Every year, the Annual Dia de los Muertos Festival elevates the stories, history, and traditions of Oakland’s diverse Latino community, at a time when many neighborhoods throughout the East Bay are rapidly losing their diversity. This year, we paid homage to Los Ausentes, those who are no longer with us, whether they are loved ones who have passed away, or members of...
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The Unity Council is profoundly sorry to hear of the passing of Bernard Tyson, Chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente over the weekend. Kaiser Permanente, under Mr. Tyson’s tremendous leadership, became one of The Unity Council’s strongest partners. His advocacy pushed Oakland to recognize the unbroken line between better careers, education, housing, and health. He saw the incredible influence that...
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ABOUT THE HEROES OF UNITY The Heroes of Unity project is a youth-led screen printing project honoring the stories of local heroes. Select stories will inspire the creation of visual art by our young artists’ program and displayed at the Dia de los Muertos Festival on November 4th. Join us and learn the art of screen printing, share your story,...
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When seeking childcare options, Tamonie Benjamin, like any mother, simply wanted the best education she could get for her children. “I didn’t want to put them in a place where they were going to watch television all day,” said Tamonie. “They deserve better than that.” For more than five years, the Oakland native and mother of four has been an...
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Desliza hacia abajo para leer este mensaje en español, After delaying his plans to launch a series of raids across the country, new information has leaked that the Trump administration plans launch ICE raids from July 14 through July 18 in the following cities: Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco. The...
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East Oakland’s Fruitvale and like communities have historically been challenged by inequitable economic development, systemic racism, entrenched poverty, and lack of opportunity. Today our community faces additional pressures such as skyrocketing rents and opportunistic investors that can ultimately lead to displacement. In the face of such threats, The Unity Council remains committed to an equitable economic and real estate development...
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On June 10th, the application opened for housing at Casa Arabella, the 94-unit building under construction at the Fruitvale Village, close to the BART station. People who were interested in getting a 1, 2, or 3-bedroom apartment for themselves and their families had only seven short days to apply. The process of applying to affordable housing can be confusing, and...
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The Unity Council is proud to announce Andrea Luna as the winner of the 2019 Dia de los Muertos Festival poster art contest winner! Andrea is an educator, mother, artist, community organizer, and activist. She first became involved in the Dia de los Muertos Festival nearly thirteen years ago as a crafts vendor; she was one of the first vendors...
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Most teens envision a life of exploration and excitement after high school – going to college, seeking the career of their dreams, and spreading their wings. For high school graduate Exprinfil, she longed for necessities most of us take for granted: warm showers, electricity, food on the table, and pursuing higher education. Over the last year, Exprinfil has been both...
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For the past 16 years, The Unity Council’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) service has provided the community with more than free tax services; the VITA tax site serves as a full-service community resource center. The Unity Council provides tax clients with benefit screenings, financial education, connections to Head Start, career services, and much more....
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