Story by Jill Replogle

Members of Diego’s Power Alley Gym, at the corner of Foothill Blvd. and Seminary Ave., already made the choice for a healthier life. Now the whole community has a vision of strength and health, brightening the neighborhood outside the gym.

To really understand the Scraper Bike movement, one must experience it in its element: the turfs of East Oakland.  “The Deep East,” as it’s known, is a seemingly endless stretch of inner city, which begins at the east end of Lake Merritt and continues all the way to San Leandro. Like the rest of Oakland, its population is diverse, yet there are more African Americans and Latinos than in other parts of the town.

It’s not uncommon to see graffiti ominously announcing “BB 187” on a wall over a crossed-out Border Brothers tag on a wall. Churches are as numerous as liquor stores. There are plenty of well-maintained single-family homes, along with not so-well-maintained housing projects and apartment complexes. Car culture is big; since homes are generally modest, a clean ride is a source of pride – 22” rims, and sometimes larger, are a status symbol. And shiny Japanese sports cars, big-body American muscle cars abound, as do vans, SUV’s and pick-up trucks.

This Saturday, Aug. 28th, is set to be an eventful day in Oakland, to say the least.

Fundraisers for dance programs, back to school bike rides, backpack giveaways, youth summits and rallies around violence prevention proves that Oakland not being a city that gives back to it's own community is a false assumption.

We're back! This time with a lot of music via The Bay Abridged (July Edition).

During the last eight years, there hasn’t been much to cheer about for Oakland Raider fans.  The one consistent bright spot over the past seven consecutive losing seasons? The Raiderettes.  Football’s Fabulous Females, as they are often referred to, have been a silver-and-black lining to the storm clouds that have covered the franchise since its last trip to the playoffs, way back in 2002.

Residents of the Oakland flats - predominantly low-income African Americans and Latinos - can expect to die from heart disease, diabetes, cancer and stroke, on average, more than a decade before residents living in the Oakland hills.

Oakland schools start Monday, Aug. 30 - where will your kids be when the last afternoon bell rings?

Julia Fong Ma, coordinator for after school programs for Oakland Unified School District, confirmed 83 schools have free after school programs this year. Participating schools are listed at the end of this article.

By all accounts, Thembisa Mshaka is an  entertainment biz industry insider.

Planting Justice is an Oakland-based food and social justice organization with a mission to expand access to affordable healthy food, create living-wage green jobs, and make permaculture more relevant and accessible to low-income urban residents.  Rather than relying solely on foundations to fund its programs, Planting Justice transforms front and backyards of full-paying AND low-income cl

A few weeks ago, I was an extra in the movie Money Ball - starring Brad Pitt - which was being filmed at the Oakland Coliseum. 

This Sunday, Aug. 22 - from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Oakland Food Connection will be hosting a Food Party at Swan's Marketplace Co-Housing, 535 10th St. in Oakland.

Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out these fun events that the whole family will enjoy.

Friday