angeles. When she moved back to the Bay Area two years ago, she realized she needed to expand her social circle in her home region.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It can feel really vulnerable and scary and sad to say, ‘I want more friends, but I don’t know how to make them,’” she says. “When you are willing to come into a space like this, your bravery is really rewarded with friendship and community.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Baquing’s first event, rock painting, drew 75 attendees. That one-off blossomed into a series, and she now hosts craft nights at least twice a month at rotating venues, including Oakland’s Temescal Brewing and Alameda’s Faction Brewing. Popular activities like purse-charm making have drawn upwards of 250 crafters. Her philosophy is simple: make the barrier to entry as low as possible, with supplies provided, and no cover charge or RSVP.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I feel like you can kind of show up, like in the good old days when you would just show up at a friend’s house,” says Baquing. “It just feels like a big party.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each attendee has a different reason for coming to Jenny and Cabbage, but as laughter echoes through the warehouse and scissors and pencils change hands, it becomes clear that everyone arrives with a sense of warmth and openness.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Each attendee has a different reason for coming to Jenny and Cabbage, but as laughter echoes through the warehouse and scissors and pencils change hands, it becomes clear that everyone arrives with a sense of warmth and openness.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tamia Manning, 27, recently moved to the Bay Area from Chicago. After completing two masters programs, she says she felt out of practice when it came to making friends outside of a campus setting.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992674\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL.jpg 1953w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tamia Manning greets participants attending the craft event at Alameda Brewing.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is really the first time that I’ve ventured out,” she says. “And honestly, it’s a process of relearning what my hobbies are, what my passions are.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is really the first time that I’ve ventured out,” she says. “And honestly, it’s a process of relearning what my hobbies are, what my passions are.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Now a volunteer for the event, Manning has played “bead fairy” on friendship bracelet night, and has done astrology readings for her fellow crafters on multiple occasions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think joy is resistance,” she says. “I know people say that a lot, but truly it is.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At a nearby table, Lucia Capezzuto, 20, draws Studio Ghibli-inspired characters freehand. As I join her table and start coloring in a cowboy boot, we chat about the phase of life she’s in. Many of her high school friends from El Cerrito have moved away, and bars and clubs aren’t an option since she’s not yet of drinking age. Instead, she goes to Jenny and Cabbage events to make friends of all ages.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At a nearby table, Lucia Capezzuto, 20, draws Studio Ghibli-inspired characters freehand. As I join her table and start coloring in a cowboy boot, we chat about the phase of life she’s in. Many of her high school friends from El Cerrito have moved away, and bars and clubs aren’t an option since she’s not yet of drinking age. Instead, she goes to Jenny and Cabbage events to make friends of all ages.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jenny Baquing (left) sits with friend Lucia Capezzuto at Alameda Brewing.\u003cbr>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With blue hair, a lip ring and loud laugh, Capezzuto’s outgoing presence pulls shyer crafters like Natalie Vega into conversation. A fellow regular, Vega, 30, felt isolated working from home. After hearing about Jenny and Cabbage, it took her weeks to psych herself up to go.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Coming to an event by yourself can be a little intimidating, but [Jenny] had, even just through her TikToks and Instagram videos, she had very good welcoming vibes,” she says.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Her first time attending, Vega told herself, “‘If it’s really bad, I can just head out.’ But it was lovely. … I was a little nervous at first, but very quickly, that went away.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Baquing’s craft nights are a volunteer effort. In addition to a handful of regulars who sign up to help, her husband, Chris O’Brien, packs boxes and hauls tables so that Baquing can focus on designing the activities.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m like the roadie,” he jokes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The couple spends a lot of time talking about how to make it easier for people to connect face-to-face in our technology-addled world. They were both in college when Facebook began to take off, but any excitement O’Brien once felt about social media has curdled into disappointment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The couple spends a lot of time talking about how to make it easier for people to connect face-to-face in our technology-addled world. They were both in college when Facebook began to take off, but any excitement O’Brien once felt about social media has curdled into disappointment.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It felt like it was really going to connect a lot of people, and in a lot of ways it kind of did the opposite,” he reflects. “People are really isolated. They have every excuse in the world to just stay home.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It felt like it was really going to connect a lot of people, and in a lot of ways it kind of did the opposite,” he reflects. “People are really isolated. They have every excuse in the world to just stay home.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In addition to assisting with Jenny and Cabbage events, O’Brien hosts three trivia nights a week: Mondays at Dragon Gate in Oakland, Tuesdays at Doghouse in West Berkeley and Wednesdays at Raleigh’s near the UC Berkeley campus. The craft nights and trivia nights have created a positive feedback loop where people from one find out about the other and join in.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In addition to assisting with Jenny and Cabbage events, O’Brien hosts three trivia nights a week: Mondays at Dragon Gate in Oakland, Tuesdays at Doghouse in West Berkeley and Wednesdays at Raleigh’s near the UC Berkeley campus. The craft nights and trivia nights have created a positive feedback loop where people from one find out about the other and join in.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I feel like people actually know how to connect with each other. It’s an ancient need that we all have,” Baquing says. “We’ve been doing it since the beginning of time, sharing stories and laughing together in community over food and something to do. And I feel if people are just given a little sunshine, then they can do the rest themselves.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992467\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Participants make cat-related crafts at Emeryville Public Market.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Back inside Alameda Brewing, the happy chatter of hundreds of eager crafters echoes through the cavernous space as Baquing proudly looks on. Everyone’s hands are busy, and she can now finally relax and color a few stickers herself. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Back inside Alameda Brewing, the happy chatter of hundreds of eager crafters echoes through the cavernous space as Baquing proudly looks on. Everyone’s hands are busy, and she can now finally relax and color a few stickers herself. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Jenny and Cabbage is certainly growing, the goal, Baquing says, has never been to build a crafting empire. It’s actually a bit more simple: to find more creative friends of her own. One year in, she’s more than succeeded, and is now paying it forward.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While Jenny and Cabbage is certainly growing, the goal, Baquing says, has never been to build a crafting empire. It’s actually a bit more simple: to find more creative friends of her own. One year in, she’s more than succeeded, and is now paying it forward.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I actually feel very lucky,” she sighs. “I’ve never had this many people that I cared about at the same time.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Jenny and Cabbage’s next events take place at Temescal Brewing (4115 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland) on Aug. 13 and at Faction Brewing (2501 Monarch Street, Alameda) on Aug. 20. Check the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jennyandcabbage/\">Jenny and Cabbage Instagram\u003c/a> for additional details. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Jenny and Cabbage’s next events take place at Temescal Brewing (4115 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland) on Aug. 13 and at Faction Brewing (2501 Monarch Street, Alameda) on Aug. 20. Check the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jennyandcabbage/\">Jenny and Cabbage Instagram\u003c/a> for additional details. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Jenny Baquing once struggled to make friends. Her craft nights now draw hundreds of attendees eager for new connections.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/findingyourpeople\">Finding Your People\u003c/a>, a series celebrating the Bay Area’s meetups and subcultures that bring people together IRL in an increasingly online world.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s almost 6 o’clock on a recent Thursday, and a 50-person line has formed in the narrow brick alleyway of the Alameda Brewing warehouse. Twenty-somethings with K-pop keychains; millennial parents pushing strollers; Gen X mothers with teenage daughters; tatted queer couples; and fashion girlies with bleached eyebrows are waiting to get into the hottest party on this side of the island: an all-ages craft night.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wearing a silver dress shaped like an exquisitely frosted cupcake, Jenny Baquing flits about the line, exchanging smiles and hugs with regulars. When the doors open, she warmly welcomes each person and explains the instructions for tonight’s activity: coloring sticker designs — cowboy boots, teddy bears and kittens — that she’s laid out along with markers and pencils at each table, no art experience required.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This evening is part of the increasingly popular series of mixers Baquing calls \u003ca href=\"https://jennyandcabbage.com/\">Jenny and Cabbage\u003c/a>. (Cabbage is her fluffy brown poodle.) Baquing appears comfortable in her element, a true social butterfly, but when we go off to the side to chat, she confesses that she started her craft nights a year ago because she struggled to make friends.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When I was growing up, socializing was very difficult for me,” she admits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992675\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-01-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jenny Baquing speaks with attendees at Jenny and Cabbage at Alameda Brewing in Alameda on July 9, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992458\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jenny Baquing reacts to a surprise gift, a drawing of herself made by a friend. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Some of the event attendees describe themselves as neurodivergent, like Baquing herself. Many have told her they feel similarly out of sorts making small talk. It turns out shiny beads and cute drawings are the perfect ice breakers. “You technically could do all of these crafts by yourself at home,” she says, “but I think so many people come out because they want to be with other creative people. They want to make connections.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Born in Oakland and raised in Antioch, Baquing, 38, has lived in Dallas, Japan and Los Angeles. When she moved back to the Bay Area two years ago, she realized she needed to expand her social circle in her home region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It can feel really vulnerable and scary and sad to say, ‘I want more friends, but I don’t know how to make them,’” she says. “When you are willing to come into a space like this, your bravery is really rewarded with friendship and community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Baquing’s first event, rock painting, drew 75 attendees. That one-off blossomed into a series, and she now hosts craft nights at least twice a month at rotating venues, including Oakland’s Temescal Brewing and Alameda’s Faction Brewing. Popular activities like purse-charm making have drawn upwards of 250 crafters. Her philosophy is simple: make the barrier to entry as low as possible, with supplies provided, and no cover charge or RSVP.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992234\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-06-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992234\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-06-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-06-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-06-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-06-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Participants make crafts at an event hosted by Jenny and Cabbage. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992464\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992464\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee cuts out stickers. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I feel like you can kind of show up, like in the good old days when you would just show up at a friend’s house,” says Baquing. “It just feels like a big party.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each attendee has a different reason for coming to Jenny and Cabbage, but as laughter echoes through the warehouse and scissors and pencils change hands, it becomes clear that everyone arrives with a sense of warmth and openness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tamia Manning, 27, recently moved to the Bay Area from Chicago. After completing two masters programs, she says she felt out of practice when it came to making friends outside of a campus setting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1953\" height=\"1301\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992674\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL.jpg 1953w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260706-FYP-CraftNight-05-BL-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1953px) 100vw, 1953px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tamia Manning greets participants attending the craft event at Alameda Brewing. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is really the first time that I’ve ventured out,” she says. “And honestly, it’s a process of relearning what my hobbies are, what my passions are.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now a volunteer for the event, Manning has played “bead fairy” on friendship bracelet night, and has done astrology readings for her fellow crafters on multiple occasions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think joy is resistance,” she says. “I know people say that a lot, but truly it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At a nearby table, Lucia Capezzuto, 20, draws Studio Ghibli-inspired characters freehand. As I join her table and start coloring in a cowboy boot, we chat about the phase of life she’s in. Many of her high school friends from El Cerrito have moved away, and bars and clubs aren’t an option since she’s not yet of drinking age. Instead, she goes to Jenny and Cabbage events to make friends of all ages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve become insanely close to Jenny, and she’s truly like the biggest mentor to me,” Capezzuto gushes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992457\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-02-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-02-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-CraftNight-02-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lucia Capezzuto (center) holds a drawing of herself. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260709-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jenny Baquing (left) sits with friend Lucia Capezzuto at Alameda Brewing.\u003cbr> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>With blue hair, a lip ring and loud laugh, Capezzuto’s outgoing presence pulls shyer crafters like Natalie Vega into conversation. A fellow regular, Vega, 30, felt isolated working from home. After hearing about Jenny and Cabbage, it took her weeks to psych herself up to go.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Coming to an event by yourself can be a little intimidating, but [Jenny] had, even just through her TikToks and Instagram videos, she had very good welcoming vibes,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Her first time attending, Vega told herself, “‘If it’s really bad, I can just head out.’ But it was lovely. … I was a little nervous at first, but very quickly, that went away.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992460\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260709-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jenny Baquing (left) chats with Natalie Vega and Lucia Capezzuto during her craft event. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Baquing’s craft nights are a volunteer effort. In addition to a handful of regulars who sign up to help, her husband, Chris O’Brien, packs boxes and hauls tables so that Baquing can focus on designing the activities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m like the roadie,” he jokes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The couple spends a lot of time talking about how to make it easier for people to connect face-to-face in our technology-addled world. They were both in college when Facebook began to take off, but any excitement O’Brien once felt about social media has curdled into disappointment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It felt like it was really going to connect a lot of people, and in a lot of ways it kind of did the opposite,” he reflects. “People are really isolated. They have every excuse in the world to just stay home.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to assisting with Jenny and Cabbage events, O’Brien hosts three trivia nights a week: Mondays at Dragon Gate in Oakland, Tuesdays at Doghouse in West Berkeley and Wednesdays at Raleigh’s near the UC Berkeley campus. The craft nights and trivia nights have created a positive feedback loop where people from one find out about the other and join in.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I feel like people actually know how to connect with each other. It’s an ancient need that we all have,” Baquing says. “We’ve been doing it since the beginning of time, sharing stories and laughing together in community over food and something to do. And I feel if people are just given a little sunshine, then they can do the rest themselves.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13992467\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992467\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-02-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Participants make cat-related crafts at Emeryville Public Market. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1616\" height=\"1077\" data-id=\"13992459\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992459\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL.jpg 1616w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260723-FYP-CraftNight-04-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1616px) 100vw, 1616px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Marzan Woo holds a painting she made of her cat Mouse Catcher, who she calls MC, during a Jenny and Cabbage event at Emeryville Public Market. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260723-FYP-CraftNight-07-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992238\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260723-FYP-CraftNight-07-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260723-FYP-CraftNight-07-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260723-FYP-CraftNight-07-BL-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260723-FYP-CraftNight-07-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jenny Baquing practices a dance routine at Emeryville Public Market. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Back inside Alameda Brewing, the happy chatter of hundreds of eager crafters echoes through the cavernous space as Baquing proudly looks on. Everyone’s hands are busy, and she can now finally relax and color a few stickers herself. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Jenny and Cabbage is certainly growing, the goal, Baquing says, has never been to build a crafting empire. It’s actually a bit more simple: to find more creative friends of her own. One year in, she’s more than succeeded, and is now paying it forward.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I actually feel very lucky,” she sighs. “I’ve never had this many people that I cared about at the same time.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Jenny and Cabbage’s next events take place at Temescal Brewing (4115 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland) on Aug. 13 and at Faction Brewing (2501 Monarch Street, Alameda) on Aug. 20. Check the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jennyandcabbage/\">Jenny and Cabbage Instagram\u003c/a> for additional details. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "concept-store-oakland-san-francisco-kindred-studio-two-two-3319-marche",
"title": "‘Wait, What Is This Place?’: Bay Area Concept Stores Blend Art, Fashion and Music",
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"headTitle": "‘Wait, What Is This Place?’: Bay Area Concept Stores Blend Art, Fashion and Music | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Mod Podge drips from my hand as I tightly grip rice paper in my right fist. I lean over a precarious paper lantern in progress, my front teeth securing two wooden rods and my gaze fixed with frustration. What I initially envisioned as a soothing, meditative Thursday night activity at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kindredstudiosf.com/\">Kindred Studio\u003c/a> is not going as planned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just as I’m about to give up, the unassuming stranger seated opposite me offers his twist ties with a smile, rescuing my teeth from their ill-conceived role as makeshift clamps. Looking up for the first time in what feels like hours, I notice every paper lantern around the table has taken on a distinct personality. Each attendee is absorbed in their own quiet concentration, yet a feeling of camaraderie emerges through brief exchanges, shared glances and small acts of generosity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kindred Studio is one of the several new hybrid spaces known as “concept stores” reimagining the Bay Area’s cultural landscape, blurring the boundaries between clothing store, art gallery, music venue and living room. Spaces like San Francisco’s Shop Sommer, The Last Straw, Etta SF and Castle, and Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://twotwo.online/?srsltid=AfmBOoq62pmnj2utm6jmqeVw_kLDFZutsIohj0l0VrBE1u_RWVC83IU9\">Two Two\u003c/a>, 3319 Marché and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13952472/couchdate-oakland-community-events-music\">Couchdate\u003c/a>, resemble delightfully idiosyncratic magazines come to life. Their events foster unexpected encounters between artists, tech workers and creative practitioners, forging new relationships amid the Bay Area’s rapidly evolving creative economy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think it’s beautiful [when someone] walks in and they’re like, ‘What is this place? Is this a gallery or store? I’m confused,’” says Tai Raino-Tsui, co-owner of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/3319marche/?hl=en\">3319 Marché\u003c/a>. “We get that at least once a day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The confusion is understandable. The concept store is a relatively new phenomenon. The term was first coined in 1991 by sociologist Francesco Morace to define Milan’s 10 Corso Como shop. The model later gained international prominence through stores like London’s Dover Street Market and New York City’s Opening Ceremony, helping popularize the blending of fine art, fashion and retail in the United States. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, concept stores are taking over the Bay Area not by storm, but rather a gradual accretion of hybrid retail spaces that are emblematic of the local art scene’s collaborative spirit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992632\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tayler Vo sets up a Vietnamese tea set at Kindred Studio, a tearoom and community space, in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>A haven for the creative and curious\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kindred Studio is about “being present, meeting people,” emphasizes co-owner Tayler Vo. A self-described introvert searching for community in San Francisco, Vo envisioned a tearoom that could also triple-function as a co-working and workshop space, all meant to foster genuine connection.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Vo, socializing is a lot like tea. “You cannot force it. You have to slow down,” Vo says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kindred Studio is intentionally split into four sections separated by curtains: a tearoom, a workshop space, a shoes-on living room and a shoes-off living room. This unconventional layout encourages visitors to embrace uncertainty.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I like to say that if it feels weird or uncomfortable, that’s exactly what you should lean into,” Vo explains.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992631\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tayler Vo at Kindred Studio, a tearoom and community space, in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Since opening at the beginning of this year, Kindred has hosted a wide array of workshops with local artists, including live figure drawing with Rena Monet and paper lantern workshops with Grace Bishop.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anyone who wants to be part of the Kindred community is invited to contribute to the space. One such collaborator is Sage Kitamorn, a former software engineer turned puzzle maker, whom Vo discovered through his puzzle series, \u003ca href=\"https://cozycubs.club/\">Cozy Cubs Puzzle Club\u003c/a>. “I have a feeling she had already read every word on my website,” Kitamorn says, “because she already knew the core shape of what I do in my weird little art project.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The proliferation of concept stores over the past several years attests to Bay Area audiences’ appetite for the unknown and unfamiliar. Oakland-based artist Derwin Deon Brown II recently hosted a community lecture and hi-fi listening session at Kindred Studio for his traveling installation, \u003ca href=\"https://blackamericansoundsystem.org/\">Black American Sound System\u003c/a>. Brown II describes his experience as “incredibly affirming.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The audience wasn’t just listening blindly; they were genuinely engaged,” he says. “People are hungry for spaces where music can be experienced as something deeper than entertainment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992629\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">CC Doan, founder and curator of Two Two, at the Oakland shop on Aug. 7, 2026. The shop features clothing and accessories from independent designers and artists and hosts workshops. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Making room for artistic experiments\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oakland concept store Two Two arose from a similar observation by its founder, CC Doan. “When I moved here, I felt like … a weirdo in places,” she says. “People looked at me like I was pretentious…because I cared about fashion. I was like, ‘OK, if there are 10 other people like me, there’s probably 100 other people like me out in these streets.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two Two showcases work by local, national and international designers, and they’ve hosted over 120 workshops and events since 2022. Subjects include beeswax candle-making with Ravenne Swaner of Lucky Star Candles and a recent incense-making workshop with Hyungi Park.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Every time I return, it feels both familiar and completely different,” Park observes. “It’s a space that continually evolves while still feeling welcoming.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992628\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">CC Doan, founder and curator of Two Two, at the Oakland shop on Aug. 7, 2026. The shop features clothing and accessories from independent designers and artists and hosts workshops. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The clothing designers featured at Two Two embrace that experimental mindset. Local artist Isabella Manfredi’s hand-sewn clothing, screen-printed with designs inspired by sunflower sea stars and her grandfather’s tools, is an extension of her artistic practice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I appreciate showing my work in a context that is as conceptual as a gallery space,” Manfredi says. “Everything that enters the space is filtered through an artful lens or sought out because it is art.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Bringing different scenes together\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just one street over from Two Two is 3319 Marché, which opened in 2024 with a focus on contemporary and vintage clothing, music and art. Founded by born-and-raised Oaklanders Tai Raino-Tsui and Marco Verdin, the shop emerged from the duo’s desire to create a “fashion and design destination” they felt Oakland was missing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While some people might associate the Bay Area with Patagonia and the “tech-bro aesthetic,” Verdin says a considerable shift is happening. “It’s like that demographic is also looking to get outside the box a little bit,” Verdin says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992676\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Co-founder Marco Verdin embroiders a garment at 3319 Marché in Oakland on Aug. 7, 2026. The vintage and designer clothing store also serves as a creative space for art, music and community events. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Raino-Tsui asserts that the overarching mission of the space is to create “a new wave of cultural renaissance from within.” 3319 Marché has hosted performances by prominent Bay Area musicians like Kehlani, Toro y Moi and Ovrkast. Visual artists Phillip Okonma and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13932138/esteban-raheem-abdul-raheem-samayoa-pt-2\">Esteban Samayoa\u003c/a> have shown their work there, and Samayoa’s exhibition doubled as a toy, coat and food drive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While ham-fisted intersections between tech and art can often feel awkward, the Bay Area’s concept stores bring together artists, designers, makers, technologists and curious neighbors with surprising ease. As prominent Bay Area arts institutions close and public funding for the arts continues to shrink, these concept stores offer an alternative model for cultural exchange.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The concept store owners who spoke to KQED all emphasize that they intended to remain permanent players in this conversation. Two Two founder CC Doan reflects, “As more people come, I realize that I have this responsibility to others. Two Two needs to be here because I need to be in service of my community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raino-Tsui of 3319 Marché echoes the same sentiment: “It’s really just about being here and doing our best to show up for ourselves and our people.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"_msocom_1\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mod Podge drips from my hand as I tightly grip rice paper in my right fist. I lean over a precarious paper lantern in progress, my front teeth securing two wooden rods and my gaze fixed with frustration. What I initially envisioned as a soothing, meditative Thursday night activity at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kindredstudiosf.com/\">Kindred Studio\u003c/a> is not going as planned.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mod Podge drips from my hand as I tightly grip rice paper in my right fist. I lean over a precarious paper lantern in progress, my front teeth securing two wooden rods and my gaze fixed with frustration. What I initially envisioned as a soothing, meditative Thursday night activity at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kindredstudiosf.com/\">Kindred Studio\u003c/a> is not going as planned.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Just as I’m about to give up, the unassuming stranger seated opposite me offers his twist ties with a smile, rescuing my teeth from their ill-conceived role as makeshift clamps. Looking up for the first time in what feels like hours, I notice every paper lantern around the table has taken on a distinct personality. Each attendee is absorbed in their own quiet concentration, yet a feeling of camaraderie emerges through brief exchanges, shared glances and small acts of generosity.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Just as I’m about to give up, the unassuming stranger seated opposite me offers his twist ties with a smile, rescuing my teeth from their ill-conceived role as makeshift clamps. Looking up for the first time in what feels like hours, I notice every paper lantern around the table has taken on a distinct personality. Each attendee is absorbed in their own quiet concentration, yet a feeling of camaraderie emerges through brief exchanges, shared glances and small acts of generosity.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kindred Studio is one of the several new hybrid spaces known as “concept stores” reimagining the Bay Area’s cultural landscape, blurring the boundaries between clothing store, art gallery, music venue and living room. Spaces like San Francisco’s Shop Sommer, The Last Straw, Etta SF and Castle, and Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://twotwo.online/?srsltid=AfmBOoq62pmnj2utm6jmqeVw_kLDFZutsIohj0l0VrBE1u_RWVC83IU9\">Two Two\u003c/a>, 3319 Marché and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13952472/couchdate-oakland-community-events-music\">Couchdate\u003c/a>, resemble delightfully idiosyncratic magazines come to life. Their events foster unexpected encounters between artists, tech workers and creative practitioners, forging new relationships amid the Bay Area’s rapidly evolving creative economy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kindred Studio is one of the several new hybrid spaces known as “concept stores” reimagining the Bay Area’s cultural landscape, blurring the boundaries between clothing store, art gallery, music venue and living room. Spaces like San Francisco’s Shop Sommer, The Last Straw, Etta SF and Castle, and Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://twotwo.online/?srsltid=AfmBOoq62pmnj2utm6jmqeVw_kLDFZutsIohj0l0VrBE1u_RWVC83IU9\">Two Two\u003c/a>, 3319 Marché and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13952472/couchdate-oakland-community-events-music\">Couchdate\u003c/a>, resemble delightfully idiosyncratic magazines come to life. Their events foster unexpected encounters between artists, tech workers and creative practitioners, forging new relationships amid the Bay Area’s rapidly evolving creative economy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think it’s beautiful [when someone] walks in and they’re like, ‘What is this place? Is this a gallery or store? I’m confused,’” says Tai Raino-Tsui, co-owner of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/3319marche/?hl=en\">3319 Marché\u003c/a>. “We get that at least once a day.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I think it’s beautiful [when someone] walks in and they’re like, ‘What is this place? Is this a gallery or store? I’m confused,’” says Tai Raino-Tsui, co-owner of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/3319marche/?hl=en\">3319 Marché\u003c/a>. “We get that at least once a day.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The confusion is understandable. The concept store is a relatively new phenomenon. The term was first coined in 1991 by sociologist Francesco Morace to define Milan’s 10 Corso Como shop. The model later gained international prominence through stores like London’s Dover Street Market and New York City’s Opening Ceremony, helping popularize the blending of fine art, fashion and retail in the United States. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The confusion is understandable. The concept store is a relatively new phenomenon. The term was first coined in 1991 by sociologist Francesco Morace to define Milan’s 10 Corso Como shop. The model later gained international prominence through stores like London’s Dover Street Market and New York City’s Opening Ceremony, helping popularize the blending of fine art, fashion and retail in the United States. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Today, concept stores are taking over the Bay Area not by storm, but rather a gradual accretion of hybrid retail spaces that are emblematic of the local art scene’s collaborative spirit.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Today, concept stores are taking over the Bay Area not by storm, but rather a gradual accretion of hybrid retail spaces that are emblematic of the local art scene’s collaborative spirit.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992632\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tayler Vo sets up a Vietnamese tea set at Kindred Studio, a tearoom and community space, in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992632\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tayler Vo sets up a Vietnamese tea set at Kindred Studio, a tearoom and community space, in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "A haven for the creative and curious",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>A haven for the creative and curious\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>A haven for the creative and curious\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kindred Studio is about “being present, meeting people,” emphasizes co-owner Tayler Vo. A self-described introvert searching for community in San Francisco, Vo envisioned a tearoom that could also triple-function as a co-working and workshop space, all meant to foster genuine connection.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kindred Studio is about “being present, meeting people,” emphasizes co-owner Tayler Vo. A self-described introvert searching for community in San Francisco, Vo envisioned a tearoom that could also triple-function as a co-working and workshop space, all meant to foster genuine connection.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For Vo, socializing is a lot like tea. “You cannot force it. You have to slow down,” Vo says.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For Vo, socializing is a lot like tea. “You cannot force it. You have to slow down,” Vo says.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kindred Studio is intentionally split into four sections separated by curtains: a tearoom, a workshop space, a shoes-on living room and a shoes-off living room. This unconventional layout encourages visitors to embrace uncertainty.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kindred Studio is intentionally split into four sections separated by curtains: a tearoom, a workshop space, a shoes-on living room and a shoes-off living room. This unconventional layout encourages visitors to embrace uncertainty.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I like to say that if it feels weird or uncomfortable, that’s exactly what you should lean into,” Vo explains.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I like to say that if it feels weird or uncomfortable, that’s exactly what you should lean into,” Vo explains.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992631\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tayler Vo at Kindred Studio, a tearoom and community space, in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992631\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tayler Vo at Kindred Studio, a tearoom and community space, in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since opening at the beginning of this year, Kindred has hosted a wide array of workshops with local artists, including live figure drawing with Rena Monet and paper lantern workshops with Grace Bishop.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Since opening at the beginning of this year, Kindred has hosted a wide array of workshops with local artists, including live figure drawing with Rena Monet and paper lantern workshops with Grace Bishop.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Anyone who wants to be part of the Kindred community is invited to contribute to the space. One such collaborator is Sage Kitamorn, a former software engineer turned puzzle maker, whom Vo discovered through his puzzle series, \u003ca href=\"https://cozycubs.club/\">Cozy Cubs Puzzle Club\u003c/a>. “I have a feeling she had already read every word on my website,” Kitamorn says, “because she already knew the core shape of what I do in my weird little art project.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Anyone who wants to be part of the Kindred community is invited to contribute to the space. One such collaborator is Sage Kitamorn, a former software engineer turned puzzle maker, whom Vo discovered through his puzzle series, \u003ca href=\"https://cozycubs.club/\">Cozy Cubs Puzzle Club\u003c/a>. “I have a feeling she had already read every word on my website,” Kitamorn says, “because she already knew the core shape of what I do in my weird little art project.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The proliferation of concept stores over the past several years attests to Bay Area audiences’ appetite for the unknown and unfamiliar. Oakland-based artist Derwin Deon Brown II recently hosted a community lecture and hi-fi listening session at Kindred Studio for his traveling installation, \u003ca href=\"https://blackamericansoundsystem.org/\">Black American Sound System\u003c/a>. Brown II describes his experience as “incredibly affirming.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The proliferation of concept stores over the past several years attests to Bay Area audiences’ appetite for the unknown and unfamiliar. Oakland-based artist Derwin Deon Brown II recently hosted a community lecture and hi-fi listening session at Kindred Studio for his traveling installation, \u003ca href=\"https://blackamericansoundsystem.org/\">Black American Sound System\u003c/a>. Brown II describes his experience as “incredibly affirming.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The audience wasn’t just listening blindly; they were genuinely engaged,” he says. “People are hungry for spaces where music can be experienced as something deeper than entertainment.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The audience wasn’t just listening blindly; they were genuinely engaged,” he says. “People are hungry for spaces where music can be experienced as something deeper than entertainment.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992629\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">CC Doan, founder and curator of Two Two, at the Oakland shop on Aug. 7, 2026. The shop features clothing and accessories from independent designers and artists and hosts workshops.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992629\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">CC Doan, founder and curator of Two Two, at the Oakland shop on Aug. 7, 2026. The shop features clothing and accessories from independent designers and artists and hosts workshops.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Oakland concept store Two Two arose from a similar observation by its founder, CC Doan. “When I moved here, I felt like … a weirdo in places,” she says. “People looked at me like I was pretentious…because I cared about fashion. I was like, ‘OK, if there are 10 other people like me, there’s probably 100 other people like me out in these streets.’”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Oakland concept store Two Two arose from a similar observation by its founder, CC Doan. “When I moved here, I felt like … a weirdo in places,” she says. “People looked at me like I was pretentious…because I cared about fashion. I was like, ‘OK, if there are 10 other people like me, there’s probably 100 other people like me out in these streets.’”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Two Two showcases work by local, national and international designers, and they’ve hosted over 120 workshops and events since 2022. Subjects include beeswax candle-making with Ravenne Swaner of Lucky Star Candles and a recent incense-making workshop with Hyungi Park.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Two Two showcases work by local, national and international designers, and they’ve hosted over 120 workshops and events since 2022. Subjects include beeswax candle-making with Ravenne Swaner of Lucky Star Candles and a recent incense-making workshop with Hyungi Park.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Every time I return, it feels both familiar and completely different,” Park observes. “It’s a space that continually evolves while still feeling welcoming.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Every time I return, it feels both familiar and completely different,” Park observes. “It’s a space that continually evolves while still feeling welcoming.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992628\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">CC Doan, founder and curator of Two Two, at the Oakland shop on Aug. 7, 2026. The shop features clothing and accessories from independent designers and artists and hosts workshops.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The clothing designers featured at Two Two embrace that experimental mindset. Local artist Isabella Manfredi’s hand-sewn clothing, screen-printed with designs inspired by sunflower sea stars and her grandfather’s tools, is an extension of her artistic practice.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I appreciate showing my work in a context that is as conceptual as a gallery space,” Manfredi says. “Everything that enters the space is filtered through an artful lens or sought out because it is art.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Just one street over from Two Two is 3319 Marché, which opened in 2024 with a focus on contemporary and vintage clothing, music and art. Founded by born-and-raised Oaklanders Tai Raino-Tsui and Marco Verdin, the shop emerged from the duo’s desire to create a “fashion and design destination” they felt Oakland was missing.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Just one street over from Two Two is 3319 Marché, which opened in 2024 with a focus on contemporary and vintage clothing, music and art. Founded by born-and-raised Oaklanders Tai Raino-Tsui and Marco Verdin, the shop emerged from the duo’s desire to create a “fashion and design destination” they felt Oakland was missing.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While some people might associate the Bay Area with Patagonia and the “tech-bro aesthetic,” Verdin says a considerable shift is happening. “It’s like that demographic is also looking to get outside the box a little bit,” Verdin says.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While some people might associate the Bay Area with Patagonia and the “tech-bro aesthetic,” Verdin says a considerable shift is happening. “It’s like that demographic is also looking to get outside the box a little bit,” Verdin says.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992676\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Co-founder Marco Verdin embroiders a garment at 3319 Marché in Oakland on Aug. 7, 2026. The vintage and designer clothing store also serves as a creative space for art, music and community events.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Raino-Tsui asserts that the overarching mission of the space is to create “a new wave of cultural renaissance from within.” 3319 Marché has hosted performances by prominent Bay Area musicians like Kehlani, Toro y Moi and Ovrkast. Visual artists Phillip Okonma and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13932138/esteban-raheem-abdul-raheem-samayoa-pt-2\">Esteban Samayoa\u003c/a> have shown their work there, and Samayoa’s exhibition doubled as a toy, coat and food drive. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Raino-Tsui asserts that the overarching mission of the space is to create “a new wave of cultural renaissance from within.” 3319 Marché has hosted performances by prominent Bay Area musicians like Kehlani, Toro y Moi and Ovrkast. Visual artists Phillip Okonma and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13932138/esteban-raheem-abdul-raheem-samayoa-pt-2\">Esteban Samayoa\u003c/a> have shown their work there, and Samayoa’s exhibition doubled as a toy, coat and food drive. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While ham-fisted intersections between tech and art can often feel awkward, the Bay Area’s concept stores bring together artists, designers, makers, technologists and curious neighbors with surprising ease. As prominent Bay Area arts institutions close and public funding for the arts continues to shrink, these concept stores offer an alternative model for cultural exchange.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While ham-fisted intersections between tech and art can often feel awkward, the Bay Area’s concept stores bring together artists, designers, makers, technologists and curious neighbors with surprising ease. As prominent Bay Area arts institutions close and public funding for the arts continues to shrink, these concept stores offer an alternative model for cultural exchange.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The concept store owners who spoke to KQED all emphasize that they intended to remain permanent players in this conversation. Two Two founder CC Doan reflects, “As more people come, I realize that I have this responsibility to others. Two Two needs to be here because I need to be in service of my community.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The concept store owners who spoke to KQED all emphasize that they intended to remain permanent players in this conversation. Two Two founder CC Doan reflects, “As more people come, I realize that I have this responsibility to others. Two Two needs to be here because I need to be in service of my community.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Raino-Tsui of 3319 Marché echoes the same sentiment: “It’s really just about being here and doing our best to show up for ourselves and our people.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Mod Podge drips from my hand as I tightly grip rice paper in my right fist. I lean over a precarious paper lantern in progress, my front teeth securing two wooden rods and my gaze fixed with frustration. What I initially envisioned as a soothing, meditative Thursday night activity at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kindredstudiosf.com/\">Kindred Studio\u003c/a> is not going as planned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just as I’m about to give up, the unassuming stranger seated opposite me offers his twist ties with a smile, rescuing my teeth from their ill-conceived role as makeshift clamps. Looking up for the first time in what feels like hours, I notice every paper lantern around the table has taken on a distinct personality. Each attendee is absorbed in their own quiet concentration, yet a feeling of camaraderie emerges through brief exchanges, shared glances and small acts of generosity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kindred Studio is one of the several new hybrid spaces known as “concept stores” reimagining the Bay Area’s cultural landscape, blurring the boundaries between clothing store, art gallery, music venue and living room. Spaces like San Francisco’s Shop Sommer, The Last Straw, Etta SF and Castle, and Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://twotwo.online/?srsltid=AfmBOoq62pmnj2utm6jmqeVw_kLDFZutsIohj0l0VrBE1u_RWVC83IU9\">Two Two\u003c/a>, 3319 Marché and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13952472/couchdate-oakland-community-events-music\">Couchdate\u003c/a>, resemble delightfully idiosyncratic magazines come to life. Their events foster unexpected encounters between artists, tech workers and creative practitioners, forging new relationships amid the Bay Area’s rapidly evolving creative economy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think it’s beautiful [when someone] walks in and they’re like, ‘What is this place? Is this a gallery or store? I’m confused,’” says Tai Raino-Tsui, co-owner of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/3319marche/?hl=en\">3319 Marché\u003c/a>. “We get that at least once a day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The confusion is understandable. The concept store is a relatively new phenomenon. The term was first coined in 1991 by sociologist Francesco Morace to define Milan’s 10 Corso Como shop. The model later gained international prominence through stores like London’s Dover Street Market and New York City’s Opening Ceremony, helping popularize the blending of fine art, fashion and retail in the United States. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, concept stores are taking over the Bay Area not by storm, but rather a gradual accretion of hybrid retail spaces that are emblematic of the local art scene’s collaborative spirit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992632\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-19-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tayler Vo sets up a Vietnamese tea set at Kindred Studio, a tearoom and community space, in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>A haven for the creative and curious\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kindred Studio is about “being present, meeting people,” emphasizes co-owner Tayler Vo. A self-described introvert searching for community in San Francisco, Vo envisioned a tearoom that could also triple-function as a co-working and workshop space, all meant to foster genuine connection.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Vo, socializing is a lot like tea. “You cannot force it. You have to slow down,” Vo says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kindred Studio is intentionally split into four sections separated by curtains: a tearoom, a workshop space, a shoes-on living room and a shoes-off living room. This unconventional layout encourages visitors to embrace uncertainty.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I like to say that if it feels weird or uncomfortable, that’s exactly what you should lean into,” Vo explains.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992631\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-17-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tayler Vo at Kindred Studio, a tearoom and community space, in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Since opening at the beginning of this year, Kindred has hosted a wide array of workshops with local artists, including live figure drawing with Rena Monet and paper lantern workshops with Grace Bishop.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anyone who wants to be part of the Kindred community is invited to contribute to the space. One such collaborator is Sage Kitamorn, a former software engineer turned puzzle maker, whom Vo discovered through his puzzle series, \u003ca href=\"https://cozycubs.club/\">Cozy Cubs Puzzle Club\u003c/a>. “I have a feeling she had already read every word on my website,” Kitamorn says, “because she already knew the core shape of what I do in my weird little art project.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The proliferation of concept stores over the past several years attests to Bay Area audiences’ appetite for the unknown and unfamiliar. Oakland-based artist Derwin Deon Brown II recently hosted a community lecture and hi-fi listening session at Kindred Studio for his traveling installation, \u003ca href=\"https://blackamericansoundsystem.org/\">Black American Sound System\u003c/a>. Brown II describes his experience as “incredibly affirming.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The audience wasn’t just listening blindly; they were genuinely engaged,” he says. “People are hungry for spaces where music can be experienced as something deeper than entertainment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992629\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">CC Doan, founder and curator of Two Two, at the Oakland shop on Aug. 7, 2026. The shop features clothing and accessories from independent designers and artists and hosts workshops. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Making room for artistic experiments\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oakland concept store Two Two arose from a similar observation by its founder, CC Doan. “When I moved here, I felt like … a weirdo in places,” she says. “People looked at me like I was pretentious…because I cared about fashion. I was like, ‘OK, if there are 10 other people like me, there’s probably 100 other people like me out in these streets.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two Two showcases work by local, national and international designers, and they’ve hosted over 120 workshops and events since 2022. Subjects include beeswax candle-making with Ravenne Swaner of Lucky Star Candles and a recent incense-making workshop with Hyungi Park.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Every time I return, it feels both familiar and completely different,” Park observes. “It’s a space that continually evolves while still feeling welcoming.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992628\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-08-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">CC Doan, founder and curator of Two Two, at the Oakland shop on Aug. 7, 2026. The shop features clothing and accessories from independent designers and artists and hosts workshops. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The clothing designers featured at Two Two embrace that experimental mindset. Local artist Isabella Manfredi’s hand-sewn clothing, screen-printed with designs inspired by sunflower sea stars and her grandfather’s tools, is an extension of her artistic practice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I appreciate showing my work in a context that is as conceptual as a gallery space,” Manfredi says. “Everything that enters the space is filtered through an artful lens or sought out because it is art.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Bringing different scenes together\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just one street over from Two Two is 3319 Marché, which opened in 2024 with a focus on contemporary and vintage clothing, music and art. Founded by born-and-raised Oaklanders Tai Raino-Tsui and Marco Verdin, the shop emerged from the duo’s desire to create a “fashion and design destination” they felt Oakland was missing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While some people might associate the Bay Area with Patagonia and the “tech-bro aesthetic,” Verdin says a considerable shift is happening. “It’s like that demographic is also looking to get outside the box a little bit,” Verdin says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992676\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260807-ConceptStores-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Co-founder Marco Verdin embroiders a garment at 3319 Marché in Oakland on Aug. 7, 2026. The vintage and designer clothing store also serves as a creative space for art, music and community events. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Raino-Tsui asserts that the overarching mission of the space is to create “a new wave of cultural renaissance from within.” 3319 Marché has hosted performances by prominent Bay Area musicians like Kehlani, Toro y Moi and Ovrkast. Visual artists Phillip Okonma and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13932138/esteban-raheem-abdul-raheem-samayoa-pt-2\">Esteban Samayoa\u003c/a> have shown their work there, and Samayoa’s exhibition doubled as a toy, coat and food drive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While ham-fisted intersections between tech and art can often feel awkward, the Bay Area’s concept stores bring together artists, designers, makers, technologists and curious neighbors with surprising ease. As prominent Bay Area arts institutions close and public funding for the arts continues to shrink, these concept stores offer an alternative model for cultural exchange.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The concept store owners who spoke to KQED all emphasize that they intended to remain permanent players in this conversation. Two Two founder CC Doan reflects, “As more people come, I realize that I have this responsibility to others. Two Two needs to be here because I need to be in service of my community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raino-Tsui of 3319 Marché echoes the same sentiment: “It’s really just about being here and doing our best to show up for ourselves and our people.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "youth-boxing-coach-g-vertical-skillz-outreach-east-oakland-san-antonio-park",
"title": "A Big Youth Boxing Event Is Coming to East Oakland",
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"headTitle": "A Big Youth Boxing Event Is Coming to East Oakland | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 8, more than 40 young fighters will meet a boxing ring in East Oakland’s San Antonio Park, taking turns throwing jabs and ducking hooks as they participate in the inaugural \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each fight is scheduled to go three rounds and will count toward the competitors’ official amateur boxing record; the winner of each bout will receive a replica World Boxing Association belt.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The OG, old-school coach in me believes that you don’t get belts until a tournament or a world title as a pro,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dalialapantera/\">Dalia “La Pantera” Gomez\u003c/a> (also known as Coach G), founder of \u003ca href=\"https://www.verticalskillz.org/\">Vertical Skillz Outreach\u003c/a>, the organization behind the event.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But the fact is,” she tells me during a recent call, “kids love belts, you know?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of three boxing championship belts.\" class=\"wp-image-13992452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Title belts will be awarded to the winner of each bout at the ‘Fights & Function’ event this Saturday at San Antonio Park in East Oakland. (Courtesy of Dalia 'La Pantera' Gomez)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And that’s the motivation behind this weekend’s event, as well as Coach G’s daily boxing training programs: making sure her fighters, specifically the younger ones, are happy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re just trying to make these kids feel regal,” Coach G says, “because that’s what they are —warriors, kings and queens of this earth, let alone Oakland.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The title belts, adorned with the names of local sponsors and decorated with imitation gem stones, are also a bit of a tribute to Coach G’s family roots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The belt’s “rubies” are an homage to her late grandmother. “She loved the color red, specifically red roses,” she says. With her grandmother’s love for flowers in mind, Coach G reflects on what Vertical Skillz Outreach has created at the park. “Here we are,” she says, pulling from Tupac’s classic poem about defying the odds, “trying to be that rose that grows through concrete.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg\" alt=\"A large group of boxers pose for a photo at a boxing ring in East Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-13992453\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fighters flex their muscles at a recent Vertical Skillz Outreach boxing class at San Antonio Park in East Oakland. (Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coach G has pulled weeds from the park’s cracked pavement and twisted her ankle on the uneven grounds; it’s all a part of the sweat equity that has gone into the park since 2020. Back then, she says, “Nobody said anything when I was doing it on the on the playground, that’s because there was a gigantic homeless encampment on the playground.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She worked with occupants of the encampment, and got folks to make room for her to hang punching bags from the jungle gym. But once the space was cleared Coach G realized more kids were playing on the structure. “I felt like I was in the way,” she reflects, “because I’m hanging the bags on the monkey bars and all of the kids would \u003cem>monkey\u003c/em> around it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Realizing “more kids in the park is always great,” she moved her boxing training program to the tennis courts. But with that expansion, and the later construction of a full boxing ring, came more eyes. Coach G met with \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2021/01/07/a-youth-fitness-camp-pops-up-in-an-east-oakland-park/\">former council member Nikki Fortunada Bass\u003c/a>, who was transparent: she couldn’t give Coach G official permission to use the park, but they wouldn’t stop her either. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Oakland had so many things going on, they just had to kind of turn a blind eye,” Coach G explains.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With a background in childhood development and a job as an OUSD teacher, Coach G’s résumé eased the process. “They didn’t feel that it was a threat,” she says, “especially because none of my kids would get any trouble.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992451\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘When we had no lights, we still would train,’ says Dalia ‘La Pantera’ Gomez, founder of Vertical Skillz Outreach. (Courtesy of Dalia 'La Pantera' Gomez)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Originally from Oxnard (which, because of the amount of fighters who’ve come from there, is also referred to as “\u003ca href=\"https://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/best-boxers-from-oxnard/\">Boxnard\u003c/a>“), Coach G was a college hooper before finding her way to the ring. A Golden Gloves Champion in 2015, she turned pro in 2017 and fought her last bout in 2019 — a fundraising venture in Tijuana.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before offering classes at San Antonio Park, Coach G would train fighters by Lake Merritt. While her main focus is using boxing as a tool to holistically mentor younger kids from the community, she’s also worked with titans like famed Black Panther Party leader \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/tag/elaine-brown\">Elaine Brown\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coach G says that Brown once told her, “You know, Pantera, ain’t nobody down to fight no more.” People weren’t willing to fight for a righteous cause, Coach G remembers Brown saying, “Everybody’s afraid to lose what they got.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That pushed Coach G to consider how deeply people have been indoctrinated to think about themselves only. Boxing, like the revolutionary work of the Black Panther Party and the Brown Berets, isn’t about concentrated power. “Technique comes way before power,” Coach G professes, “you don’t ever lead with power.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, she says, a successful fighter and a impactful community activist should live by the same equation: “technique plus speed equals power.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So this Saturday at San Antonio Park, the site of the historic \u003ca href=\"https://localwiki.org/oakland/Oakland_Chicano_Moratorium\">Chicano Moratorium\u003c/a> protest and the longstanding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13981396/eastside-arts-alliance-greg-morozumi-elena-serrano-susanne-takehara-oakland\">Malcolm X Jazz Festival\u003c/a>, her \u003cem>technique\u003c/em> for creating change is to do it big for the community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to two dozen boxing matches there’ll be water balloons and a dunk tank, free breakfast served in the morning and old-school cars pulling up all afternoon. Marketing Kings’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tyrannyallengallery/?hl=en\">Tyranny Allen\u003c/a> will be the ringside announcer, and musicians including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/stunnaman02\">Stunnaman02\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ian-kelly\">Ian Kelly\u003c/a> are set to walk boxers out to the ring. “I just want to do everything I can,” says Coach G.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The soil is very rich,” she says, referring to the Town as a whole and going back to the analogy of a rose growing through concrete. “I don’t care what type of flower, weed, plant or fruit, it takes its time to grow — and we’re constantly fighting through that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a> takes place Saturday, Aug. 8, 12:30–6 p.m. at San Antonio Park (1701 E 19th St., Oakland). For tickets and information, \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">click here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 8, more than 40 young fighters will meet a boxing ring in East Oakland’s San Antonio Park, taking turns throwing jabs and ducking hooks as they participate in the inaugural \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 8, more than 40 young fighters will meet a boxing ring in East Oakland’s San Antonio Park, taking turns throwing jabs and ducking hooks as they participate in the inaugural \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each fight is scheduled to go three rounds and will count toward the competitors’ official amateur boxing record; the winner of each bout will receive a replica World Boxing Association belt.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Each fight is scheduled to go three rounds and will count toward the competitors’ official amateur boxing record; the winner of each bout will receive a replica World Boxing Association belt.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The OG, old-school coach in me believes that you don’t get belts until a tournament or a world title as a pro,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dalialapantera/\">Dalia “La Pantera” Gomez\u003c/a> (also known as Coach G), founder of \u003ca href=\"https://www.verticalskillz.org/\">Vertical Skillz Outreach\u003c/a>, the organization behind the event.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The OG, old-school coach in me believes that you don’t get belts until a tournament or a world title as a pro,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dalialapantera/\">Dalia “La Pantera” Gomez\u003c/a> (also known as Coach G), founder of \u003ca href=\"https://www.verticalskillz.org/\">Vertical Skillz Outreach\u003c/a>, the organization behind the event.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“But the fact is,” she tells me during a recent call, “kids love belts, you know?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“But the fact is,” she tells me during a recent call, “kids love belts, you know?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-1536x1152.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of three boxing championship belts.\" class=\"wp-image-13992452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Title belts will be awarded to the winner of each bout at the ‘Fights & Function’ event this Saturday at San Antonio Park in East Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of three boxing championship belts.\" class=\"wp-image-13992452\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Title belts will be awarded to the winner of each bout at the ‘Fights & Function’ event this Saturday at San Antonio Park in East Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And that’s the motivation behind this weekend’s event, as well as Coach G’s daily boxing training programs: making sure her fighters, specifically the younger ones, are happy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And that’s the motivation behind this weekend’s event, as well as Coach G’s daily boxing training programs: making sure her fighters, specifically the younger ones, are happy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re just trying to make these kids feel regal,” Coach G says, “because that’s what they are —warriors, kings and queens of this earth, let alone Oakland.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re just trying to make these kids feel regal,” Coach G says, “because that’s what they are —warriors, kings and queens of this earth, let alone Oakland.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The title belts, adorned with the names of local sponsors and decorated with imitation gem stones, are also a bit of a tribute to Coach G’s family roots.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The title belts, adorned with the names of local sponsors and decorated with imitation gem stones, are also a bit of a tribute to Coach G’s family roots.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The belt’s “rubies” are an homage to her late grandmother. “She loved the color red, specifically red roses,” she says. With her grandmother’s love for flowers in mind, Coach G reflects on what Vertical Skillz Outreach has created at the park. “Here we are,” she says, pulling from Tupac’s classic poem about defying the odds, “trying to be that rose that grows through concrete.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The belt’s “rubies” are an homage to her late grandmother. “She loved the color red, specifically red roses,” she says. With her grandmother’s love for flowers in mind, Coach G reflects on what Vertical Skillz Outreach has created at the park. “Here we are,” she says, pulling from Tupac’s classic poem about defying the odds, “trying to be that rose that grows through concrete.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg\" alt=\"A large group of boxers pose for a photo at a boxing ring in East Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-13992453\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fighters flex their muscles at a recent Vertical Skillz Outreach boxing class at San Antonio Park in East Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg\" alt=\"A large group of boxers pose for a photo at a boxing ring in East Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-13992453\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fighters flex their muscles at a recent Vertical Skillz Outreach boxing class at San Antonio Park in East Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Coach G has pulled weeds from the park’s cracked pavement and twisted her ankle on the uneven grounds; it’s all a part of the sweat equity that has gone into the park since 2020. Back then, she says, “Nobody said anything when I was doing it on the on the playground, that’s because there was a gigantic homeless encampment on the playground.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Coach G has pulled weeds from the park’s cracked pavement and twisted her ankle on the uneven grounds; it’s all a part of the sweat equity that has gone into the park since 2020. Back then, she says, “Nobody said anything when I was doing it on the on the playground, that’s because there was a gigantic homeless encampment on the playground.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She worked with occupants of the encampment, and got folks to make room for her to hang punching bags from the jungle gym. But once the space was cleared Coach G realized more kids were playing on the structure. “I felt like I was in the way,” she reflects, “because I’m hanging the bags on the monkey bars and all of the kids would \u003cem>monkey\u003c/em> around it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She worked with occupants of the encampment, and got folks to make room for her to hang punching bags from the jungle gym. But once the space was cleared Coach G realized more kids were playing on the structure. “I felt like I was in the way,” she reflects, “because I’m hanging the bags on the monkey bars and all of the kids would \u003cem>monkey\u003c/em> around it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Realizing “more kids in the park is always great,” she moved her boxing training program to the tennis courts. But with that expansion, and the later construction of a full boxing ring, came more eyes. Coach G met with \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2021/01/07/a-youth-fitness-camp-pops-up-in-an-east-oakland-park/\">former council member Nikki Fortunada Bass\u003c/a>, who was transparent: she couldn’t give Coach G official permission to use the park, but they wouldn’t stop her either. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Realizing “more kids in the park is always great,” she moved her boxing training program to the tennis courts. But with that expansion, and the later construction of a full boxing ring, came more eyes. Coach G met with \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2021/01/07/a-youth-fitness-camp-pops-up-in-an-east-oakland-park/\">former council member Nikki Fortunada Bass\u003c/a>, who was transparent: she couldn’t give Coach G official permission to use the park, but they wouldn’t stop her either. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Oakland had so many things going on, they just had to kind of turn a blind eye,” Coach G explains.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Oakland had so many things going on, they just had to kind of turn a blind eye,” Coach G explains.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With a background in childhood development and a job as an OUSD teacher, Coach G’s résumé eased the process. “They didn’t feel that it was a threat,” she says, “especially because none of my kids would get any trouble.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>With a background in childhood development and a job as an OUSD teacher, Coach G’s résumé eased the process. “They didn’t feel that it was a threat,” she says, “especially because none of my kids would get any trouble.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992451\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘When we had no lights, we still would train,’ says Dalia ‘La Pantera’ Gomez, founder of Vertical Skillz Outreach.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992451\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘When we had no lights, we still would train,’ says Dalia ‘La Pantera’ Gomez, founder of Vertical Skillz Outreach.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Originally from Oxnard (which, because of the amount of fighters who’ve come from there, is also referred to as “\u003ca href=\"https://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/best-boxers-from-oxnard/\">Boxnard\u003c/a>“), Coach G was a college hooper before finding her way to the ring. A Golden Gloves Champion in 2015, she turned pro in 2017 and fought her last bout in 2019 — a fundraising venture in Tijuana.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Originally from Oxnard (which, because of the amount of fighters who’ve come from there, is also referred to as “\u003ca href=\"https://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/best-boxers-from-oxnard/\">Boxnard\u003c/a>“), Coach G was a college hooper before finding her way to the ring. A Golden Gloves Champion in 2015, she turned pro in 2017 and fought her last bout in 2019 — a fundraising venture in Tijuana.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Before offering classes at San Antonio Park, Coach G would train fighters by Lake Merritt. While her main focus is using boxing as a tool to holistically mentor younger kids from the community, she’s also worked with titans like famed Black Panther Party leader \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/tag/elaine-brown\">Elaine Brown\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Before offering classes at San Antonio Park, Coach G would train fighters by Lake Merritt. While her main focus is using boxing as a tool to holistically mentor younger kids from the community, she’s also worked with titans like famed Black Panther Party leader \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/tag/elaine-brown\">Elaine Brown\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Coach G says that Brown once told her, “You know, Pantera, ain’t nobody down to fight no more.” People weren’t willing to fight for a righteous cause, Coach G remembers Brown saying, “Everybody’s afraid to lose what they got.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Coach G says that Brown once told her, “You know, Pantera, ain’t nobody down to fight no more.” People weren’t willing to fight for a righteous cause, Coach G remembers Brown saying, “Everybody’s afraid to lose what they got.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That pushed Coach G to consider how deeply people have been indoctrinated to think about themselves only. Boxing, like the revolutionary work of the Black Panther Party and the Brown Berets, isn’t about concentrated power. “Technique comes way before power,” Coach G professes, “you don’t ever lead with power.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That pushed Coach G to consider how deeply people have been indoctrinated to think about themselves only. Boxing, like the revolutionary work of the Black Panther Party and the Brown Berets, isn’t about concentrated power. “Technique comes way before power,” Coach G professes, “you don’t ever lead with power.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, she says, a successful fighter and a impactful community activist should live by the same equation: “technique plus speed equals power.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Instead, she says, a successful fighter and a impactful community activist should live by the same equation: “technique plus speed equals power.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So this Saturday at San Antonio Park, the site of the historic \u003ca href=\"https://localwiki.org/oakland/Oakland_Chicano_Moratorium\">Chicano Moratorium\u003c/a> protest and the longstanding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13981396/eastside-arts-alliance-greg-morozumi-elena-serrano-susanne-takehara-oakland\">Malcolm X Jazz Festival\u003c/a>, her \u003cem>technique\u003c/em> for creating change is to do it big for the community.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The soil is very rich,” she says, referring to the Town as a whole and going back to the analogy of a rose growing through concrete. “I don’t care what type of flower, weed, plant or fruit, it takes its time to grow — and we’re constantly fighting through that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Coach G’s fighters from Vertical Skillz Outreach will square off in San Antonio Park for an inaugural tournament.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 8, more than 40 young fighters will meet a boxing ring in East Oakland’s San Antonio Park, taking turns throwing jabs and ducking hooks as they participate in the inaugural \u003ca href=\"https://luma.com/ne0hegvn?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn6QdsT63_bN0NoumtDEZu27mprGnD8olQ-r0zgdF5c2omXfDNKAM6Q_fREP0_aem_yFVzKsXvz2yfLyE8VGQ0HA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig\">Fights & Function Fundraiser\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each fight is scheduled to go three rounds and will count toward the competitors’ official amateur boxing record; the winner of each bout will receive a replica World Boxing Association belt.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The OG, old-school coach in me believes that you don’t get belts until a tournament or a world title as a pro,” says \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dalialapantera/\">Dalia “La Pantera” Gomez\u003c/a> (also known as Coach G), founder of \u003ca href=\"https://www.verticalskillz.org/\">Vertical Skillz Outreach\u003c/a>, the organization behind the event.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But the fact is,” she tells me during a recent call, “kids love belts, you know?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of three boxing championship belts.\" class=\"wp-image-13992452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/126681f5-4e51-4a93-a689-518a122f1a1f-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Title belts will be awarded to the winner of each bout at the ‘Fights & Function’ event this Saturday at San Antonio Park in East Oakland. (Courtesy of Dalia 'La Pantera' Gomez)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And that’s the motivation behind this weekend’s event, as well as Coach G’s daily boxing training programs: making sure her fighters, specifically the younger ones, are happy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re just trying to make these kids feel regal,” Coach G says, “because that’s what they are —warriors, kings and queens of this earth, let alone Oakland.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The title belts, adorned with the names of local sponsors and decorated with imitation gem stones, are also a bit of a tribute to Coach G’s family roots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The belt’s “rubies” are an homage to her late grandmother. “She loved the color red, specifically red roses,” she says. With her grandmother’s love for flowers in mind, Coach G reflects on what Vertical Skillz Outreach has created at the park. “Here we are,” she says, pulling from Tupac’s classic poem about defying the odds, “trying to be that rose that grows through concrete.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg\" alt=\"A large group of boxers pose for a photo at a boxing ring in East Oakland.\" class=\"wp-image-13992453\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_1905-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fighters flex their muscles at a recent Vertical Skillz Outreach boxing class at San Antonio Park in East Oakland. (Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coach G has pulled weeds from the park’s cracked pavement and twisted her ankle on the uneven grounds; it’s all a part of the sweat equity that has gone into the park since 2020. Back then, she says, “Nobody said anything when I was doing it on the on the playground, that’s because there was a gigantic homeless encampment on the playground.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She worked with occupants of the encampment, and got folks to make room for her to hang punching bags from the jungle gym. But once the space was cleared Coach G realized more kids were playing on the structure. “I felt like I was in the way,” she reflects, “because I’m hanging the bags on the monkey bars and all of the kids would \u003cem>monkey\u003c/em> around it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Realizing “more kids in the park is always great,” she moved her boxing training program to the tennis courts. But with that expansion, and the later construction of a full boxing ring, came more eyes. Coach G met with \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2021/01/07/a-youth-fitness-camp-pops-up-in-an-east-oakland-park/\">former council member Nikki Fortunada Bass\u003c/a>, who was transparent: she couldn’t give Coach G official permission to use the park, but they wouldn’t stop her either. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Oakland had so many things going on, they just had to kind of turn a blind eye,” Coach G explains.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With a background in childhood development and a job as an OUSD teacher, Coach G’s résumé eased the process. “They didn’t feel that it was a threat,” she says, “especially because none of my kids would get any trouble.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13992451\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/B81I9162-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘When we had no lights, we still would train,’ says Dalia ‘La Pantera’ Gomez, founder of Vertical Skillz Outreach. (Courtesy of Dalia 'La Pantera' Gomez)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Originally from Oxnard (which, because of the amount of fighters who’ve come from there, is also referred to as “\u003ca href=\"https://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/best-boxers-from-oxnard/\">Boxnard\u003c/a>“), Coach G was a college hooper before finding her way to the ring. A Golden Gloves Champion in 2015, she turned pro in 2017 and fought her last bout in 2019 — a fundraising venture in Tijuana.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before offering classes at San Antonio Park, Coach G would train fighters by Lake Merritt. While her main focus is using boxing as a tool to holistically mentor younger kids from the community, she’s also worked with titans like famed Black Panther Party leader \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareabites/tag/elaine-brown\">Elaine Brown\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coach G says that Brown once told her, “You know, Pantera, ain’t nobody down to fight no more.” People weren’t willing to fight for a righteous cause, Coach G remembers Brown saying, “Everybody’s afraid to lose what they got.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That pushed Coach G to consider how deeply people have been indoctrinated to think about themselves only. Boxing, like the revolutionary work of the Black Panther Party and the Brown Berets, isn’t about concentrated power. “Technique comes way before power,” Coach G professes, “you don’t ever lead with power.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, she says, a successful fighter and a impactful community activist should live by the same equation: “technique plus speed equals power.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So this Saturday at San Antonio Park, the site of the historic \u003ca href=\"https://localwiki.org/oakland/Oakland_Chicano_Moratorium\">Chicano Moratorium\u003c/a> protest and the longstanding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13981396/eastside-arts-alliance-greg-morozumi-elena-serrano-susanne-takehara-oakland\">Malcolm X Jazz Festival\u003c/a>, her \u003cem>technique\u003c/em> for creating change is to do it big for the community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to two dozen boxing matches there’ll be water balloons and a dunk tank, free breakfast served in the morning and old-school cars pulling up all afternoon. Marketing Kings’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tyrannyallengallery/?hl=en\">Tyranny Allen\u003c/a> will be the ringside announcer, and musicians including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/stunnaman02\">Stunnaman02\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/ian-kelly\">Ian Kelly\u003c/a> are set to walk boxers out to the ring. “I just want to do everything I can,” says Coach G.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The soil is very rich,” she says, referring to the Town as a whole and going back to the analogy of a rose growing through concrete. “I don’t care what type of flower, weed, plant or fruit, it takes its time to grow — and we’re constantly fighting through that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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},
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"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
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"order": 8
},
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},
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"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
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"meta": {
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"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
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"order": 1
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"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
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"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"order": 9
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"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
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"id": "fresh-air",
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"hidden-brain": {
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"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
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"how-i-built-this": {
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"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"order": 15
},
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},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"order": 18
},
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
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},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
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"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
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