Soil polluted with lead has long plagued the South Prescott neighborhood of West Oakland. But cleanup is finally getting underway.

This Saturday, June 25, the community is invited to learn more about the new green technology this project will use to clean up residential properties there.

(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.)

If there was an all-star team for community organizers, Tony Coleman would be a front-runner for Oakland's MVP for 2010.

Despite maintaining a low-profile -- Coleman is much more likely to be wearing a hoodie than a business suit and gators, and you won't find him cozying up to elected officials in luxury boxes during A's games or schmoozing at $1000-per-plate galas -- he's been quite visible where it really counts, in the streets. Refreshingly down to earth, he nevertheless speaks, and takes action, with drive, fervor and an earnest commitment to the causes he's passionate about: justice, accountability, unity, economic sustainability, anti-violence and community empowerment.

“Who is it and what is that sustains life in Oakland,” asks
Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Youth Speaks Artistic Director. “What we use Life is Living to do is mirror the community response to that question.”

Life is Living is a national campaign of Youth Speaks that has found homes in Harlem, Chicago, Houston, Texas, and on Oct. 3, in Oakland. This Sunday, hundreds of Bay Area residents will gather in West Oakland’s DeFremery Park - 1651 Adeline St. - to celebrate life through art, music, poetry and green-focused workshops.

What is Sankofa and how does it relate to helping youth on Oakland connect to their inner voices and to an understanding of the environment? The answers to that question come in a powerful Tedx talk from Oakland's Zakiya Harris, founder of Grind for the Green and director of the Get Fresh Festival happening August 14th in Mosswood Park in Oakland, and San Francisco's Pandora Thomas from the Global Exchange.