Boys & Girls Club of Oakland to Unveil Kid-Designed, Community-Built Playground with Sidley and KABOOM! At Carr Branch
Celebrating 30 Years of Play – Building playspaces. Building community. Building for the future.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland will unveil a new, kid-designed, community-built playground at the Carr Branch on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in partnership with global law firm Sidley and national nonprofit KABOOM!. Volunteers will construct the playspace throughout the day, capped by a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the afternoon.
Event Details
- When:
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
- 9:00 a.m. – Volunteers construct playground
- 3:00 p.m. – Ribbon cutting ceremony and photo opportunities
- Where:
- Boys & Girls Club of Oakland (Carr Branch)
8530 International Blvd., Oakland, CA 94621 - What:
Meet and speak with representatives from Boys & Girls Club of Oakland (BGCO), Sidley, and KABOOM! who came together to construct a new community and kid-designed playspace that will spark joy and a sense of belonging for kids in Oakland.
As KABOOM! celebrates its 30th year, this build reflects the joy of kids, communities, and partners. Media may collect photos and b-roll of volunteers building the playground. On-site representatives will offer remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and will also be available for questions. For more information, visit kaboom.org.
On-Site Spokespersons
- John Mascali, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland
- Leiani Celestan, Carr Branch Director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland
- Ida Hatchue, Chief of Staff, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland
- Sharon Flanagan, Managing Partner, San Francisco, and Member of the Management & Executive Committees, Sidley
Media RSVP
To RSVP as a media attendee, contact Laila Dreidame, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland Vice President, Advancement & Development: ldreidame@bgcoakland.org.
Additional Information
Today’s children face increasing pressures—from limited access to playspaces and nature to rising mental health challenges and screen time—making play more critical than ever. KABOOM! envisions a world where safe and amazing places to play exist for every child in America so that kids can grow up happy and healthy.
This new playspace represents progress made possible through collaboration between BGCO, Sidley, and KABOOM!, and reflects a shared commitment to protecting childhood and strengthening community well-being.
This new playspace with BGCO and Sidley is part of a nationwide effort led by KABOOM! to end playspace inequity – the reality that far too many children – especially children of color – do not get the chance to play on a playground, something that should be part of every child’s life. Their work is to ensure every kid can experience the numerous physical, social, and mental health benefits of play regardless of background or where they live.
Community members led the creation of the playground, from design to installation. In February, kids from Carr Branch shared drawings of their dream playspaces with project organizers. These ideas were integrated into the new playground design.
This project represents progress in ensuring every kid has a place to play, providing a state-of-the-art playground for more children to enjoy each year. The launch of our newly renovated, state-of-the-art music studio is a critical milestone in this mission, serving as much more than just a creative space—it is a launchpad for the future of Oakland’s youth.
Established in 1971, Sidley’s San Francisco location has grown to over 110 lawyers and business professionals. The full-service office serves nearly 2,300 clients on more than 6,000 matters across transactional, litigation and regulatory practices with a focus on key growth industries, including technology, AI and life sciences. The firm recently opened its new 52,755-square-foot office at 101 California Street, one of the city’s most iconic commercial towers, highlighting the firm’s continued investment in Northern California.
To learn how partners can join KABOOM! in their efforts to end playspace inequity, visit kaboom.org/become-a-partner.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland
Since 1938, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland (BGCO) has been a staple of the community, providing safe spaces and developmental programs for youth. The addition of the Free Dental Clinic represents a major expansion of the organization’s mission to promote the overall well-being and life-long success of Oakland’s “Magnificent Club Kids”. Learn more at bgcoakland.org.
About Sidley
Sidley is an elite global law firm. With 2,300 lawyers, annual revenue of US $3.7 billion, and 160 years of experience, we have established a reputation for deploying innovative legal strategies to achieve powerful results for our clients in complex transactional, restructuring, crisis management, investigation, regulatory, and litigation matters. Our perspective and reach are truly global, supported by 21 offices strategically situated in key commercial, regulatory, and financial centers across the world. Our lawyers and business professionals, fluent in more than 75 languages, possess the cultural awareness and cross-border legal acumen needed to bring clarity to a dynamic business landscape.
About KABOOM!
KABOOM! is the national nonprofit committed to ending playspace inequity – the reality that quality places to play are not available to every child, especially in communities of color. Since 1996, KABOOM! has partnered with kids, communities, and public and private partners to transform 17,000+ playspaces, expanding access to the physical, mental, and social benefits of play for more than 12 million kids nationwide. As KABOOM! celebrates its 30th year, the organization is focused on community-driven solutions through public-private partnerships, research, policy, and advocacy to elevate the current state of our kids and center youth voice in shaping equitable access to playspaces and nature. Together with partners across sectors, KABOOM! is building the play infrastructure kids need to grow up happy and healthy for generations to come. Learn more at kaboom.org or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.