12/10/2023 0 Comments West oakland bart stationPotted roses and succulents line the stairwell. Pendarvis Harshaw: It’s painted white with a mix of soft yellow and sky blue accents. ![]() Traci Bartlow: This is a Queen Anne Victorian house and it was built in 1895. Like this Victorian house I’m standing in front of with today’s guest, Traci Bartlow. There’s still places and people that have weathered the market forces to maintain the character of the area. The neighborhood looks hella different than it did when I was coming up, but all is not lost. And today, we’re gonna spend some time in West Oakland. Pendarvis Harshaw: Hey y’all, what’s happening? You’re listening to Rightnowish, a podcast about arts and culture in the bay area. Traci Bartlow: It’s in the shade and it’s a moment to get a feel for the house and the neighborhood. Pendarvis Harshaw: Why start here on your tour? Traci Bartlow, guest: It’s called a bottle brush tree.Usually it’s full of these bright red flowers with skinny pistils and the hummingbirds love it. Pendarvis Harshaw: Do you know what type of tree it is? Are we here? All right we’re here…Rightnowish. Pendarvis Harshaw, host: Mic, mic check one, mic check two. And Pendarvis Harshaw is gonna take it from here, enjoy. This summer, the inaugural Bay Area Hip Hop Archives honored Traci Bartlow for her contributions to the region’s Hip Hop scene. Traci documented Bay Area dancers, rappers, and dj’s in the 90’s and still hasn’t put the camera down. As we continue to honor 50 Years of Hip-Hop, we’re bringing you an episode from our archive featuring dancer and photographer Traci Bartlow. Marisol Medina-Cadena, Producer: Hey Rightnowish listeners, it’s Marisol Medina-Cadena. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors. Traci Bartlow sits on the stairwell of her Queen Ann Victorian home in West Oakland (Pendarvis Harshaw) ![]() Now B-Love’s Guesthouse stands as a home for hip-hop history and a safe haven for folks to come together. And Traci envisioned using the space for the purposes of artistic expression and community gatherings, including showcasing her work. She acquired her current home from the late Eddie Mae Holmes, a Black woman who once owned multiple properties in West Oakland. It wasn’t just a laundromat but a corner store, a place to get your prom dress made or pick up your Avon order. Block parties and family functions introduced her to her love of dance.īorn and raised in East Oakland, she also saw firsthand the importance of a neighborhood hub by watching the multiple ways people would use her mother’s washhouse. (Pendarvis Harshaw)Īn Ailey School graduate turned Emmy-winning dancer and choreographer, Traci fell in love with the arts through what she experienced in her neighborhood as a child. Traci Bartlow holds up an image of the washhouse her mother once owned in East Oakland. With its picturesque front porch and flourishing garden in the back, the building features seven different rooms that folks can rent. Traci is the owner of B-Love’s Guesthouse, which is a photography museum and a boutique hotel. ![]() ![]() While the photos tell a story about what life was like in growing up in Oakland, it’s her house that tells the complex story of multiple generations of Black folks, land ownership and community appreciation. Her exhibition, Oakland Picture Lady: Tales of the 90’s Girl, features photos of Outkast and Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes and ODB, alongside images of the Luniz and Shock-G, as well as E-40 and The Click. Inside of a classic Queen Anne Victorian in West Oakland, photographer Traci Bartlow displays beautifully framed images of the people who shaped hip-hop culture here in the Bay Area, and across the nation.
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