Gentrification and Oakland: Does change mean a city is loosing its soul?

Diversity has always been part of Oakland's history and it's only become more diverse with more groups bringing their culture and people.

Portuguese workers at the Oakland cotton mill in the early 1900's

When I was presenting in front of some college students on a real estate project that I had done the branding for in Oakland this one young white student said isn't this gentrification? I asked where he lived, he said he moved to Oakland from LA two years ago. He didn't really understand that maybe he was part of his own definition. A recent arrival, probably more affluent than many of the long term African American residents and probably able to spend more for housing thus pushing housing prices up.

This portrait of Oakland’s gentrification as mostly a rapid loss of diversity with wealthy people, mostly white, mostly speculators, coming to the city inflating housing costs and forcing and evicting the African American population out. That's how it's been portrayed now for several years. This perspective focuses on nothing but the negative and that change is all bad. It's also defined around a very narrow inaccurate historical perspective of Oakland's history with little understanding of the economic benefits of change and investment in creating jobs, housing and improving the quality of life. The negative stereotype of gentrification completely ignores the actual diversity of this city as it's been changing. Unfortunately the media, newspapers all want to focus on the negative. Why not take a look at history and get some reality around "gentrification"and Oakland.

Oakland grew as a great industrial center of the West. Right across from San Francisco, the hub of two transcontinental railroads, Southern Pacific and the Santa Fe, it drew thousands of immigrants from Europe, Asia, Mexico and African Americans from the South. In the mid 1880’s it was a thriving community probably 1/3 of the population came from another country, mostly working class immigrants looking for a new life. I'm sure you could hear on the streets Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, German, Yiddish and Chinese.

The African American population had literally been there from the very early days and the Railroad Porters Union, which was a totally African American, was founded in Oakland. The Chinese actually lived along the estuary and at low tide gathered shrimp and muscles as early as 1850. As industry arrived at the end of the railroad and port Oakland became a thriving working class city with a wide variety of ethnic groups throughout.

By the 1920's Oakland was called the "Detroit of the West" with 3 car assembly plants, steel mills, dozens of food canning facilities, manufacturing of all kinds, the largest cotton mill on the West Coast and 3 shipyards.

Oakland thrived through WW 2 and by 1950 saw unionized full employment and the manufacturing plants, shipyards and railroads drawing in hundreds of Blacks from the South looking for good paying industrial jobs. And then the world changed not just in Oakland but across the industrial areas of the United States.

From 1950 through 1980 Oakland saw a slow but dramatic decline in industry that affected work and jobs and population. Housing prices froze or dropped. Population began to decline. Older white people sold their homes and moved to the suburbs and from the late 1950's through the 1990's the Black population grew to be nearly 43% of Oakland's population. With massive economic decline, all shipyards closed, food processing departing the area and virtually all the large scale manufacturing jobs gone Oakland's unemployment rate sky rocked. The final straw was the closure of the Oakland Army Base in 1985. The African American community, like so many in urban centers across America was left in the middle of a declining economy, with little economic opportunity, rising crime and other problems. This was a challenging time.

For years I kept thinking Oakland will turn around, it's a great location, great infrastructure and the hub of BART and the freeways. When will this happen? It took time for the Bay Area's economy to take off and Oakland to be in center of the boom.

From the 1990’s through to now Oakland transformed. Many folks say it gentrified and and lost it's soul. In reality it's become more economically and socially diverse again, back to historic roots. The economy is booming, artists have created amazing cultures within the city. And we have nearly nearly full employment which brings jobs to young people, opportunity for everyone at all levels. Yes, the black population has dropped to 24% far smaller than the highs of the 1970’s but the city has also grown by nearly 90,000 people since 1980 with a more diverse mix. The Asian population is now at 19%, the Hispanic population at 22% and whites at 34%. And these “gentrifiers” you’re talking about are Korean, Ethiopian, Mexican, El Salvadorian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Syrian refuges, Indians, Palestinian, Russians -- all immigrants here to create a new life.

These new comers came to create something, to find opportunity for their families and their futures. Whether they have a tech job or work at that Korean market on Telegraph.

Oakland has changed, is changing and will continue to change. Yes there are many more middle class families, many white, but not all, in the once all Black neighborhoods, but is this bad? These families are often diverse, talented people who've come to raise kids and contribute to their community. Oakland's not becoming more white, it’s becoming more of everything. Many African American's have moved and bought homes in Concord, Antioch or Vacaville. And these cities have dramatically shifted and become more ethnically diverse communities. Again, is this bad?

Today there's not a dominant ethnic group in Oakland. It's an amazing mix. Oakland is rated one of the most ethnically and economically diverse cities in the United States if not the world.

NO one group owns Oakland culture or personality. No one group ever did. And yes, we want to acknowledge and preserve the past and cultures of Oakland as we welcome our future. I love Oakland's diversity and how it's new future is really a model to the country and the world.

I think it’s time to get on board and not be afraid of change.