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Demonstrators rallying for racial justice Letter from the President

Imagine a California Where We All Belong

| by Cathy Cha

We need to keep pushing for belonging for people that historically have not had equal access

Reflecting on the good work happening across many fronts to make our state more inclusive.

When I walked into the Fannie Lou Hamer Center for the first time, I instantly felt the warmth and comfort of this community space for Black students at UC Berkeley. Tucked away in a lesser-known part of campus, it’…

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California's state capital building

Advancing Belonging Through Budget Advocacy

| by Raúl Macías in Democracy

Ensuring local leaders have a voice in the budget process

The Budget Power Project aims to support communities across California to have a voice and influence in decisions on public spending.

A budget is a statement of values. In other words, how government spends public money is a reflection of what we care about most as communities and as a society. All too often, however, the work of crafting governme…

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Community organizers seen talking to a local resident.

Achieving the Promise of a Multiracial Democracy

| by Raúl Macías in Democracy

Checking in with two Democracy Program Partners: Lisa García Bedolla and Jonathan Mehta Stein

California is leading the way in election reforms and voting rights, but traditional voter outreach still misses voters of color.

In recent years, California has passed numerous reforms making voting and registration easier and more accessible. But despite widespread commitment to expanding voter access, voter turnout numbers in 2022 were down…

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Headshot of College Success Program Director Monica Martinez

Welcoming Monica Martinez

| by Maliha Sadiq in Fund News

The Haas, Jr. Fund Welcomes New College Success Program Director

Martinez will lead strategies and partnerships for achieving the Fund’s goal of leveling the playing field in higher education and reducing the financial barriers to a college degree in California.

The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund today announced it has hired Monica Martinez as program director for the Fund’s College Success program. In this position, Martinez will lead strategies and partnerships for achi…

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Scene outside of an Oakland polling place during the 2022 midterm elections Letter from the President

Beyond the Midterm Elections: Next Steps to a Stronger Democracy

| by Cathy Cha in Democracy

Year-round dedication is needed to ensure our democracy leaves no one behind

We may have avoided the worst-case scenario during the midterms, but our work is not yet done.

In the weeks since the 2022 elections, I’ve had one main response: phew. The anti-democratic nightmares we’ve all been having didn’t come true. We generally saw sanity prevail across the country with the defeat of a…

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Haas, Jr. Fund Newsletter

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December 2022
Reflecting on the 2022 Midterm Elections
October 2022
Back to School is a Time of Possibility
August 2022
Philanthropy, Let’s Work Together to Reduce Barriers to Voting
March 2022
The Power of Community Leadership