The Crucible recognizes that recent violence against the AAPI community is not an isolated series of events, but rather an escalation of long-standing anti-Asian sentiments. The Stop AAPI Hate National Report found that over 44% (1,691) of all incidents reported from March 2020 to February 2021 were in California.
After more than a year of remote learning, students are struggling to find focus at home. Here in West Oakland, McClymonds High School has seen an uptick in absences as students cope with feelings of isolation and a lack of motivation. “You’re not getting that day-to-day experience,” explained McClymonds junior, Isaiah Smiley in a recent ABC7 interview at The Crucible.
For more than a decade, West Oakland students ages 10-18 have been participating in our Earn-A-Bike Program, learning free bike mechanics while fixing up two frames. Upon finishing the program, participants take one bike home and donate the second to be sold in support of the Bike Shop.
Our Woodworking classes are some of our most varied and most popular. The department includes offerings in woodturning, woodworking, marquetry, hand carving—but doesn’t have the space to keep all the equipment in the shop when classes are running. So if you ever found yourself at The Crucible between sessions, you might have witnessed our studio staff moving six Woodturning lathes in and out of the Wood Shop.
Starting a small business is always a challenging task, but doing so during the pandemic makes it especially difficult. Artists, crafters, and makers have spent the last year implementing new ways to create, grow, and sustain their small businesses.
We are excited to be restarting our Earn-A-Bike Program this February 16, as a newly designed 4-week program, running Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3-6pm. The Crucible’s Bike Shop has been operating with new health and safety policies in place, successfully running multiple Bike Fix-A-Thons and Bike Maintenance classes for our local community.
Equity, access, and facing the pandemic are challenges our Board will continue to tackle for the foreseeable future. And to support these efforts, we are pleased to welcome four new members to the team: Cindy Johanson, Craig Croteau, Joyce Pederson Shulman, and Shawnee Keck.
The Crucible is pleased to announce a new partnership with Curative, a COVID-19 testing company that is transforming healthcare delivery. Curative provides quick, easy, and painless no-cost access to COVID-19 oral-fluid swab testing with results are delivered within 24 – 48 hours of testing.
The Crucible Bike Shop has long been the community outreach arm of The Crucible. It serves West Oakland youth through our Earn-A-Bike program and supports the West Oakland community at large with free bike maintenance during our Bike Fix-A-Thons. Regular classes and camps allow adults and youth students to learn skills in welding and mechanics with opportunities for creative exploration in their designs.
For the past few years, Valerie Fish has found inspiration for her stained glass all around her, be it California poppies or a drawing by her son. As a longtime maker, Valerie knows the importance of art, especially for our youth, and when presented with an opportunity to support The Crucible’s programming through Giving Back at GIFTY, she jumped at the chance!