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Chapter 510 Tag

Portrait Collage of Chapter 510/ Oak Library teens

I started working with Chapter 510 who commissioned the above portraits in 2014 maybe. Maybe earlier but they were one of the first organizations (Janet, Mariah, and Erica) who loved my work, approached me to work with them and illustrate portraits, characters, and more for their website, marketing materials, etc. The above portraits were done in collaboration with the Oakland Public Library over the span of many years.

Chapter 510 is an incredible organixation, similar to 826 Valencia in SF where they cultivate, nourish, and feed young writers, poets, and storytellers with classes, workshops, opportunities to publish, events, slams, readings, and more. Couple that with Oakland Public Library who offers a wealth of knowledge, stories, resources, entertainment, and community space and you havee a powerful combo.

I just wanted to share a collage looking back over the years of some of these poets!

These are some moments of action at Chapter 510.

Here’s one more portrait of a young poet named Greer.

Dig this? Check out some ink drawings I did of some writers at Chapter 510, or the artwork I did for the Oakland Public Library summer reading series.

February 11, 2025
in General, Ilustration
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Chapter 510-Sense of Belonging

 

This past fall I did some quick drawings for Oakland’s “Chapter 510” who are always doing work around empowering young writers, readers, and thinkers. These are a few of the portraits of some young people for their collective poem called “A Sense of Belonging”. More info about the project here.
Dig this? Check out this portrait I did of Leila for Chapter 510 and Oakland Public Library.
Or the illustrations for ACLU x Central Valley Report
November 28, 2022
in General
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3rd Annual Social Justice Children’s Book Holiday Fair

What up family, this is the third year we’ve done the “Social Justice Children’s Bk Holiday Fair” and the venue, date, and some of the guests are above. Please bring your children, families, teachers, librarians, friends, and activists to come meet some of these kids bk makers and hang out. The following is a list of some of the authors that will be present!
Laura Atkins
John Casselberry
Madeline Connor
Angela Dalton
Michael Genhart
Maya Gonzalez- Reflection Press
Daria Leavitt
Kamaria Lofton-Like The Moon
Janine Macbeth-Blood Orange Press
Innosanto Nagara
Beth Reichmuth
Lourdes Rivas
Matthew Smith-Reflection Press
Justine Villanueva- Sawaga River press
Khalid White
Here is the facebook event LINK please rsvp and share, share, share!
This year we’re back at Chapter 510 in Oakland.

December 2, 2019
in General
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Chapter 510 Poet – Samuel

Yo, just finished painting this for Ch510. This Friday September 6-9pm come through to Chapter 510 to meet and hear this young brother spit. Here is the event LINK.
And more info:
This year’s Laureate Samuel Getachew was recently deemed the “Freshest new poet in the town” by the East Bay Express and held well-deserved space on the cover!  Samuel was also featured in Black Joy; An Anthology of Black Boy Poems (Nomadic Press) as part of our 2019 Black Joy workshop. 
Doors open at 6pm.
Reading at 7pm.
Open mic at 7:30.
Featured poets (so far):
Siara Edmond, 2019 Finalist
Greer Nakadegawa-Lee, 2019 Finalist
Lizette Navarro, 2017 and 2019 Finalist
Darien Em, 2018 and 2019 Finalist
Eleanor Wikstrom, 2019 Vice Laureate
Samuel Getachew, 2019 Laureate



To see the previous Chapter 510/Oak Poet Laureate:

September 5, 2019
in General
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Chapter 510 Poet – Leila

This young lady is Oakland’s new Poet Laureate. This is maybe the 8th or 9th time I’ve painted a portrait for Chapter 510 and the Oakland Public Library‘s annual poet laureate program. It’s an honor to paint these rising and shining minds and an honor to be commissioned by Chapter 510.

You can read her work HERE

Update: This young poet just got her novel “Nightcrawling” featured by Oprah Winfrey!!


Dig this? Check out some of the other portraits I’ve painted for the library or this one of Journalist Jamilah King

September 7, 2018
in General
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Chapter 510 Poet – Lucy

Hello folks, happy new year again. I just got a chance to paint to another portrait of a young poet in Oakland for Chapter 510 and Oakland Public library. Hope you like it. The first image is the final design, the second is of the poet performing this past friday at Chapter 510 alongside some young poets. And the last is a final image. Follow them on Instagram.

January 6, 2018
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Chapter 510 poet- Azariah


This is the 7th portrait that I’ve done for Chapter 510 , an Oakland based organization that works with young people to foster love for writing, reading, and literacy. Each year for the past 3-4 years they have asked me to paint one or more of Oakland youth who have become Oakland’s poet laureate and this project is in collaboration with the Oakland Public Library and Youth Speaks in San Francisco. Check out the original below. And this Friday if you’re in Oakland please go to Chapter 510 to see this young lady read among others, and Ch 510 will be releasing a new book!

January 5, 2017
in General
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Tova Ricardo-Chapter 510

Woah!!!This is my sixth portrait illustration (youth poet poster) of an Oakland Youth Poet for Chapter 510. I painted the youth Poets in 2014 and one in 2015. Can’t believe I’ve been so fortunate to work on these. It is truly a blessing to create artwork that is about the poets. Because each one of them has a voice, individual style, and something strong to say; they were chosen as Poet Laureate’s of Oakland. As a collaboration between Youth Speaks, the Oakland Public Library, and Chapter 510 it is dope to see youth from many different backgrounds and poetry styles up there. Who knows what young person is seeing a reflection of their face or life through them? This is a shot of Tova Ricardo holding the poster i illustrated of her. 

Check out the  510 Journal which features the poetry of youth from the many programs that Chapter 510 holds to encourage and support creative writing in this city. 

April 13, 2016
in General
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Chapter 510 letter of support

Peace!
As a kid, I did not enjoy reading or writing. The stories I was introduced to from elementary to high school rarely reflected my life, interests, or my cultural roots. Now as a storytellerand a father, I’m telling some of the stories I wish I’d seen coming up. The stories are about culture, pride, love for self and community, adventure, and imagination. And for me, to tell these stories, it takes a lot of long hours make-believing.
A program like Chapter 510 is helping young people write. It’s helping them make learning a reality.
I got connected with Chapter 510 from the very beginning. Right away, I knew these educators and writers were awesome and that they not only wanted to reach kids, but that they had in fact already been doing it in their own ways. Getting children of color writing about their lives. Getting books made about cool subjects like Harlem and publishing them in Oakland. We collaborated on several projects. 

  donated my drawings to Chapter 510 because they are a beautiful community-based arts project. It has been so fantastic to watch the program grow.


Now they have this sanctuary. A writing center to be, where my murals sit everyday waiting to make new friends among books, zines, artwork, and artifacts that inspire “Make Believing.” 

We need your donation and support today to open the writing center. Your money supports free writing, bookmaking, and publishing workshops for K-12 students in Oakland. Your support by sharing the campaign and spreading the word helps build awareness about the work we’re doing and allows us to find new additions to the team.
Please donate to these special folks. They are doing monumental work equipping kids like Jade and Kayla at MetWest High School with tools for change: WORDS.

All our kids, mine included, need artists and allies in the classrooms supporting teachers and bringing learning home through making and believing. 

I have so much respect for Chapter 510 and the way they support kids, artists, teachers, nurturing the cultural pulse of this city. 
Join me in supporting an awesome writing program for Oakland’s kids. 
Blessings,

December 18, 2015
in General
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