Article by Eric K Arnold.
Last updated at Sun, 4 Dec at 2:12am.

During the course of the Occupy Oakland movement’s development, local rapper-activist Boots Riley has emerged as one of its most visible faces.

Article by Eric K Arnold.
Last updated at Tue, 4 Oct at 1:01am.

This past Friday was a good example of why Oakland has become a cultural mecca.

A few years ago, that statement would have invited ridicule. But these days, Oakland’s renaissance is in full swing, to the extent where East Bay culturati often have to choose between two (or more) equally-compelling events going on at the same time.

Article by Eric K Arnold.
Last updated at Tue, 1 Feb at 9:14am.

A decade or so ago, when I was freelancing as a stringer for a San Francisco-based newspaper, I wrote a series of articles in honor of Black History Month.

Article by Eric K Arnold.
Last updated at Fri, 31 Dec at 11:50am.

Ok, party people, you know the drill: It's New Year's Eve, and you a) aren't staying at home watching Dick Clark and b) are keeping it local, right here in Oakland.

So where do you go? We're glad you asked.