St. Hope Band 3
Mother Rose, Longtime Manager of Underground Books, is a Pillar of Oak Park
Step inside Underground Books, the “literary hub of Oak Park” and you’ll likely meet its manager, Georgia West, better known as Mother Rose. The nickname, bestowed by her son, former Mayor Kevin Johnson, explains her role in the community. She grew up in Oak Park, attended Sac High, and saw the neighborhood’s only library close in the 1970s. After graduating from Sacramento City College’s nursing program, she worked as a registered nurse for 26 years.
Celebrating and Advancing Women
President's Message - 3.28.23
Throughout March, I’ve been reflecting on the power of women in leadership. I’m proud that more and more of our elected and business leaders – especially those in the Sacramento region - are female and hope that we can continue on this trajectory.
Closing The Opportunity Gap For Students Of Color In Sacramento
March 2023
St. HOPE Public Schools’ foundation is rooted in student excellence and college readiness, providing our scholars with the strongest possible foundation for learning and career success. Sac High Principal Christina Williams-James recently authored an opinion editorial in the Sacramento Observer that highlights the work we are doing to successfully close the opportunity gap for low-income and disadvantaged students.
Scholars Success and Go Dragons!
President's Message
As we end Black History Month, I wanted to share some exciting news about our Sac High scholars who are shining in both the classroom and on the court. We are proud to be a part of Cal State Chico’s Fulbright Program and Sac High Principal Christina Williams-James shared our scholars’ academic successes in an opinion editorial in the Sacramento Observer. Our boys basketball team had a very exciting season making it to round one of the 2023 CIF State Boys Basketball Championships.
Scholars Celebrate Black History Month
February 2023
Throughout the month of February we are bringing in leaders, influencers, entrepreneurs, writers, educators, business people, artists, media personalities, chefs, sports personalities, and dreamers to talk to and inspire our scholars at PS7 and Sac High.
Black History Month at 40 Acres
February 2023
The Guild Theater is delighted to partner with Celebration Arts to host the play “Direct for Death Row: The Scottsboro Boys.” This moving play shares the African-American experience of overcoming discrimination. The play runs through March 5.
Dragons Basketball Celebrates Big Wins: Boys Basketball Team Advances to Section Finals and Girl’s Basketball Coach Celebrates 300 Wins
February 2023
The Sac High Boys basketball team had an exciting win on February 22 beating Placer High school 73 to 59. The Dragons led by Coach Matt Johnson, a Sac High alumni, are now 24-7. Sac High will face off against two-time defending Division III champion Vanden High School in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section finals at the Golden 1 Center at 4pm on Saturday, February 25. We hope you can come cheer our Dragons on! Ticket information can be found here.
Sac High Hosts International Teachers as Part of Cal State Chico’s Fulbright Program
We are thrilled to have hosted several international teachers of English as a Foreign Language at Sac High as part of Cal State Chico’s Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (FTEA). The teachers came to Sac High to learn about U.S. practices in teaching methodologies, lesson planning, service learning, and the use of technology in the classroom. FTEA program manager Heather Hacking says “we chose Sac High because it has a dynamic program that teaches students not only what they should learn, but that they CAN learn.”
Sac High Alumni Spotlight: Vicki Baugh ‘07 Alumni
February 8, 2023
On Senior Night on Wednesday, February 8, the #22 jersey of Sac High alum Vicki Baugh, NCAA women’s basketball champion and two-time USA gold medalist, was retired during a pre-game ceremony at Sac High.
Paving the Way for a Brighter Future
President's Message
Black History month is an important time of reflection and connectivity. It is a time to honor the past as we recognize how previous struggles connect to the present day and pave the way for a brighter future. An important part of this includes ensuring that our youth are connected to leaders who look like them and are from their communities. Hearing about their life journeys, struggles, career aspirations, and successes shows them that they too can achieve what they set their minds to.
Sacramento Charter High School kicks off Black History Month with local speaker chosen by students
Kevin Powers speaks at Sacramento High School in Sacramento, Calif. on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023
Amaya Pernell, a 17-year-old student at Sacramento Charter High school, said she was working at Underground Books when she came across “Not Today Fear!” written by Kevin Powers. She said Powers’ book confronts fear, an emotion that she said was familiar and found it “can really stop you from succeeding.”
When it came time to book speakers for her high school’s Black History month, she said she was determined to get Powers, a Sacramento native, in front of her classmates.
Sac High Alumni Spotlight: Briana Pruitt ‘22
January 13, 2023
Briana Pruitt is a Sacramento Charter High School alumni and first-generation college student currently attending UC Berkeley. She says Sac High’s emphasis on going to and through college along with her teachers’ encouragement played a big role in her pursuit of higher education. A pre-law major, Briana says a journalism class at Sac High piqued her interest in the legal system and after college she plans to go to law school to become a criminal justice attorney and later a judge.
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. By Showing Our Youth What is Possible
A message from the CEO
As we celebrate and honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to accompany nearly 50 St. HOPE scholars to the historic inauguration of the state’s first Black Controller Malia Cohen.
God And Great People Have Shown Up For Cynthia ‘Cynt’ Marshall
10.24.22
God And Great People Have Shown Up For Cynthia ‘Cynt’ Marshall
Cynthia “Cynt” Marshall was always destined for greatness.
The straight-A student was plucked out of the Richmond projects on a full-ride scholarship to UC Berkeley, going on to become one of the first Black female officers at AT&T. She walked with grace through a public battle with colon cancer in 2011, beating the stage-3 diagnosis and living to make history in 2018 when she became the NBA’s first Black female CEO as head of the Dallas Mavericks.
Oak Park hosts ‘First Friday’ as heat bears down across the region
ABC 10 - September 2, 2022
In Sacramento’s Oak Park neighborhood, community members braved the heat to check out the ‘First Friday’ block party
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The first Friday of September ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend was a hot one across Northern California, with temperatures rising above 100 degrees.
In Sacramento’s Oak Park neighborhood, community members braved the heat to visit the community block party from 32nd and 36th Street along Broadway.
Oak Park Black Film Festival
Capitol Public Radio 9.1.22
Oak Park’s foundation is Sacramento’s Black contributions, community, and history. And for the first time, the neighborhood is rolling out a “red carpet” of sorts. The inaugural Oak Park Black Film Festival will showcase more than a dozen films, as well as panel discussions over five days. Cassandra Jennings is the CEO of St. Hope and oversees a family of nonprofits committed to revitalizing Oak Park, joined Insight to provide a preview of the festival.