Archived Radio Show

June 9, 2025

Original Radio Show  ID:
WSA250609

Listen to the Show on the Mp3 Player below

Duration 57 minutes

.

---

Featuring

Click the Name to access the Segment below

1. Commentary by our Host, Elaine B. Holtz,

2. Guest Katrina Phiilips, Chairperson, Sonoma County Commission on Human Rights, live from Immigrants' March from Vacaville to Sacramento, with Pink Pony Prom on June 22 announcement

3. Guest Dr. Andrea Hall, RN, Writer and Personal Coach, on the upcoming 55th Annual MLK/Juneteenth Community Celebration on June 14

3b. Guest Enid Pickett, Poet, Playwrite, Teacher, on her Juneteenth play staged table reading Juneteenth for Freedom Festival on June 19 and 20

 ----

----   

1. Commentary by our Host, Elaine B. Holtz:  Elaine announces an upcoming event with Katrina Phillips, Chair of the Sonoma County Human Rights Commission. Katrina is organizing The Prom We Never Had - the Pink Pony Prom, taking place on June 22 at the Arlene Francis Center. This 21+ event invites attendees to don formal wear, pink attire, or cowboy/cowgirl/cowperson-themed outfits for a night of celebration. Co-hosted by the Arlene Francis Center and the Human Rights Commission, the prom will feature free snacks, music, food trucks, artwork, informational resources, and upbeat, inclusive vibes. It aims to provide joyful community space, especially for those who may have missed out on prom experiences due to exclusion or discrimination.

Katrina also joins the broadcast from the road, as she participates in a three-day Immigration March from Vacaville to Sacramento, advocating for comprehensive immigration reform. The host praises Katrina’s passion and commitment, wishing more women showed such drive for social justice.

Additionally, the host highlights the upcoming MLK/Juneteenth celebration in Sonoma County on June 14, honoring its 55th year. A powerful tribute is given to Mrs. Martel Perry, a trailblazing Black woman who began Sonoma County’s Juneteenth tradition in 1954. Denied access to public pools for her children, she built her own, symbolizing resistance and resilience. Her legacy continues through her granddaughter, Syndi Davenport, who honors her through performances and family gatherings.

Two distinguished guests also join in-studio: Dr. Andrea Hall, Director of Community Engagement for the North Bay Black Chamber of Commerce, and Enid Pickett, a poet, educator, and Healdsburg Jazz Poet Laureate. Their presence reflects the depth of Black leadership and artistic expression in the region. Together, these events and voices underscore the ongoing fight for equality and the celebration of culture, pride, and justice.

2. Our Guest, Katrina Phillips speaks with Elaine B. Holtz about two key topics: an immigration reform march and an upcoming LGBTQ+ pride event called The Prom We Never Had - the Pink Pony Prom. Katrina, calling from under an overpass near Davis, California, describes participating in a peaceful but determined 3-day march in California from Vacaville to Sacramento for immigration reform, advocating for "papers for all" and the dignity of long-established immigrant families. She emphasizes the movement’s commitment to justice, security, and community solidarity across races and ages.

Above Photo by Katrina Philips of her in the Immigration March June 9, 2025

Shifting focus, Katrina, chair of the Human Rights Commission, discusses organizing a joyful, inclusive prom event as part of Pride celebrations. In response to increasing threats against LGBTQIA+ rights, especially under current political leadership, she wanted to create a space for visibility, resistance, and celebration. The event, inspired by the song Pink Pony Club, is about reclaiming joy and honoring queer identities, especially for those who never experienced a prom due to discrimination or exclusion.

Set for June 22 at the Arlene Francis Center, the prom will feature DJs, art, poetry, and free food, aiming to be a vibrant celebration of pride and resilience. Katrina highlights that pride is about survival, visibility, and love in the face of systemic challenges.

---- 

About our Guest: Katrina Phillips moved to Santa Rosa 10 years ago from Los Angeles where she was an actor and also worked as a counselor for at risk youth. She has been a volunteer with Fire Pet Rescue and Reunification since the Tubbs Fire, a member of the Sonoma County Human Trafficking Task Force and is currently the Chair of the Commission on Human Rights. Katrina has recently joined West County Community Services as a Service Navigator assisting the homeless.

Guest Links:

Sonoma County Commission on Human Rights, Ad hoc Committees, Meeting Schedule: Click Here for website.

Guest Event:

Pink Pony Adult Prom:  https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/pink-pony-adult-prom

Immigration March Vacaville to Sacramento [finished event]: https://www.pjcsoco.org/event---3-day-walk-for-immigrants.html    

3. Our Guests Dr. Andrea Hall and Enid Pickett:  In this interview, host Elaine B. Holtz welcomes poet and educator Enid Pickett and Dr. Andrea Hall, nurse, writer, and Director of Community Engagement for the North Bay Black Chamber of Commerce. The conversation begins with personal introductions, revealing each woman’s deep community roots and commitment to activism. Pickett identifies as a creative activist focused on education and justice, emphasizing visibility as a person of color in Sonoma County. Dr. Hall shares her background as a Sonoma County native raised in a civically engaged family and her path through nursing, metaphysical studies, and pain reprocessing therapy.

The discussion centers on the importance of Juneteenth, with Hall describing it as a celebration of cultural pride and resilience, while Pickett draws on the African concept of Sankofa to stress the importance of historical memory. Both warn against the erasure of Black history from public discourse.

They share their personal journeys in Juneteenth celebrations: Hall recalls her family’s foundational role in organizing local events, while Pickett discusses how a Juneteenth-themed poem evolved into a book and inspired a play during a visit to rural Georgia. Her play, exploring a Black family’s journey across three eras—1865, 1963, and 2025—will be performed during Sonoma County’s Freedom Festival. The poem and play explore themes of freedom, ancestry, and identity.

The interview closes with reflections on civil rights, the enduring fight for equality, and the unifying power of cultural celebrations. Hall highlights the 55th Santa Rosa MLK/Juneteenth Festival at Courthouse Square on June 12, featuring music, food, and youth activities. Pickett’s play Juneteenth will be table read on June 19 and 20. The guests and host emphasize the ongoing relevance of Juneteenth in honoring the full humanity and contributions of Black Americans.

About our Guest:  Dr. Andrea Hall, PhD, RN, MA, was born and raised in Santa Rosa, CA. Andrea's academic journey was a diverse one, with interests spanning science, sociology, health, spirituality, and physical education. Her pursuit of knowledge in these areas led to her earning degrees and licenses in nursing, multicultural studies, metaphysics, and physical fitness from the Santa Rosa Jr. College, Sonoma State University, the University of Sedona, and the San Francisco Theological Seminary. Andrea’s current focus is on writing works of fiction about her favorite life experiences, including nursing, spirituality, love, and family. She recently published her first nonfiction book, Wake Up! Get Up in the Morning Feeling Happy to Be Alive Instead of Wishing You Hadn’t Woken Up. 

Guest Links:

Wake Up book website:  https://drandreahall.com/ 

Mind-Body-Spirit Therapies by Dr. Andrea Hall website: https://litnurse.com/

Guest Event:

June 14, 2025, 10 AM to 6 PM, MLK/Juneteenth Festival, (new venue) Old Courthouse  Square, Santa Rosa, CA. Free and Family Friendly. Be sure to visit our Women's Spaces booth shared with Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow,  https://www.sonomacountyjuneteenth.com/. (see poster under Announcements below.

About our Guest: Enid Pickett  is a poet, writer, and teacher. With over 30 years of teaching experience, she has served as a master teacher at Sonoma State University, as well as on the Advisory Board of Learning for Justice. She also trained with NEA Human and Civil Rights Department as a Diversity Trainer for 15 years, and she was a Commissioner on the Status of Women in Sonoma County.

Enid sang in the Healdsburg Freedom Jazz Choir for several years. In 2020, she became the Poet Laureate for Healdsburg Jazz. She has appeared at the San Francisco Jazz Center and The Raven Theater. She is one of the founding members of an Edutainment Women’s Collective, The Nubian Café Collective. Enid lives in Sonoma County Wine Country, Windsor, California. She is the author/director of Juneteenth, a staged reading of her play about Juneteenth. Enid is the author of Through the Eyes of Enid.

Guest Link:

Enid Pickett's website with new book Through the Eyes of Enid :  www.enidpickett.com

Guest Events:

   Thursday and Fridday, June 19 & 20, 2025  Enid Pickett's Play/Poem Juneteenth reading at New Vintage Church, Santa Rosa, CA, Virtual and in person, Donation, RSVP at https://freedomfestivalusa.org/event/juneteenth-table-reading-play-written-directed-by-enid-pickett/

----

Our History Is Our Strength

Check out important dates to remember in Herstory at the National Women's History Alliance, where the date descriptions were sourced unless otherwise indicated.

Special thank you to the National Women’s History Alliance for making women’s history alive. Shout out to Co-Founder and Retiring Executive Director, Molly McGregor who will be on the show when we celebrate Women’s History Month in March for making the fabulous list of Women in History where I get most of the info I present in this Herstory segment.

Herstory Birthdays:

June 12, 1892 (1982) – Djuna Barnes, artist and journalist, author of Nightwood. Nightwood is a 1936 novel by American author Djuna Barnes that was first published by publishing house Faber and Faber. It is one of the early prominent novels to portray explicit homosexuality between women, and as such can be considered lesbian literature.

----

Announcements  

Monday, June 16, 2025 11 AM # repeats 11 PM PT, the show features a new segment Men Spaces with Host Ken Norton interviewing Lee Pierce on his new book Rare Vintage - Growing up Black in Wine Country.  Radio KBBF 89.1 FM, North SF Bay or live streaming at https://kbbf.org/live  

---- 

Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 10 AM PT, the show is a repeat of our show of 6/16/25 that features a new segment Men Spaces with Host Ken Norton interviewing Lee Pierce on his new book Rare Vintage - Growing up Black in Wine Country.  Radio KPCA 103.3 FM, Petaluma, CA. https://petalumacommunityaccess.org/kpca 

----

Wednesdays, June 4 - 25, 2025, 6-7 PM PDT, Interactive Discussions on Living and Working in Community, Virtual Meeting. Online series guided by Starhawk and Charles Williams, a mixed format of presentation and group conversations.
June 4th: Self-Care
June 11th: Negotiation in Community
June 18th: Meeting Facilitation
June 25th: Dealing with Difficult People Click Here to register..

----

June 14, 2025, 10 AM to 6 PM, MLK/Juneteenth Festival, (new venue) Old Courthouse  Square, Santa Rosa, CA. Free and Family Friendly. Be sure to visit our Women's Spaces booth shared with Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow,  https://www.sonomacountyjuneteenth.com/.

-----

Saturday, June 14, 2025, 11 AM to 3 PM, No Kings - Mass Protest Nationwide, See for more info and how to get involved in Sonoma County at https://www.mobilize.us/indivisiblesonomacounty/event/785323/ and nationwide find an event at https://www.nokings.org/

----

Thursday, June 19, 2025, 12:30 - 1:30 PM Freedom Festival: Opening Conversation, Free Virtual event, RSVP: https://freedomfestivalusa.org/event/freedom-festival-opening-conversation-25/#rsvp-now  

Freedom Festival is from June 19th to July 4th every year, with discussion groups scheduled all year, see description at https://freedomfestivalusa.org/.

Thursday, June 19, 2025, 7 9 PM, Juneteenth Table Reading Play written & directed by Enid Pickett, Hybrid event, In-person:New Vintage Church 3300 Sonoma Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA. Donations accepted, A Stage Play about love. Love of Family, Faith, and Freedom Three acts: 1865-1963-2025. A black family's journey of struggle and survival living in the USA. Experience this event in person or watch it streaming live. A second reading will occur on June 20th. Enid Picket is the Poet Laureate of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. RSVP for live or virtual event: https://freedomfestivalusa.org/event/juneteenth-table-reading-play-written-directed-by-enid-pickett/

----

Ongoing:

Every Wednesday the Peace and Justice Center of Sonoma County (PJCSC) issues new weekly list of events and links to community non-profit organizations. It includes ongoing peace and human rights rallies and protests, and those sponsored by the  Community United to Resist Fascism (CURF) of which PJCSC is a member : Website www.pjcsoco.org

----

Every Sunday, Palestine Support Sunday, 2- 4 pm, Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa, CA

----

Every Thursday, Rally for Veterans Health Benefits, Protesting Potential Cuts to VA Funding, VA Center, 2285 Challenger Way, Santa Rosa, CA

----

Take action every day - Calendar: https://indivisiblesoco.org/calendar/

----

The North Bay Organizing Project - Rapid Response Project

https://www.northbayop.org/nbrrn

Music Selections

The Opening and Closing Theme song The Woman in Your Life is You is done with permission of the Composer and Singer Alix Dobkin ((August 16, 1940 – May 19, 2021) Alix Dobkin death was just announced - Thank you for all you did for Lesbians to be recognized and Women to be honored. May you rest in peace. See our Interview with Alix Dobkin on 12/1/2014 and our Memorial to Alix Dobkin on 5/24/2021

The Woman in Your Life is You by Alix Dobkin from the album Living with Lavender Jane (2010 Woen's Wax Works) - www.alixdobkin.com

Lift Every Voice and Sing, sung by the The Joslin Grove Choral Society, from the album 100 Hits Hymns and Praises  (2008 Madcay Christians)

Heal The World, sung by Candance Payne, from the single Heal The World (2016 Candance Payne)

----

For music purchasing opportunity, supporting the artists: