Sixty years after Bruce Lee opened his martial arts school at the intersection of Broadway and Garnet Street in Oakland, CA; the City Council approved renaming that intersection “Bruce Lee Way” in honor of his legacy and contributions to the community.

The resolution to rename an Oakland intersection “Bruce Lee Way” was initially presented by Council Member Rebecca Kaplan to the city’s Public Works and Transportation Committee on Tuesday, reported Oaklandside.

“By honoring and uplifting Bruce Lee, we also acknowledge and honor his contribution to uplifting the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) community, both in Oakland and beyond,” Kaplan said.

Lee’s influence extended beyond martial arts, making him a cultural icon against racial discrimination. He gained fame not only for his extraordinary martial arts skills but also for his fight against the racist portrayals of Asians in film and television during the 1960s and ’70s with his iconic performances in The Green Hornet and Enter the Dragon, KTVU reported.

Born in San Francisco and raised in Hong Kong, his groundbreaking work challenged stereotypes and paved the way for more accurate and respectful representations of Asian characters in the media.  

Although the Oakland Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute was Bruce Lee’s second martial arts studio, it is known as the place where he created and started teaching his unique martial art, Jeet Kune Do.

Even after his death in 1973, the martial arts community continued to hold a deep passion for Bruce Lee, as noted by Michael Colbruno, an Oakland Port commissioner, during Tuesday’s Public Works and Transportation Committee meeting.

“Renaming the intersection will also help attract martial arts enthusiasts to the city of Oakland, further enriching our cultural landscape and fostering a sense of unity within our community,” he added. 

Through this approval of “Bruce Lee Way,” Oakland honors a cultural icon and forges ahead in creating a more inclusive environment.

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