Oakland and “The Pacific Circuit”

Join us for a conversation about the past and future of Oakland featuring award-winning journalist Alexis Madrigal, author of the new book “The Pacific Circuit: A Globalized Account of the Battle for the Soul of an American City,” Noni Session, co-founder & executive director of East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative, and moderated by Liam O’Donoghue, host of the East Bay Yesterday podcast.

In “The Pacific Circuit,” Madrigal sculpts an intricate tableau of the city of Oakland that is at once a groundbreaking big-idea book, a deeply researched work of social and political history, and an intimate portrait of an essential American city that has been at the crossroads of the defining themes of the twenty-first century. Through her groundbreaking work with EB PREC, Session is rebuilding local institutions, such as Esther’s Orbit Room, and also removing land and housing from the speculative market to create permanently affordable, community-controlled homes. This event will explore the themes that connect Madrigal’s book and Session’s revitalization projects, the history of West Oakland’s role in the global economy, the personal stories of longtime residents, and much more.

This conversation will be recorded for the East Bay Yesterday podcast and will also feature audience Q&A following the panel discussion. Copies of “The Pacific Circuit” will be available for purchase.

What people are saying about “The Pacific Circuit”

"I’ve been lucky to encounter great books about local history and great books about the global networks that undergird our daily experience, but The Pacific Circuit is one of a precious few that tackle both at once. Madrigal’s ability to connect the local to the global so completely represents a masterful feat of research and storytelling. It also models a challenging and urgently needed way of seeing — one that's as crucial for understanding the places we love as it is for imagining their futures."

—Jenny Odell, author of How to Do Nothing and Saving Time

Bios

is a journalist who lives in Oakland, California. Currently, he is the host of KQED’s Forum program. Previously, he was a staff writer at The Atlantic and Wired, as well as the cofounder of the COVID Tracking Project. He has been a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley’s Information School and its Center for the Study of Technology, Science, and Medicine as well as an affiliate with Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. He is the author of Powering the Dream: The History and Promise of Green Technology.

is Co-founder and Executive Director of the East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative that supports BIPOC and allied communities to finance, purchase, and steward collectively owned land and housing. A 3rd generation West Oaklander and cultural anthropologist, Noni carried out her doctoral studies in international humanitarian strategies in global development. After a 2016 run for Oakland city council where she garnered over 43% of the District 3 vote, Noni saw a clear path to ameliorating resource disparities in her West Oakland community by building cooperative networks and galvanizing collective economic action. In addition to EB PREC, Noni has co-founded BlacSpace Cooperative, and a Black-led rural intentional community, Emerald Earth Sanctuary.​

is the host and producer of the East Bay Yesterday podcast, which airs on 94.1 KPFA-FM, and the Oakland columnist for SF Gate. His journalism has appeared in outlets such as Oaklandside, Mother Jones, Salon, East Bay Express, 99% Invisible, The Kitchen Sisters, and the syndicated NPR program Snap Judgement. O’Donoghue has given presentations on local history at libraries, schools and bookstores and throughout the Bay Area, as well as institutions such as Oakland Museum of California, The California Historical Society, The Commonwealth Club, and Berkeley City Club. Follow Liam's Substack for updates about his tours, events, and more.

Date: March 25
Start time: 7pm (Doors at 6)
Location: Spire, 825 Athens Ave, Oakland, CA 94507 (Parking is limited, public transportation / ride share encouraged)
*If you can't afford a ticket, but want to attend, please contact the organizer.

Host or Publisher Liam O'Donoghue