Things We've Learned (on Oakland Wiki)
Oakland Wiki is in sum a collective space for different residents' to share our collective memories, research, experiences, perspectives, knowledge and learning about the diverse city of Oakland. As we have now seen the generation of 4400 pages and countless more edits and revisions and comments, it is worth reflecting a little on what we have learned from this space. Talking with a few active editors:
Structures and places that used to exist. Notions of places that we never knew, warts and all.
Oakland is home to numerous buildings, murals, statues and sometimes just placards representing bygone places that tell a little about the city's stories. Oakland Wiki helps tell the stories behind these spaces. For example, the Southern Pacific Railroad Station at 16th St., still stands regal in its abandoned state, though hints to another era when railroads ran across the city. And then there are the places - buildings, railroad lines, whose existence in Oakland is completely indiscernible today. The Moore Dry Dock Company had been one of the biggest plants in the world, established to build and repair ships, and sat at the foot of Adeline St. in West Oakland and was envisioned to employ a workforce 6000. Where it once stands is Schnitzer Steel Industries.
As stories of past eras of Oakland come together, the picture that emerges are both awe-inspiring and disappointing. Driving development and change in the city, Oakland's history highlights the cycles of moneyed interests, racism, violence, discrimination, community mobilization, protest, and force that have driven the development of this town across the generations. The story of the Oakland Economic Development Council offers a great example of this.
Diverse Facets of Oakland
As a collective resource of all things Oakland, there are always different aspects of the city to explore. This could include the neighborhoods and communities across the city, whether Jingletown and the Mexican American Liberation Art Front (MALAF) or Trestle Glen (though more work could definitely be done on these, looking at you Castlemont).
Oakland Wiki also plays tribute to the under-appreciated flora and fauna across the city, from the troves of rosemary and fennel popping up across Oakland's green spaces, to the wild turkeys and raccoons that are infamous for preying on resident small dogs and chickens. And of course there are the canada geese have come to characterize Lake Merritt and its surrounding park.
Oakland Wikians have also used this space to report on local developments, and have become a source for developments from City Council Meetings, the Domain Awareness Center, and Trayvon Martin protests (related to which, the helicopter identification page has also been a helpful resource).
Community! And Debating Truths on Oakland History and Figures
Beyond what makes it onto Wiki pages, a lot of learning comes from the editing process itself - either in making use of Oakland resources in the library History Room, or debating facts with others. Tapping into the city's resources, both in people and in books, have brought forth rich discussions that have shaped entries on Horace W. Carpentier entry, Dave Brubeck and many others (check the info pages).
As Oakland Wiki continues to grow, we've learned a lot about Oakland from the local-wikian community. But Oakland is not one community but many communities. There are still more stories to tell and perspectives to share.
Join us to shape the conversation.
