ILLUMINATION is a literary gathering that broadens the theme of Diwali to reframe what 'light' or 'new beginnings' mean to us. Diwali marks the beginning of a new year, but more broadly how a new year potentially symbolizes new beginnings and new light. While intended to be a space of celebration and coming together, this
In the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we faced a racial justice reckoning as anti-Asian hate violence escalated across the nation. We witnessed elders in Oakland Chinatown and in other neighborhoods become vulnerable targets of racially motivated violence. While violence against elders and racism against Asians are not new phenomena, there is a renewed
This year, OACC's Friendsgiving event will recognize Native American Heritage Month and honor Indigenous lands while hosting a canned-food drive. General admission is free if you bring a canned food donation. “In the Land of my Ancestors” celebrates the living legacy of Ann Marie Sayers, a beloved Ohlone elder. Ohlone people are not federally recognized
The Shikoku Pilgrimage on the island of the same name is one of the few circular pilgrimages in the world. At 1,200 kilometers in length, the trail includes 88 temples and passes through diverse countryside such as idyllic bamboo groves, deserted beaches and ordinary Japanese neighborhoods. John Lander, long-time resident of Japan, author and photographer,
In The Wake Up, Michelle MiJung Kim shares foundational principles often missing in today’s mainstream conversations around “diversity and inclusion” and urges readers to go beyond performative allyship to enacting real transformation within ourselves and in the world. The Wake Up invites readers to deep dive into the challenging and nuanced work of pursuing equity
In the new book, Auntie Sewing Squad Guide to Mask Making, Radical Care, and Racial Justice, editors and contributors will talk about their fight to distribute masks to underserved communities, where depleted mask supplies left thousands unprotected against the COVID19 pandemic. In March 2020, when the US government failed to provide personal protective gear during
