Oakland Block Party w/ Yo-Yo Ma & MC Hammer | 2018

Submitted by the Event Organizer

Come celebrate Oakland’s rich cultural heritage with local young artists, spoken word poets, art installations, and music performances from Jax The Band, Turf Dancers, MC Hammer and Yo-Yo Ma. Ice cream and food are free. Yummy!

Yo-Yo Ma & XQ’s Block Party
Saturday, September 29, 2018 | Noon to 3 pm
Old Oakland, Washington Street at 8th and 9th, Oakland
Free with RSVP on Facebook (Open to the public)

The afternoon will engage with young artists, performers, activists and community members to inspire performances, dialogue, and celebration.

Attendees will be invited to enjoy live music and performances by groups including Sol Development, Ajai Kasim, Nick Reeves, Jax The Band and 24/7 Turfin Dancers; as well as food and activities, plus free ice cream. Local artists, all of whom showcase the diversity of talent present in Oakland’s youth, will also be working on six art installations to be donated to local public schools following the event.

Additionally, press are invited to observe a panel discussion following the block party with Yo-Yo Ma, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Oakland School Board Vice President Jumoke Hinton Hodge and additional panelists on how culture connects and brings together local communities.

This panel will take place later the same evening at the E14 Gallery in Old Oakland.

XQ Institute is the non-profit leading the charge for educational equity in America, aiming to fuel and inspire our country’s collective creativity to transform high schools so that every student can succeed. Headquartered in Oakland, CA, XQ believes that we are best as a nation when we come together to solve big problems and that transformation in education is community led with youth at the center. It is with that approach that XQ has set out with the goal to ignite high school transformation in our public schools in such a way that tangible change will be underway in every American community within 10 years.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.