510 Day
Lake Merritt
Oakland
May 10, 2024
510 Day is a true celebration for Black Oakland and Oakland natives, a “cultural resilience” gathering of Oaklanders of all kinds.
The music and vibe lifted me as I strolled down Grand Ave to this year’s festivities. I learned of this event a few years ago, but every year when May 10th rolled around, I was out of town, so this year I was determined to see what the hype is all about.
This is no mere party at the lake.
This is a political action.
This is a statement that gentrification will not drive or stamp out the history and culture of those who made The Town what it is today.
A few years ago, someone called the police on the Samba Funk drummers, who bring their beats to Lake Merritt’s pergola almost every Sunday. It wasone of many microaggressions native Oaklanders experience as they continue to do what they have always done, as new people move in with no understanding of the culture and community that have existed here for generations. The drummers brought their music and community back to their spot on 510 Day, and they rocked the plaza.
Music filled the air and vendors lined Grand Avenue from Euclid to Embarcadero, selling food and clothes. Booths sharing information about services for youth, families, and elders were sprinkled between the vendor booths, and local performers read poetry, rapped, and danced on two stages. The Black Market Stage was posted along Grand Avenue, and the We Still Here stage was at the Pergola.
DJ Fresh stepped onto the Grand Avenue stage, and before launching into his tune sampling the Anita Baker classic, “Been So Long,” he talked about how his mom loved Baker and her music. His flow showed that he’s a rapper on the rise. His stage presence drew the crowd in and had folks up and dancing before he finished.
I ran into Needa Bee of The Village in Oakland, a homeless support and advocacy organization and one of the organizers of 510 Day. She told me that the event started almost a decade ago after the rise of microaggressions Black folks experienced in Oakland and at Lake Merritt, most famously BBQ Becky’s assault on Black men enjoying an afternoon in the sun. 510 Day brings attention to how gentrification has changed Oakland in ways that make it difficult for Black and brown communities to exist. It calls out how going to the lake to relax and do everything gentrifiers do without being hassled or being criminalized is becoming harder and harder.
The event had kicked off with a powerful youth march and rally, a testament to the event’s commitment to social change and activism. Although I arrived after the rally, I had the opportunity to visit the booths of the participating groups, including Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ), the Justice Reinvestment Coalition of Alameda County, and The Young Women’s Freedom Center. They told me about their mission to reform incarceration for California Youth, adding yet another layer of significance to the event.
#WeStillHere is the tagline for 510 Day, and the folks who came out proved that Black Oakland is indeed still here and thriving. Earlier, Bee said that this is the point of the day: Showing up and doing what folks do daily is a political act in the face of gentrification. Ss signs posted around the event proclaimed, gentrification is violent to the people it displaces and the cultures it erases.
Leaving The Keep It Moving Marketplace to check out the rest of the area, I bumped into Chaney Turner, an Oakland activist who chairs the Oakland Cannabis Commission. They sported an “Oakland Native” T‑shirt. They echoed Bee’s sentiments and expressed how important it is to support the small and micro businesses that vend at Lake Merritt that are being pushed out by gentrification.
I tried the sweet treats of one of those small businesses, The Ghetto Twinz, who bake and cater desserts. The parfait, light and creamy, swirled in my mouth bursting with flavor and the brownie was ooey gooey good.
I arrived at the We Still Here stage as Oakland’s first poet laureate, Ayodele Nzinga, aka Wordslanger, wrapped up her set. A force and warrior, Nzinga unleashed a love letter to and about Oakland, its strength and resilience. She was followed by several other rappers and spoken word artists, and at one point a birthday tribute to Davey D, a hip hop journalist who for years has used his pen to hold government officials, the police, and others accountable. His award-winning pieces give voice to the frustrations native Oaklanders experience as new developments spring up to replace their neighborhoods and communities. He, like Nzinga, is a true Oakland icon.
Next Canary, a comedian who honed her craft while incarcerated, had the crowd in stitches with jokes about life in The Town. While funny, her jokes were also poignant and relatable, highlighting things like police engagement and displacement, some of what impacts native Oaklanders as a result of gentrification.
One of the coolest things about this day was seeing the communities that call Oakland home all show up and show out. Two men trotted around on beautiful horses, letting children pet them as they marveled at the majestic steeds. Classic car enthusiasts are a part of Oakland culture as much as Hyphy dancing, and Mistah F.A.B. and the Dope Era Whips Car Club, represented with a line of pimped out candy colored cars parked in the turning lane on Lakeshore, a testament to their owner’s love of classic whips. A veritable parade of hundreds of scrapers and cyclists cruised past the lake on a ride for peace, the crowd giving them shoutouts and “yees,” a truly Oakland expression that like Scraper culture is one of the things that makes Oakland “The Town.”
I left around seven to head to a friend’s place but could hear the crowd as I walked to my friend’s house passing kids playing and families chilling in the sun. From my friend’s balcony, we watched folks stay out and claim space as the music wafted into the night. Hopefully I’ll be in town for 5/10/25, mark your calendars and go check it out.
Check out @510Day on IG to learn more about it, the groups that organize it, and how to plug in.
