Oakland Pride Welcomes Families: September 4

In a cheering voice, “Who’s got pride? Oakland Does!!” At this point in pride season, some of us may be all prided out! But I am sure you can squeeze a little more out for our brothers and sisters on Oak-town. Mike Enders

Organizers are preparing Oakland’s second annual LGBTQ Pride festival, hoping to draw families and collect money for establishing a community center in the city.

This year’s Oakland Pride will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, September 4. The Labor Day weekend festival takes place at 19th and Franklin streets in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. (BART riders should exit at the 19th Street station).

The event will feature four stages with over 75 performers, including headliners Jennifer Holliday, from the cast of the original Dreamgirls, and disco legend Thelma Houston (“Don’t Leave Me This Way”). Admission is $10, or $5 for seniors and youth 12 and under. More at B.A.R.

Oakland Makes ‘Top 10 Dangerous Cities’ List; I’m So Proud?

It’s seems strange that a city that contains Fairy Land that they also has the tenth-highest rate of rape, the ninth-highest murder rate, and the second highest robbery rate in the country.On a lighter note, violent crime in California overall plummeted to a 44-year low.

Oakland’s violent crime dropped about 5.5% between 2009 and 2010, from about 6,800 to 6,260. The city nevertheless has the tenth-highest rate of rape, the ninth-highest murder rate, and the second highest robbery rate in the country. In 2010, there were 7.12 robberies for every 1,000 Oakland residents. According to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, Mayor Jean Quan has attempted to combat break-ins and theft by creating programs to keep potential wrongdoers off the streets by starting late-night basketball programs. It it unclear if these policies have worked.
[via Yahoo Finance]