Launching Missiles At Goats: Iraqi Refugee And Comedian Yaseen Mazin Finds Humor In Tragedy
Yaseen Mazin was six years old when he first saw U.S. soldiers in his Baghdad neighborhood. His family fled, and as a teenager he was living in a Sacramento suburb. That’s when his older brother played him a George Carlin comedy special. It had an impact, and today he works through his past — and speaks up for refugees — as a stand-up comedian, finding the humor in tragedy.
Meet Sacramento's 'Book Angel'
Patricia Dansby has been around the world in her time serving in the Air Force. She settled in Sacramento and worked for the state of California until she retired 13 years ago. But despite that public service, she's better known by another title: Book Angel.
She has spent the past 11 years promoting literacy by distributing free books throughout Northern California at little free libraries, government offices, and nonprofits. With donations from the Friends of the Sacramento Public Library and others, Dansby not only supplies the little free libraries locally but sends books throughout the United States and even Ghana.
Dansby has only increased her drive in the past two years, making sure that books were accessible to as many people as possible throughout the pandemic.
A Year At Encina: "When Soccer Is The Common Language"
From the streets of El Salvador, Iraq and Sacramento, the boys of Encina’s varsity soccer team band together and win game after game. Despite a lack of common language, the powerhouse team figures it out, finding friendship and purpose through their love the sport. Devoted to their coach, the boys learn lessons they can use on and off the field.
'That ugly game': an Iraqi war survivor reflects on the invasion of Ukraine
Mazin Alhaidari lived through more than two and a half decades of war and sanctions in his native Baghdad, Iraq, before settling in the Sacramento area in 2008.
Those experiences have led him to avoid news reports about the war in Ukraine, but is sympathetic to the suffering of people who are dying and facing sanctions. Alhaidari describes war as being between politicians and governments, and not benefiting regular people in any way.
“I don’t want anybody to face what we faced before,” he said from his Carmichael home.
Alhaidari offered reflections on his own experiences in light of the war in Ukraine and lessons he has learned.