Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "activism"

Kim Mack jumps into City Council race with both feet

2011-10-27T01:11:41Z

Kim Mack said she decided to run for City Council District 2 because she saw a need that hasn’t been filled in her North Sacramento community: responsive leadership.

That isn’t necessarily a dig at the current council member for the district, Mack said Tuesday – it’s a statement of purpose.

Mack, 49, has a long career in government service under her belt, including campaign experience as a field organizer for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign where she was responsible for campaign activities from Bakersfield to the Oregon border.

Mack also worked on local campaigns including Ami Bera's recent run for the 3rd Congressional District and Richard Pan’s successful run for Assembly.

“I believe deeply in grassroots organizing and grassroots activism,” Mack said. “Working on those campaigns proved to me that I was right to believe in that. It showed me that with a little bit of leadership, we can achieve a lot.”

Now, Mack said, it’s her turn to jump into the political arena with both feet.

Although Mack was born in Sacramento, she moved with her parents to Redding as a teen. Mack moved back to Sacramento in 1992 and has lived in District 2 for 13 of the last 19 years.

Vince Mack, Kim’s husband of six years, is a middle school science teacher at Norwood Junior High school who has been teaching in the district for 23 years.

Incumbent Sandy Sheedy will face off against Mack and former Midtown Business Association Executive Director Rob Kerth in the coming City Council election – and more candidates may still enter the field.

“There’s a lot of people that see a vulnerability on Sheedy’s part,” Mack said. “She has not done a lot for the whole of the district. The majority of the district feels neglected, and now there is a resurgence in city activism.”

Mack said grassroots activism is her specialty, and she intends to engage fully in the district to bring people together to discuss community problems and deal with them.

“I am giving full-time focus to my campaign,” Mack said, “and I will be a full-time council person.”

Mack said she thinks it’s important to not be distracted as a council member, so she doesn’t plan to hold another job or serve on other boards or commissions during her time in office, if she wins the election.

“She really knows her community,” said Kimberly Durson, a legal clerk in Grass Valley and a former co-worker during the Obama campaign. “She is emotionally invested in Sacramento and in her neighbors.”

District 2 has large populations of Russian, Laotian, Hmong and African-American families, among others, Mack said.

With so much diversity in a single district, Mack said she feels it is “the responsibility of a leader to create understanding between people in all parts of the community.”

Mack said she wants to go into the community, connect with community leaders and get their input on how they see diverse cultures coming together.

“I want to have an understanding of each culture myself to become a pathway for bringing people together,” Mack said. “I’m not going to presume to know everything about everything.”

Mack said she has strong feelings about some of the policy issues that Sacramento has struggled with recently, including regulating medical marijuana dispensaries, redevelopment, and the recent Occupy Sacramento movement that has been active in Cesar Chavez Plaza for more than three weeks.

“I support the Occupy Sacramento movement,” Mack said. “General citizens need to be given the same consideration as banks have been given.”

However, Mack said she would like to see the movement have “a little more direction,” and for protesters to articulate exactly what they want to accomplish.

“The momentum (the movement) has gained warms my heart,” Mack said, “but now let’s use this strength to make something happen – let’s have a clearer end goal.”

Durson said setting goals and meeting them are Mack’s specialty.

“She is a really good organizer,” Durso said. “She runs a clean campaign – never disorganized or hard to understand what she’s trying to convey.”

Durson said Mack’s ability to work well under pressure will be an asset to her during the upcoming election.

“(Mack) digs in and works through challenges,” Durson said. “She’s been through hard times – her son in the military was deployed to Afghanistan, and she struggled with that. Some things are mind over heart, and she puts her head down and works hard to get through tough situations.”

When it comes to medical marijuana, Mack said she supports the voters’ decision to make it legal in California – as long as decisions about locations of dispensaries are well thought out.

“I support the law, but let’s be smart about it, and let’s be safe about it,” Mack said. “Industrial areas? Fine. Near schools and homes? No. We can be smart about how we approach it.”

Samantha Corbin, a friend who worked with Mack on local campaigns for Ami Bera for Congress and Dr. Richard Pan for Assembly, said Mack is “unique” in her commitment to finding “real solutions to real community problems.”

“She has a skill for helping voters find and tell their stories that makes her a perfect candidate for local office,” Corbin said. “She is a true community advocate.”

Mack said her fundamental priority – outside of restoring pride and empowering the community – is restoring city police and fire departments.

“Public safety is the top priority of municipalities,” Mack said. “I can tell you with 99.9 percent accuracy that I will never vote to lay off police officers and fire personnel.”

“Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” Mack said that’s her favorite Obama quote – and it is exactly what she sees as the future of District 2.

“It might take more than four years; it might take more than eight years,” Mack said, “but you will see noticeable difference with me in office because there will be someone in the community, working for the community. Good or bad, I‘m not afraid to walk on those streets.”

Melissa Corker is a staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Free documentary showing, "Mother: Caring for 7 Billion"

2011-10-08T21:15:13Z

It’s no secret that the world’s population is growing by leaps and bounds. But not many of us can say that we know how much it’s really growing.

Not many of us understand effects the human population explosion is having on our environment. And most importantly, it’s very hard to know what actions we can take in our own lives to become part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.

One group of Sacramentans is shedding light on this discussion of, or lack thereof, what can be done about the world’s human population explosion.

The Sierra Club, Mother Lode Chapter’s Committee for a Sustainable World Population is hosting a free premier of the award-winning film “Mother: Caring for 7 Billion” on Wednesday in West Sacramento. Members of the committee are hoping the screening will help open up the discussion about what can be done at a local level to address this global problem.

The film addresses the issue of human population growth from a historical perspective to illustrate how global human population has exponentially increased to exceed the Earth’s carrying capacity. From the 10,000-year-old advent of agriculture to the use of fossil fuels for crop production and the increase in human longevity thanks to modern medicine, the film outlines how such technological advances have unintentionally lead to a human population which will reach 7 billion by the end of 2011. For perspective, the global population was only 3.7 billion in 1970.

So why see this film if you are only one person in 7 billion?

You will learn that the United States is at the heart of this population problem. U.S. Americans have not only the third largest national population behind China and India, but we also have the highest population growth rate of any country in the developed world, which means a higher consumption rate per capita.

And lifestyles of people in developed countries are simply unsustainable. As fact, for the world’s population to stay at 7 billion, assuming zero population growth after 2011, we would need six planets like mother Earth to support the world’s population having the kind of lifestyle lived by the average U.S. American.

So what can be done?

This is the hard part. History is rife with catastrophes, showing how difficult and culturally complex the population issue is, though these are not addressed by the film. However, the film does highlight creative efforts by NGOs and nonprofits working to empower women of developing countries.

Through increased educational opportunities, community outreach entertainment projects, micro-finance ventures and family-planning initiatives, the film posits how improvement of the status of women will lead to them having fewer and healthier children. The film’s overall message is that with the improvement of the status of women, the global population problem will be alleviated.

For U.S. Americans, simply educating ourselves on the relationship between consumption and sustainability would be an excellent starting point for increasing the Earth’s carrying capacity. As one expert in the film pointed out, changing the status of women in other countries will take time, but lowering consumption rates right here at home can be achieved much more quickly.

Unfortunately, the tools our government uses to measure economic productivity are simply outdated, and they do not account for quality of life essentials like clean air and lower cancer rates. The world’s resources are not unlimited, and encouraging nations like China and India to grow and develop like us as we are doing now is simply ignoring the long-term consequences of a troubled world system.

The film does a good job of telling the story of the human population explosion and what is being done at a global level to address it. At the local level, The Sierra Club is definitely doing their part to create discussion on what can be done as well.

“Mother: Caring for 7 Billion” will be showing on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in West Sacramento at the Turner Library, 1212 Merkley Ave. Attendees will have a chance afterward to discuss the film and give any knowledge, perspective and feedback on this highly important topic.

For more information on the film and/or the Sierra Club event, please visit;

http://motherthefilm.com/

http://motherlode.sierraclub.org/population/

Permaculture Liberation in Sacramento.

2011-09-26T20:41:29Z

What is Liberation Permaculture?

When posed this question, creative organizer Rafael Aguilera’s answer is amazing pasta sauce.

“It’s not all about gardening. It’s about village alchemy. How do we identify who has needs or skills in our own neighborhoods and work together? Is some guy growing tomatoes and has too many while another guy down the street has an incredible recipe for pasta sauce?”

And as simply as that, the concept of permaculture is boiled down.

Bill Mollison, who is credited with helping develop permaculture as a systematic process in the 1970s defined it as “a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single project system."

Rafael hosts a monthly discussion group called Liberation Permaculture at Sol Collective. The group started with a discussion he led on the permaculture lifestyle. So much community interest was generated that Rafael and Sol Collective decided to host the community meetings once a month.

In the last year the Liberation Permaculture group, along with Ubuntu Green, Soil Born Farms, and a long list of community sponsors, has built community gardens, gleaned unpicked fruit from downtown community homes, started a local NGO seed bank, and planted trees all over the city.

One shining example of their work is the community garden at Southside park located at 7th and V street. The community garden has already involved the youth at the neighboring Met Charter school. “The next generation is built right into the community garden at Southside,” said Aguilera. Students from The Met will be tending the garden as part of their environmental education and internships.

More than just gardening, Rafael Aguilera and everyone involved with Liberation Permaculture are working to plant the seed of community-centered sustainability in Sacramento. Liberation Permaculture meets every first Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Sol Collective, located at 2574 21st Street.

Win CAKE concert tixets and help to save the Delta and CA. rivers!

2011-09-26T17:49:45Z

Wow,...a local band does good and they have two shows coming up,..the friday show is sold out and there are two pairs of tickets for that night offered and one pair for thursday,..!

Have your CAKE and help save our natural enviornment!

Basically a fan of CAKE and the Earth/Sky donated these with the idea of bringing awareness and thoughts into education concerning the water and its place in our lives here in California.

Here is a chance to create a song, poem, puppet show, recipe, dance, public document, photograph, painting, or anything that can be filtered in to an email will be accepted.

Remember that The Friends of the River is putting this on and we need to be thankful for help here and especially what they do in the office and the field,..for their work is full time protectors of our natural places,..They are truly Rock Stars too...

Send a query that expresses yourself to mandi@friendoftheerivers.com,....

Three subjects,..each wins a pair of tickets,...!

The Klamath River.

The The Tuolumne River

and our local Delta.

The idea is send what you feel about one or all three of these subjects,..one entry per category,..

We really want the young old and middle timers to enter and are especially wanting the schools and children to enter,..all ages show! CAKE gives away trees and has people singing during the show,..it is participatory fun,..

And then take the energy you get from your creation and make more, while sharing the fortune created!

one sample poem,

Klamath River

I have never seen

neither CAKE ,..

a train will take me to davis

my aunt is not named mavis!!!!!

one sample recipe for saving salmon,

take one salmon and let spawn till next season then repeat.

and here is a sample blank space for you to write in...........

thanks and good luck!

Disclosure: I am on the Board of Directors for The Klamath Forest Alliance and remember seeing many local bands in sac whilst continuing so.

Zuzuka Poderosa brings Moombathon to Sacramento August 12th at Sol Collective

2011-08-05T03:14:39Z

Born in Brazil, Zuzuka Poderosa now resides in New York City where she is a big part of the Latin movement responsible for bringing Moombathon from the underground to the forefront. Zuzuka Poderosa is a sultry, unapologetic Brazilian dancehall vixen who spits Portugese rhymes over block rattling bass. Known as The Queen of Baile Funk, Zuzuka is also a DJ that packs New York City night clubs with Tropical Carioca funk, a street poet known worldwide, and a name to watch in the coming year.

Last year Zuzuka electrified Sol as part of the Global Hood Music series. Alongside DJ Righteous Trash, Zuzuka brought the spirit of Brazil and swagger of New York to the West Coast and had a blast doing it. She will be returning to Sol Friday August 12th to deliver the Moombathon vibe she is quickly gaining notice around the world for. Recently recruited for Samsung’s Juke Box Hero ad campaign and working with top Brazilian emcee Marcelo D2 on his album Arte do Barulho, Miss Poderosa is making retro neon waves in the international music scene.

Miss Poderosa is currently finishing up her first album with a handful of producers from all over the world while touring with her Rio inspired grit and grime playlist both in the U.S. and internationally. Taking the reigns of what has traditionally been a male dominated genre, Zuzuka is taking back the dancefloor for the girls.

Find out more about Zuzuka Poderosa and the Moombathon movement at www.myspace.com/zuzukapoderosa and find more about her return to Sacramento at Sol Collective by going to www.solcollective.org and clicking the link to follow Sol Collective on Facebook.

The Fight for Community Gardens: The Proposed Ordinance and The Right to Land

2011-05-13T21:24:49Z

On Thursday, May 12th, 2011, the proposed Community Garden Ordinance was reviewed at the City’s Planning Commission Meeting. The discussion on community gardens was first presented to the Law and Legislation Committee in August of last year. Since then, it has moved forward due to general support for urban agriculture in Sacramento. The current ordinance is a proposition to amend the zoning law, which prohibits agriculture in residential or non-agriculture zones. The new amendment extends only to private property and does not apply to city-owned land. The public land issue has currently been tabled but is nevertheless pertinent to the future of sustainable urban agriculture.

Let’s take a look back to 2004, the last year of The Ron Mandella Community Garden. The garden was formed under a joint deal between residents and the city. For thirty years, the garden spanned the entire Q Street block between 15th and 14th. In 2004, CADA (Capitol Area Development Authority) decided to conduct a soil test at the garden. The results found toxins and gardeners were promptly evicted. Conveniently, this allowed CADA to push forward the Fremont MEWS project to develop 118 new condos on the Q street corridor. Gardeners requested CADA present a Human Health Risk Assessment to show what the actual effects of the toxins were. After refusing, the gardeners filed a lawsuit that required CADA to produce an EIR (Environmental Impact Report) and, according to some, was never fully completed.

In an interview with City Gardener Bill Maynard, he reflected on the events that followed, “That same year, Sacramento hosted the WTO meeting but the city didn’t know what it was getting into.” Maynard is referring to the lockdown that occurred at the Mandella site in concurrence with protests downtown against the WTO’s Agriculture Ministers Meeting. The Mandella garden had been locked since the eviction. Local activists and supporters from Sonoma County’s Green-Bloc initiated the occupation on the weekend of June 22nd. Ten members of the Garden Board strapped themselves to the fence with metal boards and refused to leave. From 4pm until midnight, riot police and helicopters hovered over the scene, while a similar situation played out at the Ministerial Meeting. Eventually the protestors were arrested and taken to jail in Stockton. In July, the garden was bulldozed and a mere 1/3 of the land was preserved for it’s original purpose.

Today, The Mandella Garden has morphed into two well-established community gardens in downtown Sacramento, The Fremont Garden on Q Street and The Southside Garden on 5th and W. The 5th Street plot, located under the highway, was given to the gardeners as a concession by the city. Still, let this piece of history be a lesson as we move forward with the current ordinance. Supporting sustainable urban agriculture in Sacramento will mean dealing with the realities of redevelopment, public land, and people’s rights.

On May 4th, council representatives hosted an informational meeting for residents to learn more about the ordinance and receive community input. Three of these meeting were held and another will be hosted on May18th at the Boys and Girls Club. At the May 4th meeting, residents had many concerns about the equity and sustainability of the law. The Department of Utility fee for water access and services is $6400 per year and is required for all proposed gardens. A six-foot high solid fence is also a requirement for properties with no current fence. These requirements seemed anathema to the idea of a “community” garden for many. And for those without the money, it is completely out of the picture. Paul Towers, from Pesticide Watch commented, “We need to make the law so people can maintain their garden and allow folks to sell their harvest to pay for all these fees and make the operation more sustainable.” A community member who goes by the nickname “Rev” stated that “all this is talking about is how much money the city can make and how much control they can have over a community-run operation. Our forefathers would have took their shotguns out if there land kept on being taxed like this.” The passion over land is a righteous one. City-owned or not, the laws that govern our access to land are undeniably strict. While the current ordinance is definitely a step-forward, it still sets-up a situation where the demands of the law are out of touch with people’s needs. If the city really wants to create equitable and sustainable laws for community gardens, it will have to rethink both the questions of right to land and affordability. The question of community gardens on public land will no doubt have to re-evaluate the Mandella incident. The biggest threat to community gardens on public land is redevelopment. Grocery stores like Fresh n’ Easy or other redevelopment projects will compete with community gardens for land.

After Thursday’s meeting, the Planning Commission will make a recommendation to the City Council. The Law and Legislation Committee is expected to vote on the recommendations in June. While we move forward, let’s continue to remember the past and hopefully create policies that reflect the needs of community gardens on private and public land.

"Your Cuts Are Way Too Big, Your Cuts Are Way Too Deep!"

2011-03-14T22:55:29Z

Chants and cheers from nearly 800 concerned citizens filled the Downtown Sacramento streets on February 22 as the “Mommy Tsunami” protest walk finished its final leg from Caesar Chavez Park to the California State Capitol. The walk began on February 19 in Yuba City, where a group of Generation Y moms began a 60 mile journey to the Capitol in protest of Governor Jerry Brown’s proposed $1 billion budget cut to services for people with developmental disabilities.

Participants, families, employees and volunteers from disability advocacy and support groups joined in the rally sporting bright red t-shirts baring a large target that read “A Budget Target Again?” Their message is that the proposed budget cuts are simply too severe, come on the heels of significant previous cuts, and will devastate the entire system. “This cut would effectively dismantle the Lanterman Act,” said
one protester. Over 240,000 Californians currently receive services under the Act and are at risk of losing their services for in-home support, Medi-Cal, dental care, and other services.

Assembly member Jim Beall was the only legislator to come out in support of the rally and told the group that he understands the importance of the Lanterman Act and would take their concerns directly to the Governor. Many service providers argue that the proposed budget cuts hurt the most vulnerable Californians and won’t save the State money. A fact underlined by the $340,000 a year it costs to
institutionalize a person with a developmental disability in a State Center, versus an average cost of around $15,000 per person to provide
community-based services.

In addition to losing health and support services, Californians with developmental disabilities will likely lose their independence, jobs and businesses. Without needed support, these individuals may be forced to move into costly group homes, nursing homes, or State-run Centers. Protesters vowed that this was just the beginning, and their message was clear, “these are hard won rights and we will not let them go without a fight!”

Local Community Offers FREE Film Screening

2011-03-08T19:36:29Z

FUSION Ministries is hosting a free screening of "TONY"; the latest film by Invisible Children , and this is no normal indie film.

There is a long-running conflict in in Africa by which Joseph Kony terrorizes 5 countries with soldiers who are children abducted from their homes and forced to fight. Invisible Children is an organization which defines themselves as a movement seeking to end this conflict and bring them home by rebuilding schools, educating future leaders, and providing jobs in northern Uganda. Their mission statement indicates their motivation to "redefine what it means to be an activist."

"TONY" is the story of just one child rescued from this situation, but the film follows his journey from child soldier to the freedom he knows now. In so doing, the film gives clear picture of what Invisible Children calls "the longest-running conflict on the continent". The film presents an opportunity for knowledge and attention to an issue that has gone invisible.

The film is being shown on March 13 at 7pm @ First Covenant Church, 10933 Progress Ct., Rancho Cordova, CA

For more information, you can email FUSION Ministry Director

Art contest celebrates the local and global

2011-03-07T01:20:53Z

The Sierra 2 Center for the Arts & Community invites everyone to a lively art competition that benefits the local and the global. On Friday, March 11th from 5:30 to 8:30pm the Sierra 2 Center presents the Best Friend Friday Art Contest, a competition that has solicited pieces of art from all over the Sacramento region.

Artists were asked to submit a piece of art that reflected their unique interpretation of any aspect of life in Curtis Park or of the children of Belize.

Curtis Park is a charming neighborhood of approximately 2500 households just south of downtown Sacramento, known for its lush canopy of trees, eclectic architecture, and sense of community. More than half of the 360,000 people in Belize are younger than eighteen years old, making the inhabitants of the country one of the world’s youngest populations. There is no free public education system, so only fifty percent of the children in Belize can afford to attend primary school. Sacramento life coach, advice columnist and high school teacher Joey Garcia’s organization, Rise Up Belize! Advancement Through Education, provides educational workshops to these children each year on a seasonal basis.

This Friday attendees will get the chance to meet Rise Up Belize! and relax in the scenic Sierra 2 Center while they view art inspired by the charming neighborhood and the children of Belize. Best Friend Friday is the Sierra 2 Center’s biweekly soiree of social networking and community activism. At Best Friend Friday, attendees get to meet new people, enjoy terrific food and drinks, and learn something they didn’t know about their community and their world.

Friday evening’s Best Friend Friday Art Contest is being hosted by the brand new 10x10 Art Benefit Tour, a traveling show of artists who each present ten pieces of artwork measuring 10” by 10”. 10x10 Art Benefit Tour artists develop, show, and even create art onsite at venues, each piece dedicated to the cause they’ve selected to participate in.

Attendees at the Best Friend Friday Art Contest will be asked to vote for their favorite piece of art at the end of the night, a piece that will receive the “People’s Choice” award. Three finalists in the above two categories will also be chosen to proceed onto the next leg of the event, an Open House and a Gala on March 26th. The winning pieces will also be shown at the Sierra 2 Center and featured on the Center’s Facebook page, and their creators will be chosen for guest appearances with the 10x10 Art Benefit Tour.

The Sierra 2 Center for the Arts and Community, rescued from demolition by a group of concerned community residents in 1976, has been resurrected as a vibrant center that serves as a focal point for artists, teachers, students, parents, children, and seniors, who rely upon its dance studios, gardens, performance spaces, meeting halls and classrooms to provide a secure and charming home. Along with its parent organization, Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association, the Sierra 2 Center has brought neighbors together for a diverse slate of year-round events, and has offered a versatile venue and a cohesive voice for community concerns.

The Sierra 2 Center for the Arts & community is located at 2791 24th Street in Sacramento. Admission for the Best Friend Friday Art Contest is $5. Anyone interested in more information on the Best Friend Friday Art Contest on March 11th can call the Sierra 2 Center for the Arts and Community at (916)452-3005.

Artists call for contest that benefits two great organizations

2011-02-22T19:15:48Z

Three organizations have come together to create a new way to blend Sacramento’s thirst for innovative visual art with its desire to address the needs of the local and global community. On March 11th and March 26th, the Sierra 2 Center for the Arts and Community will join with Rise Up Belize! Advancement Through Education and the 10x10 Art Benefit Tour for three magical events.

On Friday, March 11th from 5:30 - 8:30pm an Art Contest will be held during Best Friend Friday, Sierra 2 Center’s ongoing intermingling of social networking and community activism. All Sacramento area artists have been invited to submit work around two themes: “Life in Curtis Park” and “Children of Belize,” for which they are asked to portray their best representation of any aspect of Curtis Park or of the children of Belize. Deadline for submissions is Friday, March 4th.

At the Best Friend Friday Art Contest on March 11th, all contest-entry pieces will be on display. At the end of the night, one piece will receive the “People’s Choice” award and three finalists will be chosen in the above two categories to proceed onto the next leg of the event. These pieces will be shown at the Sierra 2 Center for the next two weeks, and will also be featured on the Center’s Facebook page. Food and beverages will be served at the Best Friend Friday Art Contest, and admission to the event is $5.

On Saturday, March 26th from 11am - 3pm, the public is invited to an Open House, where it will “cut the ribbons” on the Sierra 2 Center’s newly renovated Curtis Hall, and preview winners from the March 11th Art Contest. And that same evening from 6-10pm, the public is invited to the 10x10 Art Benefit Tour Gala, where the winners of the Art Contest will be announced, one hundred pieces of art by 10x10 Art Benefit Tour artists will be displayed, and a new piece of art will be created on site.

Interested artists who would like more information on Curtis Park or the children of Belize can visit the Sierra 2 Center website at www.sierra2center.org, and read Rise Up Belize! founder Joey Garcia’s essay at www.sacmag.com/media/Sacramento-Magazine/February-2007/Essay-Another-Path-to-True-Love. Registration fee for submissions to the Art Contest is $5, and can be paid by calling the Sierra 2 Center at (916) 452-3005.

For more information on this call to artists, please contact Alicia Snyder at (916) 296-5155.

Schenirer to focus on neighborhoods

2010-12-18T01:56:16Z

New Sacramento City Councilman Jay Schenirer said he wants to improve Sacramento’s neighborhoods. He’s approaching neighborhood groups because he believes local activism is essential for change.

Schenirer, who represents 19 neighborhoods including Oak Park, Curtis Park and Brentwood, hosted a driving tour for The Sacramento Press on a rainy Friday.

Neighborhood involvement was a topic that came up frequently as he talked about the troubles, successes and quirks of District 5.

“People have been here a long time,” he said, as he drove around the Hollywood Park neighborhood. “They take a lot of pride. They have a good neighborhood association.”

As Schenirer drove through South Oak Park, it was apparent that public safety concerns were connected with the neighborhood. Homes were surrounded by chain link fences. Two tough-looking dogs guarded a house in the front yard of one home.

Schenirer pointed out large industrial locks on chain fences that blocked visitors from entering homes. “You can’t get to a house here,” he said, commenting on the locks.

“This, right here, for the district (is) the greatest need,” he said. “There’s no neighborhood leadership. There’s nothing going on here that’s positive.”

Schenirer said he wants the Oak Park Neighborhood Association to expand its efforts southward. “I think the Oak Park Neighborhood Association is doing some great things. If you go to one of their meetings – 50, 60, 70 people show up – it’s great. It’s mostly North Oak Park people.”

He also said he wants to work with Habitat for Humanity on housing needs in his district.

Oak Park’s neighbor, Curtis Park, has an entirely different atmosphere. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson lives in the well-kept neighborhood, a few doors away from California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. Curtis Park is also home to Schenirer, KFBK 1530 radio host Kitty O’Neal and Mike McKeever, executive director of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments.

“An incredibly political neighborhood,” Schenirer said, referring to Curtis Park. “They go to war over tot-lots and street closures.”

Schenirer also drove through the tiny neighborhood of Fuller Town, which borders the east side of Sacramento Executive Airport. The neighborhood, which has only two streets, has a quirky feature – Schenirer pointed out airport hangars that are attached to homes. Some of the neighbors are pilots who own planes, Schenirer said. They can take to the sky from their backyards.

Schenirer said he plans to hold a meeting with neighborhood associations in his district on Jan. 27 in Oak Park. At the meeting, he intends to talk to the neighborhood groups about what they need from his City Council office. He said he views neighborhood pride in the context of public safety.

“It’s all about getting people to take pride in their neighborhoods,” he said.

“At the end of the day, we’re not going to be able to put a whole lot more cops on the street for a long time. We just don’t have the money. When you think about public safety, you have to think about neighborhoods really taking ownership,” he said.

View a map of District 5 here.

Photos of Schenirer by David Watts Barton, editor in chief of The Sacramento Press.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Under the Radar

2010-07-20T22:58:13Z

Q: How does a company that employs over 200 people, supports over 400 participants, works with over 100 businesses, and has been doing so for 58 years fly under the radar of most of Sacramento?

A: Because, maintaining a strong and steady course doesn’t always get you noticed!

Today I would like to introduce you to InAlliance, a successful nonprofit that is on a mission to build a more livable workable world by developing programs that support adults with developmental disabilities in the greater Sacramento area.
In the 1950’s the world was a different place, and if you didn’t fit into the general idea of “normal,” you didn’t stand a strong chance of succeeding. This was especially true for adults with developmental disabilities who had limited options. Education and community training were not readily available and many people were placed in overcrowded institutions.

In 1952, the founders of InAlliance (a group of parents challenging conventional thoughts and wanting more for their children) banded together and developed a day program that offered classes, activities and outings for adults with developmental disabilities. They also became advocates for community services, employment opportunities and improved legislation. As interest in the day program grew so did views on disabilities. Advocates challenged the idea that a disabled person was “helpless,” and over the next thirty years, civil rights laws were enacted, services were developed, and institutions began to close.

In 1980, InAlliance transitioned into a sheltered workshop, where participants could complete specific work in a controlled, but isolated, environment. Two years later the program had tripled in size, and in another two years the program would begin to change again.
Thanks to the 1984 Jobs Training Partnership Act, InAlliance was able to partner with the UC Davis Medical Center in a Supported Employment Program designed to train and employ persons with developmental disabilities. Trainees were matched with university employees and trained in all aspects of the position with support from a job coach. A year into the program, participants were showing great progress and the university agreed that the trainees benefited their worksites as well.

The success of the program proved that with the right supports, people with developmental disabilities could be successful in the work place and beyond. “We have experienced first hand the benefits all people achieve by interacting with people who are not just like themselves…In a partnership with our community we have demonstrated the great capacities of people with disabilities to join interact and contribute to society,” says InAlliance Executive Director Diana DeRodeff.

Over the next ten year, InAlliance would use this momentum to partner with local employers, volunteer sites, and community colleges to support people with developmental disabilities as they participated in the community. Eventually, InAlliance was chosen to pilot a Supported Living Services (SLS) program that allowed people with developmental disabilities to live on their own with in-home support, and continues to flourish to this day.

Today, InAlliance offers seven programs in eight counties and proudly supports hundreds of people each year. They continue to develop new services that meet the needs of our ever changing population and continue to advocate for the rights of people with developmental disabilities daily. When asked about the changes she has seen at InAlliance in her 27 years, SLS Program Manager Donna Bettencourt says, “When I look at our organization now, years later, I see people we serve working, volunteering, and learning; people living their lives. Somewhere in the background I know there is an InAlliance staff person partnering with a person with a disability to fulfill a promise we made years ago.”

"Milk and Cookies" celebratory success

2010-05-21T03:06:49Z

More than 400 Harvey Milk admirers gathered Wednesday night at the Crest Theatre to watch the 2008 biopic "Milk." The event, entitled "Milk and Cookies," was part of a celebratory week leading up to the inaugural "Harvey Milk Day," which will take place Saturday.

In 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the San Fransisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man elected to public office in a major U.S. city. He was a leader in the gay rights movement and was murdered on Nov. 27, 1978. Last October, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed S.B. 572, establishing the day of remembrance to take place every May 22, Milk's birthday.

The evening started with a VIP reception where milk and cookies were served. Honorary guests included State Senator Mark Leno, who authored the "Harvey Milk Day" bill, as well as State Assemblyman Tom Ammiamo, who was the first openly gay public school teacher as well as a personal friend of Milk.

Cleve Jones, an activist and close friend of Milk, was also there to address the crowd. In Gus Van Sants' 2008 film, "Milk," Emil Hirsch depicted Jones' role. Jones reminisced of his days spent in Sacramento. He showed the audience a scar he received from a hate crime when he was stabbed on the corner of 18th and H streets in the 1980s.

When asked about film, Jones said there were many messages to take away.

"(The film) stresses the importance of coming out," Jones said. "But it also shows Milk's message. He saw our struggle as part of a larger, deeper, global struggle for peace and social justice."

When asked what he believed Milk would think if he could see the status of gay rights today, Jones had a mixed response.

"I think he would be pleased with much of the progress but also pissed off," Jones said. "He would remind us that we are more than a market. We are a movement."

Wendy Rea Hill, the newly appointed director of the Sacramento Lesbian and Gay Center, was helping run the event. As a lesbian mother of two, Hill said the new holiday is important for education.

"My daughter is now being taught about gay rights and what Milk stood for," Hill said. "It's vital that children learn about equality for the future."

Tina Reynolds, founder of the activist organization Equality Action Now, commented on the importance of the film for the younger generations.

"We don't have much written about gay history," Reynolds said. "(The film) gives us a chance to say we do have a gay hero."

Before the film began, the Sacramento Gay Men's Chorus took the stage and sang an emotional rendition of "Somewhere over the Rainbow." Then Ammiamo, Jones and Leno each gave a short speech about the history and the fight for civil rights as well as Milk's message. The final performance before the movie was a spoken word duet by gay activists and poets C. Foster and Jovi Radtke.

Saturday, which would have been Milk's 80th birthday, there will be a rally at the West Steps of the Capitol starting at 4 p.m. The rally will be similar to marches organized by Milk himself in the 1970s.

Equality Action Now volunteer Diana Luiz is excited about the event and encouraged the community to attend.

"There will be politicians speaking as well as performances by singers, dancers, comedians and poets," Luiz said.

After the rally, the event will migrate to the Lavender Heights district for live music and entertainment.

For more information about Saturday's events, visit equalityactionnow.org.

Photos:

1. Crest sign

2. Jg Gonsalves serving cookies

3. Tina Reynolds and Ken Pierce from Equality Action Now

4. Harvey Milk gear

5. Reception

6. Volunteers Kelly and Rachel

7. Wendy Rea Hill

8. Cleve Jones

Sacramento Battles Gang Violence through "Addressing Thug Life"

2010-02-25T05:25:22Z

Organization leaders, educators, youth advisers and concerned parents met Tuesday at the Pannell Meadowview Community Center to hear Rayford Johnson speak on gang violence and the "thug" mentality.

About 40 audience members came in from all over the Sacramento area to be a part of this presentation.

This workshop was part two of six of the "Addressing Thug Life" workshop series held by the city of Sacramento and Faith Leaders Initiative.

Johnson is a photojournalist-turned-youth correctional adviser. He is also a licensed minister, author of the book, Thug Mentality Exposed, and director of the anti-gang initiative website, thugexposed.org.

Having spent time with inmates in California's correctional facilities , Johnson has firsthand experience with the effects of gang violence and has helped many with rehabilitation.

The workshop was the second part of Johnson's discussion, "Thugs Exposed," which referenced his book. His presentation focused on youth's inability to escape violent and sexual messages in music, the connection of drugs and violence and the actual roots of gang-related activities such as sagging and the word "thug."

Johnson's research on the subject is evident as he mixes scientific and historical data with positive spiritual messages.

"We know we are not going to solve these problems in six weeks, but we can increase awareness and share knowledge that may be beneficial to anyone genuinely interested in helping." said Khaalid Muttaqi, a workshop administrator.

Johnson answered questions throughout and the last portion of the presentation offered question and answer with the audience. A full dialogue occurred where Johnson, as well as other audience members, answered questions and provided feedback.

There will be four more parts to the "Addressing Thug Life workshop series:

March 9, George Sim Community Center, "Not Just the Boys" (Discussion of rising violent crime rates among young women)

March 16, George Sim Community Center, "How to Engage At-Risk Youth" (Ways to detect possible gang affiliation and communicate)

March 23, Robertson Community Center, "Running Effective Youth Programs" (Open forum for program managers)

March 30, Robertson Community Center, "Ins and Outs of the Penal System" (four members from different branches of the justice system discuss the penal system)

Muttaqi, a member of the Sacramento Department of Neighborhood Services, said the city of Sacramento is one of the worst cities in California for violent crimes. These workshops are planned as a strategy to provide local community members with the information they need to deter gang violence.

Sustainability is Hot in Sacramento

2010-01-23T23:40:32Z

Sacramento environmental groups gathered Thursday night to recognize local leaders in sustainability and to raise funds for local environmental projects. Sustainable Sacramento was hosted by Pesticide Watch and Slow Food Sacramento. The event was held at Hot Italian Pizza and Panini Bar in midtown Sacramento.

As attendees escaped the damp streets and persistent rain, they were greeted warmly by Paul S. Towers, state director of Pesticide Watch Education Fund, and Slow Food Sacramento’s Kathy Les. Hot Italian co-owner Fabrizio Cercatore poured glasses of red wine and brought out a variety of pizzas for guests to enjoy.

Pesticide Watch, a statewide organization based in Sacramento, seeks to empower citizens to use sustainable solutions to deal with pests and to keep their community healthy. Towers addressed the crowd of approximately 75 people by thanking them for supporting local environmental champions.

“There is a long history of people in our area willing to stand up to injustices when they see them. These people are champions,” he said.

Sustainability Leadership Awards were presented to Harvest Sacramento, the GEO Environmental Science and Design Academy and Hot Italian.

Harvest Sacramento’s award was presented by Blake Young of the Sacramento Food Bank and accepted by Randy Stannard, Food Access Coordinator for Sacramento’s Soil Born Farms.

Harvest Sacramento’s mission is to collect fruits and vegetables which might otherwise go to waste from neighborhoods and small orchards and distribute it to local hunger assistance agencies. It is a collaborative effort of Sacramento area residents, non-profits and businesses. Since the effort got underway in 2009, Harvest Sacramento has collected more than 20,000 pounds of produce.

Soil Born Farms has taken a leadership role in organizing the group’s efforts and in connecting those efforts with local food banks.

In his acceptance remarks, Stannard talked about the origins of Harvest Sacramento. “People saw a problem. They saw trees full of fruit going to waste and fruit rotting on the ground. They said, ‘This just makes us sick! What can we do about it?’ ”

The Sustainability Award for GEO Academy was presented by David Herbert of Kaiser Permanente and accepted by Fatima Malik, GEO’s Cooking and Nutrition Educator.

GEO Academy, located at Grant Union High School, is pioneering efforts to teach Sacramento youth how to create and foster healthy, sustainable communities. GEO provides high school students with a unique combination of rigorous academics and real world based projects that prepare students for careers that will shape our communities and our environment.

Students and community members grow vegetables, fruit and flowers at GEO’s community garden. Students use the garden for hands-on learning about ecology, plant biology, health and nutrition.

Hot Italian owners Andrea Lepore and Fabrizio Cercatore accepted their Sustainability Award. The award was presented by Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Cohn.

Hot Italian is the first restaurant in the Sacramento region to achieve LEED certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a rating system of the U.S. Green Building Council in order to provide standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

The midtown Sacramento restaurant was a major restoration from the retail space which previously existed there. The building now has a solar thermal system for hot water, low energy LED and CFL lighting, low flow faucets and toilets, and uses recycled materials in chairs, tables and other fixtures. Hot Italian strives to serve food made from local and organic ingredients with a menu that changes seasonally. They also compost their kitchen waste, provide compostable pizza boxes and there is parking for 32 bicycles on site.

Brenda Ruiz attended Sustainable Sacramento on behalf of Slow Food USA’s “Time for Lunch” campaign and is heading up the effort here. Time for Lunch is an effort to get Congress to reform the U.S. Child Nutrition Act and the National School Lunch Program in a way that provides more funding for school lunch and farm to school programs.

Ruiz, a chef at Sacramento’s Biba restaurant, reminds people that they have the power to address problems in their community.

“People sometimes say, ‘The school lunch issue, it’s messed up,’ and they don't think there is anything they can do. Well, people need to know there are always things they can do to help,” Ruiz said.

For more information:

Proponents of Health Care Reform Gather for Change

2009-09-23T03:45:29Z

Activists for health care reform gathered in front of the Blue Cross building across from the Capitol Tuesday.

Amidst cries of "Blue Cross, you're no good; treat the people like you should," the 100 people in attendance marched in a wide oval on the sidewalk. After a half hour of alternating rallying cheers, Laurie Comstock was invited to speak to the crowd. She told her personal story of how the health care system impacted her.

"I lost my health care in August when it almost doubled from $260 to $450," Comstock said over the megaphone. "It became too much for me to afford, so I had to drop it."

After her speech, organizer Lino Pedres of SEIU read a new policy drafted for Blue Cross and other health care providers. He then announced that he and a few volunteers would enter the building to deliver the proposal. Roughly five minutes later the volunteers appeared again, telling the gathering that security would not let them into the main offices to speak with anybody.

The main stipulation of the policy is as follows: "Wellpoint/Blue Cross will not use any resources -- including funds, employees, and facilities to oppose any aspect of the health care reform proposals supported by President Obama and being considered by members of the United States Congress."

Pedres stayed and continued his attempt to get access, but was unsuccessful.

Once the rally ended and the people dispersed, Comstock explained her situation in more detail.

"I am a self-employed deposition court reporter," she said. "After they raised my monthly costs, they also made me pay $1600 out of pocket just for continued coverage. I had never had a medical bill that was that much, so I figured it was not worth the cost."

She also explained struggles in other states.

"I have a friend in Oregon who actually comes down here every three months now to deal with bigger, more expensive procedures, because they cost even more there" she said.

While Pedres is covered under SEIU's plan, he is fighting for those who are not so fortunate.

"It is very difficult to have to take children to the hospital with no health insurance," Pedres said. "We are protesting against the companies' prevention of everyone getting health care. I don't care how we figure it out, one way or another, but coverage should be provided for those who need it."

More Stuff to do in Sacramento

2009-03-24T20:36:10Z

Ongoing:

African American Currents: Contemporary Art from the Bank of America Corporate Collection
Art Exhibit
Tuesday - Friday 12 Noon to 6 PM; Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM through March 28, 2009.
40 Acres Art Gallery
3428 3rd Ave
Sacramento, CA
(916) 456-5080
http://www.40acresartgallery.org

Featuring 75 works of art from the world-renowned Bank of America corporate collection. The exhibit includes work by artists Jean Michel Basquiat, Lorna Simpson, Martin Puryear, Sam Gilliam, Faith Ringgold and Beverly Buchanan.

Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition: The Way We Worked
Through May 17, 2009
10 AM - 5 PM
Admission: Adults: $8.00; Ages 6-17: $3.00; 5 and under: Free
California State Railroad Museum
111 I St
Sacramento, CA
(916) 323-9280
http://www.californiastaterailroadmuseum.org

The Way We Worked demonstrates the enormous changes the workplace went through between the mid-19th century, when 60 percent of Americans made their living as farmers, and the late 20th century. The traveling exhibition features 86 photographs from the National Archives focusing on the history of work in America and documenting work clothing, locales, conditions and conflicts. The exhibition is part of a 14-city national tour.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Live Theatre
Thursday, 6:00 PM; Friday and Saturday, 8:00 PM; Sunday, 2:00 PM Through March 29.
Admission: General: $15.00; Students, Seniors, CSUS Employees: $12.00; Children: $10.00
CSUS Theatre
6000 J St.,
Sacramento, CA
(916) 278-4323

A window washer with no business experience becomes CEO of a major corporation. No, it’s not the latest Wall Street scandal, but the plot of Sacramento State’s production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. The 1962 Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy is based on a book by Shepherd Mead.

Thursday, March 26, 2009
Gina Sicila
9:00 PM
The Torch Club
904 15th St
Sacramento, CA
(916) 443-2797
http://www.torchclub.net

Just 23 years old, Gina Sicilia has already made a name for herself in the blues world. Her debut album, Allow Me To Confess, earned her a nomination for best-new artist debut at 2008s national Blues Music Awards. Once again she displays impressive range and depth as both a singer and a writer; she again penned most of the material herself while also leaving the impression that she is going to get even better with age. With her alluringly husky alto, she is tough and assertive with a vintage sound; she covers jazz, R&B, oozes sexiness, and is open-heartedly vulnerable.

Thursday, March 26, 2009
Dance Party with dj Larry Rodriguez
9:00 PM
Admission: Before midnight: $3.00; After midnight: $5.00
Old Ironsides
1901 10th St
Sacramento, CA
(916) 443-9751
http://www.theoldironsides.com

If you like to dance, and you somehow aren’t already familiar with Larry Rodriguez’s dance parties – well, you really should get acquainted with them. Great music spun by a great guy (who’s aka Flower Vato)!

Friday, March 27, 2009
Bobcat Goldthwait
8:00 PM and 10:30 PM
Admission: $20.00
Laughs Unlimited
1207 Front St
Sacramento, CA
(916) 446-5905

Is a synopsis really necessary?

Saturday, March 28, 2009
Jazz Gitan
7:00 PM
Admission: Free
Java City
1800 Capitol Ave
Sacramento, CA

Hot Club Django Guitar Jazz!

Saturday, March 28, 2009
ICUP
8:00 PM
Admission: $8.00
Capitol City Hotel Ballroom
2600 Auburn Blvd
Sacramento, CA
http://www.icupcomedy.com

ICUP combines 100 percent improvisational comedy with audience participation and their own sketches. Special guest comedian Keith Lowell Jensen from the Coexist Comedy Tour.

I usually try to only include the Sacramento area, but this sounds too geek-cool to ignore:
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Atari Party 2009
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Admission: Free
Yolo County Library - Davis Branch
315 East 14th St
Davis, CA 95616
(530) 757-5593

Fans of classic video games and computers will gather to celebrate three decades of Atari — the brand that brought video games into the mainstream. More than 200 games from the 1970s through the 1990s will be available to be played.

Sunday, March 29, 2009
Luvtaxi at R5
5:00 PM
Admission: Free
R5 Records
2500 16th St
Sacramento, CA
(916) 441-2500

Original Latin beat music featuring Celia Hernandez, Jamie Zuniga and Alex Angel and the Taxi riders.

Monday, March 30, 2009
Sacramento City College !X Ethnic Theatre Performance
7:30 PM
Admission: Free
1719 25th St
Sacramento, CA
(916) 979-9706

The Sacramento City College !X Ethnic Theatre Workshop integrates various forms of art (playwriting, poetry, music, dance, visual art) with race, ethnic and gender studies. The mission of the Ethnic Theatre Workshop is to: develop artistic expressions of diverse experiences; encourage community development through participation in the arts; and promote educational equity at Sacramento City College.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Double Feature - Watch Horror Films Keep America Strong and I Was a TV Horror Host
6:45 PM (I Was A TV Horror Host begins at 8:30 PM)
Admission: $8.00-$10.00
24th St Theater
2991 24th St
Sacramento, CA
(916) 452-3005

For 14 years, from January 1971 through September 1984, Creature Features ranked in the Nielsen ratings as one of the most popular TV shows in San Francisco Bay Area television history. To those who grew up watching with family members and friends, the mixture of host commentary and classic and not-so-classic horror movies remains a nostalgic memory. Bob Wilkins' wit and unusually droll personality and John Stanley's celebrity interviews and satiric minimovies are all part of Watch Horror Films – Keep America Strong, a full-length documentary journeying back through those years.

Plays with I Was a TV Horror Host: a collection of interviews with famous celebrities who at one time or another paraded through the KTVU studio, home of Creature Features. It's a fascinating array of characters from the world of movies, TV and literature: stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen, Christopher Lee, Ray Bradbury, Leonard Nimoy, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, Whoopi Goldberg, director Joe Dante, Anthony Perkins, Karl Malden, Martin Sheen, producer Roger Corman, comedian Rodney Dangerfield, Max Von Sydow, Rick Baker, Robert Bloch, Mamie Van Doren, and Bob Wilkins.

Thursday, April 2, 2009
Community Discussion on Local Media
6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Admission: Free
Coloma Center Auditorium
46230 T St
Sacramento, CA
http://www.AccessSacramento.org

Sacramento area residents, media professionals and media consumers are invited to attend a community discussion on local media to consider these topic areas:
Public Affairs
Diversity
Political Coverage
Community Input
Broadband Internet Access

Sacramento Media Group and California Common Cause with Access Sacramento invite interested individuals, community organizations, local media outlets and elected officials to participate in a community discussion designed to hear opinions, stories and suggestions about our local media. The new presidential administration wants to create a more democratic media system and promote universal access to communications technologies. The evening offers an opportunity to share ideas that can contribute to these goals. It will also help us better understand how well our local media: print, television, radio and Internet, serve their audiences.