‘Time To Elevate’

Robert J. Hansen | OBSERVER Staff Writer An interactive stage play that brought awareness of as well as solutions to the devastation plaguing the Black community played to two capacity crowds of 200 people at the Guild Theater in Oak Park on May 11. “We Are One, Hear Our Humble Cry,” hosted by Always Knocking Inc. in partnership with Arts Business Collaborative, highlighted gun violence, domestic violence and fentanyl poisoning in the Black community. Gregory King, CEO of Always Knocking Inc., said the message was that the community no longer can remain idle and must find ways of solving these issues together. “We can do more than just waiting. It’s time for us to step out of our comfort zone and do something about it by coming together,” King said. Black people made up more than half of all Sacramento County gun violence victims from 2019-2023, the OBSERVER recently reported. The OBSERVER also reported that 89 Black people in the county died from fentanyl poisoning in 2023 – 24% of all fentanyl-related deaths, a significant increase over 2021 and 2022. The production had two parts, the first half focusing on the problems and the second centering on elevating the community....