The Oakland Museum of California continued its re-opening festivities late into Saturday night, and kept up its momentum as early bird visitors saluted the sun during a Sunday morning yoga session.

The day lent itself to learning.  Visitors, old and young, took in a chanting class, blew enormous soap bubbles, learned to play djembe and took a photography walk. 

A highlight of the day was the last of the California Futures talks, which were held throughout the weekend in the museum's new Blue Oak Cafe.  The three-part series began on Saturday with a conversation on social media and the arts, continued late into Saturday night at the intersection of creativity, sexuality and economics, and ended Sunday with a panel of local food justice leaders and activists.

Mediated by Blue Oak's chef, Robert Dorsey III, the panel discussed food accessibility challenges many Oaklanders face.  Brahm Ahmadi, former executive director of People's Grocery, started the conversation with a brief history lesson in food culture and economics in Oakland. 

"What is important to understand is the shift toward suburban living," he explained, speaking of the "white flight" phenomenon of the 1950s.  Though African Americans were also trying to attain the post-war American Dream, they faced mortgage discrimination, redlining practices and racially restrictive covenants. "Food deserts are a sign of an economic desert."

The room fell silent at some shocking statistics:  Today, 75 percent of Oakland's population lives west of Interstate 580, where there are just four supermarkets.  Compare that to the seven supermarkets for the other 25 percent on the east side.

Food First's Eric Holt-Giménez broadened the subject of food economics by comparing Oakland's problem with the national problem of food accessibility in the Midwest, and eventually with the world's struggles with hunger. 

"We have record hunger.  We have record production.  We have record profits.  What's wrong with this picture?" he asked.

Each panelist expressed frustration with the lack of action or support from city and county government for small organizations like theirs. 

"When the landowners are not being receptive the the needs of the community and when decisions are made to the detriment to its development, the city needs to step in," Holt-Giménez continued.

Barbara Finin of City Slicker Farms expressed a similar view.

"I do see that the intent is there, but the money isn't," she said.  "The city needs to realize that it is part of their job to support these non-profits.  They are in place to provide services that the city isn't able to offer." 

The final panelist, Keba Konte of Kijiji Grows, warned of the dangers of food insecurity, particularly in the context of potential natural disasters. 

With the crowd of people who filled the floor of the cafe, the alarmed tone of audience questions and their enthusiastic applause, Oaklanders made it clear that this is an issue that will need to be taken seriously by local candidates in the coming months.

Outside the cafe, learning continued in the galleries.  A community came together to learn the history of their state, their city and most of all, about each other.

"Look!" exclaimed one visitor, as she pointed a friend toward Theodore Wores' painting of traditionally dressed Chinese residents, titled 'New Year's Day in San Francisco's Chinatown', "This painting is from 1881.  1881!  Who knew that they were here back then?"

Check back with Oakland Local for daily stories and photographs about various aspects of the museum relaunch. See OL's audio slide show here. See the flickr set here.

And if you're planning to attend the party, tweet about it with #OMCA or see what other people are saying about it. Follow the Oakland Museum on twitter here.