On August 14, 2023, Éllen Cintra presented her work to the Black Panther Oakland Community School Research Cluster. Cintra provides an international perspective on education, marooning, and OCS. Cintra's presentation was part of the Black Panther Oakland Community School Research Cluster Summer Speaker Series sponsored by the UC Irvine Humanities Center.
On July 31, 2023, Erica Watkins talked about her first-hand experience as an Oakland Community School student. Watkins' presentation was part of the Black Panther Oakland Community School Research Cluster Summer Speaker Series sponsored by the UC Irvine Humanities Center.
On July 17, 2023, Dr. Elizabeth Castle was in conversation with OCS Project director, Angela D. LeBlanc-Ernest, about Castle's work on the Warrior Women film and the Warrior Women Project. Dr. Castle's presentation was part of the Black Panther Oakland Community School Research Cluster Summer Speaker Series sponsored by the UC Irvine Humanities Center.
Steve McCutchen talks about his time as an educator at the Oakland Community School and in the Oakland Unified School District. McCutchen was a guest speaker for the Black Panther Oakland Community School Research Cluster (BPOCSRC) on August 11, 2022. The BPOCSRC is a community partnership between The OCS Project LLC and the UC Irvine Humanities Center.
Human rights advocate, educator, and former Oakland Community School director, ericka huggins, is in conversation with UC Irvine graduate student, Chasia Jeffries as a guest speaker for the BPOCSRC 2022 summer fellows program.
Featured student photographer, Micherlange Francois-Hemsley, is in conversation with BPP graphic artist and educator, M. Gayle Asali Dickson, BPP photographer, John Crear, and community member and West Oakland Mural Project founder, Jilchristina Vest, about the role art plays in society. Tatiana Bryant moderates the conversation.
Features the BPOCSRC's Art | Power | Community event: a BPP 55th anniversary photography exhibit by Micherlange Francois-Hemsley (UCI '22, BPOCSRC Fellow '21), a hybrid artist talk panel, and an archival exhibit of supporting BPP documents from UCI Libraries.
Featured photographer Micherlange Francois-Hemsley and OCS Project Assistant, Evelynn Cuautle, both 2021 BPOCSRC interns, unite to discuss Francois-Hemsley's exhibit.
Micherlange Francois-Hemsley, a UC Irvine Senior Majoring in African American Studies and minoring in Criminology, discusses her homeschool educational experiences, skills gained during the summer program, excitement about working on the OCS documentary film, and her goal to continue bridging multidisciplinary interests.
In this episode, Dashia Wright, U.C. Irvine senior and Psychological Sciences major, reflects on the lack of unconditional support for students. We talk about her childhood educational experiences and she shares the ways The OCS Project provided a much longed-for psychologically and emotionally supportive space to learn.
Chinaenye Ibeanusi is a UC Irvine junior majoring in Anthropology and minoring in African American Studies. In this episode, Chinaenye discusses her K-12 and UC Irvine educational experiences and the challenges of finding spaces that support and empower Black students. She also reflects on her OCS Project summer experience and the ways in which community was forged.
Alex Fakayode is a UC Irvine Senior and Drama major. In this episode, Alex talks about the joys and challenges of the summer program, her eclectic childhood education, the power of performing arts in education, finding her voice, and finding community during her work with The OCS Project.
Haleigh Marcello is a UC Irvine Ph.D. student focusing on the histories of gender and sexuality in the 20th century. Marcello reflects on her educational experience, her work with the BPOCSRC as a graduate fellow and mentor, her strong belief in Each One Teach One, and explores incorporating OCS lessons into educational spaces.
Evelynn Cuautle is a 2021 University of California @ Irvine graduate who majored in Public Health Policy and minored in Chicana/Latina Studies. In this episode, Evelynn reflects on intentional educational spaces, her educational experience growing up in Orange County, California, her involvement with The OCS Project, and her direction moving forward.
Trinity Hunt-McGuinness ‘22, UC Irvine Senior, Gender and Sexuality Studies Major, and African-American Studies minor reflects on her experiences as a Summer 2021 Fellow with the Black Panther Oakland Community School Community Archives, Activism, and Storytelling Research Cluster.
A conversation between ericka huggins, Angela D. LeBlanc-Ernest, Damien Sojoyner, and Roderic Crooks, Moderated by Krystal Tribbett. This panel was a part of the UCI Humanities Center Oceans 1619 Project series.
Curating resources and information for researchers and community members alike to learn the history of the Black Panther Party’s flagship educational program is central to The OCS Project’s mission.
Creating digital projects is one of the primary ways The OCS Project endeavors to archive and share the history and encourage community engagement.
Collaborating was a hallmark of the Oakland Community School’s success and it is in the same spirit that The OCS Project seeks to accomplish its current and future project goals.
