Happy Friday! This is Katie Kim, bringing you this week's top race and culture stories. There's a lot to celebrate, including the drier and sunnier days ahead. Lunar New Year is just around the corner (on Sunday, Jan. 23). It's the Year of the Rabbit! It's also the first time Lunar New Year is an official state holiday. Celebrations across Northern California start today. Check out all the events happening around you HERE! THE STORY OF CHINA'S FIRST TRANSGENDER WOMAN, NOW LIVING IN SACRAMENTO Zhang Kesha, who goes by Sasha Eastly, began transitioning in January 1983 in Beijing, China. She's been living in Sacramento for 17 years and recently published her book titled, "The Life and Times of Zhang Kesha: China's First Transgender." In her book, she describes the challenges she faced while in the military, recalling her experiences of having to share a room and bathroom with eight men, her transition, and her journey to finding love. You can read more about her life HERE. HONORING THE LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. On January 16, across Northern California, people joined celebrations and marches and showed up in various ways in their community to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The civil rights leader, who championed racial equity and equality, organized sit-ins and the March on Washington in 1963, where he delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. Our team attended various events around town to hear from community members about what Martin Luther King Jr. Day means to them. See where we were below: Thousands gather at Capital Christian Center to honor life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sacramento residents participate in Sacramento's 42nd annual March For the Dream HOW ONE STORY LEFT AN IMPACT As Northern California was experiencing what seemed like a never-ending string of deadly winter storms that left thousands without power and knocked down hundreds of trees, we wanted to address an important side of the story — severe weather disproportionately impacts those who are unhoused. We also wanted to highlight the advocates who continue to support them year-round. That's why we spent a couple of hours with Brie, the founder of the Awkward Gardener's Community Table, an organization focused on taking surplus food and diverting it from the landfill to give to those who are experiencing food insecurity. We followed her around on a rainy day while she restocked free fridges and pantries located throughout Sacramento and paid an extra visit to a Sacramento encampment where she serves food every Sunday. After our two stories aired, Brie let us know the impact our reporting had on her efforts! She agreed to let us share the following with our readers: "Hi there! Although some of the supplies were brought prior to the news story, most of the stuffed car today is thanks to you and the team :)" - Brie GET TO KNOW US! Over the year, our newsletter community has grown, so in 2023, I want to take the time to re-introduce our ABC10 journalists who help us bring community-driven stories to you! In the newsletters ahead, I'll be introducing different members of our Race and Culture team and ABC10 staff one by one. Let's meet Kandace! Greetings. My name is Kandace Redd, and I'm the Race and Culture reporter at ABC10 in Sacramento. I joined ABC10 from our sister station, WFMY News 2, in Greensboro, N.C. I've been with ABC10 since 2021, and I'm more than honored to serve our diverse communities. For me, it's a homecoming. I was born and raised in South Los Angeles, Crenshaw district. It's a blessing to be back home on California soil after reporting for years in the Deep South and other areas. Please know I'm also a proud HBCU alum, Howard University, The Real HU. I'm most passionate about serving YOU - the community - and making a positive change. Outside of news, I enjoy spending time with loved ones, mentoring young journalists, and engaging with all communities to help form a more unified and peaceful world – for today and the future. What's a Race and Culture story you want to see on your local news? Send your suggestions and feedback to raceandculture@abc10.com. |