Development and Disruption

A conversation between two California College of the Arts faculty members and long-time Oakland residents and, Mitchell Schwarzer and Christopher Johnson, “Mitchell Schwarzer - Hella Town: Oakland's History of Development and Disruption,” hosted by CCA’s’ History of art and visual cultures department, gave the audience a non-linear tour through Oakland’s fraught urban history. “The major distinguishing characteristic of Oakland is its distribution of class, caste, and wealth by topography.” As transplants to “The Town,” Schwarzer and Johnson discussed their first impressions, lived experiences, and the lasting consequences of a local wealthy, white power structure that reigned from 1915 to 1970. Through a series of anecdotes, Schwarzer highlighted the short-sighted and self-interested decisions that facilitated a transition from de jure to de facto racism, a reliance on the automobile, and a scarcity of public spaces and public housing. These anecdotes are a reminder of the need for equity and stakeholder empowerment at the center of urban transformation. Reflecting …