Today, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Councilmembers Treva Reid and Carroll Fife announced Love Life Week, a series of free events honoring those who are uplifting love and helping prevent violence in our communities.
Love Life Foundation Executive Director Donald Lacy, Cultural Strategist-in-Government and Vice Chair of the Cultural Affairs Commission, Kev Choice, Inspector General Michelle Phillips, and Reuben Roberts, Partnership & Training Coordinator at Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth (RJOY) joined in making the announcement.
The 2023 Love Life Week Schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, 10/18 - Oakland Love Life Community Day of Service
In collaboration with the Department of Violence Prevention, MACRO, TRYBE, and LoveLife Company, the City will support a day of community service, which will include feeding the unhoused in Oakland encampments and sponsoring a supply kit giveaway.
Thursday, 10/19, 6-8pm - Oakland Love Life Community Healing Summit at Oakstop, 2323 Broadway
Led by the Office of Inspector General, the Summit will convene a panel of civic and community leaders passionate about restorative justice, violence prevention, and public safety to have a dialogue about coming together to create collective solutions. Learn more and register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-healing-summit-tickets-727625035067
Friday, 10/20 - Oakland Love Life Day of Celebration
4:30-7pm, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
The 2nd annual free celebration will uplift the city’s official motto of “Oakland Love Life” with music, art, culture, community resources, food and fun.
This year's event will feature live performances from Digital Underground, StunnaMan02, Jada Imani, PHER, DJ Lady Ryan, Kev Choice, Oakland Poet Laureate Ayodele Nzinga, and other special guests.
The event will also include a presentation of Oakland Love Life Hero Awards by Deputy Mayor Kimberly Mayfield. Love Life Hero Awards are given to Oakland residents who embody the spirit and further the legacy of Oakland's Love Life motto. This year's Hero Awardees are:
- Annette Miller, Director – Hoover Foster Resident Action Council
- Jessica Segura, Program Coordinator – The Khadafy Washington Project
- Brianna Manning, Community Healing Program Associate – Urban Peace Movement
- Michelle La Place-Watts, Sr. Manager Youth Crisis & Family Services – Catholic Charities of East Bay
About the Love Life Motto
In April 2016 the City of Oakland adopted an official city motto in memory of 16-year old LoEshe Lacy. LoEshe in Nigerian Igbo means "love life," a rallying cry to embody Oakland love.
In October 2023 Oakland City Council approved a resolution introduced by Councilmember Reid to designate the third week of October as Love Life Week.[LC6]
More information, including the Love Life Acknowledgement, is available at: https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/oaklandlovelife
