J.K. Fowler on Koorsoo
• – • Groundfloor Oakland
About the speaker
J. K. Fowler was an inaugural fellow in the CA for the Arts Grassroots Artists Advocacy Program (GAAP), and is the current Executive Director of the Bay Area Book Festival, Policy Analyst and Special Programs/Community Outreach with BAMBD, CDC, and Operations Support for APEN and APEN Action. Previously, he founded and ran Nomadic Press, a community rooted publishing house headquartered in Oakland and sat on Oakland's Cultural Affairs Commission, during which time he helped launch the Oakland Poet Laureate Program. He is currently most interested in the intersections of civic bodies, private development, and arts organizations and community benefits agreements that can help to ensure artist and arts organization retention in the cities that they love and support. He feels artists and arts organizations have the right to remain in the cities that they love and support and not be priced out by the influx of new development projects. He is interested in launching an advocacy body that will help communities of artists and arts organizations navigate the extremely confusing processes involved in negotiating community benefits agreements between private developers, civic bodies, and various artists and arts organizations who are sometimes not aligned around what the most effective way forward is.
He believes deeply in the transformational power of self-determination, mycelial curiosity and inquiry, justice, and the act of intentionally weaving (and tending to) community. He is currently working on a book titled Making Space.
Local partners
Mama Dog Studios is designed for creative professionals who demand a great client experience and high technical performance, including high quality sync-sound audio capture.
At Groundfloor, we bring people together–whether it’s to work alongside others, socialize at events, or simply hang out. It’s a place where you can be a part of your community and be around good people.
Groundfloor Oakland is located in the heart of the Temescal neighborhood, one of Oakland’s oldest and most distinctive neighborhoods.
Teas With Meaning is an organic loose leaf and tea infused products company based in Oakland, California. “Magic is the main ingredient,” Mitchell often says. The magic of her teas are that they have multiple uses outside of an organic, fresh cup of tea to sip. Whether in baths, yoni steams, your favorite yogurt or plant compost, TWM herbs can be enjoyed after the initial brew. TWM also sells handcrafted ceramic mugs, tea-infused chocolates, tea-infused custom candles, wood-burn coasters and more; as partnerships and collaborations with other women and/or black owned small businesses.
GASH Productions is a Black & Queer-owned creative brand based in Oakland, CA, specializing in visual storytelling that captures the depth and intimacy of moments, people, and places. Rooted in the belief that every story deserves to be seen and celebrated, GASH Productions bridges artistry and impact through video, photography, and innovative media to inspire change and honor diverse narratives.
Additional details
What you can expect:
8:30am: Doors open (come early to get coffee & breakfast!)
9:00am – 9:10am: Host greeting & Talk starts
9:10 – 9:30am: Speaker delivers a 20-minute talk
9:30am – 9:40am: Q&A
9:40am – 10am: Gratitude, give-aways, and mingle
10:00am: See you next month!
Location
Hosted at
Groundfloor Oakland
4055 Telegraph avenue
Oakland, California United States 94609
When
–
Event Lead Duane Horton
Event Lead Carolina Quintanilla
Event Lead Jay Gash
