Ben Shelton understands representation has mattered in his family’s tennis trajectory. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
Representation matters. Seeing people who look like you matters.
It’s hard to grow up dreaming you want do something when you don’t see other people like you doing it. Whatever it is.
That’ why this year’s U.S. Open tennis tournament that ended last Sunday was historic. Kinda sad, though, that it’s 2026 and we are making this kind of history. But progress is still progress.
Historically, tennis has been a sport for white people with a certain income level. I grew up playing on public courts; mostly at the local high school. While my parents were middle class—not upper—I had the privilege to take private lessons. I didn’t know it was a privilege at the time.
As a kid, I saw women playing tennis on TV at the highest echelons. I thought it was normal that women competed at this level and were on TV. As a white girl, I was represented.
I also remember seeing Arthur Ashe, a Black man, play. I remember Yannik Noah and Zina Garrison, and later Chanda Rubin and Michael Chang.
I know I gave it zero thought about how few people of color were playing at this level or my level.
Taylor Townsend last weekend became only the third Black woman in the whole world to complete a career grand slam in women’s doubles. The other two are Venus and Serena Williams. This means they have each won the four grand slam tournaments.
When Ben Shelton walked onto Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sept. 13 he was the first Black American man to play in the singles finals since Ashe did so in 1972. In fact, Shelton is the Black American to make it to any grand final since 1996 when MaliVai Washington was in the Wimbledon finals.
Shelton after his semifinals win credited Ashe for paving the way for his dad, Bryan, to play, and therefore for himself to be where he was that day.
That semifinal against Francis Tiafoe was also historic. It was the first time two Black American men played in a U.S. Open semifinal.
Ashe won the U.S. Open in 1968. The stadium was named after him in 1997. It is the largest tennis-only venue in the world.
Ashe died in 1993 before he could see his name on the tennis facility. He died from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1993 after contracting the disease from a blood transfusion.
No other Black man—not just an American Black man—besides Ashe has won the men’s singles titles at the U.S. Open or Australian Open or Wimbledon.
If you don’t think representation still matters, then maybe you should consider yourself privileged—and ignorant.
Sutter Buttes in the Central Valley is a remote state park without public access. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
While it’s called Peace Valley, in some ways it is still contentious land. That’s because this state park in Northern California is surrounded by private property; and some owners would just assume the state not be involved.
The park doesn’t even have a name even though the state has owned the nearly 1,800 acres since 2003. It’s referred to as the State Park at Sutter Buttes. It’s been known as the Sutter Buttes since 1927; and is considered the smallest mountain range in the United States.
On the last Tuesday of April a group of hikers with OLLI were led on about a 4-mile excursion by a State Parks’ employee.
This was my second hike in the Buttes. Four years ago I hiked North Butte with the Middle Mountain group, a nonprofit that leads interpretive hikes in the Sutter Buttes. The only way to access the Buttes and the park is to know someone or be with an organized group.
On the more recent trek, beyond the natural beauty, it was the wild pigs and the Pugh homestead that captured my attention.
It’s surmised these animals were introduced by landowners in the 1970s. They are prolific reproducers, with 2.5 litters a year the norm, with seven to 11 in a litter. One problem is there is not predator for the pig, so the population easily grows.
“They can rototill an area overnight,” the docent said. “If you can’t control the pigs, you can’t do restoration.”
While it’s been three years since this park had uncontrolled cattle grazing, the cows and pigs have damaged natural springs, with the pigs continuing to destroy the land.
This park has no dedicated funding; it gets about $85,000 a year. So, a true concerted effort to control the pigs has not happened. Some trapping has occurred. Pig hunts have been talked about. The answer to this pig problem is still unresolved.
While we saw two groups of pigs, it was at a distance. Along parts of the hike we saw various spots where they had left their mark.
John Sutter was the first white person to lay claim to land in the Buttes. Part of the hike was along the old road that took wagons into Marysville.
Aaron Pugh put up stakes in this valley in about 1830 when he was in his 30s. For his third wife Pugh built a nine-room house that was perfect for entertaining. Water was piped in from a spring. Remnants of the structure are still visible. Pugh owned about 2,000 acres in the Buttes when he died; almost all of the land that now comprises the state park. A family cemetery sits on hill with a gorgeous view.
Flowering onion grass fills part of a hillside in Sonoma County. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
The last day of February had to be earliest hike I’ve been on where the intent was to seek out wildflowers.
Foothill Regional Park in Sonoma County was more than accommodating. While clearly still early in the season, it was amazing to see so many different types of flowers sprouting from the deep green grasses.
Mount St. Helena in Napa County is prominent in the distance. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
With this spastic winter we’ve had of wet-dry-cold-warm on a repeat cycle, Mother Nature doesn’t seem to know what season she wants to share with us. It’s definitely spring even if the calendar doesn’t say so.
The abundance of recent rain and now warmth and sun should have the flowers popping out in a robust manner all month, if not well into April depending where one is in the flatlands.
Sun cups grow low to the ground. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
A few Douglas iris were scattered about. Sue was sure she saw several of their leaves as an indicator more will soon dot the landscape.
Other flowers we saw included Pacific hound’s tongue, stork’s bill, mountain arnica, lupine, bittercress, sun cup, and blue dicks.
The ponds at Foothill Regional Park in Sonoma County are full. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
All the rain in February had the different ponds in Foothill Regional Park full to the extent water was crossing some trails, with at least one fence line almost completely submerged.
Even when it’s not wildflower season, this park is a great escape for all ages and abilities as there are different routes to take.
Amen!!
Beautiful!
Thanks for sharing ... I have no idea if we were near Likely! It was all new to me.
Well put.