ACORN Woodland Elementary

5th Graders from ACORN Woodland Elementary and EnCompass Academy talk about why the library is important to them and their community.

EnCompass Academy and Acorn Woodland Elementary students witness the delivery of 30,000 new books and videos delivered to the new 81st Ave Branch Library

Hundreds of community members come out to celebrate the opening of Oakland Public Library's brand new 81st Ave Branch Library in East Oakland.

Residents of East Oakland and staff from Acorn Woodland Elementary show their enthusiasm for the opening of a new library in their community.

Ms. Cooper narrates her memories when she and her sisters attended the Acorn Woodland School in the 1960's.

Kimi Kean's journey from a high shool dropout to a school principal in East Oakland.

Hi my name is Marta Ibarra and I am from Guadalajala, Jalisco. I arrived here at Oakland in the 80's. I came to Oakland because here I found a a job, I found security, and I felt safe here with my children. I am happy to be here in Oakland. I had two transformations, in myself and in the community. After sometime here, I became member of ACORN. We began by cleaning the streets. We were organizing ourselves to have a nice city, to have pretty streets. After the Oakdale Charter School was closed. There was talk about opening the ACORN school on Rudsdale and 81st here in Oakland.

This is my journey to Oakland, California from Memphis, Tennessee. As a child living with my father in Tennessee we had a good life. However, my father was a "gangster" involved in lots of illegal activities. My mother who had left him and was living in Oakland, California decided that she needed to get us away from him, but had to do it without him knowing. So she coordinated a kidnapping of me and my two brothers. We knew nothing about it.

Our Oakland participated in the 2nd annual CBE Love Yo’ Mama Earth Day Health Fair in East Oakland last Saturday, April 24th. Part of the all day Communities for a Better Environment Earth Day celebration, the health fair took place on the campuses of ACORN Woodland Elementary and Encompass Academy, right next to the new East Oakland Community Library at 81st Avenue, currently in development. The Our Oakland story portal and kiosk will reside there when it opens.