Oakland City councilmember Janani Ramachandran initiates Diwali celebrations

Ritu Jha–

The city of Oakland in California will be celebrating Diwali — the festival of lights — for the first time. Initiated by the city’s first South Asian Councilmember, Janani Ramachandran, the City will honor Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, on November 7, during the Oakland City Council meeting.

The poster for the Oakland City Diwali celebrations

This resolution’s purpose is twofold — it highlights a holiday that is culturally significant to a large immigrant community in Oakland and the East Bay, including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and other South Asian communities. Diwali celebrations across the world bring family and friends together to rejoice in the positive and bring light to their homes and loved ones.

Ramachandran is gearing up to host the first-ever Oakland Diwali Festival at Zanzi Oakland (19 Grand Avenue) on November 10 from 6 pm.

“Every year, thousands in the Indian and South Asian communities in the US celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights, a holiday that focuses on bringing light to darkness and peace to our world. Join us at Zanzi Oakland on November 10th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm for a lively evening of festive music, performances, delicious small bites, and speakers. Immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of India as we light up the night and build community! The event will feature Madam Gandhi as MC and DJ,” the webpage for the event says.

The resolution’s second agenda is to honor the critical work of a nonprofit, Motherland, which provides education, social support, and advocacy in the Nepali and broader South Asian community in Oakland and other parts of East Bay.

The resolution seeks to highlight an immigrant community that is often overlooked yet plays an integral role in the fabric of Oakland’s culture and economy.

Through this ceremonial legislation, Councilmember Ramachandran aims to uplift the important efforts of Motherland to support Nepali residents in finding secure employment and housing, as well as expand language access to monolingual Nepali speakers.

Related posts