A Rising Tide Benefit Screening - March 24th, 2024

This benefit screening, the creation of Oakland Super Heroes Mural Project Wall #5 , and the restoration of Wall #2 are funded by the Bay Area Creative Corps program, a joint initiative by the San Francisco Foundation and California Arts Council.

PAST DATE: Sunday, March 24th, 2024 | 12:30pm

PAST LOCATION: The New Parkway Theater | 474 24th St, Oakland, CA 94612

Our Panelists

 

Nikko was an ArtEsteem student and Oakland Legacy Project leader from 2016 to his high school graduation in 2021. He participated in the design process and narrative writing of the Oakland Super Heroes Mural Project Wall #5, which is set for the west wall of the Market Street I-580 underpass in summer 2024.

After the traumatic experience of having lost his older brother Joshua to cancer, Nikko took that pain and used it as a catalyst to push himself into forging the person he is today. Nikko describes himself as an optimist as he thinks it important to look on the bright side of things and maintain a positive attitude when faced with challenges.

Thanks to his day-dreamer tendencies, he is naturally drawn to the arts and the art of storytelling as they assist in guiding and directing his thoughts and interests. During his time with ArtEsteem, Nikko took it upon himself to act as a role model for not only himself but for his peers and others. He wanted his peers to enjoy and grow alongside him during their time with ArtEsteem as he had.

Although he struggled with his own self confidence, he frequently encouraged other students to be their best selves. As a result, he made countless connections throughout his community. Nikko strongly believes that everything holds a purpose behind it, thus he is especially passionate when creating something of his own.

After graduating, Nikko later attended the very same residential career training and education program his late brother took part in (Job Corps) for the next two years in San Francisco. Plastering became Nikko’s trade of choice, as he believed it would be the best path to better teach himself to discipline his mind and body.

 

Nikko Cabrera

Alumnus of ArtEsteem’s Oakland Legacy Project

 

Born as the youngest of six to Roland and Georgella Broach, Ronald Broach Sr. was brought up with strong values and a keen emphasis on education. Despite a sheltered childhood, he was exposed to the harsh realities of his environment in East Oakland, which shaped his understanding of the world's complexities. Excelling in middle school academically and in sports, he faced personal challenges but found direction through a commitment to making morally sound choices, marked by his Master’s Degree achievement in NMDS (No More Dumb S***).

His involvement with Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS) marked a significant phase in his life, where he transitioned from contributing to community issues to solving them. Starting in the PREP program and moving up to become an Intake Specialist at the BOSS Career Training and Employment Center, Ronald Broach Sr. played a crucial role in aiding returning citizens reintegrate into society. His work was recognized and honored by the esteemed 100 Black Men organization.

Now, Ronald Broach Sr. stands as a beacon of hope and transformation. From overcoming personal and societal hurdles to becoming a homeowner, faithful husband, and loving father, he continues his mission to heal and empower marginalized communities, showcasing the power of resilience, dedication, and the desire to make a positive impact.

 

Ronald Broach

Director of Shelter Networks at Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency

 

Jonathan is the Director of the Alameda County Office of Homeless Care and Coordination. A systems strategist and former non-profit executive, prior to this appointment in March 2024 he was most recently the Chief Strategy and Impact Officer at Bay Area Community Services (BACS), a nonprofit behavioral health and homelessness services provider and housing developer working across five counties in the greater Bay Area. In that role, he oversaw all strategic direction, program design, new business and fund development, government and external relations, real estate development, data analytics and evaluations, and community engagement, advocacy, and policy. With years of experience leading direct service teams on Skid Row in Los Angeles and overseeing agency-wide program operations throughout the Bay Area, he brings both a deep-rooted practitioner knowledge base and a grounded systems and policy expertise to his work at the intersections of homelessness, behavioral health, and racial and housing justice. He resides on Ohlone Chochenyo land in the city of Emeryville.

 

Jonathan Russell

Director of the Alameda County Office of Homeless Care and Coordination

The Center for ArtEsteem (AHC) hosted a benefit screening of Oakland filmmaker Cheryl Fabio's A Rising Tide to uplift the voices of Alameda County's unhoused residents and ignite conversation about preserving the visions of our youth through public art.

AHC is proud to join the growing number of community entities hosting screenings of this vital documentary as we aim to spark conversation and community action related to the housing crisis and our community beautification effort, the Oakland Super Heroes Mural Project (OSHMP). The OSHMP cultivates, educates, and engages youth in community issues and solutions through the power of public art. Since its inception in 2011, the OSHMP has engaged over 500 youth and beautified over 16,000 square feet of I-580 underpass wall space in West Oakland. Through this screening, we will spark conversation about the intersections between community health and public art, and envision what’s required to inspire youth voices while rebuilding healthy and vibrant communities.

In the past five years, and more dramatically from the onset of the pandemic, Oakland’s murals have been devastated by the symptoms of structural, political, and social dysfunction–made especially visible with the destruction of OSH murals #2 and #3 from tagging, dumping, and fires. The murals also serve as a backdrop for residents facing homelessness in the Market Street and West Street highway underpasses. With this screening, AHC hopes to garner community resources to support the restoration of the murals and assist the underpass residents. A part of this effort includes informing our community on the intricacies of the housing crisis through A Rising Tide.

We need help to restore murals #2 and #3 to their original radiance and execute the final Mural #5. All donations raised at this screening will go into The Center for ArtEsteem's fund to support the Oakland Super Heroes Mural Project.

Documentary Summary: "Through the eyes of children, their families, and the helping industry that has developed from the housing crisis, A Rising Tide follows the strategies of families and service providers struggling with homelessness." (CR: A Rising Tide Website)

Special thanks to:

The Homeless Action Center for giving us a starting point with advice and a guided session for outreach to the unhoused residents of the underpasses.

The Beautification Council for engaging the unhoused residents in cleaning the east wall of the Market Street underpass in preparation for the restoration of Mural #2.

The City of Oakland’s City Administrator’s office for providing connections to unhoused service organizations we could learn from and collaborate with.

COVID Notice

We strongly recommend masking at public events. Please refer to the California Department of Public Health’s masking guide for detailed advice.

Please read the New Parkway’s COVID policy update from November 2022 for more information.

Getting to the New Parkway: Theater Guide