Editors/Mamaz Note: The already victimized poor families, elders and disabled folks who were displaced in the West Oakland fire of March 27th have been told they have to vacate their temporary shelter at 3233 Market street in West Oakland. The Following is a report by youth skolaz at Deecolonize Academy
The Deadly Fire by Zair
Me and my friends went to San Pablo street where a deadly fire happened on march 27th 2017 my mom, Audrey Candy corn was told all the victims had to leave their temporary shelter today, Wed, April 5th.
Where the fire happened it smelled like bbq. Four people died, one person dired . It landed on them. The people only have one day to figure where they are going live and stay.
Devastation by Tibu
The car was stuffy as all us Youth and adult poverty and youth skolaz from POOR Magazine and Deecolonize Academy rode down to the site of the fire in West Oakland on San Pablo. This fire happened on March 27, 2017 and displaced over 150 people and killed 4.
As we drove down the street of the fire we noticed for ourselves the devastation that wrecked this West Oakland community. The front of the building was charred black and the roof was completely burned off. Workers were in the process of breaking the windows to crush the house.
A man walking by noticed that we were looking and writing and told us that it is common knowledge that the landlord of this building intended it to burn down due to faulty alarm systems like, a locked down fire escape, shut down sprinklers and no fire detectors.
After that we drove over to the shelter where the fire victims were staying, we saw members of the Red Cross “helping” out the people. Audrey Candy-Corn, the real helper of this situation and the mother of two of our fellow classmates, was talking with some of the victims.
Now, Audrey has been helping since the fire killed four of the city's residents and longtime community members. She has been staying long nights and giving support and materials to the displaced families.
“I was told yesterday that the fire victims would be leaving 3233 Market St.(Youth Center)” she said with great sadness a lot more anger in her eyes as she told us those fateful words ” I was told to help the “transition” of the people moving because I was a known figure in the community”
In the end, they are still trying to kick our families out slowly but surely and we are still fighting for their rights.
The Burned Building
by Tristen
We all went to San Pablo street to take notes and learn in our journalism class with teacher Tiny and Teacher Muteado. We saw the burned Building. Tiny and her mom lived there when there was no tibu.