West Mission Bay Drive Bridge, San Diego. Photo by Unwind via ShutterstockInfrastructure investments offer a chance to build an economy that is more equitable and resilient, and that offers more Californians a pathway to the middle class.
The pharmaceutical section of a Costco store in Folsom, Calif. (Photo: Cassiohabib, via Shutterstock)OPINION: When the COVID-19 pandemic again reinforced that California’s communities of color disproportionately bear the burden of public health threats, some California lawmakers made promises about closing gaps in health equity and access. More than two years later, however, many Californians inhabited by its most diverse populations are still struggling to access and afford their health care.
Illustration of a perspn getting mortgage information online. (Image: Rawpixel.com, via Shutterstock)OPINION: When Californians think about home mortgages, we typically think of banks. But the top three mortgage lenders in California aren’t banks, they’re financial technology or “fintech” lenders. Typically known as nonbanks, they generally operate online only, have no branches and take no deposits.
An industrial power plant festooned with smokestacks. (Photo: J.D.S., via Shutterstock)OPINION: Every summer California fires up dirty fossil-fuel “peaker” power plants across the state to try to keep the lights on. Want to guess where these plants are usually located? That’s right, overwhelmingly in underserved neighborhoods and communities of color.
An oil well pump jack in the San Joaquin Valley. (Photo: Mark Geistweite, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Sacramento must use the windfall to even up the sides during this economic recovery, while also setting the stage for more equitable and sustainable prosperity in the decades to come. The surplus represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go big on a just transition to an equitable clean energy economy. Right now is the time for a California Green New Deal.
A river in Kings Canyon National Park, California. (Photo: Owen Sholes, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Over the last year, Californians have turned to neighborhood parks, trails, and beaches for respite and healing more than ever before. Some of us have grown to appreciate the park down the street or have developed a favorite walking route through tree-lined neighborhoods.
The corner of San Pedro Street in a low-income portion of downtown Los Angeles. (Photo: Hayk Sahlunts, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Did you know that Los Angeles once had a thriving, affluent Black community called Sugar Hill that was obliterated when Interstate 10 was built right through it in the early 1960s? Or that historically Black West Oakland was economically strangled when Interstate 980 cut it off from the downtown commercial district?
An elderly patient is comforted by a young caregiver. (Photo: Ocskay Mark, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Every year, the Alzheimer’s Association releases a report providing national and state-level statistics on Alzheimer’s prevalence, mortality, cost of care and impact on caregivers. As a son caring for my father who is living with Alzheimer’s, these statistics simply cannot do justice to the huge emotional, physical and financial toll that this disease takes on families and society at large.
Latinos taking the pledge of allegiance in Los Angeles. (Photo: Joseph Sohm, via Shutterstock)OPINION: 2020 has been anything but typical, and for Black communities and communities of color, this year has been especially tough. Yet, we remain hopeful and determined because this election is a golden opportunity to create a Golden State for all of us. With our collective efforts, 2020 could be the year where an electorate that reflects the diversity of our state shows up to be heard and counted.
Rush-hour traffic on the 405 in L.A. (Photo: Vince360, via Shutterstock)OPINION: We now know that good and responsible drivers in predominantly African-American and Latino communities are being punished and penalized based on where they live, rather than how they drive. We have the power to change that by giving consumers the option of using technologies such as telematics.