Out And About
By Jessica Laskey
September 2025
Fly Brave
New mural celebrates organization’s impact
Fly Brave on Broadway has a new mural decking the exterior wall.
The artwork honors the Fly Brave Autism Foundation, founded in 2016 to serve neurodivergent individuals who have aged out of the school system.
Founders Vanessa Bieker and her son John Almeda, who has nonverbal autism, launched a thrift store four years ago and a coffee shop earlier this year. The store and shop provide employment opportunities and generate funds to support programs and activities, such as art, graphic design, theater, fitness, fashion shows and social meetups, for the neurodiverse community.
The 74-by-15-foot mural was created by San Diego artist Elizabeth Brozek and dozens of volunteers. The artwork continues the coffee shop’s Palm Springs theme with vibrant colors, flamingos, cacti and a tribute to Almeda, a runner who has completed multiple marathons.
“We want this mural to be a beacon of light for our community,” Bieker says. “We hope when you drive by, you’ll feel happiness and sunshine!”
Follow Brozek on Instagram: @lizular.art. For information, visit flybrave.org.
HISTORIC BUILDING
A building that once housed a Land Park bowling alley on Freeport Boulevard has received designation on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources.
After a fire damaged the building in 2024, AMF Land Park Lanes closed. The building was scheduled for demolition, which triggered a historic preservation review.
The building is significant for its mid-century modern design and association with Japanese American and LGBTQ+ bowling leagues.
“We are happy to see this property gain its designation, as it has been a vital location for many groups to gather for decades and the building’s architectural style holds true to its time,” Historic Preservation Director Sean DeCourcy says.
NEW ANTHOLOGY
Escritores del Nuevo Sol/Writers of the New Sun holds a “Then and Now” book launch Saturday, Sept. 20.
First editions of the new anthology will be available, as well as food, music, dancing and bilingual poetry readings.
“We are one of the longer-running writing groups in the greater Sacramento area,” member JoAnn Anglin says. “Over the course of many years, we have created significant literary pieces and presentations, many of them bilingually.”
The book launch is 6–9 p.m. at Sol Collective at 2574 21st St. For information, visit escritoresdelnuevosol.org.
BREAKING SILENCE
A new art exhibit is at the Robert T. Matsui Gallery in City Hall through Sept. 17.
“Breaking the Silence on Gender-Based Violence” centers on experiences of survivors, including missing and murdered indigenous women, Black women, trans and nonbinary people, and individuals affected by intimate partner violence.
The exhibit is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
ADMISSION DAY
Celebrate California’s 175th birthday and Admission Day—the day California entered the Union and became the 31st state.
The free event is Wednesday, Sept. 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the west steps of the Capitol. Enjoy complimentary cake, ice cream and 1850s songs performed by a youth choir.
ZOO NEWS
Caribbean flamingo chicks have hatched at Sacramento Zoo.
Visit the fluffy birds who are born white and turn pink thanks to the carotenoid pigments in their food.
Also get tickets to the zoo’s annual fundraising Twilight Safari Gala on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 5:30–9 p.m. Enjoy drinks, appetizers, farm-to-fork dinner, and live and silent auctions under the stars.
Tickets are $300 (21 and older only). Sponsorships are available. For information, visit saczoo.org.
MURAL TOURS
Stroll Sacramento streets and alleyways on Walking Mural Tours of the R Street Corridor, Midtown and Downtown.
Each tour showcases more than 20 murals. Guides from Fleet Feet Sacramento share their knowledge with groups of up to 10. The excursions cover 2 to 3 miles and take about two hours.
Tours continue through October. Book a tour at muralwalks.com.
ART APP
See Sacramento through the eyes of artist Anthony Montanino with a free smartphone app that offers a self-guided tour of the city featuring locations captured in more than 60 of Montanino’s paintings.
Get a “Montanino on the Map” postcard at a local gallery (or visit bit.ly/4nhdj7r). Point your smartphone’s camera at the QR code to see a map with picture-frame icons.
Tap on an icon for a pop-up window with the painting of that location. The map will give you walking or driving directions to the building or scene in the painting.
MOBILE VET CLINIC
Front Street Animal Shelter has launched a mobile veterinary clinic that provides exams, vaccinations, treatments, and spay and neuter services in the field.
To volunteer, visit cityofsacramento.gov/community-development/animal-care.
SHELTER DONATION
The Bradshaw Animal Shelter received nearly $188,000 from the estate of William F. Price, an Army veteran, former Sacramento County Child Welfare Services worker and animal advocate.
The donation will fund a new dental table for the veterinary hospital and mobile clinics that bring free or low-cost veterinary services to pet owners in underserved areas.
Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
