Kaiser Permanente Oakland mural supports equity, inclusion

A colorful new mural is being painted by local Black artists on wooden slabs outside a Kaiser Permanente building in downtown Oakland. Kaiser Permanente is supporting the mural as part of its commitment to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in the community. The mural will ultimately be housed in the Black Cultural Zone at the new Liberation Park.

Two well-known Oakland artists are creating the mural: Josh Mays and Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith. Wolfe-Goldsmith has already painted the much-larger-than-life head of a Black woman onto the plywood walls, depicting a friend of hers, she said.

“I try in my works to reflect the beauty that I see in Oakland,” she said. “And also to show people why I love Oakland.”

Wolfe-Goldsmith, wearing a paint-splattered jacket and moving to hip-hop music from a portable radio, recently chalked in flowery details onto the picture of the woman, whose face looks reflectively onto Broadway Street. The artist has already drawn in outlines for other figures that will become part of the mural.

Mays, who is well known for the many large murals he’s created in downtown Oakland, says he’s excited for the mural to come together. “I expect, through color, texture and narrative, we will create a piece that reveals and transmits much needed doses of hope, perspective and possibility.”

The plywood wall stretches several hundred feet up Broadway and around the corner onto 20th Street. Bright swatches of color painted on the wall await the final touches of artists Mays and Wolfe-Goldsmith.

The mural will remain temporarily displayed on Broadway for a couple of months and then moved to a permanent display at the new Black Cultural Zone at Liberation Park on Foothill Boulevard.

“Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to ending systemic racism in our nation and breaking down barriers to equality,” said Yvette Radford, vice president, Kaiser Permanente Northern California External and Community Affairs. “As an organization with deep roots in Oakland, we want to do our part to help our community heal by showcasing the amazing contributions of Black artists and creating an inspirational piece of art to remind us all of the importance of social justice, inclusiveness, and racial equity.”