The East Oakland Collective

Mission

The East Oakland Collective supports residents of East Oakland, prioritizing Black residents, to navigate challenges and barriers to inequities through resource distribution and advocacy. We work towards racial and economic justice and equitable access. Our work includes homeless services and solutions, economic empowerment and community action.

Who We Are

The East Oakland Collective is a membership cohort of millennials-plus invested in the state of deep East Oakland. We are community members comprised of natives, homeowners, residents of East Oakland/greater Oakland and allies. We are invested in working towards a better future for the underserved populations and communities of deep East Oakland.

We are a fiscally sponsored organization of the Social Good Fund.  

Vision

The vision is to have a community that ensures the voices of the residents of East Oakland, prioritizing Black residents, are heard and that residents of East Oakland become resource rich– to be able to eat, work, learn and play comfortably in their own neighborhoods.

Values

At East Oakland Collective, we are committed to:

• Leadership – we lead with honesty and integrity to build and empower resident leadership.
• Resilience– we build community relationships and help the community thrive by working towards self-determination, community healing and abundance.
• Boldness/Innovation/Creativity – we break down barriers with authenticity and seek culturally creative solutions to address racial and economic inequality in East Oakland.
• ​Justice – we combat racial, social and economic inequities for the Black residents of East Oakland.

Our Mission In Action

Civic Engagement & Leadership // Increase the representation of deep East Oakland residents in the local and regional political landscape by civic participation and building the power and capacity of East Oakland residents to engage in organizing

Economic Empowerment // Increase Black resident participation in lending circles. Increase Black resident knowledge and unity around collective and/or cooperative economic opportunities in the areas of home and commercial ownership, small business and entrepreneurship.

Homeless Solutions and Services -- Food Justice // Advocacy, organizing and policy efforts to bring resources to Oakland’s most vulnerable residents. Alleviate food insecurity in marginalized communities through the distribution and redistribution of food (food rescue), essential supplies and resources. Expand the access to fresh and nutritious food options in East Oakland.

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Homeless Solutions and Services -- Housing Justice // Advocacy, organizing and policy efforts to increase traditional and innovative housing options for no to low income residents of Oakland. Shift the paradigm on what housing is and means for vulnerable communities. Change the narrative on homelessness and hold the powers that be accountable for housing being a basic human right.

Community Planning // Disrupt and change traditional planning processes and the ways in which traditional planners operate and planning processes are conducted in Oakland. Engage in equitable and culturally relevant planning and community engagement that is inclusive of BIPOC community members from the onset. Assist with coalition and collaborative opportunities with fellow community based organizations to revitalize key East Oakland corridors and neighborhoods for healthy and equitable community economic development. 

Deep East Oakland - The Last Frontier

Like many urban cities across the United States, Oakland, CA is experiencing high rates of displacement and gentrification of Black neighborhoods. Deep East Oakland is where you will still find the largest population of Black residents. We want to get ahead of the curve of gentrification, prevent further displacement and stabilize our neighborhoods. 

With approximately 109,862 people living in deep East Oakland (City districts 6, 7 and parts of 5) per data from the U.S. Census Bureau 2010, the area is severely underserved and suffers from long-standing disinvestment and lack of resources.

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Through empowering residents to organize, building civic engagement, fostering economic development and stabilizing our most vulnerable populations (our no-to-low income brothers and sisters), we can impact change.