Digital Archive

This website is a dynamic digital archive of stories and images about East Oakland, told by members of its community.  The archive is organized around five themes, or the "Archive5":  Our Families, Our History, Our Dreams, Our Place, and Our Culture. 

Why Storytelling?

Told in our own words, our stories give witness both to momentous events like the inauguration of the first African American president of the United States, and our everyday lives in our communities. Stories about our families, our schools, our churches, our work and our homes; our memories and our hopes — what we love about our community and what we would like to change. Our stories affirm these experiences for ourselves, and help make them come to life for those who hear us.

Storytelling gives voice and validation to the teller, and it can heal both  teller and listener.

Storytelling is how we share our vision of the world, and how we tell others about ourselves. 

Stories can help us imagine ourselves in other people's shoes so we can better understand where they are coming from and get along better. 

Stories are how older generations pass on their knowledge to younger generations, and they are how younger generations explore new ideas and start to make positive changes. 

Stories can teach, inspire, and entertain us.  They can also serve as warnings or a call to action.  What will your story do?

More about the archive

The Our Oakland: Eastside Stories archive lives on this site.  In Winter 2011, when the East Oakland Community Library opens, the archive will also be available to library visitors on a dedicated touchscreen pod. 

Stories in the archive are collected here on this website, as well as through a series of Community Storytelling Days which took place in 2008 and 2009.  Everyone is welcome to submit stories to the archive as long as the stories are about East Oakland and conform to the Terms of Use.

This website was designed by Rene Yung with web developer Ari Salomon.

More about the Our Oakland Eastside Stories project

  • Public Art in the Library with art glass in a 64-foot cleristory window and an Interactive Pod
  • Community building activities including forming new partnerships and hosting storytelling events to building a new community online that will help build community on the ground.