California
Racial Equity Commission
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WHO WE ARE
Established through Governor Newsom's Executive Order N-16-22, California's Racial Equity Commission is tasked with recommending tools, methodologies and opportunities to advance racial equity and address disparities facing historically underserved and marginalized communities and will provide technical assistance to state and local governments to advance racial equity statewide.
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Welcome from the Executive Director |
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As the new year unfolds, I find myself reflecting on the progress made and anticipating the possibilities ahead. This contemplation brings to mind my great-great grandfather, 'Papa' James Simpson, born in 1865 in Central Texas, just six months after General Gordon Granger enforced the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston – a historic moment observed as Juneteenth. While his parents were slaves, Papa was born free. He traveled through Central Texas as a farmworker, raising my grandfather D.L., while my great-grandmother Mittie relocated to Houston, working as a cook at St. Joseph’s Hospital. |
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Dr. Larissa Estes, Executive Director of California's Racial Equity Commission |
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Mittie's compassionate support provided a home and community for former slaves who migrated from rural areas. Tragically, when she urgently needed care, her employer denied her services based on her race, leading to her untimely death from a heart attack on the way to an all-black hospital.
Mittie had dreams for her son, my grandfather, and my father, her first grandson. Like countless others, I bear the weight of a history marred by racism, discrimination, and a lack of access to equitable treatment, shaping the past, present, and future of many Californians. Looking ahead, the stories, experiences, and dreams of Mittie and others like her resonate within me and guide my commitment to California’s Racial Equity Commission.
The prospect of collaborating with the Commission and dedicated individuals and organizations fills me with both excitement and humility. The 11 appointees, each leading transformative change in their respective communities, are my valued collaborators in this mission. Explore their impactful work on our website.
Over the next 18 months, the Racial Equity Commission will convene public meetings, community forums, and working sessions to develop a framework addressing racial equity and structural racism. I invite all to engage in this intentional, fast-paced process, supporting our collective efforts to advance equity. We aim to showcase existing initiatives across California, while prioritizing community voices in our decision-making.
Undoing the discriminatory policies, practices, and biases institutionalized within our structures is a complex, ongoing endeavor requiring care, intention, shared learning, and sustained commitment across generations. While a single framework cannot erase the past, I believe immediate action can propel us toward a future where generations of Californians become our wildest dreams.
This month, the Racial Equity Commission will host its inaugural public meeting on January 24, 2024. For more information or to register, visit our website. We look forward to your presence, whether in person or virtually, as we embark on this transformative journey together.
In Partnership,
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Larissa Estes, DrPH
Executive Director, California Racial Equity Commission
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Candis Bowles
Associate Director, Legal Advocacy Unit, Disability Rights California
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Virginia Hedrick
Executive Director,
California Consortium for Urban Indian Health
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John Kim
President and CEO,
Catalyst California
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Gabriel Maldonado,
Founder and CEO,
TruEvolution
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Traco Matthews
Chief Health Equity Officer,
Kearn Health System
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Jolie Onodera
Legislative Director,
California Department of Finance
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Manuel Pastor
Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity,
University of Southern California
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Yolanda Richardson
CEO,
San Francisco Health Plan
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Angelica Salas
Executive Director,
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights
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Luke Wood
President,
California State University, Sacramento
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Simboa Wright
Vice President,
SEIU Local 721
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The California Racial Equity Commission will host its first-ever meeting on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at the California Energy Commission, Warren Alquist Building, Rosenfeld Hearing Room at 10:00 AM.
The Commission is committed in its goals to promote transparency and broad public participation. To do so, the Commission has arranged multiple options to listen, view, and provide public comment during the Commission Meeting, including in multiple languages.
To learn more or to explore future Racial Equity Commission meetings, visit the Commission's meeting page online.
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Contact Us
1400 Tenth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 322-2318
Follow Us
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