In abstract
CalMatters election occasions sparked vigorous discussions in San Fernando, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino.
After we designed our VotingMatters collection this yr, our objective was to deliver communities collectively in cozy venues, creating protected areas the place individuals might converse their minds about what mattered to them.
Final week, CalMatters hosted three such occasions within the Los Angeles metro and Inland Empire. On Monday, we gathered at Bodevi Wine & Espresso Bar in San Fernando, teaming up with the San Fernando Valley Solara trusted print and on-line publication whose workplace locals really feel comfy visiting to speak with reporters. Attendees passionately shared opposing factors of view on Propositions 32, 33, and 36as Semantha Raquel Norris wrote for the Solar.
On the occasion, neighborhood organizer Teodora Reyes reconnected together with her former highschool volleyball coach, Saul Sandoval, a San Fernando Valley Solar account government. Though their views on Prop 36 turned out to be “polar opposites,” Sandoval stated, “You saw people in this room really disagreeing on some of the issues, but at the end they still shook hands and wished each other well. That’s democracy at its best.” Reyes agreed that attendees shared their views respectfully.
Early the subsequent morning, VotingMatters was again with a breakfast session on the Japanese American Nationwide Museum’s Democracy Heartour first hybrid occasion. We plan to take the occasion collection right into a digital format for the primary time later this week.
On Wednesday, CalMatters teamed up with the Workplace of Pupil Life at San Bernardino Valley School for our first VotingMatters occasion within the Inland Empire, hosted at KVCR Public Media’s studio. Connie M. Leyva, KVCR Public Media’s government director and a former California state senator, shared her experiences working within the authorities and defined why it’s essential to vote: “Democracy, as messy as it can be, works when people engage and participate.”
Extra VotingMatters periods hosted by different CalMatters employees, outdoors of the primary collection that I host, are additionally popping up across the state: On Wednesday, audio editor Mary Franklin Harvin introduced at YubaNet’s Pizza and Politics occasion in Grass Valley, and on October 18, School Journalism Community assistant editor Matthew Reagan might be presenting at Boyle Heights Beat’s VoterChat occasion.
VotingMatters is simply the beginning of many partnerships we’re constructing with trusted organizations throughout the state. CalMatters will return to San Bernardino Valley School, the place our San Diego and Inland Empire reporter Deborah Brennan will maintain a listening session October 9. We’ll additionally come again to the Japanese American Nationwide Museum’s Democracy Heart on October 25 when our co-founder Dave Lesher presents on the Democracy and AI occasion.
This week, VotingMatters is constant within the Los Angeles metro space and the Inland Empire, together with new digital periods:
- 10/7 at 5 pm – Los Angeles (Highland Park) – LAPL’s Arroyo Seco Regional Department Library, 6145 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90042.
- 10/8 at 4:30 pm – Los Angeles (Jefferson Park) – LAPL’s Jefferson Department Library, 2211 W Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90018.
- 10/9 at 12 pm – VIRTUAL – CA for the Arts. Folks enthusiastic about attending a VotingMatters occasion just about are inspired to attend this one, even for those who aren’t a CA for the Arts member.
- 10/9 at 5:30 pm – Riverside – Be a part of CalMatters CEO Neil Chase, San Diego and Inland Empire reporter Deborah Brennan, and partnerships supervisor Dan Hu for this session at The Cheech Marin Heart for Chicano Artwork & Tradition.
- 10/10 at 12 pm – Los Angeles (College Hills) – CalMatters might be part of the 2024 Fall Civic Collection on the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State LA. Occasion might be on the College Pupil Union’s Los Angeles Rooms on the third flooring.
- 10/10 at 2 pm – VIRTUAL – School of the Desertwith precedence for college students.
- 10/11 at 2 pm – VIRTUAL – San Bernardino Valley School API Affiliation, with precedence for membership.
- 10/11 at 6 pm – VIRTUAL – Mother and father Institute for High quality Training. This might be our first hybrid English/Spanish occasion!
The week after, VotingMatters will come to the Central Coast:
Please monitor our occasions web page as particulars can change on brief discover. For questions on particular occasions or how you can have an occasion in your space, please contact dhu@calmatters.org.
