Our Stories
February 2021

Thoughtful renovation of the California Hotel

East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation 45 Stories for 45 Years Contributor: Elaine Kam Yee, EBALDC Alumnae I worked at EBALDC from 2008-2014. I started as an Assistant Project Manager in the Real Estate Department right after graduate school in urban planning, and later as Project Manager.  At EBALDC, I was exposed to multifaceted areas from producing and preserving  affordable homes, to policymaking in creating healthy communities, and connecting community assets and resources for neighborhoods that the portfolio properties were located.  My greatest accomplishment at EBALDC was the renovation of the... Read more
Our Stories
February 2021

Connecting kids, and adults, to a future in technology

East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation 45 Stories for 45 Years Contributor: Hannah Brannan, EBALDC Alumni When I first learned to code, I was a 2nd grade teacher at an after school program in Oakland with the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC). Me and my fellow teachers were in it. We would show up early to learn to code together. We saw a future in technology, and we wanted our kids to see it too.  EBALDC’s Youth Programs Director Michelle Sit had the passion to make it happen and... Read more
Our Stories
February 2021

Learning to lift your voice

East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation 45 Stories for 45 Years Contributor: David Cota, Senior Community Organizer, EBALDC I met Jessifer at a meeting led by the Healthy Havenscourt Collaborative, a group of partners working with neighborhood residents to improve educational outcomes, workforce development, housing and local business development convened by EBALDC. A resident of the Havenscourt neighborhood, Jessifer obviously had a lot of passion and recognized the potential in her community, and had the potential herself to make a big impact herself, but wasn’t quite sure how to do it... Read more
Our Stories
February 2021

Swan’s Market, an Act of Faith

East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation 45 Stories for 45 Years Contributor: Moe Wright, Esti Iterraldi & Will Rogan, BBI Construction It was 1998 and the turn of the century was upon us. Y2K was a thing that we worried about but Oakland booster, Mayor Jerry Brown, worried about Oakland’s future. Downtown Oakland had gone through a period of divestment and decline since the mid 1960’s, but promise was always on the horizon.  Mayor Brown declared his 10K policy, 10,000 new residents in the downtown area to revitalize retail, shopping and... Read more