Friends remember slain Oakland artist
A proclamation marks 10 years since the death of Mike 'The Dream' Francisco.
By Kristin Bender
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 02/16/2010 06:05:29 PM PST
Updated: 02/17/2010 06:41:01 AM PST
Mike "The Dream" Francisco was an Oakland graffiti artist who was shot and killed 10 years ago.Marty Aranaydo said the rage he felt over the murder of his friend and fellow street graffiti artist Mike "Dream" Francisco was almost overwhelming.
Francisco was killed 10 years ago today during a West Oakland robbery. He was 30 at the time and left behind a 1-year-old son.
But in the end, Aranaydo's rage didn't win.
"I had this crazy idea to memorialize the 10th anniversary — if you can call it that — of Dream's murder, but transform my rage into something positive, since it almost got the better of me," said Aranaydo, 33, of Oakland.
Although Francisco was a kind of "outlaw," he brought "pride and honor to the city he loved and painted on. His work spoke to young people, street kids, and people out there at eye level," Aranaydo said.
Earlier this month, the city, at the request of Councilmember Nancy Nadel, issued a proclamation declaring today to be Mike "Dream" Francisco Day.
"I feel he was a respected community member whose influence on youth is important," said Nadel, who represents West Oakland-Downtown. "He transformed vandalism and violence-related tagging to an art form and educated youth about key political issues that affect us all."
Francisco started as a street graffiti artist in 1982 and soon made a name for himself — with other street artists and the authorities, friends said. He painted dozens of murals and art pieces outside and was once
arrested by BART police while doing graffiti inside a BART train. During a court proceeding, he signed his name "Dream," said his brother John Francisco, 39, of Alameda.
The name stuck. And he became well-known for his art, which nearly always carried a message, friends said.
"Toward the end of his life, the last five years, he got really political with his art. He started realizing he needed to put himself aside and focus on ideas such as tobacco companies targeting youth and police brutality," his brother said. His art was shown at galleries in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and New York, friends said.
In addition to doing graffiti, Francisco was an airbrush and tattoo artist, friends said.
"He was multitalented," John Francisco said.
On Feb. 17, 2000, Mike Francisco had dropped a friend off at the City Center-12th Street BART station and headed to a liquor store in West Oakland.
"A couple people were hanging out in front and noticed his gold chains and his gold bracelet," his brother said.
But Mike Francisco went about his business and headed to his friend's house in West Oakland. What he didn't know that two men from the liquor store had followed him.
They got into the house through an open back door and one of the men demanded Mike Francisco's wallet, car keys and gold jewelry. Then they shot him multiple times, his brother said. There were several witnesses in the house.
A police investigation later uncovered the names of the shooter and his accomplice. Both are in prison.
Ten years later, his friends are trying to keep "the Dream's" name and his art work alive. Earlier this month, they held "Dream Day" at an Oakland live music venue for people of all ages "because it was important to pass on this style of art so his son's generation can continue where we left," Aranaydo said. Bay Area disc jockeys and artists assembled to pay tribute to him.
"It was important to me to make 'Dream Day' a reality so we could all dream of an Oakland without gun violence, and to show his son, who is 10, how important his dad is to this place that took him," Aranaydo said. "Preventing gun violence isn't found in more police, but in really funding education, more jobs, and programs for young people up in their mid-20s."
A proclamation marks 10 years since the death of Mike 'The Dream' Francisco.
By Kristin Bender
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 02/16/2010 06:05:29 PM PST
Updated: 02/17/2010 06:41:01 AM PST
Mike "The Dream" Francisco was an Oakland graffiti artist who was shot and killed 10 years ago.Marty Aranaydo said the rage he felt over the murder of his friend and fellow street graffiti artist Mike "Dream" Francisco was almost overwhelming.
Francisco was killed 10 years ago today during a West Oakland robbery. He was 30 at the time and left behind a 1-year-old son.
But in the end, Aranaydo's rage didn't win.
"I had this crazy idea to memorialize the 10th anniversary — if you can call it that — of Dream's murder, but transform my rage into something positive, since it almost got the better of me," said Aranaydo, 33, of Oakland.
Although Francisco was a kind of "outlaw," he brought "pride and honor to the city he loved and painted on. His work spoke to young people, street kids, and people out there at eye level," Aranaydo said.
Earlier this month, the city, at the request of Councilmember Nancy Nadel, issued a proclamation declaring today to be Mike "Dream" Francisco Day.
"I feel he was a respected community member whose influence on youth is important," said Nadel, who represents West Oakland-Downtown. "He transformed vandalism and violence-related tagging to an art form and educated youth about key political issues that affect us all."
Francisco started as a street graffiti artist in 1982 and soon made a name for himself — with other street artists and the authorities, friends said. He painted dozens of murals and art pieces outside and was once
arrested by BART police while doing graffiti inside a BART train. During a court proceeding, he signed his name "Dream," said his brother John Francisco, 39, of Alameda.
The name stuck. And he became well-known for his art, which nearly always carried a message, friends said.
"Toward the end of his life, the last five years, he got really political with his art. He started realizing he needed to put himself aside and focus on ideas such as tobacco companies targeting youth and police brutality," his brother said. His art was shown at galleries in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and New York, friends said.
In addition to doing graffiti, Francisco was an airbrush and tattoo artist, friends said.
"He was multitalented," John Francisco said.
On Feb. 17, 2000, Mike Francisco had dropped a friend off at the City Center-12th Street BART station and headed to a liquor store in West Oakland.
"A couple people were hanging out in front and noticed his gold chains and his gold bracelet," his brother said.
But Mike Francisco went about his business and headed to his friend's house in West Oakland. What he didn't know that two men from the liquor store had followed him.
They got into the house through an open back door and one of the men demanded Mike Francisco's wallet, car keys and gold jewelry. Then they shot him multiple times, his brother said. There were several witnesses in the house.
A police investigation later uncovered the names of the shooter and his accomplice. Both are in prison.
Ten years later, his friends are trying to keep "the Dream's" name and his art work alive. Earlier this month, they held "Dream Day" at an Oakland live music venue for people of all ages "because it was important to pass on this style of art so his son's generation can continue where we left," Aranaydo said. Bay Area disc jockeys and artists assembled to pay tribute to him.
"It was important to me to make 'Dream Day' a reality so we could all dream of an Oakland without gun violence, and to show his son, who is 10, how important his dad is to this place that took him," Aranaydo said. "Preventing gun violence isn't found in more police, but in really funding education, more jobs, and programs for young people up in their mid-20s."
