Programs

Cocina de PUEBLO

Cocina de PUEBLO is an education and training program which gives youth hands-on classes in how to plan and prepare delicious, healthy, culturally appropriate meals using fresh, affordable ingredients. Our 16-week curriculum teaches safe food preparation skills, healthy menu planning, cultural food sources, nutrition for health, healthy food choices, and marketing/promotion. Graduating students are given the opportunity to work after-school and on weekends with the Program Director in fresh food business operations such as catering, public events, and the school farmers’ market stand. Over the past three years, we have worked with over 150 students at Castlemont High as part of the Sustainable Urban Design Academy.

Program Director — Rosa Arciniega

Rosa Arciniega — Rosa began her first food business at the age of 13 in Guatemala when she opened a market stand in her town plaza. While living in Los Angeles for 15 years, she started and managed a variety of successful fresh food businesses. From 1998-2008, Rosa worked as a community organizer with EBAYC in the San Antonio/Fruitvale area, leading parent-driven campaigns to improve local schools and connecting hundreds of Spanish-speaking families with programs and resources. Much of her work was focused on educating families about eating healthy; Rosa regularly gave nutrition and cooking classes for parents, and helped develop and operate the school-based produce stands program (FRESH, a program of EBAYC and OUSD). Rosa operates her own catering business, and works with PUEBLO as the coordinator of Cocina de PUEBLO, a culinary training program which teaches high-school youth how to prepare and sell healthy meals using fresh ingredients.

Community Safety and Police Accountability

Since 1994, PUEBLO has worked to improve the relationship between the Oakland Police Department and the community it serves- predominately, low-income, and youth of color, between whom tensions have not abated. Most of the victims of police abuse are people of color - many of them youth. PUEBLO has successfully pressured the City to strengthen the Citizens’ Police Review Board, has kept a database of complaints against police officers, has provided free representation for complainants at their hearings and worked to bring about policy reforms. At the same time, PUEBLO has worked collaboratively and pro-actively with the Police Department to bring about innovative approaches to public safety, including partnering to develop alternatives to incarceration for Oakland youth offenders by utilizing the practices of restorative justice.

Restorative Justice

PUEBLO began to explore the research on restorative justice in 2012, joining the Alameda County Task Force on Restorative Justice for Youth convened by Superior Court Judge Gail Bereola. We held two informational sessions at our offices with expert panelists and have collaborated with other providers to create an innovative strategy to address issues of the formerly incarcerated and those who are at risk of offending. PUEBLO has just completed its first restorative justice training session facilitated by Gary Malachi Scott, an individual who was incarcerated and learned how to facilitate circles while in prison. Working with the Oakland Police Department, we are looking to pilot a program that will help to keep our youth from being incarcerated by offering training to Oakland residents so that they can deal with offenders in their neighborhoods in this manner, rather than by sending them into the criminal justice system.

Program Leader — Rashidah Grinage

Rashidah Grinage — a resident of East Oakland since 1977, Rashidah has been working on policy change in Oakland for over twenty years and has played a significant role in achieving major reforms in civilian oversight of police. A mother of four, she holds a Master’s Degree in Education and taught middle school for 37 years in Oakland. A former member of PUEBLO, she volunteered thousands of hours leading up to incorporation, brought together the leadership necessary to grow the organization, and initiated both the Youth Greening Oakland program (in 2007) and Youth Policy Builders (in 2008). Rashidah plays an instrumental role in PUEBLO by creating partnerships between grass-roots organizations, developing youth and community leadership, and helping often-marginalized Oakland residents to successfully influence city decision-makers. As Executive Director, she mobilizes board, staff, and membership to work together in support of PUEBLO's mission, ensuring that program development and management reflect the organization's vision and values.

Madison Park Academy K-5 Garden Education

This is a day time educational program at Madison Park Academy Lower Campus in which 100% of K-5 students (approximately 270 students) visit the outdoor garden classroom for one hour each week to study science and nutrition, maintain a garden, and manage the food scrap composting program. This hands-on program aims to improve nutrition awareness and habits, develop and strengthen science comprehension and inquiry skills, as well as provide opportunities for leadership.

Program Director — Emily Fuentes

Hi I am Emily! I was born in Oakland in 1988 and raised in various parts of the Bay Area. When I wandered off to Santa Cruz for college at UCSC and spent nine months in Central America I fell in love with gardening, education, food and social justice, and community activism. After graduating I knew I wanted to return to Oakland and find a way to blend all these new found loves into one awesome job. I spent two years with an after school program working as a garden teacher and developing a strong bond with the Sobrante Park community in East Oakland. In August 2013, I joined PUEBLO and launched a garden education program that is integrated into the school-day schedule. I am so grateful to work with the youth and spend our days exploring nature, food, nutrition, science, and so much more.

Construction Training

The General Construction program is designed to instruct Trainees 15-19 years of age with job readiness skills, and problem solving strategies. Each trainee receives clear instruction in time management, proper tool use, safety issues, entrepreneur options, and marketing strategies. This program is designed to prepare each trainee for job opportunities and apprenticeships in the skilled trades industry. It is also designed to establish work ethic, job discipline, and to simulate real job experience.

Program Director — Leon Dockery

Leon Dockery was born in rural North Carolina in 1958.

• Exhibited artistic interest and excellence at an early age.
• Received formal training at the San Francisco Art Institute, earned a Bachelors of Fine Art (BFA) degree 1983.
• Received a Masters of Fine Art (MFA) degree from Stanford University, 1991.
• Was Assistant Professor of Art for over 12 yrs, teaching at the University of Southern California, University of Rochester, and California College of the Arts.
• Exhibited nationally and internationally, including Quebec Canada, New York, and California.
• Was Co-founder and program Director for Wadastick Artist and Scholars Residency, bringing cultural arts to the Tuscaoroa Indian Reservation, NC., The Gullah Sea Islands, SC., and Estudios Refugios, Mexico (1999-2003).
• As Program Director with Wadastick, designed and implemented cultural arts curriculum in the North Carolina public school system.
• In 2009 -2011 worked in Oakland Public School system teaching Ceramics, General Construction and life skills.

“I am committed to the power of art to activate achievement in our youth, to expand technology, learning and a world culture. Currently I am a project manager for Pueblo, teaching job readiness skills, General Construction for youth 15 -19 yrs of age”

PIC — Highway to Work

Highway to Work (H2W) is a program sponsored by Alameda County Social Services and PUEBLO is contracted through the Oakland Private Industry Council. PUEBLO has been part of this program since July 2012. The program supports young people in foster care and probation between the ages of 14-19 to transition into responsible and productive adulthood. This program encourages and supports academic/educational development and job experience by the means of meaningful paid internships and supplementary education, vocational trainings, and other leadership/related workshops. Each participant is case managed to work towards the participant’s educational, career, and personal goals.

Oakland Youth Policy Builders

Oakland Youth Policy Builders was founded in 2011. The initial work was based on a survey of 700 high school students attending OUSD public schools on their relationship with the Oakland Police Department (OPD). The survey indicated that a majority of youth had at least 1 negative experience with police and did not know they were able - or how to - file a complaint, either through internal affairs or the Citizen's Police Review Board(CPRB) if necessary. To address these issues, a group of youth formed to make policy proposals aimed at ameliorating this relationship by promoting community policing, along with accountable and professional policing by. Two policies were proposed in 2012, one has been made an official part of OPD policy and the other is still under construction.

The group is currently working on outreach to let Oakland residents know about the OPD business card policy (read policy here) which became active in June 2013, and to gather data and information to work on the technical details for the other policy.

Check out OYPB's blog: oypb.wordpress.com

Youth Greening Oakland

The YGO program is a job skills and school/community garden stewardship program that works with young adults and students in various gardens around the East Oakland area. We work to help communities and schools have open spaces to plant, harvest, teach eco curriculum and cook their own nutritious meals with the food that they've grown.

The youth in our program learn a lot about where food comes from, food waste, planting and growing, water conservation, sustainability, health & nutrition, environmentalism, and community outreach. They also learn how to communicate effectively on the job through open dialogue and problem solving in an outdoor classroom setting. Currently, YGO has been fortunate enough to work on the Castlemont High School campus in a beautiful garden maintained by the students.

Through projects and activities such as, but not limited to; farmer’s market visits, guest lectures, pruning workshops, academic conversations, mentoring opportunities with younger students, and collaborations with other organizations such as the Oakland Zoo, local farms, and volunteer opportunities, the YGO teams have enjoyed contributing positively to their community and working closely with their each other.

Since 2010, Youth Greening Oakland has provided training, employment, and college credit for over 100 Oakland youth ages 14-20.

In the future YGO hopes to continue our efforts by helping to rejuvenate dormant gardens within Oakland, and showing others the benefits of growing and harvesting food in their communities.

Program Director — Frankie Grace Bremner

I am Frankie Grace Bremner, born in Oakland, California. Growing up I attended several different OUSD schools, until I moved to Berkeley in Jr. High School. It was in there that I was first introduced to gardening while helping in the Edible Schoolyard with Alice Waters and crew following high school.

After living in San Diego for 5 years for college, I returned to the Bay Area, home, to pursue work in the Deaf services and non-profit field. I gained immeasurable experience and pride working for several youth focused social justice non-profits, including Challenge Day and The Mosaic Project. I found my way to PUEBLO in the summer of 2011 when I became the program lead for Youth Greening Oakland.

Fresh Foods Enterprises

Fresh Foods Enterprises carries out organic production agriculture on public urban and peri-urban lands while building a vertically integrated network of food businesses owned by diverse Oakland residents. PUEBLO works closely with organizational partners Phat Beets Produce and the International Rescue Committee, as well as Oakland residents, local businesses, other community-based organizations, and public agencies, to help support the growth of this network. FFE includes the following PUEBLO projects:

• A 10-acre farming parcel on Pinole watershed lands which supports ecologically sustainable farming practices linked to urban residents and low-income neighborhoods.
• A ½ acre community garden at King Estates which increases the food security of low-income Oakland residents and provides education opportunities for adjoining schools.
• Two school-based “farm stands” that provide organic farm-fresh produce and healthy after school snacks for students, families, and neighbors in East Oakland.
• An in-school education, hands-on gardening, and farm field trips program which introduces school classes to fresh foods and agriculture through direct experience.

Program staff of Fresh Foods Enterprises are:

Asia Hampton - School Education Programs

Sophie Bassin - Pinole Farm Manager

Halefe Haddish - Marketing and Production Technical Advisor

PUEBLO’S “Balancing the Inner and Outer Reentry Program”

The Program serves Black and Latino men who live in Oakland ages 19 years and older, formerly incarcerated or incarcerated at Santa Rita Jail and San Quentin Prison. We recruit them while they are incarcerated one to three months pre-release and introduce them to restorative justice. They also will get Case Management services and assistance in developing their Transitional Plan in preparation of being released. Post-release clients will have to participate in Restorative Justice Healing Circles and having a Mentor. We will also provide Case Management services that assist them with the development of Risk and Needs Assessments; and an Employment and Educational Plan to assist them in accomplishing their goals. We will work with them in getting job ready and assist them finding training and or employment. Clients will also be referred to other wrap around services such as housing; anger management; interview clothing and other needs they identify. If you have love ones that meet the criteria and would like to refer them to the program contact, Program Director/Case Manager Isaac Taggart at 510-535-2525.

Program Director — Isaac Taggart

Isaac Taggart, and Oakland resident has over 15 years experience assisting individuals transitioning from Welfare to Work and/or Parole-Probation to Payroll. I spent 3 years working as a Reentry Specialist for Mayor Dellums administration in Oakland. Some of the Administrations accomplishments were developing the policy “Ban the Box”; 3 million dollars for a State Day Reporting Center; and 3.5 million dollars for Cal Trans Liter Abatement paid training; a comprehensive county-wide reentry resource guide. I have owned and operated a Bookstore for over 10 years. He has AA Degrees from Laney College in African-American Studies and Labor Studies. Isaac is also finalizing his BA in Business Management from Holy Names University.