West Sacramento Kwanzaa celebrations focus on helping others

KWANZAA, AND ORGANIZERS IN WEST SACRAMENTO HIGHLIGHTED A SPECIAL NONPROFIT TO HONOR THE HOLIDAY. OVER THE WEEKEND, WE WENT OUT TO THE 22ND ANNUAL KWANZAA VENDOR FAIR AT THE CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL AWARENESS ON SUNDAY. THIS WAS THE FOURTH DAY OF KWANZAA, WHICH FOCUSES ON BUILDING UP LOCAL BUSINESSES. THE NONPROFIT SIERRA DONOR SERVICES WAS THERE TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR WORK. THEY SAY MORE THAN 20,000 PEOPLE HERE IN CALIFORNIA ARE WAITING FOR LIFE SAVING ORGAN TRANSPLANTS, AND 80% OF THEM ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR. WE SPOKE TO ONE MAN WHO RECEIVED A HEART TRANSPLANT, SERVING AS AN ADVOCATE AT THE EVENT. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WITH TRANSPLANTATION, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HEART, THE BIGGEST GROUP OUT THERE THAT IS IN NEED OF A HEART ARE BLACK MEN. AND THE GROUP THAT IS TRANSPLANTED THE LEAST IS BLACK MEN. SO FOR ME, WHEN I WHEN I HEAR THAT AND LIVING THAT, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS FOR ME THAT, YOU KNOW, I WON ALMOST LIKE I WON THE LOTTERY IN BOTH WAYS, IN THAT WAY. AND FOR ME, IT'S ALSO A WAY COMING HERE TODAY. IT'S SOMETHING TO HELP GIVE BACK. AND JUST TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, AFTER A TRANSPLANT, THE BEAUTY THAT YOU CAN HAVE IN LIFE AND ALSO THE THE BEAUTY THAT IT DOES DO FOR OTHERS, IT'S SUCH A GREAT GIFT. HE WENT ON TO SAY ORGAN DONATION ALSO LEANS INTO THE SPIRIT OF KWANZAA, SAYING YOU'RE HELPING OTHERS. THE SEVENTH AND FINAL DAY OF KWANZAA TOMORROW I