Some love stories begin with a spark. Ours began with a policy event at Meadow in San Francisco.

Back in 2014, we both found ourselves at a gathering hosted by then–Board of Equalization Member Fiona Ma. We didn’t know it at the time, but that room — full of advocates, organizers, and dreamers — was also the room where our paths quietly crossed for the first time.

Fast‑forward to January 2017. After a few near misses and almost‑moments, the timing finally aligned. The magic struck. Six months later, Joanna packed up her Berkeley life and moved to West Sacramento, where we began building something real, steady, and full of possibility.

Since then, life has been anything but static. We’ve weathered career changes — the triumphant ones and the tough ones. We’ve said goodbye to longtime friends and welcomed new ones. We’ve lived through a social and cultural landscape that has shifted beneath everyone’s feet. Through all of it, the magic didn’t fade. It grew.

Our family grew, too.

In late 2017, Buddy Bear bounded into our lives and made the Hossack‑Allen household officially a “bear” family. In 2020, Arthur and Squish — two cats with big personalities — joined the crew. Add six chickens to the mix, and suddenly we were a full menagerie navigating COVID, social unrest, and the everyday adventure known as “adulting.”

In 2023, we bought our first home together — just around the corner, still in West Sacramento, because apparently we’re loyal like that. Poarnge (yes, it rhymes with orange) arrived soon after, adding even more chaos and charm.

And then, in late 2023, the most magical moment yet: Onyx was born. Everything changed, and everything deepened.

As a member of the community that has supported us, shaped us, and loved us along the way, we are excited to invite you to share the beginning of this next chapter with us!

This website will be our hub over the coming months as we help you find your way to the magical North Coast, where we’ll gather to create the next chapter in our ongoing adventure.

We can’t wait to share it with you.