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ALAMEDA
The city of Alameda is joining forces with three of Alameda’s most prominent arts organizations — the West End Arts District, Radium Presents and Rhythmix Cultural Works — to present “Rising Tides,” a yearlong series of extraordinary arts experiences and performances aiming to inform and inspire that will culminate in the summer of 2025 with a photo exhibition entitled “In Plain Site.”
The series will kick off from 2 to 5 p.m. Aug. 24, when Rhythmix will present “Rising Seas,” the first of their four contributions to the series. This free climate art event will feature live music, dance, visual art and theater at 2513 Blanding Ave. in Alameda.
The idea of “a rising tide lifting all boats” gained popularity in the early 1960s, when President John Kennedy used the aphorism to suggest that investing in economic development could benefit everyone who participates in the economy. Similarly, that is the ultimate goal of the “Rising Tides” series, meaning to engage audiences so they invest in the subject of climate change and galvanize action.
The Rising Seas event on the other hand is about sharing the joys and concerns of living on an island amid a climate crisis through a day of public performances that will include the dramatic and propulsive Japanese taiko ensemble Maze Daiko as well as SF Mime Troupe veteran Ed Holmes as “The Climate Detective from the Future,” who will tell stories of Alameda’s waterfront past, present and future.
Directed by Jeff Raz (formerly of Cirque du Soleil), this show promises to supply all kinds of food for thought yet be fun at the same time. Also on deck will be KT Nelson, the beloved Bay Area Izzy-winning choreographer and former co-artistic director at ODC Dance presenting her piece “Where Do We Draw the Line?”
In addition to the performances, “Rising Seas” will have plenty of family-friendly fare, including a section during Maze Daiko where kids (and their parents), will learn a Japanese dance celebrating that country’s fisherman ancestors hauling in a plentiful catch. Attendees can also see and hear music played by horns made from kelp! (Yes, we said kelp).
If all of that were not enough, attendees can engage in some fun time travel with “the Climate Detective” and if inclined, take a deeper dive into nature with the East Bay Regional Park mobile education unit. For online details, visit rhythmixrisingseas.org/#about-2024-25.
— Liam Passmore
Kiwanis Club presents grants to community organizations
At its Aug. 7 meeting, the Kiwanis Club of Alameda (KCA) presented grant money to community organizations that included Midway Shelter, Girls Inc of the Island City, Christ Church Alameda Warming Shelter, Rhythmix Culture Works, Alameda Boys & Girls Club, the Bay Area Music Project, the Foodbank Players, Alameda Adaptive Arts, Island Hacks and the Alameda Civic Ballet.
Some recipients are repeat awardees, as their programs are of ongoing importance to the community, and others are new. Island Hacks sponsored a high school coding event, and the Foodbank Players fundraised with an “Our Town” production.
Music programs for children, youth and the disabled also figured prominently. For reference, the KCA had a record-breaking fundraising event Jan. 27, the proceeds from from which fund the annual Kiwanis Grants program.
— KCA
Kidd, Brown announce launch of racial wealth gap initiative
Oakland native, graduate of Alameda’s St. Joseph Notre Dame High School and professional basketball Hall of Famer Jason Kidd, along with NBA All Star and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, has announced the launch of the Oakland XChange, a national initiative to bridge the racial wealth gap by generating $5 billion in net wealth for historically marginalized communities.
Coming off the heels of the Boston XChange announcement last week, Kidd and Brown are bringing generational wealth-building solutions to Oakland in partnership with Oakstop, a prominent community anchor organization.
Designed to provide opportunities at the intersection of business and culture, the XChange will use a place-based strategy to drive solutions for better cities, integrating real estate development, business education, technology and cultural competence to foster economic growth. Oakland and Boston chapters of the XChange will serve as organizing hubs, using commercial real estate to empower underserved communities.
The XChange will create and showcase scalable and repeatable models for shared real estate ownership and impact investments to facilitate asset building for underserved community members that can be adopted across the country.
“The racial wealth gap is not limited to Boston — it’s a national issue, affecting Oakland and cities throughout the country, revealing how some groups are better positioned to make critical investments in their futures that benefit their families and communities,” said Kidd, who was raised in Oakland, attended Alameda’s St. Joseph Notre Dame High and has made significant philanthropic contributions to Oakland such as funding the Willie Keyes Recreation Center on the city’s west side.
— Alford & Co. Public Relations
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