From Oakland Girls Speak:

Prices Going Up
I make money by doing stuff around the house, like washing my mom’s car or stuff like that. I used to have a job at Acorn Recreation Center, but that was just a summer job. Other people do stuff like sell drugs and girls go and prostitute, and people gamble. Some people have jobs that they go to everyday. Or some people just steal money.

Right now, I’m trying to get a job holding signs outside that will bring people to buy or rent new apartments. It pays good – ten dollars a hour. Some people sell other stuff not drugs … like clothes, shoes, or accessories.

I noticed that a lot of people are going broke or not having as much money as they are used it. I could tell because I see more dirty people on the street like homeless people or just dusty people. The gas prices are too high and the houses these days cost too much, I think that has something to do with why parents start complaining more about money. Most of the stuff at the liquor store went up on the prices to like little things like fifty cent sodas and candy bars. – LaTajh

Fast Money
Well, my people be getting money by anything they can do to get money. For example, I know people that sell weed on every corner in East Oakland and sometimes they even get high on their own supply, that’s why they be broke as a fucking joke, but that don’t stop them getting weed and drugs and shit. Some of my family, they be selling drugs, all kinds of them all over Oakland. Well, everywhere … but all they do is wait in their damn corner and wait for dumb-ass people to buy their shit and they do. That’s why people die every day, either an overdose or people don’t pay up. Another body was found on the streets. Either they die cause of that or because of gang banging … my life used to be all about that, but hmmmmmm … I have changed a lot. – Esa Chunky

Getting Money and Getting Rich, So If You Broke You Get Ditched
Damn, what’s poppin? Everybody and they momma broke. This recession shit killing us, slowly but surely. I can’t even get a hot dollar from my momma without her talking bout: “Where your job at?” And then I.R.S steal, taxes man. They getting over. So get rich or get ditched! Get money and act funny, feel me.

I’m making money by working at Youth Radio. I also do hair and make money off of that. I do about three heads in one week, since I work and go to school. I make at least $160 from that. Can you believe it? Another young black woman succeeding in life.

I ain’t selling my body or nobody else’s drugs – that’s the hustle over here in the West. You got boosters, hos, hustlers and I’m neither. I do not have close family or friends who does these things, but where I live you got a little bit of all that. I don’t think they make much money because it’s a lot of people on the same hustle they on, which is not good. And if the recession keeps going, every body gonna be stealing robbing and selling.

See me, I want to make a lot of money, like $300 every two weeks but how can I do that with everybody low on money? When I get the money, I buy things I like such as clothes, shoes and accessories because I’m into my fashion, feel me. Oh yeah, I ain’t holding up no signs, talking bout spare change. Fuck that, get on your job. Hahaha holla. – Young Keke (Free Teddy)

Making Money
This is how I make my money: I work for The Beat Within and they are taking taxes out of my check. Other people are getting mad because they are not getting paid enough. People sell drugs so they can have the amount of money that they want because they might need it for something. Hoing, some females does it because they are desperate for love and some do it just because they can. Stealing clothes – people do it because they need to provide for their family because they do not make enough money. – Shelkeia Green