Oakland’s Measure EE, on the November’s ballot, would change the organizational structure to formally make Oakland’s mayor the city’s Chief Executive with direct management authority over most city departments while strengthening the City Council’s ability to oversee decisions, investigate concerns, and ensure responsible use of public resources. It’s a change long-overdue and much needed for a complex, diverse city such as Oakland. Read more about Measure EE in this Oakland Report op-ed and this endorsement from the San Francisco Chronicle’s editorial board. 

“I was looking at the TV [in prison] and watching people going to polls only wishing that I could participate.” Reginald Glover, member of Californians for Safety and Justice, is sharing his excitement and the factors guiding his vote as he prepares to cast his ballot for the very first time after being incarcerated for nearly 30 years. “Not having a voice, seeing the outcome of elections, I knew that if I had the opportunity to one day vote, I would make sure that I did.” Read more of his story in the LA Public Press. 

The Robert K. Ross Center for Hope and Healing, located on a plot of land next to The California Endowment’s offices, in downtown Los Angeles, officially broke ground earlier this month. The Ross Center, a project of the Endowment, LINC Housing, and Homeboy Industries, centers rehabilitation through trauma-informed design and community support. By converting a former parking lot into affordable housing, healthcare facilities, job training programs, and shared community spaces, the project puts into practice the “care first” approach. The belief is that providing housing stability and holistic support helps individuals heal and prevents involvement with the justice system. “We knew that the folks that we would be serving in the center don’t have a lot of access to those kinds of spaces, and there was the opportunity to create that and change kind of what [they think] they deserve in their mind, and what society thinks they deserve,” said Brenda Solorzano, CEO of The Endowment. Learn more about the thoughtful design in this Fast Company article.