Community Impact
Arlin Golden:
I'd say that the ENDEAVORS team was critical to making our event happen this year. We weren't actually sure how, or even if, we were going to be able proceed, but Endeavors took the time to meet with us, hear our thoughts and concerns, and bring not only their space, but mental energy, collaboration, and ideas to the table as well. Their experience holding covid-safe and socially distanced events at The Lot was such a welcome contribution that helped to see this idea to fruition. Our guests told us that ENDEAVORS' innovative approach to contract tracing made them feel safe, so much so that they felt empowered them to come out for multiple nights of our weeklong event.
ENDEAVORS was highly involved and supportive in working with us and being flexible to accomodate logistic issues and unforeseen acts of god, and helped us meet those unexpected challenges, such as poor air quality and unseasonal heat, with positivity and creativity. We truly felt like they had our back the whole fest, and continually advocated on our behalf to secure and provide critical resources.
Drunken Film Fest Oakland appreciates and applauds ENDEAVORS' undertaking with The Lot and their commitment to keeping Oakland the thriving arts hub of the west coast. So many attendees told us how nice it felt to just do something, and go out and feel stimulated by art and community again, often for the first time in months, and contribute to the survival of the creative community through this unprecedented ordeal. Any organization or governmental body that claims to want to keep the arts and artists in Oakland would do well to support their efforts.
Jean Marie Durant:
The work that ENDEAVORS Oakland has been doing to activate the empty space at The Lot has been an inspiration! The team has worked with the intention to create opportunities for artists and creators to present and perform to audiences in a COVID-safe environment. When the rest of Oakland was still trying to figure out how to snap back, the ENDEAVORS team took it upon themselves to activate The Lot on behalf of the entire neighborhood and get funds back into the pockets of Downtown Oakland's struggling restaurants and artists. It's organizations like ENDEAVORS Oakland that will pull us through this pandemic and economic struggle.
Alicia Langlais:
The lot is an amazing resource for the Oakland artistic community. One of the largest threats to my work as a teaching artist is finding outdoor spaces that are accessible, beautiful, socially conscious, and most importantly, SAFE. The Lot that ENDEAVORS provides checked all of those boxes for me.
It was really helpful to know that as a teaching artist, all I had to do was show up. Health checks and set up was all done for me. I could just focus on creating a fun experience for my students and felt confident knowing that everything else was taken care of.
One of my biggest concerns with hosting a class in a public space was the possibility of passerby folks joining in, which is dangerous from a COVID perspective. The secured space at The Lot prevented that. Security assured that only paid, pre-registered participants were allowed to enter. So that helped with tracking as well as assuring that I was paid by all that took my class.
From a revenue, safety, and beauty standpoint, the lot is a win, win, win!
Rozz Nash:
The People's Conservatory is a youth centered performing and visual arts organization. We deliver online as well as in person arts engagements ranging from free to sliding scale for students of all ages and their families. We are grateful to call "The Lot" our new home for subsidized community dance classes on Saturdays from 9-11am. Our classes serve families all over the East Bay and to have this location to support our community has been immeasurably beneficial and supportive. We hope to continue this partnership with ENDEAVORS Oakland throughout the 2020-21 academic year and beyond.
Addae Hill:
If it wasn’t for ENDEAVORS, The second verse of ”Black Queen,” music video would have never happened the way it did. From the first day we met Assan and Marisol, they have both been nothing but accepting and giving, from allowing us to film our music video in The Lot to then making it capable for us to screen our work in The Lot. For us, to be young Black and Brown filmmakers getting to share our films to our public, it’s very special for us. ENDEAVORS has supported us from the beginning. They not only have our eternal gratitude but we’re fr fr whatever you need just come holla at us.
Having a safe space to hold outdoor events is pivotal at this time, with COVID being such a concern, it’s still important for people to have a safe space to get quality entertainment, and with the controls ENDEAVORS has in place, people can feel comfortable spending their time in The Lot.
Karega Bailey of SOL Development:
I reached out to ENDEAVORS to ask for their help to curate a documentary screening at The Lot, and what I got in return was far beyond my ask! The team at The Lot were amazing. They were thoughtful and gentle. They were efficient and flexible!
We screened a documentary titled “Dear Beloved,” which features the work of SOL Development and BE-Imaginative. They create safe spaces for healing circles for mothers who have lost children to gun violence. The team at The Lot not only executed the event production with precision, but they also were caring, kind and compassionate. They did it with Love.