By The Associated Press FILE – Mandisa accepts the award for pop/contemporary album of the year at the Dove Awards Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn. Mandisa, a contemporary Christian singer who appeared on “American Idol” and won a Grammy for her 2013 album ‘Overcomer’, has died. She was 47. A representative for the singer told The Associated Press that the singer was found dead in her home in Nashville, Tenn., on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mandisa, a contemporary Christian singer who appeared on “American Idol” and won a Grammy fo ..read more

By Norman Williams | Special to The OBSERVER African spirit, music, color, and pride set the tone Saturday evening, when local and international leaders were honored with Africa Peace Awards at a dinner banquet hosted by Sacramento State’s Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution (CAPCR).  More than 200 people attended the banquet, which capped off the final day of the CAPCR’s 32nd annual Africa and Diaspora International Conference. Dr. Ernest Uwazie, a founding director and chair of CAPCR, praised the work of the awardees.   “The Peace Awards is truly a celebration of ..read more

By Mark Bryant | OBSERVER Correspondent OAK PARK – A capacity crowd of over 200 people packed the Guild Theater in Oak Park on April 14 to welcome back former Sacramento Kings star Chris Webber.  Webber, who was drafted No. 1 overall in the 1993 NBA draft, was Rookie of the Year and a five-time all-star over the course of his 15-year career – the peak of which was spent in Sacramento as part of the championship-contending Kings teams of the late 1990s to-mid 2000s.  The Oak Park Speaker Series event was just one in a whirlwind weekend for Webber marking his return to Sacramento. He a ..read more

File – Cardi B arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. Cardi B, Queen Latifah and The Roots will headline concerts in the return of the BET Experience in Los Angeles just days before the 2024 BET Awards. The BET Experience makes a return after a five-year hiatus. The BET Awards will take place June 30. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cardi B, Queen Latifah and The Roots will headline concerts to celebrate the return of the BET Experience in Los ..read more

By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff Writer The OBSERVER asked Black men age 18 and older to complete a community-engagement questionnaire titled, “Where’s Your Head At?” Questions gauged where Black men’s heads are on topics ranging from whether they feel free to express their emotions, to family histories of mental illness and the challenges and triumphs they’ve faced along their personal journeys to wellness. While the response was small in terms of quantity, the quality was mighty. Respondents offered open and honest answers to questions about mental health and being Black men who are t ..read more

By Nicholas Ibarra | OBSERVER Staff Writer All listed events, and more, can be viewed online on The OBSERVER’s community events calendar at SacObserver.com. Be sure to submit your events two weeks in advance to have the chance to be featured on the list. Youth Healing Circle – 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at 2251 Florin Road No. 156. Hooked on Fishing Not Violence presents a space for youth to talk about their experiences and grow from them. Each week features special guest speakers and more. Free and open to the public. Dee McCoy Radio Community Skate Party – 6:45-9 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, at The Ri ..read more

By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff Writer Editor’s Note: This is the first of eight stories sharing local Black men’s personal mental health trials and triumphs. The men were among those who responded to Senior Staff Writer Genoa Barrow’s community engagement questionnaire, titled “Where’s Your Head At?” and indicated their willingness to share their wider experiences. The OBSERVER thanks them for being vulnerable, rising above the stigma of speaking about mental health issues and will share their deeply moving stories over the coming weeks. For years, Ryan McClinton has worked in the spa ..read more

BY MARISA KENDALL | CALMATTERS (CALMATTERS) – The U.S. Supreme Court is about to hear the biggest case about homelessness in decades, and it seems like everyone in California has an opinion. At issue: whether and under what conditions cities can fine or arrest people for camping in public spaces. The ruling will have nationwide implications for how local leaders manage homeless encampments. Where does Gov. Gavin Newsom stand on that issue? What about the leaders of California’s major cities? Our law enforcement agencies? Homelessness experts? How about President Joe Biden’s administration ..read more

(CBM) – On April 8, U.S. Congressmember Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) moderated a roundtable focused on Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) strategies to improve Black student performance in classrooms. Kamlager-Dove, who represents a district that covers parts of Los Angeles County, hopes that ideas shared at the event can be incorporated into models that can impact other regions across California, where Black students continue to fall behind their peers of other races and ethnicities. Discussions at the event centered on LAUSD’s Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP) and other edu ..read more

By Williamena Kwapo | OBSERVER Staff Writer In a ceremony at Sacramento State’s Julia Morgan House on April 4, Sacramento State presented Dean Emeritus Dr. Otis Scott with the university’s 2024 president’s medal for distinguished service. The president’s medal, a distinction not given annually, is reserved for individuals whose contributions have left a profoundly positive mark on Sacramento State. Dr. Scott’s decades of service, work, and impact at Sac State positioned him as the ideal candidate for the high honor. Sacramento State President Dr. Luke Wood, a former student of Dr. Scott, besto ..read more