Everyday people: The faces of downtown Oakland

I always wonder what the term urban planning actually means. What does economic power look like for the ones who grow up in urban areas? The disconnect between city officials and the people who pay the taxes that fund their jobs is huge. In my humble opinion, the only way to bridge the gap is to highlight those who occupy the space of the city.

The purpose of this series is to illuminate those everyday people that make The Town what it is. And, to give them a voice through Street Spirit to simply just be heard. May it be a shop goer or shop owner, I’d like to put a spotlight on them. I’d like to do it in a way that anyone can understand—both the city officials and those who may be unfamiliar with the lives of the people they walk past every day.

Bare Knuckle Pizza (351 12th Street)

Name: Viet

Three things you like about Oakland:

1. The lake

2. Can’t really put it into words, you don’t feel like you’re in a big city. And it feels more like a town (hence why they call it The Town)

3. The music. Memorable shoutout to Ghost Ship

4. Bonus answer: Riding bikes

One thing that could change:

More community engagement to get people out of their house. A lot of people don’t frequent downtown unless it’s a protest or some concert from an artist that’s not local and that brings walk-by traffic instead of people actually enjoying the places that are open for business in Oakland.

Delicieuse Princesse Bakery (317 13th Street)

Name: Evonne

Three things you like about Oakland:

1. The vibes

2. The diversity, alotta different people who do different things and come together

3. The way people can do their own thing and create space for themselves unbothered

One thing that could change:

The stereotypes of Oakland being unsafe, the lure of bipping and how the positive aspect isn’t always talked about.

U’Next Barber Shop (380 15th Street)

Name: Reggie

Three things you like about Oakland:

I was born here; The culture; The diversity.

One thing that could change:

The lack of big brother programs to provide guidance, to help kids get more mature. Gotta walk like a man to be a man.

East Bay Tattoo (516 E 18th Street)

Name: Joe

Three things you like about Oakland:

The community, been tattooing Oakland for 13 years; Oakland takes care of its people; The art scene is always thriving—grateful to have a part in it; The lack of competition amongst tattooers.

One thing that could change:

The communication with the city officials isn’t as strong as it should be coming from a business owner’s perspective. More can be done to create a more supportive environment for shop goers/owners.