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News of Oakland’s current “renaissance” gives too much credit to the tech spillover from San Francisco. Acknowledged as a top travel destination in 2012 by The New York Times, the city’s appeal was reduced to the growing number of “sophisticated” restaurants, venues, and bars. While it’s great Oakland is getting props in the media, the young people who make its culture unique right now are far more important to its essence than the latest trendy neighborhood bistro. And let's be real: Oakland's been a cool and innovative city for a long time. 

Meet some of the most notable crews and collectives bringing knowledge, entertainment, and support to local Oakland ’hoods. They are the next generation of artistic and social entrepreneurs who have distinct approaches to style that challenge, inform, and sometimes plain ignore trends.

"Early in transition, the mental gap I had to bridge between the naked body of my cisgender girlfriend and my own naked body pushed me over the waterfall of dysphoria whenever physical intimacy happened. Internalized transphobia and cissexism is really hard to overcome. Seeing her naked body reminded me of how wrong my own felt to me. But with a trans woman, it’s different. She tells me, “I will only touch you in ways you want to be touched.” My body is a minefield and if you step the wrong way we both might get blown up. She understands. She is patient as I translate the map to my body and help her avoid the landmines. And that means the world to me. She understands that on some days the dysphoria is so bad that the only thing I need is to be held."

Read Teagan Widmer's "Creating Magic Together" trans partners and intimacy on InterruptMag.com