The Center for Spiritual Awareness (CSA), local church and community center, announced today the appointment of acclaimed Bay Area musician Jacqueline “Jacqui” Hairston as Choir Director. Hairston will be officially welcomed during her choral performance debut leading CSA’s New Thought Gospel Choir on Sunday, May 6.  “We are absolutely delighted to have an award-winning composer, arranger, pianist, music educator, and vocal coach of Jacqui Hairston’s magnitude joining us,” said CSA’s Senior Minister Reverend Georgia Prescott. “Music plays a huge role in our church. With Jacqui directing our choir, people will open their hearts --which opens the door for me to speak to their minds.” Hairs

It's the beginning and the end. The alpha and the omega. The final day of Kwanzaa welcomes the new year with the principle of Imani, faith in a play based on "One in the Spirit" written by Ione Murchison and adapted by Rebecca Davis, Rosanna Herber, and Michael Pollock. The performance featured original hip hop soundtrack by sixteen year old Isiah White and dances by the Fenix Drum & Dance Company. Afterwards, a feast was served for the annual diversity gathering at Center for Spiritual Awareness in West Sacramento. On it's ninth year running, this is largest attended so far with over 170 people said organizer Rebecca Davis. The church provides three turkeys, drinks, and bread for th

"Does sexuality matter in the comedy business?" I asked Suzanne Westenhoefer, who has been credited as the first lesbian comic to come "out" in mainstream comedy. "I started my career as a lesbian before I was a comic," she said, "and started as an activist before I was a lesbian. I was one of those people in high school who would get into arguments with the sociology teacher and stand up for the 'misfits,' of which I was one of." Making a stand was what seemed to drive her forward. Westenhoefer did not always identify as a lesbian, however. Early on she felt that she was out of the mainstream but it didn't occur to her that she was gay until she was 19. "It was such a shock when it occu

Looking into the eyes of 12-year old Camela, one would never know that she was an “AIDS orphan” from Uganda. Her eyes and her stories mirror not the tragedies of the past, but the promise and hope of the future, and the happiness and sense of community provided by the Matsiko Children’s Choir, currently touring California. On Dec. 19, the choir performed at a sold-out show at the West Sacramento-based Center for Spiritual Awareness. Matsiko, which means “hope” in Swahili, provides just that to the 29 at-risk children in the choir. The children, dressed in bold yellows, oranges and reds, delivered a performance full of infectious energy, continually engaging their audience with hugs, hands

 The Matsiko Children's choir will serenade the Center for Spiritual Awareness on Saturday. The choir is made up of 25 orphaned or at risk children ranging in age from seven to 14. These children have suffered the loss of one or both parents to war, HIV and related diseases, according to Georgia Prescott, senior minister at the Center for Spiritual Awareness. "I'm looking forward to seeing them and learning about their lives," Prescott said. Despite their loss the children sing of hope and joy, according to the International Children's Network website. According to Prescott, the children are coming to Sacramento to perform original music and discuss their lives in Uganda and their expe