Mission:

To inspire student learning, hard work and self-esteem by strengthening the role of music, the arts and education in our community.

51Oakland was established in 2011 by Yoshi Akiba, co-owner of the renowned musical venues, Yoshi’s Oakland and Yoshi’s San Francisco, and Jason Hofmann, a young Oakland-based entrepreneur and former educator who, within the last few years, has become increasingly involved in philanthropic activities benefitting youth.

51Oakland, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, is organized and operated solely to promote educational, artistic and musical opportunities for youth in the Oakland community. 51Oakland provides access to mentoring, nurturing and training by professional musicians and, later this year, will underwrite and organize a monthly concert series, “Live at Yoshi’s,” featuring Oakland’s finest youth talent.

51Oakland’s mission is to inspire student learning, hard work and self-esteem by strengthening the role of music and the arts in the Oakland public school system. 51Oakland is being built with the help of the public school teachers, to help build bridges that will keep music and the performing arts alive and available for our community’s youth.


Supported by:

Yoshi's

 

Events:

Today, I am asking for your help.

51Oakland is a non-profit co-founded in 2011 by Yoshie Akiba (co-owner of Yoshi’s Oakland/SF). It is an organization starting at a grass roots level, being built by public school teachers to assist them in serving our youth. Due to funding cuts in the Oakland School System, opportunities to participate in music and the performing arts are scarce for our community’s youth. Some schools have no music and performing arts programs at all. 51Oakland aims to build bridges that will help keep music and the performing arts alive and available for our students.

Again, the teachers are helping build this organization. They will determine the makeup of 51Oakland. Through meetings thus far, there have been several areas pinpointed for 51Oakland to be of service, such as:

  • Providing professional artists to teach, mentor and motivate students (we have already started this outreach by sending Pete and Juan Escovedo to work and perform with 150 students at the OUSD Jazz Festival at Oakland Tech in February).
  • Helping fund concerts featuring local youth at Yoshi’s Jazz Club (there is a $2,000 hard cost for each performance). There will be a monthly concert series, “Live at Yoshi’s,” starting in the coming months.
  • Starting a Speaker Series to be hosted at Yoshi’s Jazz Club focused on motivating and inspiring students. There are several celebrities from Oakland that are lined up to participate.
  • Hosting meetings for Teachers to create more collaboration and synergy among schools.

Please make a donation today. It is essential in getting this organization off the ground. Each donation, small or large matters.

You can either mail a check made payable to 51Oakland and send to 328 63rd Street, Oakland 94618, or click here to donate online. 51Oakland is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit charitable organization and all donations are tax deductible.

You are an important part of this story. The ability to make a difference is in our hands. DONATE NOW


Rest in peace, Khalil Shaheed

Mr. Shaheed (January 19, 1949 - March 23, 2012) performed at the first Oakland Unified School District Jazz Festival ten years ago, and was the honoree at the Tenth Annual Festival this year. He was the arranger and leader of Jimi Hendrix's horn section. He toured with Buddy Miles for seven years, performed with Woody Shaw, Taj Mahal, and Billy Higgins, among others, and appeared on more than 30 albums over his four decade career. In 1994 he founded Oaktown Jazz Workshops, an organization that celebrates jazz as an American indigenous art form, and which has taught hundreds of East Bay youths to perform jazz music.


Check out the photos from the Oakland Unified School District Jazz Festival on February 9, 2012

The 10th Anniversary Concert was held at the Oakland Tech Auditorium,
and featured musicians from Oakland Tech, Skyline, Bret Harte, Edna Brewer, Claremont, Montera, and Westlake. The Oakland USD Jazz Festival was honored to receiv guest appearancse from the Big O, and Juan and Pete Escovedo! This year's festival honored Khalil Shaheed.