Once upon a time, a long time ago, a single mom of twins lived in a sad, dysfunctional family home. The mom lost her job and was trapped in her Republican Fox News obsessing mother’s house in which she would be charged for market-rate rent since she graduated high school at the age of 17.
Unable to save or go to college on $4.25 hr minimum wage, the single mom’s mother would blame her for her misfortune while forcing her to take care of the home as that was always the intention, to have the daughter remain in the home as a live-in servant for life.
The single mom’s depression grew with despair and hopelessness until one day in early 2007; her best friend purchased a brand new digital camera, a Sony Alpha. Despite barely getting a chance to play with her new toy, the best friend handed the camera over to the best friend, allowing her to start her journey into becoming a photographer. This is how Classic8Media was born.
It started on MySpace. After losing a job, my best friend bought her first digital camera. Despite being brand new, I (the single mom of twins) had an idea to do photography. Not just any photography. I wanted to showcase it on MySpace using models of different backgrounds and sizes. My photography would counter the imbalance of media that would make one think only one European-centered beauty mainly existed in the world. I’ve always lived in the Bay Area, so my photography would have represented the Bay Area’s look, feel, and culture.
As always, my best friend was supportive and let me use her camera when she was not using it, which was often. After a year of shooting, I got her a new camera because her old one was highly used. I had become a paid photographer, which helped me pay for my daughters’ extra needs.
I also wrote—a lot—although my spelling and grammar were terrible. I had a lot of creative blog posts that a few friends followed. Being a single mom gave me an outlook on poverty and how institutions worked against individuals who had no community support. Over the years, I kept writing, doing photography, documenting video footage, and building connections all over the Bay Area. I’ve made Oakland, CA, my home since 2012, and the city has dramatically impacted my experience and style.
It’s been 17 years since then. My curiosity got the best of me, with my will to show people different sides of current and past events. I am a writer, researcher, and photojournalist who has documented Bay Area events and environmental changes for almost two decades. Many journalists have said my actions have made history and changed the course of discourse.
I have avoided pitching stories because my tactics are unorthodox for journalism and could appear biased or problematic to the image of publishers. My focus right now is studying sociology and research. Sometimes, I like to “shake tables.” Below is a list of work I did outside of Classic8Media, which is older.
Photojournalism
Congresswoman Barbara Lee held a “Night of Healing” community on Aug. 13, 2019. 
Bernie Sanders at San Francisco rally in 2019. 
Preparing to pose for a picture, a young group of protesters protesting police on roller skates and skate boards pass by. Location, Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, CA 
Armani Tuner-Jenkins looks forward to his future as he navigates away from dead-end jobs and living pay-check to pay-check towards full-filling his dreams. 
Daveed Diggs 2018 
Ericka Huggins 2018 
Carroll Fife making her bid for District 2 in 2020. 
Protesters marched towards Oakland Police headquarters in downtown on Friday, May 29, 2020 in a national protest against police violence after the death of George Floyd. Photography by Michelle Dione. 
Striking mural of what looks like a rising phoenix, a symbol of resurrection, on Broadway Street in downtown Oakland, can be seen as a man walks past looking at the mural. Photography by Michelle Dione. 
Artists gathered on every corner, claiming and covering every board covering businesses windows with murals of art dedicated to the Black Lives Matter movement in downtown Oakland on June 6. Photography by Michelle Dione. 
Artists actively paint the Black Panther Party of Self Defense original Black Panther Logo with the seventh of the ten-point program the Black Panther’s were well known for. Photography by Michelle Dione 
The artwork went as far as Webster Street into Chinatown. Photography by Michelle Dione 
Protesters kneel with hands in the air in as police start to throw tear gas in their direction. Photography by Michelle Dione. 
Protesters run away from tear gas as police are heard on the speaker announcing unlawful assembly. Photography by Michelle Dione. 
Police block protesters from entering the freeway. Photography by Michelle Dione. 
A protester kicks a canister of tear gas back in the direction of police. Photography by Michelle Dione. 
A man stays behind to photograph a small fire lit in the middle of Webster Street. Some protesters stayed behind in Chinatown to throw trash cans around, break Bank windows, tag buildings and create small fires. 
Taylor stands in front of a group gathered, preparing to march. Photography by Michelle Dione. 
A protester named Taylor spoke to an energized growing crowd as attendees chanted, “No justice, no peace!” Photography by Michelle Dione. 
Dominique Walker of Moms 4 Housing speaking at the MLK Day Jan. 20, 2020, Moms 4 Housing press conference. 
Oakland City Council Member-at-Large Rebecca Kaplan answered additional questions about the Oakland Community Land Trust (CLT) and how the Magnolia Street home in West Oakland Moms 4 Housing, occupied since Nov. 18, 2019, will be purchased. Moms 4 Housing Press conference, Jan 20, 2020. 
Nikki Fortunato Bas speaking to the press at the Jan. 10, 2020, Moms 4 Housing press conference. 
Dominique Walker speaking to reporters at the Jan. 10, 2020, Moms 4 Housing press conference with several other moms behind her, 
After the Jan. 10, 2020, press conference, Moms 4 Housing supporters painted banners to put on the vacant house the moms had occupied since Nov. 18, 2019. 
Led by Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Action the rally and march included other organizations such as Moms 4 Housing, Sunrise movement, Poor People’s Campaign, Youth vs Apocalypse and Anti-Police Terror Project (APTP.) 
An estimated 500 attendees march from Mosswood Park towards Telegraph and 39th Street to the MacArthur Commons. 
The estimated 500 attendess marching for affordable housing included diverse groups of all ages and backgrounds. 
A woman with a Black Panther sweatshirt stops and records the truck full of speakers that led the march from Mosswood park . 
Youth from Poor Magazine looked at the crowd as they took turns speaking accross the street from three homes that became a stopping point for more speakers. According to Cat Brooks the three homes will be torn down to make room for another market rate housing development. 
Attendees boo and yell “shame” as Cat Brooks breaks down how few units at the MacAthur commons are considered affordable for families that make as much as $90,000 a year for 2-bedroom units. Accordning to Brooks, only 11 of the 385 units are for low-income charging $1400 a month for a studio and $1800 a month for a two-bedroom. Applicants who apply for the 11 units will be accepted by lottery. 
A man holding a Poor People’s Campaign banner waves it in the air as one of the speakers spoke. 
Young attendees hold a “evict the speculators!” sign in front of the MacArthur Commons 
Mavin Carter-Griffin in her curb urban loft with her dog at Wood Street in West Oakland on July 2019. 
Drone footage of BBQn While Black from Classic8Media, all rights reserved. 
Hustle Coat – Nick Cave – 2012 
Fantich & Young – Superstar 2015 – Adidas Sneakers, Teeth Dentures 
Lowrider car displayed at Respect – Hip Hop & Style Exhibit 
Lowrider car displayed at Respect – Hip Hop & Style Exhibit 
Cover of Dope Era Magazine, a magazine I co-owned and produced, Cover imagine and concept by Michelle Dione. 
Million March Oakland Dec. 13 2014 
2008 
Mac Dre Mural 2007
News
(2021) Anti-Asian Hate Rises and Right-Wing Propaganda against Black People in Oakland: This story collaborates with Left Coast Right Watch. In 2017, I met the founder of the site, Abner Häuge. We often ran into each other at right-wing rallies, documenting the violence that arose. When I discovered a well-known white nationalist was using news media regarding anti-Asian attacks in Oakland to create hateful propaganda against Black people, Abner asked me to write about it and even paid me; that’s saying something for a small org of journalists writing about extremism. GROYPER PROPAGANDIST USES OAKLAND’S ANTI-ASIAN ATTACKS TO PUSH HATRED OF BLACK PEOPLE
(2020) Carroll Fife Announces Run for Oakland City Council District 3. A campaign launching a caravan called the People’s Procession made its way through West Oakland neighborhoods on Saturday, July 18, 2020, to officially announce Carroll Fife’s candidacy for City Council District 3. Carroll Fife Helped Moms4Housing Win on Housing, Now She’s Looking to Win over District 3
(2020) Downtown Oakland Protest Follow-up Story: After seeing a post on Facebook about a restaurant owner in downtown Oakland complaining about vandalism following protests, I interviewed the store owner to follow up in the aftermath of the protests. Restauranteur: Vandalism Undermines Black Lives Matter Message
(2020) Moms4Housing: This Moms 4 Housing article caught the attention of many in the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Shortly after posting this article, the story about Moms 4 Housing started to go viral nationwide in many publications, and at the same time, the NNPA was having a conference. Post News Group’s publisher, Paul Cobb, said everyone discussed the story at the conference, which played a significant role in hiring me later on as Associate Editor. Moms 4 Housing Evicted from Vacant Home by Deputies After Verdict Favored Owners
Human Interest Stories
(2020) Former Berkeley Mayor Gus Newport and former Oakland Private Industry Council Executive Director Gay Plair Cobb attended the Aug. 28, 1963, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Leaders Who Attended the 1963 March on Washington Say Voting Was Also the 2020 March’s Focus
(2020) Black Panther Legacy Keepers former Black Panther and Lumpen band member Saturu Ned (formally James Mott). Legacy Keepers Bridge Gap Between Black Panthers and BLM
(2019) Unhoused Wood Street Advocate Dreaming of Burning Man The first article I wrote for Post News Group was an interview with Mavin Carter-Griffin, an unhoused homeless advocate who had been homeless for ten years. She was a Burning Man participant for many years, an artist who made her “curb urban loft” into an artist’s loft. A photo gallery is also published on classic8media of Carter-Griffin loft with her dog. The Post News article: Homelessness, From Burning Man to Wood Street
(2019) Laney Tower – Broke on Purpose – Schools. A heated debate between public and private schools occurred in Oakland Unified School District as the teacher’s unions demanded more funding for public schools. The argument “broke on purpose” and questioned how publicly owned real estate was handed over to private schools while public schools closed. Broke on purpose — Clash between charter and public school proponents deepens as strike continues
(2018) The Root – When Barbecuing and Living While Black Becomes a Crime. Shortly after the “BBQ Becky” video went viral I was asked to write about the story for The Root. My dad was so proud of this story that he shared it with everyone.. When Barbecuing and Living While Black Becomes a Crime
Time-Sensitive News Stories
(2020) Residential Debate: I watched the presidential debate in 2020, pulled screenshots, included embedded social media coverage, and wrote a timely story in one day so it could all be ready for print and digitally published the next day. First Presidential Debate Neglected Issues as Trump Refused to Denounce White Supremacy
(2020) Red Sky: I wrote and posted this story on the fly one day when I woke up to the sky being read in Oakland, California due to Northern fires. I added a lot of commentary from social media for reference to give a visual conversation to the readers. Eerie Apocalyptic Sky in Bay Area Raises Concerns for Residents
Editorial Skills
(2020) Follow-up Story from Restorative Justice to Entertainment: Restorative justice has been a fascinating subject I have wanted to study further, and I hope to help create a public discussion.
In 2020, as the Associate Editor for Post News Group in Oakland, California, I wrote an article referencing another I had copywritten for The Citizen, Laney College’s brand-new online digital news publication. I had worked closely with the writer on The Citizen article when I was editor-in-chief during my last semester in news writing at Laney. I saw the subject of the article featured in America’s Got Talent Semi-finals. From Solitary Confinement to the Stage Singer Archie Williams Creates a New Life
(2020) George Floyd Protest collaboration: When the George Floyd protests started in Oakland in the summer of 2020, I worked with another writer/photographer to cover three days of protests. Some pictures were mine. I edited the story and added embedded social media. The format could be better. At the time, we were currently moving over the hosting and changing the format to modernize their digital content. Three days of protest spark mixed reactions — Oaklanders question who is behind the destruction.
(2022) Freelance Editor for Post News Group‘s student intern program: For one semester in Spring 2022, I was a freelance editor for Post News Group, guiding journalism students in a new pilot program partnered with the Oakland School of the Arts. I had previously suggested bringing in student interns so we could build relationships with local aspiring journalism students.
Articles are written by an Oakland School of the Arts high school student for the Post News Group student intern program:
Noted National Stories
(2017) Frontline PBS Emmy Award Winning Documentary “Documenting Hate: Charlottesville”: On April 15, 2017, I video recorded a violent “Free speech” rally organized by hate groups across the country. I did this to prove they were antagonizing locals and creating violence despite their claims they were just there for free speech. About 8 seconds of my footage was later used for the documentary. The producer said my footage helped identify R.A.M. members who were later arrested for their involvement at the violent “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, VA, on Aug. 12, 2017.
The footage is seen at TS 19:09 to 19:13 and 28:55 to 29:11 (identifying moment)
(2018) “BBQ Becky” inspires thousands of Karen videos and memes: On April 28, 2018, I received a text that a woman was harassing my husband at the time and his friend at Lake Merritt in Oakland. I filmed the incident, thinking she would give up, but I soon found out she had already been there for 2 hours and was intent on behaving like a victim to remove the two men for BBQing forcibly. Many journalists today follow me on Twitter and Facebook because they say I made history. It was my first semester as a journalism student; they supported me as an upcoming journalist. Producers from major publications and networks still follow my work.
Print Stories
