Calling Up Justice extends our deep gratitude to the Black Arts Movement Business District Community Development Corporation of Oakland for their generous $10,000 grant—support that became not only a vital lifeline but a foundational turning point in our organization’s journey.

This wasn’t just a gift of funding. It was a gift of belief. BAMBD CDC was our first “yes”—the one that affirmed our value, affirmed our vision, and made space for our future. It was a “yes” from Black leadership for Black-led, disability-justice centered cultural work. It gave us momentum. It gave us dignity. It gave us our next breath.

It all began in conversation between Dr. Ayodele Nzinga and Claudia Alick, Executive Producer of Calling Up Justice, as they discussed the possibility of collaborating on a masked performance of Dr. Nzinga’s play Government Housing at the Black Arts Movement Theater. This aligned beautifully with CUJ’s Why Mask campaign, which uplifts masking as both a public health measure and an accessibility practice that honors Disabled communities.

When Claudia asked to view a recording of the play inside a digital replica of the theater—in case a health flare made it impossible for her to attend in person—Dr. Nzinga was intrigued. “What do you mean by a digital replica?” she asked.

What followed was a powerful meeting of minds and missions. Claudia shared CUJ’s work with digital encampments—gather.town-based spaces designed for communal audiencing, where we’ve hosted everything from play readings to watch parties, cultivating collective presence for people too often excluded from physical venues. Dr. Nzinga saw the potential immediately, not just for accessibility, but for archival legacy. The vision resonated deeply with her ongoing work to build Black cultural infrastructure that is both historic and futuristic.

“What would you need to build it?” she asked.

Claudia offered to build the space pro bono but mentioned the platform had a per-person cost—just $7 a head per month, which limited capacity. Dr. Nzinga, in her visionary generosity, responded with a powerful offer: $10,000 to bring the space to life.

That gift planted a seed that bloomed. It made possible a beautiful digital replica of the Black Arts Movement Theater. It also led directly to our next project, Mouthwater Cuntry, in collaboration with QTBIPOC disabled artists and supported by a $10,000 gift from the Mellon Foundation. That second “yes” from an institutional funder was built on the trust, vision, and momentum made possible by BAMBD CDC’s first yes. The first gift from the Black community made the second gift possible.

That is the essence of the Black Arts Movement Business District—to ensure Black artists and Black-led movements can thrive. Not only in the physical landscape of Oakland, but now, also, in the digital world.

The mission of BAMBD CDC—to advocate, organize, create, develop, and steward cultural infrastructure—is not abstract to us. It’s living, it’s breathing, and we are breathing with it. Their values—equity, inclusion, excellence, engagement, integrity, and service—are not just guiding principles; they are living commitments that changed our trajectory.

We are honored to be in creative and professional relationship with this powerful Black-led institution. We hope others will continue to invest in BAMBD CDC, because the movement and the district are sacred. We know, firsthand, that mutual generosity leads to reciprocal excellence.

Thank you for believing in us. Thank you for being our first yes.

With love and respect,
Calling Up Justice