Shalom of Oakland

There have been some intriguing articles in the Oakland Tribune and SF Chronicle recently regarding Deep East Oakland.  This article asks where the public outrage is for the innocent 16 year old who was shot while being dropped off at his house by some friends.  They got caught up in a sideshow and shots were fired into their vehicle.  The comments on these kinds of articles are fascinating.  Who do we blame?  The shooter seems to be an obvious target, but there's always the Deep East in general to blame, the family, the police, the sideshow, poverty, school system, etc.  In any case, this article  does make me question why I wasn't outraged and stunned when I read the original story on the shooting.  Do you just get numb to it when it is the reality around you?  Are there ways to cope while staying passionate about peace and safety for our young people?

We have 15-20 children participating in our new Summertime Kids Club, and we'll definitely have more by the end of the summer.  With all these kids running around we're running low on supplies on a number of things at the Shalom Community Center, so let us know if you'd like to drop off....

board games, cards, double dutch jump ropes, Brita water filter, large black trash bags, compost container/bin, paper towels, children's books, arts & crafts supplies, napkins, Bibles, vacuum or broom

I just realized the Shalom Community Center is entering a whole new phase...school is out and things are about to change.  Looks like either yesterday was the last day, or, as the word on the street tells me, most of the kids are skipping the last day or two.  For the first time we actually had all the computers in the computer lab in use at one time and I had to tell someone to wait a bit before I could help him with a resume. 

Let's pray that summer does not lead to an increase in violence and crime that so often happens when the days are longer and warmer.

I just had the privilege of meeting a couple more OPD (Oakland Police Department) officers.  They have recently begun "walking the beat" again in certain areas.  Over here on MacArthur in Deep East, they have been parking a couple blocks over on the corner of 76th and Mac and walking through once a day, trying to establish relationships with store owners and local residents.  The neighbors here appreciate the work.  Just one walk through a day has dramatically reduced drug sales and increased safety here.  It's an old school way to police that seems to work well from my vantage point.  People begin to know the officers instead of making assumptions.  Let's hope that with the budget cuts that are coming there are still some police walking the beats in the hot spots of Oaktown.

The Shalom Community Center just got a brand new basketball hoop for the backyard.  Props to Tony, Jerry and Jerry for donation and construction.  The assembly was no joke.

Enjoying life in the Shalom Community Center.  Gettin to know the crew that hangs out on MacArthur in the 70's.  Never a dull moment.  One good thing is that people are finally realizing I don't hand out money.

I'm looking forward to the Melrose High Hopes NCPC (Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council) Meeting for Beat 27X, where I have the honor of serving as the Vice Chair.  We're working on unleashing a new website to better connect with neighbors, and we're throwing a Block Party on July 25.  Now if we can only help out the Melrose Library that may soon be closed most of the week due to budget cuts. 

It feels like summer, and I love it!  My favorite thing about East Oakland when it's warm outside is all the people out and about.  People are chillin on the front porch.  People are walking around the street.  Stereos are blaring.  Neighbors end up hangin out and getting to know each other just a little better.  There is a good vibe in the air.  Now if the crime stats could just shoot down instead of up in the summer, it would be all good.

Today you can open a Bay Area newspaper or online news source and find plenty of negative stories about East Oakland.  Of course, most of them are true.  A few minutes ago I read a story about two boys, ages 8 and 10, who tried to rob an ARCO gas station with a BB gun on 98th and International.  It's depressing, and it is reality, just like the four police officers shot down at 74th and MacArthur, and just like Oscar Grant shot in the back by a BART police officer at the Fruitvale BART Station.  I suppose we do need to know that these things happen. 

However, what if at this time in East Oakland, we should also make a point to lift up the good things, the people who love this community and serve fellow humans day in and day out?  I'd love to see a series of articles on the life and legacy of J. Alfred Smith Sr. of Allen Temple Baptist Church.  If you haven't read his biography, On the Jericho Road, you should.  What about the work with young people being done over at Youth Uprising?  How about some stories on Harry Williams and his book, Straight Outta East Oakland, through his own Soul Shaker Publishing?  What about neighborhood leaders volunteering their time and expertise to work with our NCPC's (Neighborhood Crime Prevention Councils), serving each police beat?  What about Faith Network of the East Bay, connecting churches willing to serve with under-resourced public schools in the Flatlands?

Does more attention to the violence and crime sell newspapers?  Or am I just on a kick to emphasize the good in the midst of the evil and there really is a balance in the local media? 

For some time I've been contemplating writing a post about the horrific events that took place just a few feet from our new facility on MacArthur Boulevard.  If you are reading this I am sure you have heard or read about what happened.  If for some reason you have not, just click over to the Oakland Tribune website and look at the special section under the heading "Tragedy in Oakland."  I could give a summary but I've grown weary from thinking about the details.  Many others have given their point of view and dissected the culture of East Oakland, focusing on the difficulties and failures. 
What does strike me is that the vast majority of the people I've met around 74th and MacArthur are quite friendly to me, welcoming me to the street.  I've laughed with people, been teased for missing a spot while painting, shared our plans for the Shalom Community Center, and received nothing but positive and encouraging remarks.  If you were to read many of the articles about this neighborhood (and especially the comments sections underneath) you would be convinced that to walk on these streets would quickly bring a wave of racial tension, robbery, drug abuse and violence.  Instead, I've found that people are simply doing what they do, walking to the grocery store, pushing babies and toddlers in strollers, working at barber shops and convenience stores, smoking cigarettes and enjoying the sunshine.  Obviously, there are problems lurking around many corners, some obvious and some more subtle, but there is also hope.  There is also an openness to conversation, smiles, help, prayer, friendship and cooperation.  Perhaps if we would simply engage the people we talk about and debate about the stories would be told differently.  Perhaps there is hope in the midst of pain.  Perhaps there is potential for relationship beyond boundaries of race and class.  Perhaps resurrection can still happen and is still happening.

"From Danville to Oakland with Love"...this headline on the Oakland Tribune quickly caught my eye the other day.  I used to be a youth pastor in Danville and now reside and work in Oakland.  It was a heartwarming story of two very different high schools, Monte Vista, predominantly white and from the wealthy suburb of Danville, and McClymonds, predominantly African-American from West Oakland.  McClymonds beat Monte Vista in the basketball playoffs, and when reports came that McClymonds needed financial help to stay in a hotel in Sacramento for the state tournament, Monte Vista parents and coaches rallied to raise money for the McClymonds team.  Seems simply incredible and beautiful, right?  Well, maybe...

The Tribune is now reporting that McClymonds has been ordered by the school district to return the money.  Supposedly there was a miscommunication between the OUSD and the McClymonds coach, and they will be taken care of by the school district after all.  There is understandably some awkwardness at this point in the story.  It is all very strange, but predictable at the same time.  So often acts of charity across cultural lines, which may be well intentioned, just don't work out all that well.  Money is given for the wrong thing.  Assumptions are made about what the real needs are.  Pride and ego exist on both sides of the transaction.  Sometimes there is condescension, and sometimes there is the pure love that is assumed to be condescension.  It's just plain hard. 

I think one thing we can learn from this story is to do our homework and due diligence when giving aid of any kind, in full recognition of the difficulties and intricacies that are present.  In the end, Oakland needs Danville, AND Danville just may need Oakland just as much.

Read more about the story here.