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The Fruitvale neighborhood was shaped by the growth of heavy industry and "white flight" in the 20th century. These changes led to the neighborhood dynamic that can be witnessed now. Before we take a look at the activism and current issues that residents of Fruitvale face, it is important to understand the neighborhood population and local economy. Scroll down to read more about the residents and businesses of Fruitvale today.
The Local Economy
The Local Economy
To serve a diverse community, the Fruitvale neighborhood has a diverse economy. The types of businesses in the neighborhood include grocery stores, banks, auto repair shops, small retail stores, bakeries, and countless restaurants serving food from around the world.
As the Fruitvale area recovers and adapts to the effects of the pandemic, local businesses will be central to those efforts.
In 1996, the Fruitvale Business Improvement District (BID) was established. As shown on the map to the right, the BID includes businesses along International Boulevard, Foothill Boulevard, and Fruitvale Avenue. The BID is comprised of over 350 local businesses and 259 property owners in the Fruitvale area.
The goal of the BID is to provide support to small business owners and advance economic development, culture, and tourism in the area. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses in the Fruitvale neighborhood faced economic challenges that the BID assisted with.
In terms of employees, in 2020, the local workforce was made up of about one-third white-collar workers, one-third blue-collar workers, and one-third service workers. At the time, the unemployment rate was fairly high at 19 percent.
The Fruitvale Business Improvement District
Source: The Unity Council, ESRI (2020), CivicMic
This gateway is located on Foothill Boulevard, which runs parallel to International Boulevard in the Fruitvale neighborhood. Both of these streets are part of the Fruitvale BID and are busy commercial corridors, with a diverse range of businesses serving both residents and daytime visitors.
Demographics
Demographics
The demographics of Fruitvale provide insight into who lives in Fruitvale and how residents of Fruitvale compare to residents in neighboring geographies. As is the case in many cities and regions today, socioeconomic inequality is present within the City of Oakland and Alameda County.
Source: 2015-2019 U.S. Census American Community Survey Data
Race, Education, and Median Income
Fruitvale residents are mostly people of color: 55 percent Hispanic or Latinx, 16 percent Asian, 15 percent Black, and 9 percent White.
In Fruitvale, only 21 percent of residents 25 years or older have at least a Bachelor’s degree, compared with 47 percent in Alameda County.
The median household income of Fruitvale residents is about $48,000 annually compared with $82,600 in the City of Oakland and $120,000 in Alameda County. As shown on the chart to the right, the median household income in Fruitvale is less than half of that in Alameda County.
Population by Age
Children and youth make up 40 percent of the population. This is the population PHHP serves directly through providing play areas and youth programs.
Adults, commonly referred to as the working population, are just over half of the total population (53 percent).
Seniors, another important population that the park serves, make up 8 percent of the population.
Racial Marginalization and Discrimination
Racial Marginalization and Discrimination
A discussion of the demographics and race in Fruitvale would not be complete without addressing the racial discrimination that occurs in the area. An example of this can be found in violent events that have occurred at the Fruitvale BART station, which holds particular weight in the long history of police violence against Black people.
On January 1, 2009, Oscar Grant III, an unarmed Black man was shot and killed by police at the station. Grant's murder was one of the first such killings to be filmed and posted on social media, sparking mass demonstrations about racism and police violence (Teo Armus, Washington Post)
In 2019, a mural of Oscar Grant was painted to commemorate his death. At the unveiling, mass chants of "I am Oscar Grant" were followed by a reflection from his mother, Wanda Johnson, who said, "He died so that we could forever come to this place. I believe that there will be a sense of peace in this place, there will be a sense of healing in this place, and there will be a sense of love in this place" (Lauren Hernández, SF Chronicle). While the community continues to heal, the Fruitvale BART station still holds the weight of Grant's death.
Events like the murder of Oscar Grant have led to increased activism in Fruitvale and the broader Oakland area. To read more about the politics and activism happening in Fruitvale today, head to the next section.
Source: Melina Mara - The Washington Post
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