Client News

The City of Fresno is ranked #1 in the country for the highest rate of rent increases during the pandemic. Power California Action is launching a campaign to demand rent control, the best policy tool to provide immediate relief to Fresnans at risk of eviction and homelessness. Youth advocates will gather at Fresno City Hall on Thursday, April 27 to demand elected officials protect and invest in Fresno’s working people, not big, out-of-town landlords. To RSVP for the event, or sign up for more Fresno housing updates and ways to get involved in the campaign, follow Power California Action on Instagram and check out the link in their bio.

Are you following the case of Imani “Terri” Turner? Terri is a Black mother of five who survived years of domestic abuse by her husband. She was facing murder charges, when in an unexpected turn of events, Rockdale County, Georgia Chief Magistrate Judge Phinea Aten, a Black woman, released her on the grounds that the prosecution had no cause to bring charges of murder against her.

Despite the Judge’s ruling, Terri, who is a member of Essie Justice Group, is not yet in the clear. Essie is rallying support for Terri, organizing hundreds to call on the Rockdale County District Attorney’s Office  to refrain from pursuing a grand jury indictment. More about the important case is at The Root and Yahoo! News, and you can sign the petition to #KeepImaniFree here.

Given Senator Dianne Feinstein’s continued absence on the floor, many in California are questioning Governor Gavin Newsom’s pledge to appoint a Black woman to the senate given the opportunity. He has had a number of opportunities to do so and has not, yet, made good on his promise. California Donor Table Executive Director Ludovic Blain weighed in for the Los Angeles Times: “For the second cycle in a row, he’s ignoring the viable progressive Black woman. So it’s a little strange…that made me wonder about the pledge.”

Coming Up

While 2023 is not an election year, some of the most important voting rights work in history took place in this crucial “off-year.” Register Her, the first national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization striving to register and activate all women to vote, will launch a historic campaign to register as many Black women voters as possible from June through December 2023. On Monday, May 8, Register Her will host a launch event — “When Women Vote, We all Win” — featuring remarks from Register Her Board Member Derick Brown, Derick, Senior Director of Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good at UCSF, California State Controller Malia Cohen, and Clarissa Cervantes, Candidate for the 58th CA State Assembly District. More information about the event and tickets are available at the link.

Gina Clayton-Johnson, Founder and Executive Director of Essie Justice Group, will speak at The 19th Represents Summit, a three-day hybrid event hosted by The 19th exploring gender equality through conversations about tech, justice and economic mobility. Registration to attend the event, happening May 18-20, online and in-person, is free!