Hello, ladies and gentlemen.

I was chosen to participate in a photo-documentary of Oakland, by photographer, Stephen Texeira, who’s started a movement to document the REAL faces of Oakland. After reading an article this last Sunday (5/11/14), at my best friend’s house, while sipping coffee, she showed me an article from the San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.com; a publishing from Sunday April 27th, 2014. I was intrigued by the article, written by Chip Johnson, which stated,”Texeira wants to capture Oakland’s good side, but not like in one of his modeling shoots. – He’s not looking for the prettiest, most alluring face he can find. Instead, he wants to capture the essence of Oakland neighborhoods in faces that tell the story of a city with vast and diverse immigrant population; a long, proud history of African American residents; and a city of triumph and tragedy…” (http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Stephen-Texeira-gets-Oakland-picture-perfect-5393789.php)

I thought to myself, “Well, I am from Oakland, and I care for the health of Oakland, and… I’m going to call him, and see if he is interested in interviewing me, an activist, organizer, entertainer, educator, and marriage and family therapist…” I thanked my best friend, found Stephen on Facebook, and emailed him my thoughts. Twenty minutes later, Stephen responded, and from there we set a date for a shoot. I am now one of the documented photo-stories of Oakland, and, because I now have lived and have worked in my studio in the Golden Gate District of Oakland for ten years, my story will too be told, as one of the “good” sides of Oakland’s history.

He isn’t done yet, as there are 150 different and unique neighborhoods in Oakland. I have also asked if I can help him find other stories to tell, as in, other individuals, families, and couples, and he agreed to utilize my support. His project is projected to take 12-18 months to complete, and after his story in the paper/website of SFGate.com, he is now becoming overwhelmed with responses.

He and I chit chatted about Oakland, took pictures, and shared our perspectives and history on and in Oakland, and I have to say, he is a very humble, intelligent, and personable gentleman. After reading many articles on Oakland, especially from the New York Times, about Oakland being the new Brooklyn, I think, instead of likening Oakland to other cities in preparation for more gentrification, or for trying to find ways to articulate what it actually is, Stephen is setting out on a journey that documents what Oakland was, is, and will be. One thing Stephen said, while we chatted, was, “Photography = Light Writing, so I am, essentially writing a story using light, about Oakland.”

Here is my Instagram photo of Chip Johnson & the San Francisco Chronicle’s April 27th, 2014 article: http://instagram.com/p/oCrKYAt8Ky/