Oakland, CA

Refugees, swindlers, visionaries, entrepreneurs chasing fast money—these are the historic roots of Oakland, California.  The city has long been home for people building new lives and imagining even better ones.  But dreams that have been deferred also haunt this place, in its empty post-boom skyscrapers, its infamous homicide rates and deep budget cuts.  In the face of entrenched problems, Oakland answers back with diverse, revolutionary solutions.  In this episode, SOTRU looks at the costs and rewards for people dreaming big in Oakland.