Art

U.C. Berkeley Student Artist Eniola Fakile’s Work Takes on Chaos as Theme

As a Master of Fine Arts student in the Department of Art Practice, Eniola Fakile says she feels encouraged by the faculty to go further, to push herself into new depths of self-exploration. It’s something she has been compelled to do since she was a kid — to put herself and her ideas out into the world, no matter how painful it might be.

Published

3 years ago

December 18, 2022

Oakland Post

Eniola Fakile (pictured) is a second-year Master of Fine Arts student in UC Berkeley’s Department of Art Practice. This photo is from her series Mo ṣe fun e (I did it for you).

By Anne Brice | Excerpted from the Berkeley News

Eniola Fakile’s creations live in another world.

Fakile is a photographer. A performance artist. A filmmaker. A sculptor. A costume designer. She works in textiles, ready-made objects and assemblage. She’s not constrained by what has been or should be. Instead, she expands outward to see how far she can go. When an idea flashes in her mind, she imagines a new universe in which that idea, that creation, lives.

“I’m addicted to making things complicated,” she says. “I can never make something basic and easy. I like chaos of my own making because I made it.”

She builds sculptures. Some that people wear — and that she wears — and often posed meticulously. The harder the costumes are to build, the better. They might be made of fuzzy, neon-colored fabric. Or long, fluffy wigs. Or cotton balls and beads and crumpled tissue paper. Right now, she’s trying to figure out how to build a dress out of concrete — with an emphasis on the word “try,” she says.

As a Master of Fine Arts student in the Department of Art Practice, she says she feels encouraged by the faculty to go further, to push herself into new depths of self-exploration. It’s something she has been compelled to do since she was a kid — to put herself and her ideas out into the world, no matter how painful it might be.

Berkeley News spoke with Fakile about the process of creating art — “It’s 0.1% bravery and the rest is, like, I need to get it out,” she says — and how she’s learning to accept her wide-open nature, even when she doesn’t want to.

Berkeley News: Where did you grow up and what was your childhood like?

Eniola Fakile: I grew up in Stone Mountain, Georgia. I have two lovely immigrant parents who would do anything for me. My parents are from Nigeria. Even though I was born in America, the vibe in my house was like, “Don’t forget that you’re Nigerian. Don’t forget culture and family.” I’m exactly the same as how I was when I was a kid. I wasn’t the kid who everyone was like, “Oh, they’re going to be an artist.” I just did weird stuff. I liked to play outside, and I liked to talk to trees, play in the dirt. I was a bubbly kid. I cried a lot. I still do.

Have you always been interested in creating art?

I feel like I’ve always been doing art. I had an active imagination as a kid. The first time I really got into it was my freshman year of high school. My parents got me my first digital camera when I was a freshman in high school. It was this basic little point-and-shoot thing. I always had my camera with me. I was always taking photos. I took photos of my friends. I took endless photos of trees. I took photos of my feet. I took photos of my hands. I took photos of food. I just really wanted to reintroduce myself to the world through a camera lens.

As a sophomore, I took a film photography class. I fell in love with how physical of a practice it is. It’s learning how to handle things with care, working with chemicals, going out and making mistakes, going out again, making it better.

(Using herself as the ‘model,’ Fakile worked on a video series. Part of one is her exploration of what it means to be a Black woman.)

Eniola Fakile: With each video, I wanted to dig deeper, but then, I also wanted the filming to get better. So, I was trying to progress as a videomaker. I made it over a year, and during that time, I started to become more and more comfortable with myself in front of the camera, talking about these things. And I’m always trying to be really careful about how I talk about being Black in my work because the way I feel about it is complicated.

Don’t get me wrong — I love being Black. But I feel like I want to make work about being Black without being exclusionary. So, I try to make work with little markers that I know other Black people can identify with, but then also everyday things that I know other people will respond to, so that it’s work that anyone can feel connected to. But especially Black people.

So, the series is about all those things. It’s about me as a Black woman dealing with my body image issues or how to deal with my hair. But it is also about me as a person dealing with the stress of everyday life, imposter syndrome, not feeling like I’m good enough. All of those things.

Berkeley News: How do you approach creating art? Once you get an idea, where do you begin?

Eniola Fakile: Every time I start a new series of work, I buy a journal, and I write down what I want to talk about. The process involves a lot of crying. It involves watching the same things over and over again to get the design juices flowing. Like, I’ll watch New Girl over and over again. I’ll watch Cruella — love that movie. The Devil Wears Prada. There’s a show called A Discovery of Witches with a season set in Elizabethan England.

When I get an idea for a sculpture or costume or whatever you want to call them — I still don’t have a name for them — it’s like a quick flash in my mind. I’ll do a really quick, messy sketch. Then, I try my best to build it. And it changes along the way.

My ideas manifest out of everyday things, like a hamburger. I’ll think: What is a hamburger? What if that hamburger had feelings? How do I turn that into a shoe? It sounds ridiculous. It involves a lot of fantasy and imagination, and I love doing it.

See more of Fakile’s work on her website and Instagram page.

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‘I Was There Too’ Reveals the Hopes, Dangers of Growing Up in The Black Panther Party

On July 20, at the Oakland Museum of California’s Spotlight Sundays, Gabriel, the daughter of a Black Panther Party couple, Emory Douglas, minister of culture, and artist-educator, Gayle Asalu Dickson, gave a raw personal view of being raised in the middle of the Black Power Movement.

Published

5 months ago

August 11, 2025

Oakland Post

At the Oakland Museum of California, Emory Douglas, previously the Black Panther Party Minister of Culture, poses with his daughter artist Meres-Sia Gabriel, creator of the “I Was There Too” multimedia production. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

Chronicles of the Black Panther Party are often shared from the perspectives of Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Angela Davis, or Kathleen Cleaver. However, the view from a Panther’s child was unique on stage as Meres-Sia Gabriel performed, “I Was There Too.”

Gabriel took the audience on her tumultuous journey of revolution as a child caught between her mother’s anger and her father’s silence as the Party and Movement were undermined by its enemies like the COINTELPRO and the CIA.

Gabriel remembers her mom receiving threats as the Party unraveled and the more lighthearted moments as a student at the Black Panther Party’s Community School.

The school was a sanctuary where she could see Black power and excellence in action.

It was there that she and other children were served at the complimentary breakfast program and had a front row seat to the organization’s social and racial justice mission, and self-determination, along with the 10-point platform where the party fought for equality and demanded its right to protect its community from police brutality.

On her journey of self-development, Gabriel recounted her college life adventures and transformation while immersed in French culture. While watching television in France, she discovered that her father had become a powerful post-revolution celebrity, sharing how high school and college-age youth led a movement that inspired the world.

Through family photographs, historical images projected on screen, personal narratives, and poetry, Gabriel presented accounts worth contemplating about the sacrifices made by Black Panther Party members. Her performance was backed by a jazz trio with musical director Dr. Yafeu Tyhimba on bass, Sam Gonzalez on drums, and pianist Sam Reid.

At the Oakland Museum of California, Amy Tharpe, Ayanna Reed, artist Meres-Sia Gabriel and Kenan Jones at the meet-and-greet after the “I Was There Too” multimedia production. Photo by Carla Thomas.

Gabriel’s poetry is featured in the “Black Power” installation at the Oakland Museum of California, and her father’s book, “Black Panther: The Revolutionary Art of Emory Douglas,” features her foreword. She accompanied her father on tour exhibiting his artwork from the Panther Party’s publication as Minister of Culture.

Gabriel considers her work as a writer and performer a pathway toward self-reflection and personal healing. While creating “I Was There Too,” she worked for a year with the production’s director, Ajuana Black.

“As director, I had the opportunity to witness, to create, to hold space with tenderness and trust,” said Black. “Her performance touched my soul in a way that left me breathless.”

With over two decades of musical theater experience, Black has starred in productions such as “Dreamgirls” as Lorrell and “Ain’t Misbehavin’s” Charlene. She also performs as the lead vocalist with top-tier cover bands in the Bay Area.

During the post-performance meet-and-greet in the (OMCA) Oakland Museum of California garden, Gabriel’s father posed for photos with family and friends.

“I am proud of her and her ability to share her truth,” he said. “She has a gift and she’s sharing it with the world.”

Shona Pratt, the daughter of the late BPP member Geronimo Pratt, also attended to support Gabriel. Pratt and Gabriel, known as Panther Cubs (children of the Black Panther Party), shared their experience on a panel in Richmond last year.

“Meres-Sia did a great job today,” said Pratt. “It was very powerful.”

Meres-Sia Gabriel was born and raised in Oakland, California. A graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Middlebury College School in France, Gabriel serves as a French instructor and writing coach.

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The Past and Future of Hip Hop Blend in Festival at S.F.’s Midway

“The Music and AI: Ethics at the Crossroads” panel featured X.Eyee, CEO of Malo Santo and senior advisor for UC Berkeley’s AI Policy, Sean Kantrowitz, director of media and content @Will.I.A.’s FYI, Adisa Banjoko of 64 Blocks and Bishop Chronicles podcast, and Julie Wenah, chairwoman of the Digital Civil Rights Coalition.

Published

5 months ago

August 11, 2025

Oakland Post

At the inaugural SF Hip Hop festival at The Midway in San Francisco panelists X.Eyee, CEO of Malo Santo and senior advisor for UC Berkeley’s AI Policy, Sean Kantrowitz, director of media and content @Will.I.A.’s FYI, Julie Wenah, chairwoman of the Digital Civil Rights Coalition, and Adisa Banjoko, of 64 Blocks and Bishop Chronicles podcast pose together. Photo by Carla Thomas

By Carla Thomas

“Cultural Renaissance,” the first-ever SF Hip-Hop conference, occurred at The Midway at 900 Marin St. in San Francisco on July 18 and 19. Held across three stages, the event featured outdoor and indoor performance spaces, and a powerful lineup of hip-hop icons and rising artists.

Entertainment included Tha Dogg Pound, celebrating their 30th anniversary, Souls of Mischief, and Digable Planets. “Our organization was founded to preserve and celebrate the rich legacy of Hip-Hop culture while bringing the community together,” said SF Hip-Hop Founder Kamel Jacot-Bell.

“It’s important for us to bring together artists, innovators, and thought leaders to discuss how hip-hop culture can lead the next wave of technological and creative transformation,” said Good Trouble Ventures CEO Monica Pool-Knox with her co-founders, AJ Thomas and Kat Steinmetz.

From art activations to cultural conversations, the two-day event blended the intersections of AI and music. Panels included “Creative Alchemy – The Rise of the One-Day Record Label,” featuring producer OmMas Keith, composer-producer Rob Lewis, AI architect-comedian Willonious Hatcher, and moderator-event sponsor, AJ Thomas.

“The Legends of Hip-Hop and the New Tech Frontier” panel discussion featured hip-hop icon Rakim, radio personality Sway, chief revenue officer of @gamma, Reza Hariri, and music producer Divine. Rakim shared insights on culture, creativity, and his A.I. start-up NOTES.

“AI is only as good as the person using it,” said Rakim. “It cannot take the place of people.”

Rakim also shared how fellow artist Willonious helped him get comfortable with AI and its power. Rakim says he then shared his newfound tool of creativity with business partner Divine.

The panel, moderated by the Bay Area’s hip-hop expert Davey D, allowed Divine to speak about the music and the community built by hip-hop.

“Davey D mentored me at a time when I had no hope,” said Divine. “Without his support, I would not be here on a panel with Rakim and Willonious.”

Hatcher shared how his AI-produced BBL Drizzy video garnered millions of views and led to him becoming one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential AI creators.

“Diverse teams solve important questions such as: ‘How do we make sure we bring diverse people to the table, with diverse backgrounds and diverse lived experiences, and work together to create a more culturally sound product,’” said Wenah.

Self-taught developer, X.Eyee said, “You have to learn the way you learn so you can teach yourself anything. Future jobs will not be one roadmap to one individual skill; you will be the orchestrator of teams comprised of real and synthetic humans to execute a task.”

Activist Jamal Ibn Mumia, the son of political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal, greeted Black Panther Party illustrator Emory Douglas, who was honored for his participation in the Black Power Movement. Douglas was presented with a statue of a black fist symbolizing the era.

“It’s an honor to be here and accept this high honor on behalf of the Black Panther Party,” said Douglas, holding the Black Power sculpture. “It’s an art (my illustrations) that’s been talked about. It’s not a ‘me’ art, but a ‘we’ art. It’s a reflection of the context of what was taking place at the time that inspired people.

“To be inspired by is to be in spirit with, to be in spirit with is to be inspired by, and to see young people continue on in the spirit of being inspired by is a very constructive and powerful statement in the way they communicate,” Douglas said.

His work embodied the soul of the Black Panther Party, and as its minister of culture and revolutionary artist, he definitely keeps the Panther Party soul alive, and his work is everywhere.

“Brother Emory Douglas is an icon in the community,” said JR Valrey of the Block Report.

“Fifty years later, he’s still standing,” said Ibn Mumia, raising his fist in the traditional Black Power salute.

“Emory is a living legend and so deserving of this award,” Valrey said. “We have to honor our elders.”

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Mayor Lee’s Economic Development Summit at Oakstop Furthers Creative Strategies for Oakland’s Future

Oakstop’s workforce development initiative, “The Oakstop Effect: WFD,” focuses on providing pathways to employment and advancement for Black adults aged 18–64. Through culturally relevant, mission-driven training facilitated by Black professionals with relatable backgrounds, the program creates supportive environments for skill-building, wealth creation, and worker empowerment.

Published

5 months ago

August 11, 2025

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. File photo.

By Carla Thomas

On Monday, Aug. 4, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee convened the Mayor’s Economic Development Working Group at Oakstop, drawing leaders from business, workforce development, arts and culture, education, small business, and community organizations.

This initiative builds on the administration’s deep-rooted community engagement efforts, expanding on the dozens of roundtables and listening sessions conducted during Lee’s first 76 days in office.

The collaborative session aimed to shape an economic strategy rooted in equity, creativity, and community using the mayor’s five-point economic plan, including empowering small businesses, strengthening the local workforce, revitalizing Oakland’s cultural and social landscape, attracting and retaining strategic sectors, and ensuring economic opportunity for all communities.

During breakout sessions, participants shared recommendations across five focus areas: economic policy, small business support, workforce development, narrative change, and integration of arts and culture.

More than 100 participants at the meeting, which included former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Black Cultural Zone CEO Carolyn Johnson, East Oakland Youth Development Center CEO Selena Wilson, African American Sports and Entertainment Group founder, Ray Bobbitt, Executive Director of the Oakland School for the Arts Mike Oz, Visit Oakland Executive Director Peter Gamez and activist-artist Kev Choice.

“Our economic development working group aims to spark collaboration, uplift existing successes, and identify what’s needed to keep The Town open for business — vibrant, safe, and rooted in equity,” said Lee remarked at the gathering.

Oakstop founder and CEO Trevor Parham stated that the summit felt like an open community forum. “It’s critical to have as many perspectives as possible to drive solutions so we can cover not only our concerns, but fulfill our economic mission,” said Parham.

Parham says the community should expect summits and collaborations more often at Oakstop. “I’m excited about the prospects and the outcomes from bringing people from different industry sectors as well as different levels.”

“Our goal is to foster worker power for local workers, to build wealth, while building skills and redefining the workplace,” said Parham.

The program is powered through partnerships with organizations such as Philanthropic Ventures Foundation and Community Vision. Beyond workforce development, Oakstop offers co-working spaces, event venues, art galleries, and mental health and wellness programs — reinforcing its mission of community empowerment and economic mobility.

With a strategic equity framework, cultural and economic integration, and a continuous pipeline of sustainable talent, Lee plans to revitalize the Oakland economy by creating policies and opportunities that stabilize the city.