Excerpt from Oaklandside article by Calliope Arkilic, June 17, 2026, 12:06 p.m.:
“The annual bean boil raised over $10,000 for homeless nonprofits in Oakland."
Dax Lee’s Chili Cook-Off started in 2019 out of Dan Diemidio’s barber shop in downtown Oakland, Dax Lee’s Barber and Apothecary, as a fundraiser for United Streets, a homeless outreach organization that no longer operates. Once the motorcyclists rolled in and the keg of beer donated from Ghost Town Brewing was tapped, there was no doubt that the cook-off would happen again.
“It was just a good-ass time,” Diemidio said. “Basically we’re talking about a DIY punk show that became a chili cook-off.”
And in true punk spirit, their efforts are about more than music and chili. The first year, they raised around $2,000. Since then, they’ve donated over $20,000 to nonprofits serving homeless people in the East Bay. In 2026, the more than $10,000 raised will go toward funding the Homeless Action Center and West Oakland Punks with Lunch.
“These are people. They’re our neighbors. They deserve human rights, and they deserve everything that we afford,” Diemidio said. “Sometimes they just need more of an on ramp than us.” "
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