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Jessica Laskey

Journalist

About This Author

Jessica Laskey is a freelance writer and professional actress who has lived and worked in Sacramento, San Francisco, Dallas, New York City and Paris. She is also the co-founder of Theater Galatea and Indomita Press.

Articles by this author

In The Same Boat

On the water, rowers can’t think about much else. Rhythm and teamwork take concentration. Or as Shari Lowen puts it, when you’re in the boat, you’re in the boat.

This works for Lowen and her fellow ROWsist members. Lowen founded ROWsist rowing group within the River City Rowing Club in 2023 for cancer survivors like herself.

She wanted to “give people who’ve been through cancer an opportunity to use their bodies and minds” along with “the community and emotional aspect of doing something together.”

Culture Keeper

Bill Cerruti just returned from his annual trip to Italy. It was work and play.

Cerruti and his wife, a native of Lucca, lead tours as part of their work running the Italian Cultural Society, which they founded in 1981.

As a young man, a proud Italian American and East Sacramento native, Cerruti searched for a cultural organization to meet other young Italians and stay in touch with his roots. When the Italian American club system didn’t click with him, he started his own group.

Green Light

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Kimberly Cargile is sold on cannabis. As CEO of an East Sacramento dispensary called A Therapeutic Alternative, Cargile spends her days advocating for the long-maligned plant.

“There’s overwhelming positive research (about the benefits of cannabis),” Cargile says. “It’s sad that anybody would let the stigma stop them from advancing science.”

Cargile was a pre-med college student but found herself drawn toward natural medicine. Studies in herbalism, cannabis, yoga, reiki hands-on healing and pharmacology followed.

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It Figures

It’s hard to refuse a request from artist and philanthropist Marcy Friedman. Pat Mahony understands this firsthand. She recalls Friedman “confronting” her to suggest they start a life drawing class together.

Mahony’s first instinct was to say no—she hadn’t drawn figures since college—but she was soon convinced. Her mother recently died and Mahony felt a void.

After two weeks of hesitation, she told Friedman if a good group came together, Mahony would relent. Under Friedman’s guidance, Fred Dalkey, Boyd Gavin and Jian Wang signed up. Mahony couldn’t refuse.