In this experiential BlendEd course, students will study the legacy of political organizing, sports, and cultural/musical expressions of Oakland, CA. Given the vast and rich history that the city of Oakland has, this will be an enlightening experience for students who will meet and work with a range of significant contributors to Oakland’s legacy while studying different aspects. Having lived and worked in “The Town” for 20 years, the instructor will be utilizing personal connections and resources to create a dynamic course. Additionally, we will examine the current dynamics of gentrification which has impacted Oakland. Students will learn about the politics, economics, sociology and urban planning that have played a role in changing the culture of “The Town.” We will also do a community service project engaging the homeless population in a respectful and productive manner.

Face to Face (F2F) Meetings:

• Interactive visits to the Oakland Museum of California & the African American Museum and Library at Oakland
• A day of service with the homeless population of Oakland; working with The Village Collective
• An interactive exploration of Jack London Square & Lake Merritt
• Visiting a historically significant music recording studio (Hieroglyphics Emporium)

About the Instructor

Sanjev deSilva – The Athenian School
Sanjev brings over 15 years of expe­ri­ence in education, youth devel­op­ment, and com­mu­nity ser­vice to the BlendEd consortium. His life’s mis­sion is to empower young peo­ple to be lead­ers and to cre­ate pro­gres­sive change in their com­mu­ni­ties. Sanjev is currently a humanities seminar teacher at The Athenian School. Sanjev also brings two decades of work in the music industry field, working with many different artists, producers and labels in developing, marketing and promoting their brand.