Sixteen, Chicano and trans — a life without apology

By Jeremy Castillo -- As a person of color and being trans, I have felt the lack of acceptance from the white community. It affects how you see yourself and you feel very alone in a town where it's predominantly white. I identify as... Continue

When police violence hits close to home: ‘The killing of one of my students by a Vallejo cop’

Guy Jarreau, a Napa Community College student, was shot and killed by a Vallejo police officer in 2010. By Loretta Carr The distress of watching Minneapolis resident George Floyd’s neck being crushed by a policeman’s knee as he begs to breathe is palpable. The indignation... Continue

Educational social justice

As the school year begins, I’d like to pose a question: What would be a good topic for an article about education in Sonoma Valley in 2019-2020? One possibility could be “The Year of Results.” Yes, I believe that all the parents, the teachers, the... Continue

Terror from within and the minority divide

It’s true that as we get older, a melancholy can set in when we are faced with the loss of family and friends as well as our own diminishing physical or mental vitality. Add to this the current socio-political climate of hate and violence, and... Continue

Opinion: Fighting for a fair wage for workers

An activist for many years, I am always impressed by the May 1 marches organized by the farm workers union, inspired by the long-gone activist César Chávez. The sea of people with their signs from very many different sectors, people who work in different industries,... Continue

A case of Pan Dulce culture shock

By Loretta Carpio Carr On a recent stop for gas, I went into the adjacent convenience store to buy a bottle of water and a couple of snacks for my drive down to the San Joaquin Valley. As I browsed the aisles of Cheetos and... Continue

Passing the torch

In the late 1960’s the world was in turmoil, much as it is today. American’s youth propelled the anti-war movement, marched for civil rights and women’s rights, and formed groups that sought to establish unity and self-determination. One such group was MEChA, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano... Continue

No papers? You still have rights

While the talk in Sonoma focuses on housing, school budget cuts and rebuilding after the wildfires, the story of roundups and attacks on the immigrant community has been going almost unobserved. The Rapid Response Networks in many counties all over northern California, including Sonoma, Napa,... Continue

I have a dream, too

Borrowing from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s inspirational declaration, I have a dream for an effective, supportive, secure, and happy school environment for our community’s children. Despite setbacks of the past, I think it’s possible if we take an honest look at the student population... Continue

Listen to the parents

With all the holiday celebrations behind us, we know that Santa Claus did not bring the Sonoma Valley School District three million dollars to avoid making cuts to ongoing programs. And the Three Kings didn’t either. So this is how we must start this new... Continue

Voices Of The New Majority