Hella Black Podcast

The 12th and final episode of Tales of The Town takes a look at the people indigenous to the land known as Oakland, the Chochenyo Ohlone Tribe! We dive into their history of struggle against colonization, and their present day fight to regain control of their land– as well as the need for solidarity between the Black and Indigenous independence movements. Guests: Corrina Gould: Ohlone Native. Tribal spokesperson for the Confederated Villages of Lisjan. Co-founder of the Sogorea Te Land Trust. Martin Rizzo-Martinez: Historian and media content producer. Works for California State Parks as the Historian for the Santa Cruz District. PhD from UC Santa Cruz.

The national response to COVID-19 was nothing short of negligent. As over 1 million people died preventable deaths, we were once again made clear how capitalism prioritizes profit over people. The City of Oakland’s government leaders were part of the problem. On episode 11 we take a look at the cruise ship that brought Oakland its first cases and how it was organizers, not local and state officials- who stepped up to provide resources and free testing to the community. Guests: Yemi Belachew: People’s Programs Co-Director of Operations. Dr. Nana Afoh-Manin: Doctor and founder of MyCovidMD and SharedHarvest

The Oakland pig department has been a source of oppression and violence since its inception in 1853. Killings of unarmed civilians, terrorist style raids of homes, surveillance and criminalization of the youth- this is just the tip of the iceberg! The 10th episode of Tales Of The Town looks at some of the history surrounding OPD, and the communal fight to get them out of Oakland schools. Desiree McSwain-Mims (Des): Organizer and Activist, a part of campaign to get OUSD out of Oakland schools. Donna Murch: Professor of History at Rutgers University. Author of Living for the City: Migration, Education and the Rise of the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California Michala Coates: Student organizer and activist.

On Episode 9 of Tales Of The Town we look at the life of Oscar Grant and how his death laid the foundation for the Black Lives Matter Movement that sparked years later. Uncle Bobby: Uncle of Oscar Grant. Organizer. Co-founder of Love Not Blood Campaign, which supports families who are victims of police violence Pendarvis Harshaw: journalist, author, educator. Oakland Native. Staff writer and Podcast host at KQED Dereca Blackmon: activist and organizer during the movement for Oscar Grant. Equity and Inclusion consultant.

Oakland has been home to some of the greatest sports moments, teams, and athletes in world history. From building professional superstars like Bill Russell, Marshawn Lynch, Marcus Peters, Damian Lillard, and Jason Kidd- to housing legendary teams like the golden state warriors and the Athletics, We breed them different! Episode 8 of Tales Of The Town takes a look at Oakland’s impact on youth, high school, college, and professional sports. Guests: Jazmine Dailey: Halftime Sports Bar. Logan Murdock: journalist, host of “Real Ones” podcast at The Ringer Josh Johnson: NFL Quarterback, Co-founder of Fam 1st Foundation. Elisha Lili Davis: Arizona State WBB Alumni and Business owner of Financial Firm Clarence Thomas: Author of “Mobilizing in Our Own Name: Million Worker March”. Longtime ILWU organizer and longshoreman. Delency Uncle.

Gentrification in Oakland has been a focal point of local organizers, publications, and creatives for the last decade. As rising rent prices continues to displace families that for generations have called Oakland “home”, and forced others out onto the streets, Episode 7 of Tales Of The Town highlights oakland community members who are trying to find their way through a city that prioritizes profit over people Guests: Mistah Fab: rapper, producer, songwriter. Owner of Dope Era Clothing store. Uncle Freddie: Abbas’ Uncle. Artist and Fabricator. Oakland Native. Ronnie Stewart: executive director of west coast blues society. Historian of 7th street in West Oakland. Brandi Summers: professor and author of Black in Place: The Spatial Aesthetics of Race in a Post-Chocolate City.

Over 500,000 people in the United States are documented as houseless. Episode 6 of the Tales Of The Town series takes a look at the systems and policies that have led to the houselessness crisis in the town. Guests: Brandi Summers: professor and author of Black in Place: The Spatial Aesthetics of Race in a Post-Chocolate City. OG Paul: houseless person we have served through our organization People’s Programs

Episode 5 of Tales of The Town is part 2 of the music episode. We highlight some of the biggest acts to come out of Oakland, and the impact they've had across the world. We also dive into the creative process behind Goapele’s “Closer” and Hieroglyphics “93 til infinity”. Guests: Tajai: Rapper/Producer, Record Label owner, part of Souls of Mischief, Hieroglyphics, and Rap Noir. Leon "DNas" Sykes: Educator, Community Leader, Radio host Tim House: all around bay area music guru.. Manager and tour manager. Goapele: Singer and songwriter.

Episode 4 of Tales of The Town is part 1 of a 2 part music highlight. We take a look back at the historic 7th street strip, which featured blues and jazz clubs. Dive into the revolutionary music of The Black Panther Party's band, The lumpen, and show how all this history paved the way for Oakland artists in contemporary time. Guests: Ronnie Stewart: executive director of west coast blues society. Historian of 7th street in West Oakland Rickey Vincent: author and professor at UC Berkeley. Wrote the book Party Music: The Inside Story of the Black Panthers Band and How Black Power Transformed Soul Music

Episode 3 of Tales Of The Town covers the student organizing history of the Black Panther Party’s co-founders Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale, at Oakland City College in the early 1960’s. The Soul Students Advisory, the first iteration of a Black Student Union, paved the way for Black Student organizing across the world, and its impact is still felt today! This episode also looks at the Afrikan Black Coalitions fight to force the UC school system to divest from private prisons! Guests: Dar: Former BPP member, student at Merritt College during time of the Panthers Judy Juanita: Former BPP member, editor of Black Panther Party newspaper. Author. Professor at Laney College in Oakland. Anthony Williams: former organizer at UC Berkeley, PhD student at UCLA.