One Wednesday every month, if you drive down J Street, you will see hundreds of people lined up outside of Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. New Americans born all around the world are waiting to celebrate one of the proudest days of their lives. Once inside, these patriots will take their oaths and be sworn in as new citizens of our great country. If you look closely, you will also see a number of folks going through the line, carrying clipboards. These hardworking volunteers are helping the new citizens register to vote, so that they can fulfill one of their core civic responsibilities. Engaged citizens taking part in the process, helping to elect our leaders and making decisions on impor

 On Saturday a broad coalition of local Sacramento, state and federal elected officials, community leaders and government entities held a press conference to make a call for Asian & Pacific Islander Americans to complete and submit their Census form. Speakers discussed the importance of a complete count of Asian & Pacific Islander community members in the 2010 Census. Although this coalition’s efforts are targeted at Asian & Pacific Islander Americans, it is critical that all residents of our City and our region complete the Census. Being counted ensures our region receives its fair share of Federal funds. In addition, promptly returning the form, so that the Census does not have to follo

On Friday, February 26, First United Methodist Church welcomed in seventy five people for the very first “deep well” experience. The group was eclectic in age, culture and circumstance but the common bond was a willingness to dive deep into a spiritual journey through the season of Lent.  Pastor Kathi McShane described it, "We're seeing Deep Well as a pause just in between the end of the work week and the weekend, for everyone who feels like they're pouring themselves out into whatever work they're doing--whether it's public service, non-profit, volunteer service, parenting--whatever. The music, the silence, the opportunity to reflect deeply, should feel like a long drink of cool water, s

Today the Mayor pushed the City Council to put a new Strong Mayor Initiative on the ballot within the next two weeks. Rushing a proposal to the ballot without time for vetting or community involvement is bad government and bad politics. If we change the way our government operates, it should be focused on more community involvement and more open, transparent government. The process through which we pursue change should reflect those values. Changing our City’s Constitution is not something we should take lightly. The process matters. An open, transparent, process that involves the community and all stake holders will lead to a sound, responsible policy that reflects our community and our

 “Aardvark, also called antbear, stocky African mammal found south of the Sahara Desert in savanna and semiarid areas. The name aardvark—Afrikaans for ‘earth pig’—refers to its piglike face and burrowing habits.” Michael Nava was fascinated by the set of encyclopedias set on a high shelf of his grandparents’ home. The Mexican immigrants did not have many books in their house, but they had purchased the set from a traveling salesman, perhaps hoping that one of their grand children would be inspired to pick up a volume or two. Michael took it one step farther. Early in elementary school, he climbed the back of his grandfather’s armchair, careful not to knock his grandmother’s plant from th