September 11, 2008

 

On Thursday, September 11, a year of HOPE’s hard-work was harvested, as over 90 people gathered together to reap the joy and inspiration offered by community, healthy and delicious food, talented, positive hip-hop and spoken-word performances and soulful music. This celebration of change marked over a year of work and dedication offered by community members and HOPE’s participating organizations.

 
“Harvesting HOPE,” the second community-wide event organized by the HOPE Collaborative, united people at the Oasis Restaurant and Bar, located at 135 12th Street in beautiful downtown Oakland. Chef Gramcrackah from Oakland Food Connection grilled up tasty mango-cardamom chicken and vegetables, while Silence the Violence, Virtuous, Ise Lyfe and Youth Speaks kept the energy high with messages advocating for real change in Oakland. Throughout the evening, residents wrote down improvements specific to their neighborhoods that they felt could increase access to food and safe places to be active; on the open-mic, people shared their experiences and comments. As the night finished up with tunes by D.J. Be Brown and folks begin to head home, a buzz lingered, the energy of a community shouting, “we are ready, the time is now, for change and for a more healthy and safe Oakland.”

 

April 16th, 2008

 

First Community Listening Session

Ms. Rosa shares her story at HOPE's first listening session

photo credit:  Alisa Dodge

On Wednesday, April 16, the HOPE Collaborative hosted its first  community listening session.  The gathering, held at the East Oakland Boxing Association at 816 98th Avenue, provided a forum for people from the surrounding neighborhoods to share their own stories about their inability to access healthy food and safe places to play and be active.

Residents of this area of East Oakland shaped a compelling narrative that further emphasized the need for change: a parent's lament about her child's inability to safely play outside, and personal frustrations around accessing affordable healthy foods accentuated the need to improve food access and to create safe places for children and adults to play.

This community meeting served as the first of several listening sessions that comprise a crucial element of HOPE's current assessment phase. The personal accounts and recommendations for change heard during these sessions will play an integral part in shaping HOPE's action plan.  These community stories will be shared to emphasize the need for systems change that ensures access to affordable healthy foods, safe spaces for active living, and local, sustainable, economic development for families living in Oakland's lowest income areas. 

The HOPE Collaborative will be conducting listening sessions in six neighborhoods throughout the area of Oakland west of 580.  Our next listening will be at Garfield Elementary School, on May 12th from 5:45-7:30 pm.  Parents of Garfield students are encouraged to attend.

A public listening session will follow on May 21st at 5:30 pm at the Hismen Hin-Nu Terrace for residents of the San Antonio District.  All residents are invited.  For further information check www.oaklandfoodandfitness.net or call 510.273.9147.   

 

 

February  25, 2008

On February 15th, 18 volunteers from East Bay organizations, along with local youth, met at the Ira Jenkins Recreation/Community Center at 9175 Edes Avenue to perform a walking assessment of the area surrounding the intersection of 98th and Edes Avenue. These assessments seek to determine the community’s needs by observing and recording aspects of the neighborhood such as: parcel type, business development, transportation options and range of accessibility, local ecological conditions and the price of staple-food items in corner stores. While walking through the neighborhood, volunteers spoke with local residents about the area and about improvements the residents would like to see in their community. This intersection hosted the first assessment of this type performed by the Collaborative, and the energetic volunteers provided useful feedback pertaining to the process and outcome. Subsequent assessments will occur in this area, as well as at four other intersection-areas, or “micro-zones,” over the next few months.

 

December 19, 2007

On December 17 and 18 a delegation from HOPE Collaborative traveled to Seattle to make a presentation on our progress to the National Advisory Committee of the W.K. Kellogg Food and Fitness Program.  Kimi Watson-Tartt, Allison Pratt and Hank Herrera described our community, vision, history, progress, assets and challenges.  The Seattle Food and Fitness Collaborative also made a presentation on their project.  After the presentations we had a free-flowing conversation with the distinguished members of the National Advisory Committee and Program Officers, Linda Jo Doctor and Gail Imig.  The meeting provided valuable information and insights.  You can see the power point presentation here.