Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS)

08/20/2026

Most of us can name someone who helped shape our journey.

A teacher who encouraged us. A coach who believed in us. A neighbor who offered support when we needed it most. Someone who shared their time without expecting anything in return.

Volunteerism often begins with remembering those moments.

Every day at BOSS, community members create those same opportunities for others—helping families rebuild, supporting children, welcoming new residents, and reminding people they are not alone.

Now it's our turn to continue that tradition.

Become a Community Builder.

self-sufficiency.org/volunteer

08/18/2026

When a mother has stability, her children feel it too.

A consistent routine. A safe place to sleep. Someone cheering her on. A home where healing has room to grow.

At WCRC, we support mothers and children together because rebuilding a family means strengthening everyone within it.

The impact of that work reaches far beyond today.

It shapes tomorrow.

Invest in stronger families and stronger communities.

Learn more:

At BOSS’s Women and Children’s Reentry Campus, women rebuilding after incarceration receive housing, clinical support, workforce training, and reunification services while living alongside their children. This is what reentry looks like when families are supported together.

08/15/2026

THANK YOU FOR INVESTING IN THE ARC.

Black August is free to the community—but creating a day this full of opportunity, culture, education, resources and joy takes real investment.

We are deeply grateful to the sponsors who have stepped forward to help make the 6th Annual Black August: Arc of Liberation Commemoration possible:

We are deeply grateful to the sponsors who have stepped forward to invest in Black August and our community:

Kaiser Permanente
Mechanics Bank
Baywell Health Community
Ava Community Energy
Port of Oakland

Felts Family Fund
Cooper Hawkins Hawkins
UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Office

Their investment helps us bring hundreds of people together in the heart of Oakland for FREE food, live performances, Black-owned businesses, political education, health and wellness resources, career and housing connections, youth and family activities, giveaways, books, back-to-school resources and so much more.

But the WHY matters.

Black August was born from the resistance of incarcerated Black people and political prisoners. BOSS carries that legacy forward by honoring those still inside, embracing those returning home, and creating tangible pathways to stability, opportunity and self-sufficiency.

We do that through the four pillars of our Black August commemoration:

ART. CULTURE. POLITICAL EDUCATION. ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT.

Our sponsors make it possible to put those pillars into action—not only in principle, but in practice.

AND IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN THEM.

There is still an opportunity for businesses, organizations, foundations and community partners to put their name behind this work and help us make an even greater investment in the people of Oakland.

Sponsor Black August. Invest in community. Stand inside the Arc.

Saturday, August 29
11 AM–3 PM
Oakland City Hall

Interested in sponsoring? https://www.self-sufficiency.org/sponsor-black-august

08/14/2026

COME VIBE WITH US - VOLUNTEER FOR BLACK AUGUST

Want to be part of Black August from the inside?

Tap in with Country, grab your BOSS tee, be in community, meet new people, and help us bring the Arc of Liberation to life.

We're looking for volunteers who want to serve AND enjoy the experience.

Welcome guests. Support our vendors. Help people find resources. Connect with artists and performers. Assist with giveaways. Keep things moving. Meet community organizations doing incredible work. Help us set up, pack up, and leave Oakland City Hall better than we found it.

There are so many ways to plug in—and plenty of opportunities to vibe, connect, and experience Black August along the way.

Your BOSS tee lets everyone know: I'M HERE TO HELP.

And the WHY matters.

Black August grew from the resistance of incarcerated Black people and political prisoners. We gather to honor those still inside, embrace our returning community members, remember those who fought before us and continue building pathways toward liberation.

At BOSS, we carry that work forward through four pillars:

ART. CULTURE. POLITICAL EDUCATION. ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT.

So come give a few hours. Bring a friend. Meet somebody new. Learn something. Serve your community. Stay for the celebration.

Saturday, August 29
Oakland City Hall

VOLUNTEER WITH US: bit.ly/BOSSBAVol

Already signed up? Tag somebody who should be on the crew with you.

08/13/2026

WHY BLACK AUGUST? WHY BOSS?

Black August was born behind prison walls.

Its origins are rooted in remembrance of incarcerated Black freedom fighters, political prisoners, resistance, sacrifice, and the ongoing liberation struggle. To honor Black August means we cannot talk about freedom without talking about incarceration—and we cannot talk about incarceration without talking about what happens before, during, and after someone comes home.

For BOSS, this work is not symbolic. It is what we do.

We support people while they are incarcerated, help prepare individuals for their return home, and stand alongside returning community members as they rebuild their lives.

That means reentry support. Housing. Job training and employment pathways. Education. Behavioral health and wellness services. Family reunification. Advocacy. Community. And, most importantly, opportunities to move forward with dignity.

We also recognize the families, advocates, organizers, service providers, and loved ones who continue fighting for those who remain incarcerated.

This is why Black August matters to BOSS: bit.ly/bossblackaugust

Our Arc of Liberation Commemoration is a celebration, but it is also remembrance, political education, and action. The music, art, food, Black-owned businesses, resources, employment opportunities, and joy all exist within a larger purpose: building the conditions in which our communities can thrive.

When we gather on August 29, we remember those still inside. We welcome home those returning. We honor those who fought before us. And we continue the work of creating pathways to freedom, stability, self-sufficiency, and liberation.

Understanding where Black August comes from helps us understand why we gather.

And why the work must continue.

BLACK AUGUST: ARC OF LIBERATION COMMEMORATION
Saturday, August 29, 2026
Oakland City Hall | Frank Ogawa Plaza
Free and open to everyone.

Art. Culture. Political Education. Economic Empowerment.

https://youtu.be/hcWKEN3zjoo?si=txYamHb6n5cwVtM5

Step inside a sacred day of movement, memory, and mobilization.Th...

08/11/2026

SUPPORT BOSS ALL SEASON

Check out all the upcoming games this season! Through this partnership, 15% of net raised via BOSS’ unique link will be donated back to BOSS through the end of the season.

Share the link with your family, friends, participants, and networks. Attend a game and enjoy Oakland baseball while helping generate support for BOSS programs and services.

The BOSS ticket link matters—please use and share it when purchasing tickets: https://tickets.oaklandballers.com/?utm_campaign=mHLBfaIk&utm_source=bossemploy&utm_medium=commpart&utm_content=2026boss-employ

08/11/2026

Every community has people willing to lend their time, talents, and experience. At BOSS, we've seen what happens when those gifts are shared.

Someone teaches a financial literacy workshop. A local business organizes a collection drive. Volunteers prepare birthday celebrations for children living in shelter. Community members help beautify housing sites, welcome new residents, and create spaces where people feel seen.

No single act changes everything. Together, they create the conditions where families can begin again.

If you've been looking for a meaningful way to give back, we'd love to welcome you.

Become a Community Builder.

self-sufficiency.org/volunteer

08/10/2026

BLACK AUGUST BEGINS WITH REMEMBRANCE.

Before the music. Before the celebration. Before we gather in joy, we remember why we gather.

Black August was born from struggle, resistance, sacrifice, and the fight for liberation. That is why this year's Arc of Liberation Commemoration will begin with a sacred opening led by Adeshina Shindara.

Through libation, reflection, and remembrance, Adeshina will call us to honor our ancestors, those who remain incarcerated, those fighting for the freedom and dignity of incarcerated people, our returning citizens rebuilding their lives, and the families and communities who continue to carry this work forward.

Adeshina brings more than words to this moment. Her work as an artist, cultural worker, educator, and community advocate is rooted in using art, history, ritual, and collective memory as pathways toward healing and liberation.

This year's opening will also hold space for the life and memory of Nicia De'Lovley, whose passing in June is deeply felt by those who knew, loved, and worked alongside her.

Because Black August is not simply a celebration.

It is remembrance.
It is resistance.
It is healing.
It is political education.
It is a commitment to those still inside and an embrace of those coming home.

Join us as we begin the day together—with intention.

OPENING CEREMONY
Libation, Remembrance & Tribute
Led by Adeshina Shindara

Saturday, August 29, 2026
Oakland City Hall | Frank Ogawa Plaza

Black August: Arc of Liberation Commemoration
Free and open to the community. Learn more: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-august-arc-of-liberation-comemmoration-from-resistance-to-power-tickets-1584480807749

08/08/2026

Every parent wants the same thing.

Safety.

Stability.

A chance for their children to thrive.

For mothers navigating homelessness, poverty, violence, or other challenges, that journey is often filled with impossible choices and extraordinary courage.

At BOSS, we have the privilege of walking alongside families as they rebuild and create new possibilities for the next generation.

Our PBS Visionaries episode reminds us that hope often begins with one person refusing to give up.

💚 Watch the story. Share the mission. Help families move forward.

🔗 Donate at www.self-sufficiency.org/donate

08/05/2026

For many of the women who arrive at the Women & Children's Reentry Campus (WCRC), "coming home" doesn't mean returning to where they were before.

It means beginning again.

Some arrive after incarceration. Others are working to reunite with their children, secure housing, find employment, or simply create a life that feels stable again. Every journey is different, but every woman deserves the opportunity to rebuild with dignity.

At WCRC, that work begins with support, structure, and a community that believes healing is possible.

Every family deserves a place to begin again.

Become part of that story.

Learn more: https://www.self-sufficiency.org/post/when-a-mother-comes-home