photo: Hitchster/ BY-NC-SA

Oakland has been fighting a negative public image for a long time. Oakland citizens tend to see the city differently from people who view it from the outside. Now, a new video about Oakland is gaining popularity on Youtube. The video was posted two months ago and viewed 69,757. It paints Oakland in a distinct way.

Those who see Oakland’s potential focus on Oakland’s many assets. Oakland is the eighth largest city in California. The city is home to many businesses such as Kaiser Permanente and Clorox. Oakland is also known for its diversity and culture. Places such as Lake Merrit make Oakland a unique place to live. Oakland’s environment also involve sports—its home to Oakland Athletics, Golden State Warriors, and none other than the Oakland Raiders. But then there are those—like in this video—who only talk about Oakland’s violence. This video encourages people to visit Oakland. It sounds good but this video is not your typical travel video. Instead of highlighting Oakland’s diversity, culture, and places, it highlights in a sarcastic way its violence and the people that make up Oakland. Like any city, Oakland has its downside, but to me, it’s about time we start looking at the good things the city has to offer.