Our “California Grown” international holiday seeks to share a broader perspective of Kwanzaa throughout the world. California remains one of the world's leading Agriculture region.  The past, present and future contributions of Black Farmers and Agriculturalists remains a 365 day avocation utilizing the principles and symbols of Kwanzaa.  Our ancient future, role and responsibility is seen today in the source documentation from Ancient African Civilization harvest festivals. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, is slowly breaking down cultural barriers globally, "at America's Last Plantation," our United States Department of Agriculture truly is undergoing a cultural transformation and “A New Day

Contrary to popular belief, the Emancipation Proclamation did not free very many from enslavement.  The US Civil War measure  announced freedom for those enslaved in the Confederate States that had succeeded from the Union. Salient to the Presidential Executive Order was the official announcement and call for Black Soldiers to join Union Soldiers to fight for freedom and help end the U.S. Civil War.  The proposed National Emancipation Day requires education and advocacy to share the authentic legacy. You are cordially Invited to celebrate Freedom's Eve ~ 150th Anniversary of Emancipation Proclamation California Black Farmers and Agricuturalists Association co-hosts the celebration with

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. NY Centennial Address If our nation had done nothing more in its whole history than to create just two documents, its contribution to civilization would be imperishable. The first of these documents is the Declaration of Independence and the other is that which we are here to honor tonight, the Emancipation Proclamation. All tyrants, past, present and future, are powerless to bury the truths in these declarations, no matter how extensive their legions, how vast their power and how malignant their evil. The Declaration of Independence proclaimed to a world, organized politically and spiritually around the concept of the inequality of man, that the dignity of hu

William Jessup University is hosting a major traveling museum featuring a man with a biblical name who served our nation during a very difficult time and helped begin a new path for people of African ancestry in America.  The authentic legacy of America's second independence day remains cloaked in mystery and many false assumptions. William Jessup University, showcases new expansion along a major gateway to Gold Rush California.  This exibit will provided a unique opportunity for intercultural and intergenerational opportunity for the Sacramento region. People of African ancestry and the entire Sacramento regional community can view documents salient to a better understanding the ongoin

Saturday afternoon, a small portion of United States Marine Corps Recruit Platoon 1034, known as the “Giants Platoon,” reunited at the Vietnam Memorial in Capital Park in Sacramento for the second time since their homecoming. Retired USMC Sgt. Ed Flores stated that they come and reunite “to honor the accomplishment of our youth, to give praise to our fallen, and to thankfully celebrate life one more time, together.” July 26, 1967, the young volunteers of Platoon 1034, made up of recruits mostly from Northern California, made a special trip to Candlestick Park in San Francisco. During pre-game festivities, they were sworn in on national television and in front of the crowd gathered for th

Along Auburn Boulevard stretches the unassuming Sylvan Cemetery. A modest sign indicates the entrance to the cemetery, but the sign only hints at the rich history just inside the gate. Sylvan Cemetery is the burial site of 1,300 veterans from the Civil War, Spanish American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam Conflict and the Gulf War. It is also home to founding families and early settlers of Citrus Heights and Fair Oaks, including the Van Maren, Rusch and Ose families. In addition to the veterans, more than 6,000 Sacramento County sons and daughters are buried at Sylvan. Before being a cemetery, the land was a Gold Country freight stop and a ranch. Ranch worker James

In 28 years of celebrating Pride in Sacramento there has never been an official Pride Gala. 2012 changed everything. This year the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center(SGLC) premiered Courage to Stand, the official kick-off gala for Sacramento’s Gay Pride Weekend. The setting was the Citizen Hotel in Downtown Sacramento on a night that was probably one of the warmest of the year. Downtown Sacramento was abuzz with activity with Friday Concert in the Park happening, Pride set up going on along the Capital Mall and people just ready to get summer started after an unseasonably cool spring. Recreating the Plaza Park Ballroom of the Citizen Hotel was no easy fete. Taking the hotel setting and chan

The board for the Capital Film Arts Alliance (CFAA) -- a professional nonprofit dedicated to advancing the film and video production in the Sacramento Valley region -- voted to offer a one-year free membership to veterans and active military, including California National Guard members and Reservists, who have served in the military any time after 2000. The film-based nonprofit decided to provide this offer to assist the men and women who have given so much of their lives in service to our country during our nation's conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Returning to civilian life after serving our country in the military and finding non-military employment and a community outside the servi

Today, the Sacramento History Museum announced its participation in Blue Star Museums, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families,  the Department of Defense and more than 1,500 museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2012.  “We are proud to participate in the third annual Blue Star Museums program again this year,” said Historic Old Sacramento Foundation Deputy Director Kristina Swanson. “We are happy provide an opportunity for our nation’s service members and their families to connect with our national treasures.  It is our way of giving back to military fa

Most of us have at least one person in our family who has served in the military during wartime. These men and women live amongst us, some suffering more than others, some not suffering at all. As they age their sense of self worth comes into focus, and they struggle to explain themselves to younger family members. Talking about traumatic events experienced during war is stressful and exhausting. So the question is “Should we dredge up old painful memories? Are our grandfathers and fathers too old to heal?” Apparently Frazier Sheppard and Laverne Shimanek feel you are never too old to heal. Sheppard (US Army, Vietnam) and Shimanek (US Marine, Korea) are both veterans of war and now they r

Folsom residents saluted its 11th annual Folsom Veterans Day Parade this past Friday. Parade participants gathered at the Target parking lot on Blue Ravine Road and made their way towards City Lions Park. The theme for this year’s celebration was “Saluting our Newest Generation of Warriors: Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.” Thousands watched the parade as representatives from the armed forces, the City of Folsom, scout groups, community organizations and residents participated in honoring those who have served our country. Over 2,000 participants were involved in the parade. Representatives from various JROTC, ROTC, beauty pageants, youth sports and high school

Veterans Day 2011 ended with cloudy skies above the skyline. A fitting scene for the lyrics of the military song Taps: "Day is done, gone the sun, from the lakes from the hills from the sky, all is well, safely, rest, God is near. Fading light, Dims the sight, And a star gems the sky Gleaming bright, From afar, Drawing, near, Falls the night. Thanks and praise, For our days, Neath the sun Neath the stars Neath the sky, As we go, This, we, know, God is near." Writing this I discovered how Taps came to be. See for yourself - CLICK HERE>>>

Last night Sacramento Valley Veterans (SVV), along with LGBT Veterans groups, hosted a celebration at Head Hunters/Kennedy Gallery in midtown. The crowd was enthusiastic for several public figures who dropped by to share their support and happiness that the 18-year long Don't Ask, Don't Tell compromise ended. It allowed homosexuals to serve in the military by keeping our sexual orientation under wraps. That was 20 years after I enlisted. I'm gay. I served in the US Navy from '73 to '77 and received an honorable discharge at the end of my enlistment. I've carried a mental smirk about that ever since. During last night's celebration, emcee Ty Redhouse, SVV President and USAF veteran aske

The Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center is heralding the end of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy, which bans gay men and women from serving openly in the military. Congress voted in December to repeal the 17 year old DADT policy; DADT officially ends on September 20. “Despite last minute attempts by House Republican leaders to delay the lifting of DADT, the discriminatory policy will officially end on Tuesday. This is a great day for America, as the United States takes another important step in the fight for equal rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender persons,” said Sara Freid, the interim executive director of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center. “The Lesbian, Gay,

President Obama recently signed a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the policy that for the past 17 years has prohibited gay individuals from serving openly in the military. The repeal will take effect in September. Democratic Assemblyman Roger Dickinson made a public statement expressing his support of President Obama’s decision to overturn DODT. “Members of our military are serving four or five tours of duty, repeatedly putting their lives on the line to serve our country. These heroic men and women who courageously fight to protect us should not be forced to hide their identities,” he said. The Sacramento Press asked citizens at Capital Park to share their thoughts on the repeal of

Comedian Shayla Rivera will be coming to Sacramento on Feb. 17 for a four-night run of comedy shows at the Punchline Comedy Club. This is Rivera’s first time performing at Punchline Comedy Club. She said she has performed once in Sacramento years ago, but she is still new to the city. “It’s fun for a comedian to go to a city for a first time,” Rivera said. “Sacramento is going to be a special treat for me. I plan to stick my head everywhere.” A self-proclaimed history buff, Rivera said she is excited to see the different buildings and learn more about the history of Sacramento. Rivera was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She immigrated to the United Sstates after high school and attende

You know what's better than a museum? A free museum. You know what's better than a free museum? Twenty-six free museums. Saturday, two baker’s dozen of the best museums in Sacramento swung open their doors and let in every Tom, Dick and Harry, free of charge. Gratis. Complimentary. On the house. Floated. Now, my motto has always been "If it's free, I'll take three," so I fought through a wicked head cold and really bad sniffles (I know, I know. Maybe I did take the Waaaaaaaambulance. So what?), and headed down to Old Sac to take my reward. And I took my reward. I may have to change my motto to the far less catchy, but way more accurate, "if it's free, I'll take six." The lucky half do

Rodney Stanhope is living in a shed at Arden Fair Mall, and he isn’t there to shop. The shed lacks running water or kitchen facilities, and he “showers” with baby wipes. His living space is just big enough for a cot, a couple of camp chairs and a small shelf for his computer. Stanhope, a Navy veteran and small business owner who normally lives in Placerville, has one mission this holiday season: collecting toys for military families with one or both parents deployed overseas. “We can’t bring mom or dad home, but we can make sure they have a happy Christmas,” Stanhope said. “Their parents are out there fighting for our freedom and putting their lives on the line.” Though he partners wit

SACRAMENTO , CALIFORNIA - Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Phillips issued a three-page worldwide injunction calling for the Department of Defense (DoD) to suspend all investigations and discharges related to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy. This development comes weeks after Phillips’ ruling that the policy is unconstitutional, going against the First and Fifth Amendments. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to appeal the decision which will carry the case up the Court of Appeals of the Ninth Circuit. Sacramento Valley Veterans (SVV) member, Anthony Loverde, provided testimony in the bench trial held in southern California in July this year. The Log Cabin R

Saturday was a big day for 4-year-old Ryan McCulloch of Roseville, and he knew it. He stood next to his father on the Mather Air Force Base tarmac, his eyes fixed, his hands tentatively gripping the barrier that kept him from getting closer to the object of his adoration: a 500 horsepower, hydraulically powered, 62,000-pound, fire-breathing robot dinosaur. Ryan and his father, Marshall McCulloch, were two of an estimated 100,000 people to visit the California Capital Airshow this Patriot Day weekend, an annual two-day event that nearly doubled in size since last year. With more than 250 performers, 138 aircraft in the air and on the ground for close examination, and dozens of booths to vi