Weekend Picks: Things to do and see April 1-3
Article by Tehea Robie.
Last updated at Sat, 2 Apr at 1:58am.

There are some cool things going on this weekend, but I can’t attend the events I’ve selected; I’m writing to you from my sister’s home on the East coast.

It’s apropos that I should be digitally beaming into Oakland from afar. This weekend is all about the way the other side of the world impacts and connects us.

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11 for 11: Kate Hobbs, Destiny Arts founder, expands martial arts education for Oakland youth
Article by CB Smith-Dahl.
Last updated at Fri, 14 Jan at 12:27pm.

(Editor's note: Our continuing series that looks at Oakland Local's picks for people/organizations to watch in 2011. See all profiles in this series.)

The daughter of a San Francisco Unified schoolteacher, Kate Hobbs has always been interested in education.

When she came to Oakland in 1978 from San Francisco, she began to study martial arts under the leadership of Professor Colleen Gragen. At the same time as she was studying Kung Fu, she also was working with a children's program called "Hand to Hand" founded by Gragen. This work inspired Hobbs to start Destiny Arts Center.

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Destiny Arts Delegation to Attend South African Man Up Conference
Article by Emily Wilson.
Last updated at Thu, 8 Jul at 7:24am.

Ethan Zatko went to Destiny Arts Center as a kid growing up in Oakland and after a stint doing youth organizing in the South Bronx, he now works there as the On-Site Program Manager.  Zatko said Destiny Arts – which stands for De-Escalation Skills Training Inspiring Nonviolence in Youth – has made a huge difference in his life and he believes strongly in the organization’s mission of ending isolation, prejudice and violence in youth through performing and martial arts.

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