Crucible Apprentices Forge a Fantastical Gate for the West Oakland Urban Farm and Park
UPDATE: The gate is done!! Check out the finished product:

We're getting pretty excited about the West Oakland Urban Farm and Park as we prepare to begin construction in a few months, and one thing that has truly made the vision of the park come to life is seeing the entrance gate that youth apprentices at the Crucible have been forging.

The gate serves at the public art project component of the Crucible's Welding Apprenticeship Program, an 8-month program that trains youth aged 18-24 skills for a career in welding. The program's other components include technical welding, industrial/machine maintenance, site visits to industry partners, and individual sculptures.
The project was conceived through conversations between City Slicker Farms staff, the apprentices, and Crucible staff, and the vision blossomed when the apprentices visited the site of the future Farm and Park. They created a design based in place, incorporating details that reflected West Oakland's history, such as West Oakland's role in the construction of the original Bay Bridge and foods historically grown here.

The apprentices, Jazmine Schwinges-Williams, Adrian Rodriguez, and Robert Collins -- whose family is part of our Backyard Garden program -- have been working on the gate since March under the mentorship of Liisa Pine Schoonmaker and Brian Buono. They'll be revealing the final product on Friday at the Crucible's Youth on Fire: Fireside Lounge event. Check out the flier below for details.

