Renaming 14th Street International Blvd

In May 1996, the City of Oakland renamed East 14th Street to "International Boulevard." The renaming had two main purposes: to honor the diverse origins of Oakland's residents but also to improve the street's reputation, which had become a hotbed of crime. Despite the new name, the area is still an "Equity Priority Community (EPC)," meaning it has a high concentration of underserved populations, such as low-income households and people of color. We used to call these areas "Communities of Concern," but locals wanted a name that felt more positive and forward-looking. "Equity Priority Community" better reflects ongoing efforts to support and uplift historically disadvantaged communities.

Both of these name changes are examples of onomastic activism, where changing a name helps shift the narrative and identity of a place. Why does this matter? For starters, 84% of "high injury corridors" are in EPCs. When only 6% of streets account for 60% of traffic injuries and most of those streets are home to underserved populations, the solution needs to uplift the entire community to make a lasting impact.