Live From East Oakland: Can $100 Million Revitalize Oakland’s Black Community?

KQED's Forum

KQED

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6 • 656 Ratings

🗓️ 22 May 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

For several decades, Black residents of East Oakland have watched their once-thriving middle-class community wither in numbers as the rising cost of living pushed out their neighbors leaving the area blighted with empty storefronts, crime and poverty. Now, a plan called Rise East will inject $100 million of privately raised funds into a 40-square-block section of East Oakland over a 10-year period. The plan, led by local nonprofits aims to invest in education, community safety, health care, affordable housing and boost the local economy. For this special edition of Forum, we’ll broadcast live from East Oakland to talk to community leaders about the groundbreaking initiative and how it can serve as a model for community revitalization and reparations. Guests: Gregory Hodge, CEO, Brotherhood of Elders Network Carolyn "CJ" Johnson, CEO, Black Cultural Zone Selena Wilson, CEO, East Oakland Youth Development Center Dr. Noha Aboelata, CEO, Roots Community Clinic lower waypoint next waypoint Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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1:02.3	From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Alexis Madrigal, and we're broadcasting live from East Oakland's Parker Resource Center.
1:06.0	You know, for good reasons, we often talk about problems on this show.
1:11.6	We talk about economic disparity, public safety issues, the lack of affordable housing. But today we're live here in East Oakland to talk about something big and important and good.
1:17.6	Neighborhood groups here have raised $100 million to plow into a 40-square-block area.
1:23.6	They'll be able to implement a whole bunch of solutions in education, public health,
1:28.5	and economic development, and all at the same time. We'll talk about how the initiative
1:33.8	can serve as a model for community revitalization and repair. It's all coming up next, right after
1:39.1	this news. Welcome to Forum. I'm Alexis Madrigal.
1:49.9	So we're gathered here today for a special live broadcast from East Oakland.
	...

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