Keep amara in Oakland Fund

amara tabor-smith, a lifelong creator and contributor to the cultural heartbeat of the Bay Area, is facing the very real threat of displacement. amara is the primary caretaker for her Elder mother Frances (96 years), a life-long Bay Area educator and activist. They must leave their current home in West Oakland due to an unforeseen owner move-in eviction. Time is running out, and they need our help to secure a stable place to live within the next month.

We are seeking to raise funds to secure a down payment for them to end the cycle of housing insecurity once and for all. During these difficult times, community care is critical. No one should have to face displacement alone—especially someone who has given so much of herself to uplift others. Whether you’re able to give $20 or $20,000, your generosity will make a real and immediate difference.

amara’s contributions to Bay Area life, art, and community are legendary. Hers is a life of service, as a dance artist, a highly popular Rhythm and Motion teacher, the choreographer/director of House/Full of Blackwomen, a healer and guardian of Black women’s community in Oakland, and an advocate for many.

We know that amara owning a house means that community owns a house, that Black women in Oakland have a new meeting place and refuge. Helping amara to buy a house is a move towards reparations, towards dismantling the decades-long practices that structurally denied Black people access to property and inherited wealth. Anyone who knows amara knows that her home will be a community home, a home for artists, a house for Black women, femmes and nonbinary people. This is a huge opportunity to give back, and to pay it forward.

amara is a cornerstone in the Bay Area Black feminist community, providing mentorship, community care and spiritual protection for so many of us. Let’s show up for our sister and Elder mother when they need community support the most. Please donate if you can, and share this campaign widely. Together, we can help ensure that amara and her mother find the security and peace they so deeply deserve.

With gratitude,

Alexa, Tobe & Kaishin

PS

For those who would also like to contribute with volunteer hours, there will be a need for both elder care hours and packing/moving labor.

Contact Alexa ([email redacted])