Last weekend, we gathered together with extraordinary Oakland community members and leaders for the Oakland Weekend of Hope, a three-day celebration that recognized the community-based organizations, advocates, faith leaders, elected officials and youth at the forefront of Oakland's successful violence prevention efforts. Over the course of the weekend's events, we were reminded of Oakland's great capacity for resilience and hope in the face of obstacles - and of the impact that empowered youth can have on themselves, their families, and their communities. Learn more »

Our 2014 Legislative Priorities

Last year, your calls and letters made a huge difference in the lives of children and youth across the state. This year we need your help even more to ensure we are able to seize the many exciting opportunities to pass legislation that promotes education equity, increases health care access, fights child poverty, and reforms the juvenile justice system in California. Learn more and get involved » 

 

Take Action: End the CalWORKs Double Truancy Penalty

AB 2382, by Assemblymember Bradford, will protect our poorest families from being hit with a double truancy penalty when their children are not attending school regularly. Currently, California law requires all children to attend school - and families are subject to financial and civil penalties if the student is determined truant. On top of that, poor families who receive CalWORKs also face a reduction in their family’s grant if their child is not participating in school regularly--in addition to the penalties already imposed on all children. Poor families should not be doubly penalized for poor school attendance, increasing the likelihood of hardship and familial instability and reducing the likelihood that they will regularly attend school. AB 2382 eliminates the unjust CalWORKs attendance penalty. Take action now »

Long Beach Students Turn Out and Turn Up for Change

On February 24th, we joined over 450 middle and high school students at Cal State Long Beach for "Turn Up For Change," a citywide Boys and Men of Color Summit. The day-long event, co-sponsored by the Long Beach Building Healthy Communities initiative and Long Beach Unified School District’s Male Academy, provided a space for students to reflect on the unique obstacles they face growing up in neighborhoods marked by poverty and violence - and to learn how they can use their these same experiences to empower change in their neighborhoods and schools. Learn more »