EVOAK: Reclaiming our worth!

EVOAK! East Oakland Reclaiming Our Worth is a cultural research project focused on leveraging the unique cultural assets of the Black community in East Oakland. The project is a collaborative effort between EVOAK!, the Black Cultural Zone (BCZ), Mills at Northeastern University (NU), and Creative Development Partners (CDP). The project uses community engagement and research methodologies to document and amplify Black cultural experiences in East Oakland.

The goals of the research are to promote comprehensive creative community development and foster a sense of belonging and cultural preservation. The research will also inform the development of gathering spaces, community advocacy, and pathways to equity in placekeeping in light of the systematic “displacemaking” of Black communities in Oakland over the past 60 years. The project partners hope the research will provide a framework that can be applied to communities experiencing similar dynamics of gentrification, cultural erosion, and displacement.