Welcome to the first Sacramento Bee Equity Lab newsletter
Dear Sacramentan,
It’s Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, and this is The Equity Lab’s first newsletter.
The Equity Lab is a community-funded journalism team that explores issues of equity, wealth, race, power and justice in the region. You can count on us to find the stories you can only tell in Sacramento.
Each week, our newsletter will bring you the news you need to stay informed, be engaged and feel empowered as residents of Sacramento County. We will also highlight work from other talented journalists at The Sacramento Bee and the latest on current events and national news that impact our daily lives.
3 things you need to know this week
The distribution of the coronavirus vaccine doses in Sacramento, California, must be done equitably, and that planning should start now. Our equity reporter wrote on what needs to be considered in the county’s vaccine rollout plan.
On Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, a violent, mostly white pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S Capitol with little to no interference from law enforcement. Black Americans say ”they would have been met with guns.”
Ray Charles, Sacramento’s first Black fire chief, passed away on Dec. 15, 2020. His family and community remember his life.
Community spotlight
Yousef Baig joined The Sacramento Bee as assistant opinion editor. Send him your ideas at ybaig@sacbee.com and @Yousefbaig on Twitter.
Read these now: Stories we found interesting
- Sacramento inspired comic book series, written by Sacramento native Brent Trayce Sands, centers on a single Black father with events, landmarks, and significant historical and cultural moments you can only find in Sacramento.
- California Latinas are making 42 cents to every dollar a white man makes, reports show. California lawmakers react. [Read it in Spanish.]
- One policy change could lead to better housing equity in wealthy neighborhoods in Sacramento, and some neighborhoods are fighting against it.
And follow us ...
We want to hear from you! Please send us your stories and thoughts to equitylab@sacbee.com. You can also follow us @equitylab_sac on Instagram and Twitter, and like us on Facebook at @EquityLabSac.
Like this newsletter? Forward it to a friend. They can sign up here.
Meet The Equity Lab team
Alex Yoon-Hendricks is our Equity reporter covering a wide range of issues from COVID-19 and community impact to housing and social justice. Alex can be reached at Ayoon-hendricks@sacbee.com and Twitter @ayoonhendricks.
Marcus Smith covers Sacramento County’s Black communities for The Sacramento Bee. Marcus can be reached at msmith@sacbee.com or on Twitter @sirmarcussmith.
Keiona Williamson is the Editor for The Equity Lab. Keiona can be reached at kwilliamson@sacbee.com or on Twitter @Kei_Williamson.
Jeong Park covers economic mobility in California for The Bee’s Capitol Bureau and The Equity Lab. Email him at jpark@sacbee.com or follow him on Twitter @JeongPark52.
Cathie Anderson covers health care for The Bee, and is a contributing writer for The Equity Lab. Reach Cathie at canderson@sacbee.com or on Twitter at @CathieA_SacBee.
Orizo Hajigurban is The Equity Lab’s engagement reporter. Write her at ohajigurban@sacbee.com.
Thank you for reading, and we will see you again next week!
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This story was originally published January 12, 2021 at 10:27 AM.