I propose a toast to the city that raised me along with so many others. There has been fame and fortune in this town; Struggle and triumph; Grief and grace. There is a toughness to Oakland too. You had to be a little crazy or desperate to leave it all behind to come out west. And you had to be tough as nails to survive the journey to CA, not to mention the wildness when you got here. We may be a little more sane now, but then again, we may not be.
I’d just like us all to take a minute to reflect on all that’s transpired in the past 160 years and feel good knowing that we’re still here and still fighting to make a life for ourselves.
