Diamond poop clinic, Choose Your Own Adventure, and the Internet’s superfluity of biased chatter in East Oakland, CA

Many people’s negative stereotypes of Oakland as a “dangerous place” stem from biased perceptions of East Oakland. The Earl Warren Institute wrote that “Drug dealing in general, and the dealing of crack cocaine in particular in the 1980s, resulted in elevated rates of violent crime, causing Oakland to consistently be listed as one of America’s

A Spanish-Speaking Crocodile Fighter, Hypervigilance as a Driver, and the Soft-spoken Jazz Mobile Operator

On the line-up for today: Spanish practice paired with 90s ‘arcade nostalgia, anxiety on the road, and a jazz-playing widow Lyft driver opens up about his methods for offering an impeccable music experience to his passengers. ~~~ # Passengers Speak Spanish : Luchador de Cocodrilos (Crocodile Fighter) “Me encantaba ese juego cuando era un niño.

Siri and Me: A Complex Relationship

As a Lyft driver, passengers talked to me about all kinds of things: the conflict between finding meaningful work and achieving financial security; the pull of a gambling addiction; the endearing habits of one’s lovable cross-eyed cat. One man recalled how he’d studied bats, flown helicopters, and met his wife down in Guadalajara, Mexico at

Ride with Me: Passenger Talks Biculturalism in Oakland, CA

*Names and certain identifying details have been changed to protect confidentiality Exploring the city Known by many as San Francisco’s across the bridge neighbor, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the SF Bay Area, widely varied and home to 440,000. Accompanying its downtown’s urban grit are the hipster Temescal neighborhood,