Speed Power Strength: An Eleiko Certified Facility

Look who’s coming to the party so far!!

10th Anniversary Rite of Passage + RoP Legends‼️

Sunday, Oct 18 — REGISTRATION OPEN.

The only USAW‑sanctioned meet built exclusively for first‑timers. Ten years strong.

Plus RoP LEGENDS — every past competitor and champion invited back to the platform.

Sign‑up in BIO + OaklandStrong.org

1‑day event. Capped.

We ❤️weightlifting.

Oakland Strong .Org

What year did you compete in Rite of Passage❓

Show your shirt. Tag us.🙌🏽

10th Anniversary + RoP Legends — Oct 18, 2026.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN: OaklandStrong.org + Link in bio

Celebrating our Seniors as they prepare for college. 🎓

With a decade‑long program in Oakland, we’ve got kids who literally grew up with us. Kids who walked in shy at 8, 9, 10 years old and are now stepping into adulthood with discipline, confidence, and a whole community behind them.

These young people trained through school changes, family challenges, late nights, early mornings, and every version of Oakland life. They stayed committed. They stayed rooted. And now they’re graduating, leveling up, and carrying the culture forward wherever they go next.

This is what long‑term community investment looks like.

This is Oakland.

This is family.

Heeyyyyyy!

OAKLAND STRONG is officially an Oakland International Film Festival selection — and showing at the Grand Lake Theater on September 9‼️ That alone feels unreal.

This 5‑minute short started as a way to raise our voices, and now it’s being celebrated on one of Oakland’s most iconic stages. I’m so grateful for everyone who’s stood with our youth and this program.

More details coming — we’re inviting the whole community to pull up and celebrate with us.

oaklandfilmfestival
David Godinez

OAKLAND WE OUT HERE!!

Young champion Robert Whitlock just met THE Alysa Liu 刘美贤

OAKLAND STRONG

The adventure continues.

2 of our young champs earned an opportunity to train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Ruckers second time here, and Robert’s first.

We have worked too hard to stop now.

MAKE A DONATION + DROP‑IN FOR FREE AT OAKLAND STRONG‼️

Robert earned 3 HUGE opportunities this summer:

1- Colorado Springs: 3rd National Title + American records. Done✅

2- Cali, Colombia: Youth World Championships🇨🇴

3- Guayaquil, Ecuador: Pan American Youth Championships🇪🇨

All of these are self‑funded — Powered by his hard work and our community. Family, friends, teachers, gym members, his church — everyone making sure money doesn’t block this young man’s future.

Donate if you can. Let’s send Robert to the world stage.

Link in BIO + STORY.

Between these two young men, you’re looking at 5 National Championships and hella records broken‼️

Rucker — repeat National Champion, and now our first Junior National Champ. One of only three lifters at 2026 Nationals to go from Youth Champ to Junior Champ.

Robert — a 3‑peat National Champion, and the only youth lifter this year to hit the “A” Standard.”

Last year, Rucker was the only youth male in the entire country to hit that same standard.

What does all that mean❓

It means these two young leaders have been in our program since day one — showing up, working, and carrying the weight of making themselves, their families, and our community proud.👊🏾

They didn’t even know what Olympic weightlifting was when we first put a bar in their hands. Now they’re earning opportunities most kids in our community never get to see.

This is Oakland Strong.
And we’ve got more coming.

ROBERT WENT CRAZY‼️

Your 2026 USA Weightlifting Youth National Champion (U17)

Back‑2‑Back‑2‑BACK National Champion ‼️

American Record Sn**ch ‼️ **All 3 attempts were American Records**

American Record Clean & Jerk ‼️

American Record Total ‼️

He didn’t just win —He won by 75 kg. And he hit the USAW “A” Standard.

This kid is different. Oakland built.