West Oakland Mural Project — Attraction in Oakland

We were greated by Jil, who went over how the self guided tour worked and explained that we could take our time, to sit and read the wonderful library or resources/ history.

It was an emotional experience. Sadness, anger and resentment for what happened to my people who were just trying to help and provide resources to our undeserved communities. Joy and hope, to see the many people who had enough love and or empathy for their community, to do something about the challenges. And joy to know that so many of us kept up the fight.

We ened up spending more time there then expected (90 mins or so). I spent about an hour on the tour (including reading) and 30 minutes having good conversation with Jil.

I think its fair to mention, I was visiting Oakland from Minnesota, had luggage, as I was heading to my return flight after. Jil insisted we leave our luggage, in a safe space with her, when my associate and I wanted to go eat. Jil saved us some time and energy. Taking on a responsibility she did not have to, was kind of her and I greatly appreciated it.

I would recommend visiting...

We had the pleasure of scheduling a tour of the West Oakland Mural Project and the Women of the Black Panther Party museum. I’ve been there before and thought it is important to share so I got a group of work colleagues together for a guided tour. First of all, Jil is amazing. She shared with us the rich history of the local West Oakland community and how the mural came to life. This is her home for 20+ years. Her passion for sharing the work of the many women of the BPP is evident in the displays and dedication of her space to their many great works in the community. It’s fantastic and a very important part of history. It’s very easy to schedule a visit and Jil is very accommodating. For groups I highly recommend a guided...

Jill is an amazing host and guide - not just through the mural and exhibit, but the rich history and speaking truth to power about the lived experiences of the Black Panther Party, and the powerful Black Women who were the majority of the party. The incredible range of social programs, feeding, clinics, poverty alleviation, etc they ran was impressive, and set the stage for the universal preK, school breakfast and lunch programs, healthcare and so many more, that we don’t credit them for! Our team was so grateful to be in community with Jill and our ancestors, and that she has built this space, and a beloved...