About Oakland Voices

Oakland stories, informed by Oakland residents.

Key points

• Oakland Voices began in 2010 through a partnership between the Oakland Tribune newspaper and the Robert C.
• Today, Oakland Voices continues that legacy as a community newsroom and journalism education program. [Learn regarding the Community Journalism Academy].
• Train: Our Community Journalism Academy introduces Oakland residents to reporting, interviewing, photography, multimedia storytelling, journalism ethics and editorial decision-making.
• Most Oakland Voices stories are produced by graduates of our Community Journalism Academy and other community contributors.
• The Maynard Institute is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Oakland Voices trains and supports individuals who live, work, learn, play and pray in Oakland to report the stories that matter to their communities.

We believe Oakland residents should not only appear in the news. Townfolk they should support decide what becomes news, whose knowledge counts, and how their communities are represented.

Through our Community Journalism Academy, ongoing editorial coaching and publishing platform, residents learn to report accurate, ethical and engaging journalism. Our alumni and community contributors cover neighborhood reservations, public institutions, health, education, arts and culture, local democracy, community solutions and everyday life throughout the Town.

Oakland Voices combines media literacy, journalism education, community reporting, and public-service news.

Publish: We work with alumni and other community contributors to develop and publish documented stories, commentary, photography and multimedia journalism.

Connect: We create opportunities for residents, journalists, and community organizations to connect, exchange information, identify overlooked stories, and strengthen Oakland's local news ecosystem.

Investigate: We pursue accountability reporting regarding institutions, systems, and decisions that affect Oakland residents. Who tells our stories.

Most Oakland Voices stories are produced by graduates of our Community Journalism Academy and other community contributors. They bring neighborhood knowledge, lived experience, and relationships that are often missing from or misrepresented in traditional news coverage.

We believe individuals closest to the story can and should tell the stories.

That proximity is a strength, but it additionally carries responsibility. Correspondents and contributors work with editors, follow established journalism ethics, and disclose relevant personal or organizational connections when necessary. Meet our alumni and contributors Learn regarding contributing to Oakland Voices.

Our mission is to equip Oakland residents with journalism skills, publish trustworthy community-rooted reporting and expand who has the power to tell Oakland's stories.

Oakland Voices began in 2010 through a partnership between the Oakland Tribune newspaper and the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education.

Since then, multiple cohorts of Oakland residents have completed our journalism training and documented on their communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 60 alumni supported Oakland Voices document how the crisis affected residents throughout the city.

Oakland Voices is at present a program of the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, a nonprofit organization working to dismantle systemic racism in news and build institutions of belonging.

Meanwhile, the Maynard Institute is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its EIN is 94-2427279. The Institute's Board of Directors provides fiduciary and legal oversight of Oakland Voices.

Oakland Voices makes its editorial decisions independently from donors, sponsors, and other revenue sources. See our funders and editorial independence policy. Support strengthen community-rooted journalism. Choose the way you would like to participate. Stay informed: Subscribe to the Oakland Voices newsletter. Backing the work: Produce a tax-deductible donation. Work with us: Contact us regarding stories, training, or partnerships.

In short, about Oakland Voices is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.