Strength, power, joy and hope – our team looks for these in everyone we serve and provides the services to build vibrance in our community. BACS has taken a bold new step: working with renowned local muralist Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith to bring this ethos to life at our Thunder Road HQ.

This powerful mural, “The Storm’s Gift,” in Temescal, celebrates the resilience and strength of our community’s most vulnerable members.

“If you look at the picture, it will tell you it all without the words,” said Country McCleary, who lives a few blocks away in an encampment near the MacArthur BART station. “You can see the strength and the pain.”

The 18-by-40-foot mural depicts thunderclouds, a gold key, and Victorian-style housing (an Oakland staple), representing the strength and the promise of the community that BACS serves. BACS commissioned the mural to promote dignity, respect, and love for all individuals, regardless of their financial circumstances. Wolfe-Goldsmith’s masterpiece serves as a reminder of the importance of community and the need to uplift and support our neighbors.

Thunder Road is undergoing renovation to re-open in 2025 as a vibrant community center, and this mural is the latest project to inspire and uplift all those who will visit our site.

Learn more about the story behind “The Storm’s Gift” mural and its significance in our community.