Smalltown Society, Big Community Ideas

Paul Keim, founder of Smalltown Society

Can a garage band change the world? It just might, according to Paul Keim. His early dreams of being a professional musician have resulted in establishing multiple spaces in Castro Valley where artists, poets, filmmakers, musicians, and others can connect and contribute back to the community.

Keim is the founder of Smalltown Society, a movement of local artists and advocates for creating spaces of belonging and establishing more third-space venues in town.

“In our day and age, when you really get to know people, you see them as an individual,” Keim says. “Whether that person is sleeping on a bench or a person that is wealthy. You’re a human being that deserves to be recognized. And everyone deserves to live in a place that fosters your need for belonging and your desires and your dreams. Those are the spaces I want to provide for people.”

The concept of “third space” (not home and not work) has been waning over the years, according to Keim. While places like the public library and coffee shops are valuable, Keim looked at some other venues in Castro Valley where people could gather and connect.

“Smalltown Society actually started as a band when I was 14 and our songs were all about changing the world,” Keim says. “I had this vague idea of what I’d like to do with that concept of changing things locally and thinking globally. I was thinking I could start a place where we could foster an equitable and culturally-funded community where we could talk across social barriers – not knowing how important that would be.”

Raised in San Leandro, Keim’s passion for the community in Castro Valley began in 2005 when he was a pastor and music coordinator for youth programs at 3 Crosses Church. After 10 years, Keim says he was looking for other places to lift up voices and create a better narrative for Castro Valley.

In 2016, with a lot of support from First Presbyterian Church on Grove Way, Keim began hosting monthly gatherings in the space adjacent to Trader Joe’s.

Those popup performances and open mic nights led the way to eventually developing musical artists, such as Safiyah Hernandez.

“When Safiyah was 11, she came to Smalltown with her family and started performing these beautiful original songs on the ukulele,” Keim says. “They were so heartfelt. We were all in tears. Everyone saw her talent.”

Now at 15, Hernandez has signed a recording contract with BMG/Young Forever where she released her debut single, “9 pm,” on June 28.

Currently, Smalltown’s space is being converted into a new location for Pampas empanadas and expects to open later this year. The location will continue to be a venue for performances as well as rotating art for appreciation and for sale.

Keim’s other influences include The Chabot Theater, which he helped purchase back in June 2019, and bringing food trucks to the First Presbyterian parking lot during the COVID pandemic.

“It was a need for the community during the pandemic even though our purpose was to raise money for The Chabot Theater.”

His latest project, The Clinic, is a recording space at First Presbyterian where burgeoning musicians and performers can record their songs and sometimes even launch their careers.

Keim and Smalltown are also working on securing a $100,000 grant to provide an artistic venue to the Castro Valley High School Wellness Center for the 2022-23 school year. If successful, Smalltown would help foster once-a-week open mic spaces for students with the hope of one day hiring local artists to teach workshops at the Wellness Center.

To see what’s up next with Smalltown Society, check out their website at: smalltownsociety.com