Interesting People

Labor of Love

For the first time in a long while, Lili Bach feels like she’s in the right place.

After spending 14 years on the East Coast as a union organizer, the Napa native is back on her home turf as United Way California Capital Region’s new labor liaison director.

“Activism runs in my blood,” says Bach, a Downtown resident. “I love doing work with labor and changing lives on the frontlines.”

Women have no problem talking about all the things that suck about themselves,” laments Catherine la O’. “My work is about taking the stories we’ve been told about who we are and transitioning that mindset to something that feels more authentic. We’ve been told a story of limitation, but it’s not true.”

Technically, la O’ is a yoga teacher, but she’s more than that. Through her virtual studio Liminal Space, clients can take classes in various styles of yoga and engage in “shadow work,” a process of personal introspection and examination based on the psychology of Carl Jung. The goal is to rid clients of limiting self-beliefs in favor of greater self-expression.

Passing The Baton

Giuliano Kornberg’s excitement is palpable.

After five years as the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera’s go-to fundraiser, Kornberg has stepped into the role of executive director.

“I’m incredibly fortunate,” Kornberg says of his selection to succeed Alice Sauro, a fellow Minnesota native who helped the organization reach new heights during her nearly seven-year tenure. “The board could have looked for a more experienced person—I’m only 28—but I had the very lucky combination of knowing people, being here for five years and having a really supportive boss, organization, staff and board. I’m so honored, it’s really humbling.”

Abounding PRIDE

As pandemic lockdowns began, California’s unemployment rate spiked from 4.3 percent to 16 percent. The economic collapse might have devastated one of the Sacramento region’s major organizations—PRIDE Industries, with 5,500 employees and revenue of $300 million.

But PRIDE marched forward, bolstered by its legacy of providing essential services in areas such as facility maintenance, custodial and landscaping. About 60 percent of PRIDE’s employees are people with disabilities, but much of the workforce stayed on the job.

“In the facilities maintenance space, workloads increased as a result of disinfecting requirements that most companies were putting into place,” says Vic Wursten, PRIDE’s chief rehabilitation officer.

Free Access

Thirteen years ago, John Hamilton left Sacramento to pursue a career in digital music production. He harbored a deep passion for DJing and knew he would not be able to meet his goals if he stayed in his hometown. There simply weren’t any opportunities in the sleepy Capital City.

“In 2007, you had to be in a music city—an LA, a New York, a Nashville, an Atlanta—to really network, make moves,” Hamilton says. “Unfortunately, Sacramento has been shipping talent away to places like LA and New York.”

Having enjoyed success as a touring DJ, Hamilton’s back with a vision for his hometown that speaks to his passion for paying it forward. He believes expanded access to music production education can benefit the Sacramento community in multifarious ways, ranging from economic to emotional.

A Sensory Journey

Gabrielle Myers joins Inside Sacramento this month as our new Farm to Fork columnist. Her work celebrates and explores the region’s remarkable bounty of food.