{"id":190556,"date":"2026-02-23T22:00:24","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T22:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/190556\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T22:00:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T22:00:24","slug":"at-oaklands-black-joy-parade-community-is-wealth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/190556\/","title":{"rendered":"At Oakland\u2019s Black Joy Parade, Community Is Wealth"},"content":{"rendered":"

The furniture was part of the Exhale Lounge installation, an experience we co-curated with DJs Pee Dot Scott<\/a> and TheBrandon<\/a>, as well as The Neighborhood Plant Dealer<\/a>, Hella Creative<\/a> and Air Maxine<\/a> \u2014 a group that regularly hosts a series of game nights called Bones, Books & Bingo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We represented one of over a dozen installations and pop-ups at the event, which included a bunch of food vendors, a kids area and a location for collective mediation. There was a video game truck on one side and a skate park on the other, plus cowboys on horseback, anime action figures, a cigar lounge and more.<\/p>\n

\"AThe Dope Era Whips car club pulled up and stunted during the Black Joy Parade on Feb. 22, 2026 in Oakland. (Pendarvis Harshaw)<\/p>\n

As the day started, streets were blocked off for the parade route, and artists took to the stage for soundcheck. From our lot we could hear the warming vocals of R&B royalty Mya, the event\u2019s headlining artist.<\/p>\n

Black Joy Parade founder Elisha Greenwell Dargan<\/a>, executive producer Paige Nichols and other members of the organization moved about, tirelessly working to ensure a successful day.<\/p>\n

Everything that goes into creating and sustaining a gathering of this magnitude can\u2019t be understated. One volunteer told me she started her shift at 6 a.m. And I know for a fact the planning for this celebration started many months prior.<\/p>\n

We worked on our installation for a few weeks but still had to run errands the night before the parade. Our goal was to create a backyard kickback in the middle of downtown, complete with games, plants, comfortable chairs and a fire pit. And of course, if you have a fire pit you need to have the ingredients for making s\u2019mores.<\/p>\n

\"AA young attendee of the Black Joy Parade roasts a marshmallow over a fire pit during the event. (Pendarvis Harshaw)<\/p>\n

Black joy not only requires elbow grease and sweat equity, but financial capital and liquid assets.<\/p>\n

Black Joy costs<\/p>\n

The parade itself ran from 14th Street down Broadway, all the way to West Grand. The festival portion of the celebration was concentrated to a few blocks in uptown. It\u2019s mind-boggling to even begin wrapping my mind around the total cost of permits for an event of this size, as well as security and the clean-up effort afterwards.<\/p>\n

During the celebration, everywhere I turned people were making money. Folks sold fine art and photos, clothing and headwear. There was an area dedicated to Black wines, a beer garden and a Hennessy bar. Topicals, medicines and crystals were sold in one place. At another, a chef was dishing out servings of gumbo next to a stand where a person was selling cannabis.<\/p>\n

People made investments before even pulling up to the event\u2014 it showed in their fashion. Folks wore high-end designers, custom-made coats and rare fly kicks. Some were in shiny jewelry and bedazzled bags; others rocked fresh haircuts and hairdos.<\/p>\n

There wasn\u2019t just money invested: People put in time and energy as well.<\/p>\n

\"ADannie Cherie, clothing designer and owner of Hella Thrifty, showcases fresh threads at the Black Joy Parade on Feb. 22, 2026. (Pendarvis Harshaw)<\/p>\n

The buck for Black joy didn\u2019t stop there. People gambled, risking parking tickets or towed cars as they left their automobiles parked in red zones to attend the celebration.<\/p>\n

Some folks missed money as they took the day off from work; others decided to show up late for their jobs. People traveled from across the state, and some came from out of state to be a part of one of the biggest annual African American parades on the West Coast. <\/p>\n