Open Mic Oakland

We are so grateful to everyone who decided to show up, take the stage, and be vulnerable with us.

Being artists ourselves, we know how much it takes to share that part of yourself with strangers.

Whether it’s music, poetry, comedy, storytelling, or something else entirely, sharing something you created means letting people see a little piece of you. We don’t take that lightly.

What made the night even more meaningful was that everyone came together for a shared purpose: helping us raise funds for Creative Pathways Collective’s food pantry and community garden initiative.

By the end of the event, we had raised almost $200.

It may not sound like a huge amount of money, but for a small, growing nonprofit like ours, it matters. Every event is helping us take another step toward what we are trying to build.

Right now, one of those next steps is our soil testing event planned for October.

Before we begin growing food, we want to understand what we’re working with and make sure we are creating a garden thoughtfully and safely. Soil testing can tell us about things like nutrient levels and pH, but it can also help identify heavy metals such as lead—something that is especially important to consider when growing food in an urban environment.

The money raised at this event will help us take that next step. There is something really special about knowing that art is helping us get there.

People came together and shared something creative. Other people came to listen, support them, laugh, connect, and be part of the night. And all of that turned into actual resources that can go back into our community.

That is exactly the kind of cycle we hope to keep creating at Creative Pathways Collective.

Art brings people together. Community turns that connection into action. And little by little, we build something bigger.

Thank you to every artist who trusted us with their work, everyone who came out to support them, and everyone who donated.

You helped us move one step closer to getting our hands in the soil.

And we’re just getting started.