From Peter Gamez, president & CEO of Visit Oakland
I am proud to have been born and raised in the Bay Area and privileged to have worked here throughout my hospitality and tourism career. I have seen cities celebrate success and struggle with change. Oakland is no different. But over the past few months the news portrayals about Oakland have become increasingly negative. While it’s true that we’re facing challenges with crime, it’s not true that this is happening rampantly throughout The Town. Like every city, it’s true that Oakland has issues.
However, what’s more true — and more important — are the positive stories beyond the headlines: behind the storefronts, galleries, bars and restaurants that make The Town, as we lovingly call it, a very special, livable place that is welcoming to locals and visitors. The negative stories are repeated in the headlines and that is impacting our local businesses. Still, the people in our community continue to push forward and do incredible, giving things to inspire and support others. The media rarely report this: they should.
There have been, and continue to be, real, tangible positive steps taken to address Oakland’s current challenges, and new, innovative and practical initiatives are being implemented with local, state and federal assistance. However, realistically, some of these changes will take time and continued commitment from our partners in order to properly support our local businesses.
That should not stop us from making change happen now by continuing to treasure the positivity in Oakland and engaging in our vibrant city. Our team at Visit Oakland, is committed to highlighting all that Oakland offers visitors, including media and influencers, whom we invite from around the world to experience The Town. Every time, the beauty of the water, redwoods and Lake Merritt amaze them. They’re inspired by the art and diverse culture. They’re thrilled with the global offerings at our restaurants and bars. And they enjoy all that there is to do in Oakland. Most of all, they’re captivated by the people and the warm, genuine welcome they receive.
The people of Oakland have commitment, passion and love for The Town that is felt with every interaction in neighborhood shops, restaurants, galleries, and cultural attractions. This distinguishes Oakland from other cities. The members of our community are one of our strongest assets and we need to keep investing in them.
Whether we live here or we’re visiting, we need to go out, enjoy all that Oakland offers, and show up for the people who are the heart and soul of The Town. People like Oakland native, Kao Saelee the owner of Jo’s Modern Thai – a true example of Oakland’s entrepreneurial spirit. Kao opened the restaurant in 2021 during an exceedingly tough time. The restaurant has become a neighborhood gem and also earned a Michelin recommendation. Last year, this came full circle when the Michelin Star awards were held in Oakland and hundreds of chefs celebrated Oakland’s culinary scene.
Dorcia White is the owner of Everett & Jones Barbecue founded by her grandmother in 1973. Dorcia is a third-generation Oaklander whose children represent the fourth. To hear her speak about her mother realizing her dreams and leaving a legacy to her daughters is inspiring. To hear her speak about the loss of business because people aren’t going out is heartbreaking. Yet she tells me “I love Oakland. I believe in Oakland. I have faith that things will get better.”
These are just a few examples of many. These stories can be found in every neighborhood in Oakland. Even through challenging times, the fond sentiment about our town is shared by artists, designers, chefs, and shop owners. From Philippa Roberts who moved to Oakland in 2005 and opened her namesake store on Piedmont Avenue, to hoteliers like Dhruv Patel of Ridgemont Hospitality who has lived in Oakland for 40 years. Dhruv has seen Oakland impacted by the dot com crash, the 2008 financial crisis, and COVID. He has also seen Oakland come back stronger and better than before because of community support and active commitment to reinvesting here.
Oakland isn’t only about people who have lived and worked here for decades or generations. There are new businesses and new people coming to The Town. In the past four years five hotels have opened and we’ve seen restaurants, bars and shops coming to Oakland, too.
Recent accomplishments encourage positivity throughout The Town. We have a new chief of police who is committed to making Oakland better and safer. Visit Oakland just completed an extremely successful Oakland Restaurant Week that had The Town buzzing with energy. We received wonderful feedback from our restaurants stating that they were busy and happy to welcome both regular diners and new patrons. This is proof that we can have a direct, valuable impact on our businesses.
Adding to the optimistic outlook are the things like the historic restoration of the Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium and the new LGBTQ Lakeshore District that has brought more vibrancy and positivity to The Town.
Upholding their promise to Oakland First Always, the Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul teams are securing their own facility and preparing our city for the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Our annual events and heritage months bring thousands of people to The Town. Every day joy is experienced kayaking on the water, hiking in the redwoods, and creating memories at our local attractions. This is Oakland.
I admit, I struggled with the decision to write this piece because I knew there could be more negative news surrounding it and certainly there may be some readers that have a negative response to my perspective.
Still, I had to do it. I don’t claim to have all the answers. It can be difficult to see past the stories the news portrays and what’s viral on social media. But we must. We cannot let the amplification of the bad overtake the good. There is so much good in Oakland. When we stop going out, we hurt our local businesses. If we lose our local businesses, we lose the magic of Oakland. We cannot let this happen.
Like my fellow community members, I believe in Oakland, its people, and the pride and love we have for our city. Being surrounded by these individuals increases my focus and commitment to make things better. By sharing their stories, I hope this reminds you of the true beauty that is Oakland — the people of our diverse, welcoming community. Let’s not let them down.
