Celebrating Black History Month in Northern California: ABC10 profiles

CALIFORNIA, USA — Every February, we celebrate Black History Month to recognize Black people, history and culture.

Black History Month, first celebrated in 1976, stems from decades of organized efforts led by Historian Carter G. Woodson, who dedicated his life to researching, preserving and sharing Black History and experiences in America.

This year’s Black History Month theme is “African Americans and Labor,” highlighting the deep connections between labor, Black History and culture. It also recognizes the community’s long fight against economic and social injustice — work that’s shaped U.S., African and the broader Diaspora, according to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).

To celebrate and honor Black History Month, Black community members across Northern California share their journeys pursuing music, entrepreneurship, entertainment, advocacy and faith.  

Valonne Smith, a California transplant from Gary, Indiana, is the first in her family to become a business owner. In 2015, she founded Natural Do in Stockton, creating a space for people with kinky, curly and wavy textures to get their hair done.

Her journey began at 17 when she made the “big chop,” cutting off her relaxed hair and embracing her natural texture. As she learned more about hair care, her curls grew healthier and flourished, catching the attention of those around her. Eager to share her knowledge, Smith began hosting workshops and seminars nationwide, empowering others to embrace their hair journey. She even authored the book, “Girl, Get Your Hair Back!“

While working in the Bay Area’s biotech and business development industry, Smith and her husband moved to Stockton to be closer to his family. There, she noticed a gap — no dedicated space for “curl friends” to get their hair done. So, she took a leap of faith, leaving her job to follow her passion. The leap paid off, Natural Do has since expanded to San Jose and San Diego and was even named one of Essence magazine’s top 30 salons in the country for natural hair care.

Proud of her success, Smith stays committed to giving back, offering free workshops to educate the community on hair care. For her, being a business owner is not just a personal triumph but a way to honor her father, who once dreamed of starting his own business but had to prioritize providing for his family. Now, she’s excited to build a legacy and pass that dream on to future generations.

Her advice to Black women looking to start their own business is simple: just start. Smith encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to start small and test their services and products within the community to determine what works best.

Born and raised in Stockton, Tony Gladney is a passionate advocate for his community. As the Director of Community Engagement at nonprofit San Joaquin A+, he helps connect high school students with career pathways by partnering with schools, colleges and employers to offer opportunities leading to paid summer internships.

Gladney’s “heart work” began with supporting young people impacted by the system, whether through juvenile detention, probation or foster care. He credits his parents for pouring so much love and support into him and his siblings that he had “extra to give” to his community. Since 2018, he’s been the emcee for the Stockton Kings and now works with the Stockton Ports, energizing big crowds and making unforgettable experiences. Gladney also hosts Delta Flows, a podcast from Restored the Delta, focused on California’s complex water system, particularly surrounding the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Gladney proudly represents his hometown, with many, including Stockton’s former mayor, calling him “the voice of Stockton.” Though he shies away from the spotlight, Gladney views the title as a responsibility to uplift others. He’s doing this by blending his work in community organizing and entertainment, creating opportunities for young people to attend sporting events they might not otherwise have access to — hoping to create lasting memories and experiences.

For Black History Month and in today’s political climate, Gladney encourages people to be loud and unapologetically themselves. Above all, he hopes to see more spaces where young people and those who feel unheard can find their voice.  

Beti Girma, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and music teacher known on stage as Beti Masenqo, is deeply committed to her craft. Blending Ethiopian culture with Western influences, she creates a distinctive sound and meaningful lyrics tackling themes like the African immigrant experience and mental health. Her journey to this point has been anything but straightforward.

Born in Ethiopia and raised in Davis, Girma’s musical journey began in fourth grade when she joined her school’s orchestra as a violinist. But after her family moved to Elk Grove in high school, she stopped playing altogether. Girma didn’t think a music career was possible, especially since she rarely saw anyone who looked like her in the field. Watching her peers excel in classical music from a young age, she felt it was too late to catch up. On top of that, as an immigrant, she faced familial pressure to pursue a more stable career, earning an engineering degree. But music never stopped calling, and eventually, she made the bold decision to leave her job and follow her passion.

Since then, Girma has released multiple singles and toured Northern California with the indie-alternative band Angelite. Rekindling her love for classical music, she is now a graduate student at Sacramento State, studying violin performance.

Proud to play both folk and classical violin, Beti Girma aims to inspire others — especially Black musicians, who are often underrepresented in these genres. She highlights folk music’s African roots, particularly within old-time and bluegrass traditions, and views her presence in the indie music scene as a form of reclamation. Her stage name, “Masenqo,” pays homage to the traditional Ethiopian stringed instrument, reflecting her cultural heritage and artistic journey.

For Girma, Black History Month is about uplifting Black voices and celebrating Black artistry. As an Ethiopian immigrant, she believes understanding the history of Black people both in the United States and across the African continent is essential to appreciating the full depth of the diaspora. 

Growing up in New York, Chris Lodgson learned the power of advocacy from his family and neighbors. They instilled in him the belief that standing up for yourself was essential.

That belief was put to the test in his 20s when he became unhoused and experienced the harsh realities of New York’s shelter system. Frustrated, he wrote down a list of everything wrong with the shelters and passed it around, asking others to sign if they shared his concerns. Within hours, he had over a hundred signatures. Faced with the growing pushback, the shelter’s leadership was forced to make changes.

Lodgson later moved to California to continue his advocacy. During that time, he became involved in online discussions about reparations for Black Americans in the state. What started as virtual conversations soon grew into in-person meetings, laying the foundation for a movement.

Today, Lodgson serves as the lead organizer and advocate for the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California, an all-volunteer organization focused on securing reparations for descendants of enslaved Black Californians. He worked alongside then Assemblymember, now California Secretary of State, Dr. Shirley Weber, to introduce and pass groundbreaking legislation establishing the California Reparations Task Force. This nine-member group was tasked with documenting the impact and harm of slavery in California, educating the public and making legislative recommendations for reparations.

Lodgson emphasizes the task force found a direct link between slavery and the racial wealth gap Black Americans face today. He said his ancestors were forced into over 200 years of unpaid labor under the U.S. government — labor that, he believes, entitles their descendants to reparations.

For Lodgson, Black History Month is a time to honor the trailblazers like Callie House, Isaiah Dickerson and Audley “Queen Mother” Moore, whose efforts paved the way for reparations. It’s also an opportunity to recognize those making history today and reflect on what that will mean for future generations.

A fourth-generation preacher’s kid, AmunDayo Edwards often says he was “born under a pew.” Raised in the Church of God in Christ, he split his childhood between Los Angeles and Sacramento. Edwards credits the church with keeping him out of trouble, steering him away from the streets and into the wrong crowd. Yet, even as a child, he found himself questioning the God he had been taught to worship. 

Growing up, Edwards rarely encountered openly LGBTQ individuals and when he did, he was warned to stay away. Assigned female at birth, he spent much of his early life living as such, but in his 20s, he began to realize he was attracted to women. He struggled with his sexuality, fearing for his salvation and questioning whether he could still be “saved” in the eyes of God. So, around the age of 30 as an out lesbian woman, he left the Church of God in Christ and began a lifelong journey toward self-acceptance.

It was then he discovered a Church for All Metropolitan Community Churches where he was struck by LGBTQ men and women pastors leading congregations with pride and acceptance. For the first time, Edwards felt he had found his place, his family. Called to ministry, he served for over a decade but still felt like something was missing.

He long abandoned traditional femininity, believing for years he was simply two-spirit, embodying both female and male identities. But after the loss of a dear friend, Bobby Jean Baker — a “beautiful trans woman” who often told Edwards he was going to transition — he had a talk with God that changed his life.

In May 2014, Edwards began his transition, embracing his identity as a man and feeling freer than ever. That same year, he founded Integrated Praise Spiritual Center, a church centered around acceptance, authenticity and love. The church welcomes people as they are and celebrates the divine in all its forms.

Living in what he calls a “very trying time as a country,” Edwards sees Black History Month as a time for action. He refuses to sit idly by while the rights of his community are threatened. His ministry is offering support and a safe space for the LGBTQ community. 

The Race and Culture team’s mission is to serve our diverse communities through authentic representation, community engagement and equitable reporting.

Accomplishing our goals of inclusive reporting requires hearing from you. Is there a person or place that you want us to highlight? Email us at raceandculture@abc10.com or fill out the form below. 

Watch more Race and Culture stories: North Sacramento residents tired of their neighborhood being a ‘dumping ground’