First, a bit about each film, which vary in length from two to six minutes :

Oaklandish: More than a Shirt is produced by Camp Reel Stories, a media program for young women and gender non-conforming youth. It documents the story of Oaklandish, a retail space which promotes civic-pride through combining clothing sales and community outreach and engagement. The store, a woman-owned business, has been a mainstay in the community for 20 years. The film specifically profiles the owner, Angela Tsay, some of the store’s employees, and their collective desire to give back to the community.

Fix My Kixx is produced by United Roots, which trains young people of color to be socially conscious media makers. The film profiles James Green, a young black man who uses his creativity to reduce waste and make money by developing a sneaker restoration business.

At Our Table: The Story of Mamacita’s Cafe is produced by Youth Beat, an organization which provides media training for underserved youth in Oakland. Their movie is about a woman-owned and operated cafe, Mamacita’s, which hires women of color ages 18 to 24 who face challenges to employment. Mamacita’s model is cooperative, rather than hierarchical, and they have just rolled out a new fellowship program for women and non-binary youth.

To understand the context of this project and how it developed, I interviewed Damon Johnson, the head of strategic marketing and partnerships for Born and Raised Marketing and the project manager for Oakland Cuts. Johnson underscored that the project was specifically about supporting emerging filmmakers documenting social change in their communities and was conducted in partnership with Camp Reel Stories, United Roots, Youth Beat, and Red Bull Amaphiko, a program which works with social entrepreneurs to use their talents and creativity to solve social problems. It was the first three organizations that helped Oakland Cuts identify the young filmmakers, who then had the freedom to choose a subject of their choice.

Johnson said, “Our mission here is to inspire a broader audience to make a contribution to changing the world for the better. Few stories in 2018 have been as inspirational as those from marginalized communities who are ‘reclaiming their time,’ expressing frustration with the status quo, and reaffirming their identities via various forms of media. In Oakland specifically, we've enjoyed a wave of incredible homegrown filmmakers who have been able to enjoy commercial success without sacrificing their creative vision.”

One of the things that I was curious about is how the films contribute to making Oakland a more equitable place. This was an idea specifically articulated by James Green at the end of Fix My Kixx and a theme which resonated throughout all three pieces. It occurred to me that this is a difficult challenge given gentrification (a theme that resonates heavily in the other films) and our current political and social climate. Raymundo Peralta, who directed Fix My Kixx, said that Oakland is a resilient city where someone like James could leave the “hood” and break stereotypes, ultimately tapping into their potential and engaging in entrepreneurship.

”Oakland is a diverse city that welcomes people from all walks of life, and despite the ongoing gentrification and displacement of certain groups of people that has hindered Oakland and the Bay Area in general, James' vision is to seek and expand his vision of a social enterprise that caters to Oakland as a whole, all while being able to preserve and sustain the culture of Oakland as he knows it,” Peralta said.

Danielle Thompson, producer/director of At Our Table: The Story of Mamacita’s Cafe, and Narce Guinto, the film’s producer/cinematographer, said their film shows that Oaklanders are natural change-makers in their communities and industries. They were drawn to Mamacita’s in particular because of the work they are doing to create a more equitable workplace. The restarurant hasn’t yet had a lot of publicity, even though what they do is helping to change an industry badly in need of reform. Thompson said, “We hope this will help to start a conversation on inequity, gentrification, and abuse in the workplace. This can hopefully lead to the continuation of positive change. “

My last question for the filmmakers was about the national attention Oakland has been receiving recently. In addition to last year’s two hit films about the city, BBQ Becky’s notoriety ,and the killing of Nia Wilson, Kamala Harris also announced her candidacy for president from Oakland in mid-January. I wondered what the filmmakers would say about how their work contributes to the national conversation and how people seem to have suddenly discovered it as a city to explore.

Grace Patterson, the director of Oaklandish: More than a Shirt, reminded me that one of the interviewees in the film, Rudi, says that while Oakland is currently seen as a really cool place, it never used to be, and yet its literally the same place. Patterson commented that “With all the attention Oakland has been getting in the media and news, it is important for people from Oakland to share what Oakland means to them as it changes.” That’s why the Oaklandish film is special. It “highlights three women who love the town, and who demonstrate love [for the city] and civic pride through the work Oaklandish does.”

Guinto of the Mamacita’s film spoke directly about the city being a reflection not just of a place, but the people in it. “You can stand in one spot and meet some many different people in a short amount of time. I also feel like this project also shows that Oakland is a place for artists. We have amazing street art, music, food, and films being produced by people from here.”

This collection of films is a love letter to the city, but specifically to Oaklanders themselves who remain thriving and creative in the midst of all kinds of change and transition. There is a consistent theme in the films and among the filmmakers that Oakland is a city that has both good and bad but is unique, full of art and culture, and has great stories to tell about the people working for change in their communities.

Elizabeth Tril, the cinematographer and editor for Oaklandish, said that Oakland is a place that has never ignored its problems but instead has always challenged communities to come together and unite. Tril wants the people who are new to the city to know this and that it has always been that way. ”What this film emphasizes is: Oakland has always been a community full of culture, diversity, and unity. It's just the architecture and new people that are coming in that's changed. Oakland has always been beautiful.”

The Oakland Cuts project has successfully provided an important platform for young filmmakers, especially those from marginalized identities and communities, to tell stories about the social change efforts happening in their city. It allows them to tap into their creativity and passion to inspire and transform the mainstream media landscape. This is powerful not just for these young people but for the city as well, and is a necessary step toward developing more diverse representations of communities, cities, and American society. For the rest of us living outside of the city, it offers a unique window into the vibrant, thriving, and multi-faceted culture that is Oakland.

You can watch the full-length movie Oaklandish: More than a Shirt below.

And you can see the trailer for Fix My Kixx here.