![\"libation\"](\"http:\/\/ww2.kqed.org\/americangraduate\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2013\/03\/libation.jpg\")
March 5, 2013\nBy Eric K. Arnold<\/p>\n
March 5, 2013
\nBy Eric K. Arnold<\/p>\n
The red outline of a neon cross from the nearby Korean Community Christian Church church emanated above 1-O.A.K.\u2019s head like an electric halo, as the Oakland singer stood at the Telegraph and 24th St. Peace Stage, wearing a green RespectOurCity t-shirt and performing a cover of William DeVaughn\u2019s R&B classic, \u201cBe Thankful for What You\u2019ve Got.\u201d<\/p>\n
The lyrics\u2014you may not have a car at all, but remember, brothers and sisters, you can still stand tall\u2014seemed thoroughly appropriate, considering the circumstances: Following the prior month\u2019s First Friday celebration, gunfire erupted, leaving 18 year-old Kiante Campbell dead and several wounded, and causing event organizers (myself included), concerned stakeholders, and city officials, to rethink the future of the event, and institute numerous changes, the most salient of which was tightly-curated antiviolence messaging throughout the entire FF footprint.<\/p>\n
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Just moments earlier, District 3 City Councilperson Lynette Gibson-McElhaney led the Peace Stage crowd, which conservatively looked to number upwards of a thousand people, in observing a moment of silence in honor of Campbell, and other victims of gun violence in Oakland. Gibson-McElhaney called for everyone in the crowd to raise the peace sign in the air; a sea of hands followed suit. The hands remained held high for what seemed like an eternity, but was in actuality just a couple of minutes.<\/p>\n
No one said a word.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen that happened, I could feel, this city is still–from [24th st.] to [14th],\u201d said Amber McZeal, a member of the FF organizing group. \u201cIt was a change… I didn\u2019t recognize how many people were in the audience [because] all I could feel was stillness.\u201d<\/p>\n
The moment of silence was followed by an invocation led by Hub Oakland\u2019s Ashara Ekundayo, who poured several libations into a large bowl, held by McZeal. The peace vibe had been set earlier in the day\u2014aided by the widespread presence of ROC shirts, worn by community members, artists, DJs, event organizers, and Mayor Quan\u2019s volunteer monitors\u2014and was maintained throughout the night, which ended quietly and without incident, around 9 pm. (disclosure: I\u2019m one of the ROC organizers as well.)
\n***<\/p>\n
Even with the new guidelines and thematic programming, First Fridays was still a celebration of Oakland artists and homegrown culture, a point brought home by 1-O.A.K., and all the other inspired Peace Stage performers: Jennifer Johns, The Kev Choice Ensemble, Los Rakas, The Seshen, Chinaka Hodge, DNas, Do D.A.T., Chris Riggins, DJ Aebl Dee, DJ Tap-10, La Gente, and Candelaria. The music was a diverse mix of conscious hip-hop, reggaeton, jazz, funk, electronic, cumbia and R&B.<\/p>\n
March 1\u2019s event had less music programming overall; only two amplified sound areas were permitted by the city, the other one being the \u201cHeal the Hood\u201d stage curated by original First Fridays vendor Needa Bee, which featured DJs ((Local 1200)), Ras Ceylon, and numerous spoken word artists, poets, and youth organizers.<\/p>\n
There was still lots of art on display, including the interactive paint wall at \u201cthe Art Zone,\u201d along with local artisans and vendors. I did see less public drinking, though I wouldn\u2019t say there was 100% compliance with zero tolerance. Overall, the event seemed less chaotic than in previous months, and the reduced number of sound systems resulted in less aural bombardment from every direction.<\/p>\n
If heads can remain cool and calm, First Fridays might have a future after all.<\/p>\n
View entire article. <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" March 5, 2013 By Eric K. Arnold The red outline of a neon cross from the nearby Korean Community Christian Church church emanated above 1-O.A.K.\u2019s head like an electric halo, as the Oakland singer stood at the Telegraph and 24th St. Peace Stage, wearing a green RespectOurCity t-shirt and performing a cover of William DeVaughn\u2019s … Continue reading Oakland Local: Oakulture: Respect Our City helps bring peace to First Fridays; The Coup shadowboxes SF, Berkeley\u2019s Birdland winds down<\/span>