Approximately ten thousand steelhead smolts, from the Warm Springs Fish Hatchery, are released into the Russian River at the Healdsburg Veterans’ Memorial Beach Dam Fish Ladder in Healdsburg on Monday, January 24, 2022. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)
Celebrating the return of spawning steelhead trout to the Russian River and its tributary creeks is a wintertime rite of passage in Sonoma.
And despite all that has changed in our world and theirs recently, the steelhead still run. While the annual festival remains on hold, those of us who could benefit from a reminder of their mighty resilience (that’s everyone, truly) can still seek out the chance to see spawning wild steelhead this February, near the peak of the run. Watch for them in Santa Rosa Creek, especially below Spring Lake near Summerfield Road; in Sonoma Creek, up as far as Sugarloaf Ridge State Park; and in Copeland Creek, near Sonoma State University.
“In general, when you’re going to see these fish is early mornings or late evenings. That’s when they’re going to be the most active,” advises Darrick Muir, senior hatchery supervisor at Lake Sonoma’s Warm Springs Fish Hatchery.
Steelhead move stealthily through urban sections of creeks: “Because of the lack of tree cover, they’ll scoot through quickly, late at night.” Take care not to disturb the fish, and be flexible — nature may not always cooperate.
On the Russian River itself, other potential areas to spot both wild and hatchery-raised steelhead include the fish ladder next to Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach, at least during low flows, and way out at the mouth of the river, from atop the coastal bluffs around Jenner. “You’ll see V shapes where they’re swimming through, sometimes in the waves,” Muir says. Or, from a kayak, if the water is clear, look below the water’s surface for lines in the sand on the river bottom — trails that mark the first steps of an ancient journey.
Remember those early days of shelter-in-place when we couldn’t get enough of animal livestreams?
One of our favorite pastimes in the spring of 2020 was watching a YouTube video called “Relax With Sheep.” Filmed at Shafer Vineyards, the video stars a herd of sheep grazing between the vines at the Napa winery estate. The video, which is six hours long, turned out to be a great distraction; the sheep’s baas served as a soothing ambient sound.
Judging by the sheep video’s 315,715 views and 263 comments, it was also a hit with others — The New York Times even wrote an article about it.
Now, two years into the pandemic, Shafer Vineyards just released another animal video with a high cuteness factor.
After months of filming and editing, the Napa winery recently posted a four-part video series on their Instagram and Facebook pages that follows the rescue and rehabilitation of two adorable baby owls. On Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, Shafer Vineyards debuted a seven-minute version of the video on their YouTube channel.
The two great horned owls were rescued by volunteers from the Napa Wildlife Rescue (NWR) last March after they fell from their nests. They were rehabilitated together and then spent time on a sanctuary at the Shafer Vineyards estate before their release. The sanctuary had been donated to the wildlife rescue in 2016.
“We had a four-acre parcel that would do NWR more good than it would ever do us,” said Doug Shafer, president of Shafer Vineyards. “We met with them and learned they could use it as a rehabilitation site. It was an easy decision to donate the land for that purpose.”
Shafer Vineyards and the Napa Wildlife Rescue formed a partnership and the vineyard sanctuary now serves as a temporary home for rescued animals before they are released back into the wild. The volunteers and staff at the Napa Wildlife Rescue work around the clock to rehabilitate orphaned and wounded wildlife. The video provides a behind-the-scenes look at the nonprofit and its work.
Like the sheep that graze the Shafer estate, owls and other birds of prey play an important role in the winery’s efforts to sustainably farm and manage its more than 200 acres of vineyards.
“Raptors such as owls and hawks have been our partners in sustainable farming since the 1980s,” said Shafer. “More than 30 years ago, we erected hawk perches and owl nesting boxes in our vineyards to encourage raptors to find a home here and control the population of gophers and moles that would chew up vine roots.”
NWR relies on the support of volunteers and donations to protect wildlife. Follow the organization’s work on Instagram and Facebook.
Almost Famous Chicken Tenders at Lo & Behold in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
“You have to try the chicken tenders,” says Lo & Behold owner Tara Heffernon as she mixes cocktails at the new bar and restaurant in Healdsburg.
My face wrinkles into a grimace. I don’t do chicken tenders. (OK, I do, but only in the privacy of my own home.) My husband spoils the ruse, exclaiming excitedly that yes, we would love the chicken tenders! Philistine.
However, these are no children’s-menu frozen-mystery-meat creations. They are Chef Sean Raymond Kelley’s “Almost Famous” tenders ($14), and they are the juiciest strips of crunchy, salty, fried chicken bits I’ve ever had. Dipped in homemade ranch with a side of pickles, they’re worthy of a standing ovation. Perhaps that’s my fourth cocktail talking, but dang, they’re tasty.
Heffernon opened Lo & Behold in January with co-owners Laura Sanfilippo and Kelley. The debut marked the return of two of the four founders of Duke’s Spirited Cocktails, a groundbreaking Healdsburg bar co-owned by Heffernon, Sanfilippo and their former business partners Cappy Sorentino and Steven Maduro. The four founders abruptly walked away from Duke’s in April 2021, after a rift with founding investor David Ducommon and just weeks before opening a second business, Burdock, with Kelley as the chef. (Ducommon opened Burdock with Michael Richardson as general manager and Chef Michael Pihl in June 2021.)
L & B Chilcano at Lo & Behold in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)Housemade noodles with kimchee butter at Lo & Behold in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
After departing Duke’s, Sanfilippo said she and Heffernon didn’t have clear plans. Yet they jumped at the opportunity to open a new bar and restaurant when Mateo’s Cocina Latina closed just blocks from their old space. Lo & Behold went from concept to reality in less than six months. Kelley joined in to run the kitchen, and they raised $750,000 from family, friends and patrons for the new place.
The whole adventure is a complicated story with more twists and turns than a taffy pull. In a nutshell, Sorentino and Maduro have gone on to other projects but will likely appear behind the bar at Lo & Behold from time to time, according to Heffernon. The remaining trio — Heffernon, Sanfilippo and Kelley — has created a welcoming and inclusive space with a terrifically delicious menu of dishes at a range of prices, a heady cocktail list and a lively and lovely outdoor patio that’s already become a hot spot.
Belly up to this fun and utterly irreverent bar, because your mind is about to be blown with more than chicken tenders.
Here’s the lineup of best bets (however, after several hours of eating and drinking, we only got through a tiny portion of all that is available). Be sure to make a reservation before you go because already the word is out and the tables are hard to come by (though the bar is always first come, first served).
The food
Kelley’s menu spans the globe, with American, Mexican, Greek, Chinese and Southeast Asian dishes. Meat eaters and vegetarians alike will find plenty on the menu, along with several gluten-free dishes. All ingredients, however, are not listed on the menu, so do alert your server to allergies.
Crab Rangoon Dip, $18: This mix of crab, cream cheese, scallions and crispy wontons has long been my favorite on Chinese restaurant menus. Like fortune cookies, it has no real history in Chinese cuisine, but it doesn’t mean you can’t love it. This deconstructed version is heavenly, with creamy crabby dip and fried wontons for dipping. Can’t stop, won’t stop eating this. Find it in the “fresh seafood” section of the menu that includes oysters, shrimp cocktail and mussels.
Crispy Pork Spareribs, $19: Fried pork is always a good thing, and the tender meat of these ribs falls off the bone with the first bite. The salty-sweet black bean sauce should be bottled and sold. This dish has so much delicious umami it should have a warning label.
Winter Greens, $14: A messy bowl of bitter winter greens hides cheese-filled pierogi that are both soft and slightly chewy, precisely as they should be. Salty sesame brown butter brings the puffy jacket of the dish together.
Housemade Noodles, $16: Absolutely nothing compares to fresh noodles, and these cloudlike strands are perfectly cooked. Bathed in kimchi butter and black vinegar, they bite back with enough heat and sourness to be irresistible.
Chum Bucket of Fries, $6: The name says it all. These and a few $4 High Life beers are all you need for an afternoon of self-care. Take that, Beverly Healdsburg!
The drinks
Cocktails don’t take a back seat here. They’re front and center and put together with the same focused intensity and fun as the food menu. You’ll struggle to find a favorite, but that’s sort of the point. Drink up!
Phatty Margarita, $14: This margarita is phat. Imagine the usual margarita ingredients: tequila, Cointreau and lime, but with a round, creamy swerve. Avocado and coconut oil are the secret, along with a naughty little chicharron perched on top.
World’s Best Vodka Soda, $12: Locally made Young & Yonder vodka is the base for this drink, with “improved seltzer” and unicorn tears (it’s a tedious process, according to Heffernon). It is the best vodka soda, without a doubt, primarily because of the unicorn tears.
L & B Chilcano: Pisco sour-ish with the extra sour of golden gooseberry, lime and bitters, along with the bar’s ginger brew. Sans egg whites. Mind blown.
Overall, there’s so much to love about the return of these hometown gals who’ve made creative cocktails their stock and trade. The addition of Kelley’s kitchen expertise makes Lo & Behold an instant Healdsburg icon.
Lo & Behold, 214 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-756-5021, loandbeholdca.com. Open 11:30 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Monday.
Lox bagel from Marla Bakery pop-up at Spinster Sisters in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy of Marla Bakery)
Holy homemade bagels and challah, it’s a weekend brunch takeover at Santa Rosa’s Spinster Sisters (401 S. A St.).
Husband-and-wife-owned Marla_SR bakery will be bringing the goods to a pop-up each weekend from Sunday through May 8 at the restaurant in the South of A Street arts district. They’ll serve fresh-baked sticky buns, challah French toast and a rotating menu of breakfast sandwiches, salads and bagel plates with farmer’s cheese, smoked trout and pickles.
Larger dishes include an English muffin breakfast sandwich with apple cider-glazed pork belly, orange flannel hash, caramelized onion aioli, fried egg and Mizuna salad; oatmeal toast with almond butter and honey; and baked eggs with spring onion and potato cream, Marla chile crisp and griddled Marla bread. They also will sell fresh bread and pastries on the weekends until they sell out, along with coffee and espresso.
Crebble, a croissant-like muffin covered with cinnamon and sugar, from Marla Bakery. (Courtesy of Marla Bakery)
Amy Brown and Joe Wolf previously owned Marla Bakery in San Francisco and gained a huge following for their classic Jewish breads, pies, croissants and unique inventions, including the Crebble, a croissant-like muffin covered with cinnamon and sugar.
The couple moved to Santa Rosa in 2019 and opened a new bakery in Windsor in 2020.
Reservations are recommended, go to exploretock.com and search for Marla_SR. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Sonoma’s historic Girl and the Fig restaurant will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year with 25 ticketed dinners that will highlight favorite menus from the restaurant’s past.
The first dinner is set for 6 – 9 p.m. March 6. It will feature a throwback menu from 2007 that includes rock shrimp cake with buttered cabbage, preserved lemons, celery root rémoulade and sherry glaze; grilled pork chop with cheddar beet gratin, braised greens, lardons and mustard sauce; and butterscotch pot de crème with an almond lace cookie. Two glasses of house wine for each guest are included.
Chef Sondra Bernstein founded the Girl and the Fig in Glen Ellen; it’s now located at the Sonoma Plaza, where it moved in 2000. The restaurant’s French-influenced menu, extensive wine list and cozy outdoor patio has made it a popular Wine Country destination. Bernstein retired from day-to-day operations in 2021, handing over the reins to founding chef and collaborator John Toulze. The anniversary dinners will be held at 21800 Schellville Road, Sonoma. Tickets are $65 per person. Reservations are required and can be made at bit.ly/3oS9JuL.
Fraser Ross pours a beer for the Friday crowd at Fogbelt Brewing Company in Santa Rosa. (Conner Jay/The Press Democrat)
Although the omicron variant surge forced Russian River Brewing Co. to postpone the Feb. 4 release of its revered Pliny the Younger triple IPA until late March, there’s no reason for anyone to cry in their beer: FeBREWary is here.
Each February, Visit Santa Rosa and local breweries collaborate to offer the Santa Rosa Beer Passport, a month-long series of tastings and events. Pick up free passports at any of the participating breweries and a handful of other businesses, visit the taprooms, enjoy a pint and get the passport stamped. Eleven or more stamps earns you a commemorative Santa Rosa Beer Passport bottle opener medal and lanyard.
To me, the bling is not the thing. The best thing about the passport is that it guides craft-brew buffs to many of Sonoma’s most inventive, cutting-edge breweries that also embrace old-school beer-making traditions in producing their pilsners, IPAs, sours and stouts. And passport breweries pull out all the stops during FeBREWary, with new and seasonal beer releases, comedy nights, contests and food trucks. It’s an offshoot of SF Beer Week, Feb. 11-22 this year, but Santa Rosa Beer Passport extends the “week” to a full month.
The two-week celebratory release of Russian River Brewing’s Pliny the Younger is now scheduled for March 25 to April 7, after the FeBREWary window closes. Yet Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo’s RRBC taprooms in Windsor and downtown Santa Rosa will do their share of passport stamping through Feb. 28 and draw another round of locals and visitors to Sonoma County seeking sips of the internationally acclaimed Pliny. It’s a win-win for all.
A must-visit in February
Perhaps the most ambitious celebrant of FeBREWary and Santa Rosa Beer Passport is Iron Ox Brewing in Santa Rosa. Kevin Robinson established the company in 2015, first calling it Plow Brewing Co. and doing most of the interior construction and brew system assembly himself. In 2000, sales manager Vince Ferracuti became a partner and the name was changed to Iron Ox, a reference to their stamina and will to endure wildfires, the pandemic and new-business challenges.
“We scheduled an April 10 (2020) party to introduce the change from Plow to Ox,” Ferracuti said. But on March 17, statewide shelter-in-place orders shut down the hospitality side of the business. When breweries could finally reopen, it had to be outdoors.
“After a year of being closed, we got a tent permit for behind the taproom,” Ferracuti explained of the brewery on Industrial Drive in west Santa Rosa. “(FeBREWary) this year marks the first time we’ll serve indoors since the pandemic. We extended the horseshoe tasting bar (to run) along one wall, adding a few more seats. We’ll still have events in the tent, but also an indoor option.”
Iron Ox has packed February with several beer releases, including Smart Feller Triple IPA, Scythe Imperial Porter, Monkey With A Long Tail West Coast IPA, Oxytocin Raw IPA, Dieci-Lire Italian Lager and Star-View Hazy IPA. Come for the brews and stay for the Ro-Sham-Bo Tournament (Feb. 12), the Meatless Saturday Vulture Foods food truck (Feb. 19) and Comedy Night on Feb. 26.
3334 Industrial Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-843-4583, ironoxbeer.com
Other notable Passport participants
Bear Republic Brewing Co.: The Norgrove family and their master brewer, Rich “Ricardo” Norgrove, produce their flagship Racer 5 IPA and a couple dozen other ales in Cloverdale, having outgrown their original downtown Healdsburg location. The place to taste their brews and enjoy elevated pub grub is their Rohnert Park taproom and restaurant, which is dog-friendly (there’s plenty of outdoor seating and a dog park next door). The brewery is pouring three new releases in February: Spawn of Yaga Imperial Stout and two throwback beers from their Origins Series — the Hop Rod Rye IPA and the Black Racer IPA. There will be live music in the beer garden on Feb. 20 and 27, Pizza and Pints on Wednesdays and Trivia Night on Thursdays.
Fogbelt Brewing Co.: Owners Remy Martin and Paul Hawley celebrated their eighth year in business together with a Saturday, Feb. 12 anniversary party at their Santa Rosa taproom. FeBREWary is devoted to new releases at Fogbelt, with the Godwood Triple IPA dropping Feb. 12 (Fogbelt beers are named for coastal trees), right after the Tree 76, a hazy IPA. On Saturday, Feb. 19, two exotic, barrel-aged beers will take the spotlight: Big Tree Imperial Stout, aged in bourbon barrels and blended with Candy Cap mushrooms and toasted pecans; and Methuselah Barrel Aged Sour with added zinfandel juice. The grain-fermented fun continues to Feb. 20 with bacon and beer pairings.
HenHouse Brewing Co.: This brewery, which began on a small scale in Petaluma and expanded to a larger facility in Santa Rosa, celebrates its “Stoked on 10” decade anniversary during FeBREWary. Ten beers brewed specifically for Stoked on 10, some made in collaboration with other brewers throughout the U.S. (and one in England), have been released since early January, and now’s the time to get them before they’re gone. The Big Chicken Double IPA was let out of its cage on Tuesday, Feb. 8.
Old Possum Brewing: Beer tastes best when it’s accompanied by live music, and Old Possum delivers the combo on the evenings of Friday, Saturday and Feb. 25 and 26. Performers include Jacob Philip Benning, Brian Francis Baudoin, Nick Foxer and Dan Martin. The beer? La Rosita Lager and La Rosa Negra are special pours until Feb. 20; Interstellar Stout is now out in cans and Tonic Immobility IIIPA releases Friday, Feb. 11.
Chef Yotam Ottolenghi. (Courtesy of Luther Burbank Center for the Arts)
Internationally known chef and educator Yotam Ottolenghi will join Forestville’s Chef Daniel Kedan at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts on May 6 for a discussion about how we eat.
Called one of the most innovative chefs and food writers of the past decade, Ottolenghi emphasizes a mix of philosophy, cooking and commonality in international cuisines that has resonated with millions.
Ottolenghi’s grilled aubergine with za’atar yogurt and pomegranate seeds. (Shutterstock)
With a focus on Middle East-influenced vegetarian and vegan cooking, the Israel-born British chef has authored several cookbooks, including “Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London’s Ottolenghi,” “Jerusalem: A Cookbook” and his newest title, “Shelf Love: Recipes to Unlock the Secrets of Your Pantry, Fridge, and Freezer.”
Tickets for the event are $39- $59, with VIP tickets for $99. Get tickets online at lutherburbankcenter.org, by calling 707-546-3600 or at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts ticket office (50 Mark West Springs Road in Santa Rosa).
In the spring of 2014, when Sumayah Rahman, a data scientist from Florida, and Doug Townsend, now a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin, were each selected as finalists at a big research competition, they had no idea they’d meet their soulmate. But during a networking session the two ended up talking the entire time, bonding over a love of innovation. Later that day, Doug was named the winner of the competition, and Sumayah came in second.
In 2015, the couple, who began dating shortly after the competition ended, visited Sonoma County to go on a tour of local wineries. In the years that followed, Sonoma became the place that they visited together for tastings, hikes, and, their favorite of all, picnics. “We were long distance at the time, so whenever we’d meet in Sonoma, we cherished that time together,” Sumayah says. “It became our place.”
Photo by Rebecca Gosselin.Photo by Rebecca Gosselin.Photo by Rebecca Gosselin.
The couple knew they wanted an intimate and simple wedding ceremony, so when they found Buena Vista Winery, a venue rich in history and beauty, the choice was obvious. “We didn’t go over the top with decorations because of the natural beauty of the venue,” Sumayah explains. “Sonoma is meaningful to us, so it was perfect,” Doug adds.
The weekend of the wedding, the couple and their families and friends took a laid-back approach to celebrating, kicking back for hours outside on the patio of their rental house, eating, drinking, listening to music, and simply unwinding. “My dad was the chef that day, so he kept the food and drinks flowing,” Sumayah laughs. “That was one of my favorite parts. I loved being around everyone. It was special.”
The ceremony itself was a joyous event that offered several nods to the unusual way the couple first got together. A friend read a passage by astronomer Carl Sagan about the cosmos and the endless mysteries of life and love. Later, during the reception, Sumayah and Doug displayed the same original research posters they presented at that competition back in 2014 — with a first-place ribbon on one and a second-place on the other. “That really underscored the origin of our story, of bonding through science,” says Sumayah.
Sumayah wore a traditional saree wedding dress and intricate Mehndi henna designs on her hands. “It’s for good luck,” she explains. “The darker the color of the henna, the longer the marriage.”
As the warm August light faded into dusk outside the historic winery, the DJ opened the dance floor with “Uptown Funk,” a song that was released the same year the couple first met. Family and friends danced the night away in the courtyard under arching trees and twinkling lights. The couple say their wedding was everything they’d hoped for: intimate, simple, and elegant. Doug may have taken home the blue ribbon that spring day back in 2014 — but in meeting each other, they both won.
Eki Shola, front, sings and plays keyboards with Michael Fortunato, back left, playing saxophone, at the Out There Exposition in Santa Rosa on Sunday, April 29, 2018. (DARRYL BUSH/ FOR THE PRESS DEMOCRAT)
Black History Month has been celebrated in the United States for more than 50 years. The first event took place in February 1970 at Ohio’s Kent State University. Six years later, in 1976, the monthlong celebration of Black history and the achievements of Black Americans was officially recognized by President Gerald Ford. But the story of Black History Month began decades earlier.
In 1915, Carter G. Woodson formed the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). (The organization is now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, or ASALH.) Dr. Woodson, a scholar and the second African-American, after W.E.B. DuBois, to obtain a PhD degree at Harvard, wanted to honor Black history and heritage and ensure that these were recognized as a significant part of American culture. Under his leadership, the ASNLH created research and publication outlets for Black scholars with the establishment of the Journal of Negro History in 1916 and the Negro History Bulletin in 1937.
In February 1926, Dr. Woodson established Negro History Week. (He chose the month of February because it is the month in which both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln were born.) The weeklong celebration, which included historical performances, lectures and parades, became the precursor to Black History Month — Dr. Woodson aspired to expand the observance as he wanted Americans to learn about Black history throughout the year, not just during one week.
At the time of Dr. Woodson’s death in 1950, mayors across the country supported Negro History Week. The celebration gained momentum in the following two decades and eventually evolved into Black History Month. Fifty years after Dr. Woodson announced the first Negro History Week, President Ford recognized Black History Month “as an important element of the nation’s bicentennial celebrations” and urged all Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
On January 31, President Biden made his second proclamation in support of Black History Month. The official statement noted that while the United States was founded on the idea that “all of us are created equal and deserve to be treated with equal dignity throughout our lives,” the country has often failed to live up to that promise.
“The long shadows of slavery, Jim Crow, and redlining — and the blight of systemic racism that still diminishes our Nation today — hold America back from reaching our full promise and potential,” the proclamation read. “But by facing those tragedies openly and honestly and working together as one people to deliver on America’s promise of equity and dignity for all, we become a stronger Nation — a more perfect version of ourselves.”
Honoring Black History Month in Sonoma County
Black History Month is celebrated in a variety of ways across the United States and in Sonoma County this February. The theme for this year’s Black History Month is “Black Health and Wellness” and it acknowledges the contributions of Black Americans to the medical field as well as racial inequalities within the health care system.
On Feb. 26, Petaluma Blacks for Community Development (PBCD) will host a virtual event and exhibit in collaboration with the Sonoma County Library to address this year’s theme through music, dance and a discussion among a panel of local medical practitioners.
Faith Ross, co-founder and vice president of PBCD, is organizing the event and exhibit, which she said will pinpoint some of the causes of racial disparities within health care and highlight the progress that has been made in this area.
“Our exhibit this year is Black health and wellness, and so we’re looking at the factors that created some of the problems for Black people and of course the start of that was slavery,” she said.
Ross said that the enslavement of Black people combined with the challenges, suffering and injustices of the Jim Crow era have created lasting trauma that continues to impact both the mental and physical health of Black Americans.
“But on the other side of that was the total resilience of Black people in their determination to make it in this new country,” Ross continued. “And so we’re talking a lot about the Black scientists and medical people and the hospitals that they created and how we brought so much to American history — we call it Black history but it really is American history.”
Faith Ross, vice president of Petaluma Blacks for Community Development. (Crissy Pascual/Petaluma Argus-Courier)
Ross and her colleagues at PBCD are assembling a panel of medical professionals from around the county for their virtual event, along with several other special guests who will provide entertainment and edifying conversation.
Guest speakers and performers will include Bay Area gospel and R&B singer Sharon D. Henderson; Petaluma-based poet, rapper and educator Kayatta; and former professional football player, mental health advocate and author of the children’s book “Carter: My Dream, My Reality” Tyrell Zimmerman. Representatives from PBCD’s Grapevine Youth Leadership Program will also present a special video during the event. (Learn more about this event and register here.)
A series of events
Throughout Black History Month, Sonoma State University will be hosting a series of events, both virtual and in-person. Mendel Murray, a professional academic advisor at SSU, said this year’s celebration is centered on the theme of Black pride, and there will be plenty of opportunities for students and community members to participate.
“I want for those that are part of the Black or African-American community to take away some sort of pride and joy for where you come from,” Murray said. “I think for those that are not a part of that community to just be aware of some of the issues that people in the Black community are facing and really just be an ally to us — understanding our issues and being by our side as we’re going through life.”
Murray believes that learning about our history and background is fundamental to understanding who we are: We need to know where we came from in order to have a better understanding of where we are going. And by taking the time to listen to those from different backgrounds we can learn something about who they are and where they came from; we can understand them better and also be able to better support them.
“It’s just listening more than you speak,” he said. “Everyone has a voice, everyone has something that they want to say. But I think that when it comes to this conversation of race and different cultures, it’s really about letting the people who’ve been oppressed speak.”
The Black History Month events at SSU include a virtual conversation with Rohnert Park Mayor Jackie Elward. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
The university kicked off the monthlong celebration with an opening ceremony on Feb. 1 centered around the topic of perseverance. Keynote speaker, Dr. Sharon Fuller, a professor of women and gender studies, highlighted what the Black community has overcome and achieved. Other SSU events this month will include a virtual conversation with Rohnert Park Mayor Jackie Elward, free weekly yoga sessions, movie screenings, reading groups and an art night.
A closing ceremony will be held Feb. 25 from 7-8 p.m. at SSU’s Student Center in Ballroom A and will feature an open discussion on the topic “What it means to have Black pride.” (See the full list of SSU’s events here.)
Creating an anti-racism poster
The Sonoma County Library is hosting several virtual events during Black History Month, including family story times, book club meetings, documentary film discussions and more. (See the full list of the library’s events here.)
The library is also offering a “#GoodTrouble Action Pack” poster project for teens throughout the month. The project is in response to the Black Lives Matter poster that was found burned at the Sebastopol Regional Library last month, and the goal is to provide young people with the opportunity to speak out against racism with posters of their own, which will be displayed at libraries across the county. Students from grades seven to 12 can register for the library event to receive a free poster-making kit.
There are a host of other ways to honor, celebrate and learn about Black history here in Sonoma County — whether it’s sitting down with a recommended book or movie or attending educational and interactive events. Below is a selection of virtual and in-person events, exhibits and performances you can attend this month.
Events
Rohnert Park City Council meeting – proclamation in support of Black History Month, Feb. 8
Rohnert Park Mayor Jackie Elward will announce a city proclamation in support of Black History Month at the council’s next meeting on Feb. 8 from 5-6 p.m. Join the meeting over Zoom here.
Family Storytime Celebrating Black History Month, Feb. 9
Join a Sonoma Library children’s librarian for an interactive Zoom story time celebrating Black History Month. Family story time includes reading, writing, songs and fun games to play together, for families and caregivers with children 0-6. This special family story time will be held virtually on Feb. 9 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Registration is required, and registration will close one hour prior to the story time.
The Black Student-Athlete Experience, Maintaining Black Pride, Feb. 15
Dimitrous Chattman, former student athlete at San Jose State, will share the story of his transformative journey from educational to sports management with professional football teams and coaches. The talk will be held at Sonoma State’s Student Center in Ballroom B on Feb. 15 from 7-8 p.m. The event will also be livestreamed on Zoom.
Renowned storyteller Kirk Waller will share African and African-American folktales through music, song, movement and spoken word during a free virtual event hosted by Sonoma Library. The event will be held on Feb. 16 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Register for the event here.
Failures of School Desegregation, Feb. 23
Dr. Kayla Walters Doughty of Sonoma State University’s sociology department will facilitate a reading group workshop to discuss unequal education and some of the consequences of school segregation. The workshop will review selected works on school segregation during a Zoom meeting on Feb. 23 from 5-6:30 p.m. Register here to attend the free event.
Black & Politics with Rohnert Park Mayor Jackie Elward, Feb. 24
Join Sonoma State University’s Black Student Union and community in a discussion with Rohnert Park Mayor Jackie Elward as she shares her journey in politics. The event will take place on Feb. 24 from 2-3:30 p.m. in SSU’s HUB Cultural Center, in the Student Center’s Ballroom B.
1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, 707-664-4246, hub.sonoma.edu
Boosting Resilience and Creativity with Dr. Eki’Shola Edwards, Feb. 25
Award-winning musician and lifestyle medicine physician Dr. Eki’Shola Edwards will share her personal story of resilience and hope along with simple techniques to foster creativity and wellness in a virtual presentation. The event will take place on Feb. 25 from 6-7 p.m. Learn more and register for the free event here.
Black History Month Closing Ceremony, Feb. 25
Sonoma State University will close out its month of celebrations with a closing ceremony focused on the topic of Black pride. Black-identified organizations on campus, along with other members of the student body and community, will highlight more of the achievements and successes of the Black community. The event will take place in SSU’s Student Center in Ballroom A on Feb. 25 from 7-8 p.m. The event will also be livestreamed here.
Black History Month Celebration: Black Health and Wellness, Feb. 26
In collaboration with the Sonoma County Regional Library, Petaluma Blacks for Community Development is hosting a Black History Month celebration centered on the theme of “Black Health and Wellness.” A panel of local medical professionals will discuss racial disparities within the health care system, and special guests will provide engaging dialogue and entertainment through music, dance, readings and more. The event will happen over Zoom on Saturday, Feb. 26, from 6:30-8 p.m. Learn more and register here.
Exhibits
Black Health and Wellness, Feb. 12
Petaluma Blacks for Community Development is facilitating an exhibition on the theme of “Black Health and Wellness” at the Petaluma branch of the Sonoma County Regional Library, opening on Saturday, Feb. 12. The exhibit will feature historical and recent information on racial disparities within the health care system as well as the Black community’s numerous contributions to the medical field.
Black and White in Black and White, CurrentlyOnline
The Petaluma Historical Library & Museum has a virtual exhibit of last year’s physical exhibit “Black and White in Black and White: Images of Dignity, Hope and Diversity in America,” curated by Douglas Keister. The exhibit includes information on Black history in America as well as historical photographs, music, biographies and interactive features. Explore the free virtual exhibit here.
The Santa Rosa Symphony will host award-winning pianist Michelle Cann for a three-day concert covering the works of notable composers, including William Grant Still and Florence Price, both esteemed African-American composers whose work comprised many “firsts.” The concert will be held Feb. 12-14 in Weill Hall of Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center. Learn more and buy tickets here.
1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, 707-664-4246, gmc.sonoma.edu
Fire Shut Up in My Bones, Feb. 12, 16
Rialto Cinemas is celebrating Black History Month with two encore screenings of award-winning composer Terence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut Up in My Bones.” The opera is an adaptation of Charles M. Blow’s memoir of the same name and follows the poignant, coming-of-age story of a young Black man from the south. It’s the first opera by a Black composer presented at The Met. The two encore showings will be held on Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. and on Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
The Congregation Shomrei Torah will host the performance of a play by Jane Marla Robbins that imagines Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel meeting to address civil rights issues and forming a special kinship. Nicholas Augusta and Robert Bauer will star in the two-person play and Raven Performing Arts Theater’s Artistic Director Steven David Martin will direct. The play will be performed Feb. 19 from 7-9 p.m. Learn more and register for the event here.
2600 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, 707-578-5519, cstsr.org
The restaurant at Farmhouse Inn in Forestville. (Farmhouse Inn)
As Valentine’s Day nears and love is in the air, it might be time to plan ahead to take your sweetie out for a date. From a romantic spaghetti dinner to a hidden gem wine bar, there are plenty of romantic spots in Sonoma County for your night on the town. Click through the gallery above to see our top picks.
