A report on emergency funding for security and crowd control at the First Friday and Art Murmur festivals touched off a dispute over scarce police resources in Oakland at Tuesday's city council meeting.

The tragic event that took place on Feb. 1 - the death of young 18-year-old Kiante Campbell, after being shot shortly following a First Friday event ended - shed light on the continuation of the monthly gathering, as well as solutions for the safety of the community, economy and cultural development.

Oakland arts activist Randolph Belle is the founder and Executive Director of Support Oakland Artists, a nonprofit art and community development corporation that works to enhance local artists’ ability to thrive and fuel economic development throughout the region.

In Late February, the office of the Mayor and the Oakland First Fridays Community Media Team announced a series of changes to the monthly street fair.