Tag: This Is Us

Profile: Irene Dallas, Opera San Jose
Profile of Irene Dalis – Up until her retirement in 1977, she was the principal artist at New York’s Metropolitan Opera for 20 consecutive seasons. She founded the Opera San Jose and is currently its General Director.

Profile: Eddie Gale, Musician
Eddie Gale is a trumpeter known for his work in free jazz, especially with the Sun Ra Arkestra. Gale has also performed with Cecil Taylor and John Coltrane. In 1974, Gale was named San Jose’s Ambassador of Jazz for his efforts to bring jazz to the city.

Profile: Goldsmith Seeds
Goldsmith Seeds is a family business that was started back in 1962, in Gilroy by Glenn Goldsmith. Three of his sons joined him in the business. Goldsmiths seeds are growing in many of the most famous gardens in the world. Update: The Goldsmith family sold their seed company to Syngenta in March of 2011.

Profile: Bob Culbertson, Watsonville Wetlands Watch
This area of California has been blessed by some extraordinary people and one of them has spent most of his lifetime in a valiant effort to protect our Wetlands. If you ever travel on Highway 1 through Watsonville, just off the freeway you’ll find a beautiful natural landscape teeming with plants and wildlife. Although few […]

Profile: Lisa Fraboni
Lisa Frabone is a Board Member and one of the driving forces of the San Jose Youth Symphony. Frabone has two children that are among the 250 member orchestra that make up the SJYS. The orchestra has been playing classical music for 57 years in San Jose and next summer they will tour in Chile […]

Profile: Terry Rinehart, Pilot
A fascinating story about one of America’s first female commercial airline pilots. Working in a “man’s world”, Terry’s perseverance and hard work enabled her to achieve her childhood dream.

Profile: Roy and P.J. Hirabayashi, San Jose Taiko
Roy Hirabayashi and his wife, P.J., helped found San Jose Taiko (SJT), a drumming ensemble and one of the earliest taiko groups in the United States. Under the leadership and artistic direction of the Hirabayashis, SJT recently celebrated its 35th anniversary.They have been keeping the beat in The Valley for 35 years. Update: Since we […]

Profile: Les Williams, Tuskegee Airman
Les Williams was one of World War II’s famed Tuskegee Airmen, a small group of African American combat pilots during World War II. In 2007, Williams and other Tuskegee Airmen were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their service. He is a longtime resident of San Mateo.

Profile: Luis Valdez, Playwright
Luis Valdez is the founder of the El Teatro Campesino in San Juan Bautista and is called the father of Chicano theater. His play Zoot Suit was the first Hispanic American play to reach Broadway. He followed the landmark show with the popular 1987 film La Bamba.