During the 2023 season, Anthem Blue Cross teamed up with Oakland Roots to spotlight deserving small businesses. The goal — improving the lives of the people, businesses, and communities in Oakland.
Fans had the opportunity to nominate their favorite small businesses, and we selected eight winners to honor throughout the season. Each winner received a $1,000 donation, a VIP gameday experience for two, social media promotion on Roots’ channels, and gameday recognition.
Our eight winners include:
- Xingones: At Xingones (pronounced “ching-go-nez”), local chefs Tino and Mayra believe when you put your heart and soul into the food you prepare, the outcome will always be delicious. As they say in Mexico — “¡El amor empieza por la barriga!”
- The Midway: At The Midway, you’ll always find an immersive experience. Vibrant performances, workshops, and exhibitions celebrate the intersection of music, art, emerging tech, and food.
- Get Bent Friends: A non-profit dedicated to the health and wellness of underserved communities in Oakland and the greater Bay Area, Get Bent Friends provides after-school tutoring, career mentorship, strength training, and nutrition education.
- Strange Fellows: Let your imagination run wild with the Strange Fellows collection of plushies from classic folklore. Selling plushies like Bigfoot and Mothman, the mission of Strange Fellows is to share the mythos of these “cryptids” and pay tribute to their role in shaping Americana as we know it today.
- Cage + Aquarium: What began as a DJ company created to support musicians has evolved into a modern media brand. Cage + Aquarium is on a mission to build the world’s best storytelling platform that allows creators to express their talents through the stories and events of peoples’ lives.
- Viscera Studio: As an integrated visual design studio, Viscera Studio works with independent businesses to build brands that emotionally resonate with their customers. They apply a unique perspective in creating tangible, tactical guidance and design to help businesses grow.
- Smartfit360: Reach your maximum athletic potential. Smartfit360 empowers and trains athletes ages 11–18 to be more explosive, faster, and stronger while learning how to train safely and correctly.
- Taqueria El Cruzero: The Cruzero family immigrated from Mexico to Oakland in the 1980s and opened Taqueria El Cruzero in 2003, achieving their dream of owning a restaurant. Enjoy their famous steak fries, a torta, or camarones a la diabla.
