Welcome West Oakland Health!
Vesper Society believes a just society begins when everyone is well and respected as a human being. Every day we link arms with leaders and communities to uplift through service, break down barriers, and elevate community voices. We are delighted to welcome our partnership with West Oakland Health.
West Oakland Health was founded in 1966 by four Black mothers who fought tirelessly to address their children’s and their community’s unmet health needs. At the time, the community was transitioning from its historic place as the center of Black life in Oakland. Generations of Black people had migrated to Oakland from the South. They brought with them proud family traditions, a tapestry of culture, and a resilient work ethic. But by the Sixties, the community lacked a basic healthcare infrastructure. So, these four women went to work. Volunteer physicians, local clergy, and others supported them.
When the health center opened its doors in 1968, it offered not only vital health services like pediatrics, dentistry, podiatry, ophthalmology, orthopedics, dermatology, general surgery, mental health, and a full range of wrap-around family services – it also provided what was absent from every other local healthcare organization at the time: healthcare that felt like home.
From the beginning, West Oakland Health has been driven to connect with its patients through service, compassion, and culture in a familial and home-like setting. This commitment continues today, including medical services that focus on women’s health. Family planning, healthy pregnancy, annual wellness examinations, staying healthy after giving birth, and breast and cervical cancer screening are also available.
With the support of Vesper Society, West Oakland Health’s Gynecology and Reproductive Health Department purchased gynecological equipment to enhance the service and care provided to its patients.
“The support the Vesper Society has provided has been instrumental in helping us meet the needs of our expanding patient population,” Kevin Smith, Director of Gynecology and Reproductive Health at West Oakland Health. “We look forward to continuing to grow this partnership.”
“Our partnership with the Vesper Society elevates our purpose to deliver trustworthy, culturally concordant care to our patients in a setting where they are seen and feel safe,” said Robert Phillips, President and CEO of West Oakland Health. “It aligns with our beliefs and raison d’être: to be the trusted hub advancing the Bay Area Black community’s health and dignity.”
Vesper Society is proud to walk alongside West Oakland Health, for we are one step closer to our vision of a world that protects human dignity and enhances human potential.