“We didn’t give up, we’re still fighting the fight.”
Those who came to celebrate the fifth annual Wood Street Christmas Party on December 7th had a big change to contend with—for the first time ever the party was not on Wood Street. Instead, festivities were held two miles away at Tamarack, a community space in downtown Oakland.
“We’re missing the fire pit,” said LaMonte Ford, remembering how smoke, laughter, and the smell of cooking used to draw residents from all across the Wood Street Encampment to their Christmas party.
After the City of Oakland cleared the encampment in 2023, former residents ended up dispersed. Some found new encampments or places to park outside. Others, like Ford, ended up in housing. The end result was the fracturing of a community of almost 300 people at its peak.
John Janosko, a former Wood Street resident and organizer with the Wood Street Commons, helped move the event to Tamarack. Janosko, who is now housed, explained that continuing the tradition of the annual party was not a question, but a necessity.
“It’s a little different, but I wouldn’t change anything,” said Janosko. “We all have to progress if we’re going to continue on to do the work that we’re doing.”
Janosko made the effort to make sure word got out about the party to as many former Wood Street residents as possible. His methods were varied—he made Instagram posts, sent out text reminders, and John even went by the Wood Street Community Cabins—a transitional housing program near the site of the former encampment—to hand out printed flyers to anyone interested in coming.
Monique French, another former Wood Street resident, was late to the party from driving around Oakland to pick up partygoers.
“Some people are housed, some aren’t, so we don’t get to see each other,” said French, who was decked out in a festive knit Christmas sweater with a built-in hood.
The party was set to start at 5:30PM, and by that time darkness had come over downtown Oakland. Inside the venue was warm and adorned with tinsel garlands and other Christmas decor. More than 40 guests showed up to celebrate. Most congregated upstairs where food, prepared primarily by Janosko filled a long rectangular table.
Cooking for the party was a whole day task, Janosko had to start his day at 4AM to finish in time.
Dinner for the evening included a tropical fruit platter, charcuterie board, assorted tapas, spicy teriyaki ginger and garlic wings, moroccan style beef skewers, and the star of the evening, “Betty Davis eyes—grapes encased in herb goat cheese covered in crumbled pistachio.
“I feel like it’s one of the most universal menus,” said Janosko, holding a platter of shrimp toast in a white chef’s coat, “and most people like almost everything that’s on the menu.”
Just like in years prior, food and entry was free to all.Those who were interested could buy custom Wood Street Commons t-shirts ($30) and other merch at the entry table.
Starting at around 6:30PM, members of POOR Magazine performed poetry and spoken word pieces. Behind the performers was a makeshift altar of sorts, with relics of Wood Street history. A binder on display held an open letter published in 2022 detailing demands from the Commons and their own proposals to homelessness solutions.
The Wood Street Commons is still working on those solutions. Throughout the room on easels were renderings of proposed affordable housing campuses done by architect Mike Pyatok, who worked with Wood Street residents to design them.
“I would like to see it in action,” said Ford of the renderings, “we could eradicate homelessness, I really believe that.”
Closing the evening was a showing of a trailer for “Wood Street,” a documentary following the encampment’s eviction. Filmmaker Caron Creighton explained that the film needs additional funding to complete the editing process.
By 8PM guests had mostly trickled out. Ford, who was one of the final stragglers, managed to leave with two poinsettia plants—party decor—for his home. He said that showing up to the party was a way to stay in solidarity with his community, which is now harder to access from his apartment in Castro Valley.
“The Christmas party is to reconnect, to let people know that we’re just not down and out,” said Ford. “We didn’t give up, we’re still fighting the fight.”
Ellie Prickett-Morgan is an audio and print journalist based in Oakland.