Thanks for posting this article, I stay away from Oakland (and Berkeley) because of the hipsters, and not the "hookers and heroin." At least here in San Francisco the yuppies (self included) wear striped shirts so they are easier to identify. Gentrification isn't a solution to troubled negihborhoods, it just displaces people. If the developers cared about the community they'd be creating mixed-use developments with part high-end and part affordable housing, which is a much more sustainable type of neighborhood development than slash, burn and rebuild.
The word "hipster" is a horribly dated generalization. That word needs to be retired, it's so tired. That article was riddled with out of context quotes, a lack of perspective, and suffered from shoddy fact checking. Names are wrong, the numbers of galleries, and so much more. This was sensationalistic journalism at its worst. It is sad, because gentrifacation in Oakland is a serious issue, and that article was decidedly not a serious one. The "downlow" bar mentioned in the piece had block parties in the past that were not blocked by riot cops. It has been a haven for gay prostition and meth dealing as well. To say hipsters are main group of attendees for the art murmur, is hilarious. To equate yuppies with the members and participants of the art murmur is myopic and delusional. There is only one commercial gallery particpating. Half are woman run. To say black or minority artists have participated in this "scene" is ridiculous and false. All of these gallerists save two have other jobs. I can think of no other art walk in the country where the vast majority of spaces are artist run. I'll agree hipsters are annoying, but they are harmless. Developers(of which Marcel Diallo, in his own manner is now as well), property owners, and politicos are not. They are the problem. Marcel Diallo is a self promoting, divisive Al Sharpton type with a napolean complex. He himself, is not, an Oakland native. I can't believe that fact did not make it into the article.
I'll second that second comment. Especially the last part, that guy is full of himself and just as deivisive as the kids he's complaining about.
I lived in the neighborhood in question too (for a year, until my lease ran out and I could flee) , and I did not know my neighbors-except when they would yell slurs at me when they saw me (a white kid) walking down the street with a black girl.
The article was interesting, but sort of garbage.
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