Ella Baker Center Campaigns

Our campaigns address the full arc of a society that invests more to incarcerate its young people than it does to educate them. Soul of the City is our hands-on, hands-together campaign to create an Oakland that is safe, healthy, and balanced. We're working to transform Oakland into a socially just, spiritually connected, ecologically sustainable city with shared prosperity for all. Books Not Bars addresses the ineffective and inhumane over-incarceration of youth. We're currently working to replace the neglectful and abusive Division of Juvenile Justice with a system of regional rehabilitative care centers. Green-Collar Jobs Campaign addresses a final injustice: the lack of meaningful work opportunities for at-risk youth and formerly incarcerated people society. Green-Collar Jobs Campaign catalyzes workforce opportunities in the burgeoning “green” economy, creating dignified jobs for low-income families. Heal the Streets is a new ten-month fellowship program that will train Oakland's young leaders (ages 15 - 18) to develop and advocate for policies that bring peace and hope to our streets. Our first campaign, Bay Area PoliceWatch, is being phased out as an active Ella Baker Center campaign. We will continue to provide resources via our website and have partnered with other organizations to provide victims of police abuse with lawyer referral services. At one end of the arc we have low-income youth of color. Not yet system-involved, but –- by virtue of race, class and geography –- at high-risk. Silence the Violence works to build youth leadership and to promote cultural ventures and policies to end violence on Bay Area streets.