Since 2000, Oakland-based 'marksearch' has been designing interactive opportunities for communities to publicly share personal histories for empowerment. Cultural researcher, literacy educator and artist Sue Mark is interested in untold, over-looked stories.

Partnering with husband Bruce Douglas, an engineer and inventor passionate about repurposing materials, 'marksearch' blends their diverse skills and shared life. 'marksearch' has implemented interdisciplinary projects with neighbor groups, community organizations, historians, urban planners, anthropologists and municipalities throughout Oakland, nationally and across the globe.

Kala Art Institute, based in Berkeley, CA, is a community art-making hub and artist residency program offering professional facilities across print and digital media. Kala’s mission is to help artists sustain their creative work and to engage the community through exhibitions, public programs, and education.

Launched in 2014, Kala’s Print Public program supports artists in creating temporary public art along the San Pablo Avenue corridor, meeting people where they are, on the street, at bus stops, markets, shops, and in the neighborhood, connecting artists and the community. marksearch began Commons Archive as part of the first iteration of Print Public.

Saturu Ned, then known as James Mott, joined the Black Panther Party in May of 1968 in Sacramento California while attending Sacramento City College. Saturu was a member of the ‘Lumpen’, the Black Panther Party singing group.

Dr Saturu was a teacher at the award-winning Oakland Community School & Learning Center that was started & run by the Black Panther Party. He has appeared on numerous television and video productions, radio, print & online publications. He continues to work in the interest of the community as an Educator, Innovator, & a Survival Program Architect.

The Golden Gate Branch of the Oakland Public Library, located at 5606 San Pablo Avenue in Oakland, is one of 16 neighborhood branch libraries.

The Golden Gate Branch has a collection of approximately 41,000 items. Circulating materials are largely of popular interest with a strong emphasis on fiction and jazz music.

The Oakland Public Library has hosted multiple events for Commons Archive and is a key location for community gatherings to connect neighbors in Oakland, and empower learning and knowledge for all ages.

Founded by Black Panther Aunti Frances Moore and Darnel Parks in 2009, Self-Help Hunger Program (SHHP) builds unity and self determination through care programs to support North Oakland and South Berkeley residents. SHHP serves hot meals to hundreds every week, providing cultural nourishment and resources to vulnerable neighbors.

N4RJ is a group of Oakland neighbors who, since 2013, have been committed to racial equity & justice in our neighborhoods & city. We seek to be civic change agents, & to examine & act to address our own racism, anti-blackness, & white supremacy. We are supported by a women-led Black Advisory Council.

In the spirit of the original ‘Rainbow Coalition’, Oakland-based art collective AP2TP is operated by Craig Vincent & Farida Mazlan, an artist-curator team aka Destroy Art. AP2TP was created & nurtured as a social justice-based, empowering art & design platform to support & promote community-based creative capital opportunities for artists, benefitting the legacy work of the BPPALN.

Shawn Granberry is the CEO of HipHopTV. With an early start in music entertainment through his family, & while attending UC Berkeley, he created several very popular club nights and concerts in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mr. Granberry's is passionate in working with inner city youth, helping young people achieve a college education through sports & leadership programs.

David Peters, leader of the West Oakland Cultural Action Network, is a 3rd generation Oakland native. He has created the nationally acclaimed ‘Black Liberation Walking Tour’, a community-led cultural asset map celebrating Hoover-Foster’s multi-generational Black history and culture.

Susie Wise is liberatory design faculty at the National Equity Project and an adjunct professor at the Stanford d.school where she founded the K12 Lab. Susie believes we can create more belonging and less othering in our communities through design. Susie recently published her monumental book: Design for Belonging.

The Hidden Gem Creative Studios is dedicated to providing career and educational pathways for independent artists of color who have been marginalized by the mainstream entertainment industry and lack access to a public voice to improve their communities.

The African American Museum and Library at Oakland is dedicated to the discovery, preservation, interpretation, and sharing of historical and cultural experiences of African Americans in California and the West for present and future generations.