Timothy Bluitt on Create
• – • Nomadic Bookshop
part of a series on Create (cre·ate) | Create
About the speaker
My connection to the Bay Area is deeply personal, rooted in generations of family history along 880—from Fremont to Deep East Oakland. Growing up here, I witnessed the impacts of systemic oppression, including my family’s experiences with the prison industrial complex and the war on drugs, shaping my worldview and artistic practice.
Inspired by the region’s legacy of activism—from the Black Panther Party to today’s grassroots movements—I create murals that uplift Black identity, resilience, and Afrofuturism. My work serves as a visual archive of strength, culture, and possibility, using bold color and movement to reimagine our future through the lens of our past.
Local partners
Nomadic Bookshop is a community-rooted bookstore and cultural space started and run by the husbands, J. K. Fowler and Uriel Landa, in Uptown Oakland. It is devoted to radical imagination, collective study, and the voices that mainstream publishing sidelines. Growing out of the legacy of Nomadic Press and its deep commitment to BIPOC, queer, and otherwise marginalized writers, the shop centers books that speak to liberation, abolition, and futures shaped from the ground up in Oakland and beyond. Nomadic Bookshop is also home to the second chapter of Nomadic Press, with publishing set to restart in 2026, bringing a new wave of boundary-pushing books, events, and collaborations to The Town.
Changing the world through personalised digital experiences. Founded 40 years ago on the simple idea of creating innovative products that change the world, Adobe offers ground breaking technology that empowers everyone, everywhere to imagine, create and bring any digital experience to life.
At Groundfloor, we bring people together–whether it’s to work alongside others, socialize at events, or simply hang out. It’s a place where you can be a part of your community and be around good people.
Groundfloor Oakland is located in the heart of the Temescal neighborhood, one of Oakland’s oldest and most distinctive neighborhoods.
GASH Productions is a Black & Queer-owned creative brand based in Oakland, CA, specializing in visual storytelling that captures the depth and intimacy of moments, people, and places. Rooted in the belief that every story deserves to be seen and celebrated, GASH Productions bridges artistry and impact through video, photography, and innovative media to inspire change and honor diverse narratives.
Teas With Meaning is an organic loose leaf and tea infused products company based in Oakland, California. “Magic is the main ingredient,” Mitchell often says. The magic of her teas are that they have multiple uses outside of an organic, fresh cup of tea to sip. Whether in baths, yoni steams, your favorite yogurt or plant compost, TWM herbs can be enjoyed after the initial brew. TWM also sells handcrafted ceramic mugs, tea-infused chocolates, tea-infused custom candles, wood-burn coasters and more; as partnerships and collaborations with other women and/or black owned small businesses.
Word of Mouth Creative is a values-driven creative studio for change-makers and dream-havers. Founded and led by Creative Director Sarah Mulligan Williams, the studio partners with small businesses and entrepreneurs to build authentic brand experiences that drive genuine connections.
Chapter 510 & the Dept. of Make Believe is Oakland’s only youth writing center fronted by the world’s only magical bureaucracy.
We provide free in-school tutoring, creative writing workshops, and publishing opportunities for K-12 students in Oakland, and are currently a proud part of the 826 Chapter Development Process.
Additional details
What you can expect:
8:30am: Doors open (come early to get coffee & breakfast!)
9:00am – 9:10am: Host greeting & Talk starts
9:10 – 9:30am: Speaker delivers a 20-minute talk
9:30am – 9:40am: Q&A
9:40am – 10am: Gratitude, give-aways, and mingle
10:00am: See you next month!
Location
Hosted at
Nomadic Bookshop
326 23rd Street
Oakland, California United States 94612
When
–
Event Lead Duane Horton
Event Lead Carolina Quintanilla
Event Lead Jay Gash