OAKLAND UNITY MIDDLE SCHOOL

BAY AREA CHAPTER — Oakland, CA

Big Picture

We were introduced to Oakland Unity Middle School through our friends from Ball For Life Oakland. Recognizing Oakland Unity as a hard-working, spirited school community deserving of nourishment and revitalization, we joined forces! Together with our Bay Area Chapter and Guest Artist Fernanda Martinez, we embarked on an exciting collaboration to transform four (4) key exterior walls on their campus in East Oakland, California.

When our team first stepped onto the campus, our key takeaway was immediate and profound: "There is an incredible school here.” It felt like a hidden gem right in our own backyards.

Oakland Unity Middle School (OUMS) is a free public middle school (grades 6-8) located in the heart of Deep East Oakland. The school, which opened in 2015 and currently enrolls 140 students, cultivates a safe and supportive family atmosphere through small class sizes and a robust advisory curriculum. This is a vibrant place offering a wide variety of athletics, robust afterschool programs, extracurricular activities, and enriching field trips.

We are deeply grateful to Co-Principals Kate Goedecker, Damon Grant, Austin Razavi, the entire Oakland Unity Middle School team, and the community of families and supporters for their whole-hearted embrace of our collaboration and partnership.

"It is so special to see our space reflect the joy, positivity, and greatness of our students."

—Sohrob Austin Razavi
Oakland Unity Middle School
Assistant Principal

A Conversation About Color

Project Color Corps engaged the Oakland Unity Community in an immersive color seminar. Through this interactive session, students and community participants explored the transformative power of color and its impact on emotions and well-being. To further understand their aspirations for Oakland Unity, the project team administered surveys asking how the community wanted to feel upon entering their school buildings. Participants shared their favorite colors, the emotions these colors evoked, and their desired emotional state when arriving at school.

“Our community is already proud of the school’s excellent achievement and now we can be equally proud of the beautiful and unique artwork that enhances our physical space.”

—Damon Grant
Oakland Unity Middle School
Co-Principal, Math Teacher

The Transformation

We were thrilled to work with Oakland-based Guest Artist Fernanda Martinez, celebrated for her impactful public artwork and deep commitment to community engagement.

Leveraging Oakland Unity’s outdoor campus’s clean, mid-century design, we seized a crucial place-making opportunity. Our final vibrant design functions as a wayfinder, clearly identifying Oakland Unity Campaign, and instantly ensuring that every student, teacher, and community member feels welcomed and safe.

Two color palettes were developed: COOL OASIS and CONFIDENT FRIENDS. The winning palette was Cool Oasis.

COOL OASIS

CONFIDENT FRIENDS

Our Volunteer Paint Day in October was a resounding success! The entire community came out, setting a new record for family participation. Not only did we successfully transform all four exterior walls, but the kids and families channeled their creative energy into designing and painting a vibrant mini mural.

“Creating the mural series for Unity Middle School was an invaluable and deeply rewarding experience. The sense of community shared by teachers, students, and volunteers is truly inspiring. I feel profoundly grateful for the opportunity to contribute my art and bring daily joy to students and members of the school community.”

—Fernanda Martinez
Guest Artist

“We believe ourselves to be an oasis in East Oakland: a place kids are safe enough to be their best selves, experience exponential growth, and push themselves to achieve. We are thrilled that our physical space reflects this--a 'cool oasis'."

—Kate Goedeker
Oakland Unity Middle School
Co-Principal, Humanities Teacher