When a listening session co-hosted by El Tímpano and the California Racial Equity Commission brought together members of Oakland’s Mam community and the advocates who support them on June 21, it marked a milestone gathering. The more than 50 attendees, including more than a dozen kids, were welcomed with pan dulce from Chapinlandia Bakery and warm coffee, setting a hospitable tone for the day. The heart of the gathering was a facilitated conversation in Mam, with live interpretation in English (and Spanish used as needed to bridge understanding). The trilingual discussion fostered both comfort and connection, allowing participants to express their challenges and aspirations with honesty and clarity.
The California Racial Equity Commission has traveled across the state this year—from Yuba City to Antelope Valley—hosting listening sessions to better understand the hopes, dreams and challenges of California’s diverse communities.
These conversations will shape the state’s first-ever Racial Equity Framework, a guide that will help government agencies embed racial equity into their policies, practices and decision-making. Shared principles, tools and accountability measures in the guide will aim to address structural racism and center the needs of the communities most affected by inequities.
The Mam community, a large indigenous group originally from Guatemala, has a significant presence in Oakland, where many Mam-speaking families live, speak their language and practice their culture. The Racial Equity Commission chose El Tímpano to convene this session because we work closely with Mam community members, engaging them through our text messaging service, community outreach and Tumil El Tímpano, our weekly Mam-language video series.
Months of relationship building on the part of the California Racial Equity Commission, thoughtful planning by El Tímpano and the enthusiastic participation of the Mam community culminated in a joyful, community-rooted event. The listening session was held in the newly renovated International Room at Clinton Park in East Oakland, thanks to funding support from the East Bay Community Foundation and the California Racial Equity Commission.
The space welcomed familiar faces, including Spanish and Mam-speaking members from El Tímpano’s ambassadors program, Oidos Comunitarios, and community members who had previously participated in El Tímpano’s events. Representatives from local organizations dedicated to serving the Mam community—TechExchange, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant and The Unity Council—along with educators from Oakland Unified School District and UC Berkeley who have demonstrated a strong commitment to investing in the Mam community, were intentionally and individually invited to participate. Their presence not only reflected a shared commitment to building deeper connections with Mam-speaking families, but also contributed to a sense of abundance—showing families that there are trusted local resources and people actively rooting for them within the broader community. The event served as a powerful model for what inclusive, community-centered civic engagement can look like—bringing together state leaders, service providers and residents while centering a language and community often left out of public dialogue.
As community members settled into the listening session space, they began to open up. They shared personal stories defined by struggles: navigating the rising cost of living, confronting uphill battles when trying to access health resources like Medi-Cal coverage and, overall, attempting to access care and security within systems not created with their language or culture in mind.
Community members also shared their visions and dreams for their community, including a dedicated resource center for Mam families, trilingual schools that include Mam, and a more equitable distribution of public resources to enhance parks, transportation systems and community services.
The recent passage of SB1016, which requires California to collect data and report on Indigenous Central American languages like Mam, marked a critical step forward. By recognizing Mam speakers in state data systems, the bill paved the way for public agencies to better understand these communities and makes ideas like trilingual schools and culturally relevant services more attainable.
As the afternoon unfolded, the sound of marimba music and the aroma of Guatemalan chile relleno—generously provided by Xula, an East Bay-based Guatemalan catering company and ghost kitchen—kept conversations lively and spirits high.
The day concluded with a Chromebook raffle led by Crecencio Ramírez, TechExchange’s Community Outreach Coordinator and the founder of Radio B’alam, a grassroots Mam-language community news Facebook page. Radio B’alam helps bridge critical information gaps for Mam-speaking community members, both in the Bay Area and in Guatemala. For many attendees, winning a Chromebook meant more than gaining a device—it represented a step toward deeper community connection through digital inclusion.
Throughout the day, a sentiment echoed repeatedly: “We need more events like this.” The gathering affirmed the power of shared space, language, and visibility—reminding participants that they are not alone, that their identities and voices matter, and that their dreams are worth pursuing.
As the gathering came to a close, guests departed with warm hugs, words of gratitude, and wide smiles—a testament to a day rooted in mutual respect, cultural pride, and collective hope.
The spirit of In’Lakech—a K’iche’ Mayan greeting meaning “You are my other me”—resonated throughout the event, a guiding force in a day that centered unity, dignity, and voice.
