Oakland Beautiful

A Stephen Texeira Photography Project Celebrating the People of Oakland

Each day grotesque political, economic, and social inequalities push us further and further apart; rip asunder the communities that are vital to our future; undermine the trust we should have in one another; blur the lines between truth and reality; and destroy the lives of the people upon whose backs this nation was built. It is incumbent upon each of us to do something about this.

Art has the potential to bring us together, erase differences, show us our common humanity, create community, change the world.  We all have a responsibility to do what we can to make that happen. Most of us go through our lives looking for difference. This group is taller than that one; these people are richer; my friends are cooler; her family is better. I use my eye and my camera to create images that show us where we overlap, share a perspective, a way of smiling, a gesture, a love of self and others. I focus on my community — on Oakland. This is not the only way to do good, and it may not be the best, but it is the way I’ve chosen. I hope my photography reminds us of our shared humanity.