But all is not well in academia. In a show of solidarity yesterday, students donned all black and blocked the entryway to UC Berkeley's Sather Gate. The students were joining members of UCLA's student body in reacting to racial tensions on the campus of UCSD, where a noose was found hanging in the library.

If you're working on a food justice issue in Oakland, or thinking about starting one, you've only got a little time left to apply for this year's Healthy Urban Food Enterprise Development Grant, a project of the Wallace Center at Winrock International. Organizations have until March 8th so submit letters of intent for their projects, which must help "build a new, 21st century food system that is healthier for people, the environment, and the economy."

Meanwhile Ella Baker Center Executive Director Jakadi Imani celebrates The Town from "our Chinatown –one of the nations oldest– to the Brotherhood of the sleeping Car Porters" as he invites the community to join him during the Oakland Running Festival later this month. 

Along those same lines, the Oakland Digital Art Center has teemed with Whole Foods Market and the City of Oakland for the Inspire Oakland billboard contest. Local artists can submit poster ideas conveying what about Oakland inspires them and the top ten entries will be featured in an art exhibit, with the winner's design being made into a commercial billboard. Get to painting.