Monique Manning

• Name: Monique Manning

• Age: 32

• Family: Husband; son, 10; daughter, 6

• City of residence: Plumas Lake

• Occupation: Bank teller, Wells Fargo

• What brought you to the Yuba-Sutter area? I was in the Air Force and got married to an airman stationed at Beale Air Force Base in 2000.

• What is the closest you've been to a famous person? I met Bill Cosby once in San Francisco when he was shooting a movie, and I got his autograph. I also met (writer) Maya Angelou. In 1989, she came to my class in junior high school in Oakland. But at the time, I didn't know who she was.

• If you were granted one wish, what would you wish for? I would love to be stress free, and happy at all levels — financially, spiritually, mentally and sexually.

• Favorite musical artists: John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Boney James

• Favorite television show: "The Wire"

• Who do you most admire and why? My (former) mentor at Yuba College, Valerie Harris, because she showed me my true potential; my mom because she loves unconditionally.

• What was your first job? Working at KFC in Oakland

• What kind of pets do you have? A Shih Tzu named Santiago Escobar. I had to give him a tough drug lord name because he's a cute little fluffy dog.

• What was your favorite subject in school? English

• What are your favorite places to go in the greater Sacramento area? I love Old Sacramento. I used to love to go to Jasmine's (dinner and music club) there before it closed.

• What are some of your fondest memories? When I surprised my mother and took her to see the "Lion King" (stage show) in San Jose. I blindfolded her all the way there.

• What are your favorite foods? Soul food and barbecue

• If you were in charge, what would you change about the community? I don't think we have enough financial backing for anything really good to be built around here.