Culture Makers

We’re done talking about loss, broken promises, and teams skipping town. With the sports season in full swing, we're excited to bring the community together to celebrate an exciting new era of sports in Oakland. A night about what’s next – the fan-powered future of sports in Oakland.

Join us on Thursday June 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the New Parkway Theater for an unforgettable evening of local sports, music, and community! We're shining a spotlight on the passionate folks who are bringing energy, pride and joy back to sports in Oakland.

We’ll sit down with Oakland Ballers General Manager Laura Geist, Oakland Roots and Soul Sports Club co-founder Tommy Hodul, and Oakland Girls Softball League President Amanda Wentworth for a conversation about building and sustaining a community-powered sports movement in Oakland—and what it means to root for teams that truly represent the people.

Plus, a special live musical performance by rising bluegrass duo, Spicy Sally – booked in partnership with emerging artist and music education program Follow the Music.

🎤 Lively talk + audience Q&A

🎶 Live music by Spicy Sally

⚾ Giveaways throughout the night—score game tickets & swag!

🍿 Food, drinks, and that classic New Parkway energy

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We want this event to be welcoming and accessible to everyone in our community. That’s why we’re offering ticket options:

• Discounted member tickets: Not a member?
• Early bird/general admission: For those who are able to support the event at full price
• Pay what you can: No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Choose the price that works for you

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More about our guests:

Laura Geist is an experienced leader, currently serving as the General Manager of the Oakland Ballers. In this role, Laura is responsible for overseeing Operations and Community Development for the organization. Before joining the Ballers, Laura held key positions at major tech companies like Google, Meta, and Microsoft, where she gained expertise in managing large-scale programs and driving product optimization in the tech and advertising sectors. She is a third-generation Oakland resident with a deep love for the city. She lives in Oakland with her husband and two daughters and is anxiously awaiting Opening Day on May 20th.

Tommy Hodul is the Vice President of Public Relations and Communications and a co-founder of Oakland Roots and Soul Sports Club. With nearly a decade of experience in sports-related communications, he oversees all public relations, communications, and broadcasting efforts for both teams.
Born and raised in Oakland, California, Tommy graduated from Skyline High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from Cal State Northridge and a master’s degree in Music Pedagogy from the University of Miami. He later returned home to help launch Oakland Roots and Soul, combining his deep love for The Town, background in music, and passion for sports to craft stories that uplift Oakland through arts and athletics.

On weekends, you can find him hiking with his dogs at Sibley and Redwood Regional Parks.

Amanda Wentworth is an Oakland native who grew up playing softball with the Oakland Girls Softball League (OGSL) and the Oakland Athletic League (OAL). With 10 years of experience coaching youth softball, Amanda has also served as an assistant coach at Fremont High School for the past two years. Passionate about youth sports, Amanda believes that creating opportunities for Oakland kids to play, compete, and grow is a collective effort that requires community collaboration. As the current president of OGSL, Amanda is committed to increasing enrollment in underrepresented communities and expanding access to the sport. She is also focused on strengthening the OAL’s high school program, ensuring that youth players have pathways to continue their softball careers, regardless of the school they attend.

Spicy Sally: Led by former Oakland School for the Arts students NAIMA and MK Martinez-Griffith, Spicy Sally is a new offshoot of the rising bluegrass band Salty Sally. MK is a cellist and violinist who has performed with the Oakland Symphony Orchestra, Mariachi Juvenil de Hayward, and the Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra. And 15 yr old NAMA is a vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who has performed at BottleRock, supported Valerie June -- and performed at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass as part of the emerging artists supergroup Oakland Rising. This performance at Culture Makers was booked in partnership with emerging artist and music education program Follow the Music

Also check out other Sports events in Oakland, Music events in Oakland, Entertainment events in Oakland.