By Adrian Henderson | Photos: Adrian Henderson
6/15/24 Oakland, CA – On Saturday 7th Street Thrives and KOO Labs Design and Production House hosted their first community cleanup with neighborhood businesses and partners. The 7th Street Thrives initiative, created by LISC (Local Initiative Support Corporation) in partnership with EB PREC (East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative), aims to revitalize West Oakland’s 7th Street corridor with a two-year economic inclusion strategy that honors the area’s legacy.
The day was long, and the sun showed us no mercy as we picked up trash and debris along the block. Curious neighbors stopped by to chat, with one remarking, “This is great, I’m glad that you all are coming out and helping to clean up our community.”
KOO Facilities Director Toks Ajike, Media and Tech Manager Damari Lawrence, and I woke up early to clean up our community. It was a beautiful day to be out, cleaning, and connecting with our neighbors. This effort is just the start of a regular monthly event to bring our community together and keep our neighborhood clean and green.
Our purpose is to raise community awareness and ensure our neighbors know we are committed to maintaining a clean environment while sharing information, resources, and events. It’s also an opportunity to build and strengthen our relationship with other organizations and businesses who are along the 7th Street corridor. We are intentional in becoming a “good neighbor.”
This marks the beginning of a monthly partnership with our neighboring families and businesses to show that Kingmakers of Oakland is dedicated to uplifting and growing this neighborhood bond. All of us involved walked away with a sense of pride and accomplishment. It’s a testament to the impact we can make when we come together. Our next community clean-up will be July 20th, come out and help us keep our neighborhood Green.