No one is evicting Robert Bobb, Elihu Harris, or anyone else of any color as long as their money is green. That's the new color of segregation. And although I understand the unusual space needs we as artists have, I believe it is dangerous for us to believe that our basic problem is different from that of all the other people whose right to a home is threatened. There is essentially one problem, not many. Whether individuals or organizations, we are part of the low-income population of our communities.
Art saturates our lives and catalyzes our development as humans.
Many of our fundamental technologies began as artistic tools. Many people, regardless of social position, understand this on some level and support the needs of art and artists. However, the only use this system has for the creative arts is the enhancement of the bottom line. In Oakland, and in any city, the arts are supported to the degree that they assist corporate development, whether by making the city more attractive to business or by giving people with disposable income places to spend it. We're either pets or meat.