Nearly 15% of businesses in Oakland are registered as leisure and entertainment—the largest increase of businesses being restaurants and bars.

While this may benefit the nightlife, mom-and-pop businesses that provide essential services are becoming extinct, and technological gaps are largely to blame. As the economy becomes increasingly digital, the distribution of wealth tips in favor of the digitally literate, leaving the illiterate in danger of failure.

BRIDGEGOOD’s unique collaboration of community, design, and technology inspires us every day to make our organization an even more powerful force for change.

We are actively supplying under-resourced community members (students of color ages 18-34; women-owned businesses ages 40+) with professional resources, mentorship, digital literacy education, economic autonomy, and career and networking opportunities.

Each year we ask emerging Creatives and Designers to create original artwork that answers the question, “What about Oakland inspires you?”

To date, over 1,600 community college and state-level students have participated for the chance to have their designs featured on Inspire Oakland billboards, bus ads, benches, and digital LEDs throughout the greater East Bay.

Annually, BRIDGEGOOD visits up to 50 schools (namely in Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo) including community colleges, state colleges, and universities. During our visits, we help prepare students of color with the professional resources and career-related tools required to be leaders in their community. 

While design jobs (e.g., UX, UI, Visual, Graphic) within the tech sector are booming, design students of color are being left behind.

Demand and opportunity for designers are high; in fact, the 2nd top-paying workforce of Graphic Designers in the nation resides in the Bay Area. Yet opportunities for designers of color remain scarce. Jobs for this marginalized group dwindle as designers from well-resourced colleges secure employment.

Recent reports confirm: tech is coming to Oakland and long-time residents are moving to affordable Bay Area cities.

With the development of 300+ tech or Web-based startups in the area, the Bay Area faces unique obstacles. Community members from East and West Oakland are particularly sensitive to the influx of tech from a cultural and economic viewpoint (e.g., gentrification). This is an issue that is close to us, as three-fourths of our board reside here.