Welcome to Lifers Leaving a Legacy

Lifers Leaving a Legacy (Lifers) is an authentically Oakland, Community Protection Organization (CPO), empowering the city through education, workforce pathways, and community-driven revitalization that builds pride and a stronger future.

We work alongside residents and partners to improve quality of life, support economic opportunity, and build a stronger future for Oakland.

We serve as a bridge for direct impact—connecting public agencies, corporations, philanthropists, and foundations with community-led solutions that support environmental quality, workforce development, youth engagement, and neighborhood well-being. Our work centers practical action, local knowledge, and collaboration.

Community Science in Action
Community protection begins with understanding local conditions. Lifers practices community science, training residents and youth to collect data, document environmental conditions, and support informed, solution-oriented action. From air quality observation to field investigations and community reporting, community science helps turn information into accountability and progress.
Learn more about Community Science →

We educate, empower, and protect by expanding access to environmental awareness, life skills training, financial literacy, and career development opportunities. Through partnerships with educational institutions, we support workforce pathways in green industries, technology, and applied learning.

Our commitment to Oakland is reflected in hands-on community beautification and tree-planting efforts that improve neighborhood conditions, enhance shared spaces, and contribute to long-term environmental resilience.

Our Mission:

• Educate residents on local environmental conditions and practical, solution-oriented approaches

• Equip individuals with life skills, workforce pathways, and applied learning opportunities

• Connect residents, institutions, and partners to support measurable, community-driven impact

• Strengthen neighborhoods through beautification, sustainability, and shared stewardship of public spaces

This work is grounded in action, collaboration, and long-term commitment—supporting healthier environments, informed communities, and a more resilient Oakland.

Why Join Us?

Lifers creates opportunities for residents, partners, and supporters to play an active role in protecting Oakland’s health, environment, and shared spaces. Whether you’re looking to learn, contribute, or collaborate, there’s a meaningful way to engage.

Community Gatherings
Join accessible, community-centered events that combine education, hands-on activities, and connection—such as neighborhood beautification projects, environmental learning experiences, and public convenings that strengthen community pride and participation.

Volunteer & Participate
Contribute your time, skills, or lived experience to support outreach, events, community science activities, and local initiatives. We welcome residents of all backgrounds who want to be part of practical, solution-oriented work.

Support Community-Led Work
Your support helps sustain programs that expand environmental awareness, workforce pathways, and community-driven protection efforts. Contributions directly strengthen local capacity and help ensure Oakland residents have access to tools, information, and opportunity.

Together, we protect what matters—our communities, our city, and our shared future.

A Journey of Redemption + Restoration

Lifers Leaving a Legacy was founded by Mr. Charles, a man who knows firsthand the struggles of returning to a community transformed by time and hardship. After spending 31 years incarcerated, he returned to his beloved city of Oakland—once a thriving tourist attraction where people took pride in their neighborhoods—only to find it almost unrecognizable. The town had lost its luster. Stores were shuttered, streets were lined with homeless encampments, and the vibrancy he remembered was replaced by despair. Even more heart-wrenching, 50% of the homeless population were people just like him—Returning Family Members, struggling to find their way back into society.

Despite the challenges, Mr. Charles found hope in an unexpected place. A local environmentalist named Ms. Margaret Gordon took him under her wing, offering not just guidance but a new passion: environmental justice. Through her mentorship, he discovered the deep connections between environmental degradation and the struggles faced by Oakland's most vulnerable communities, including those re-entering society after incarceration.

Fueled by his personal journey and a desire to give back, Mr. Charles became a lifer committed to leaving a lasting legacy. With the motto "Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance" at the heart of his work, he founded Lifers Leaving a Legacy to help restore Oaklands dignity and self-esteem by re-defining Environmentalism as a People First Movement. He believes in changing conditions by empowering individuals, offering them the educational tools and wrap around support they need to reclaim their lives, reunite with their families, restore their dignity and cement their commitment to The Community.

Through green workforce development, life skills training, and holistic healing resources, Mr. Charles' vision is to create a brighter future for Returning Family Members, all of Oaklands Communities of Concern and those beyond who are being impacted by environmental and social injustices. His personal story is one of redemption, resilience, and restoration, and his life's work is dedicated to uplifting those who need it most.

Join Us in Restoring Oakland and Changing Lives.