As I look forward to the start of the holiday season, I am filled with a deep sense of optimism for the future. With the election behind us, we are able to set our sights on our work in the coming year – COVID-19 response and recovery, support for students, families, and business, and the opportunity to prioritize equity as we chart our way out of a recession. As expressed in my post-election statement, I along with many others are deeply disappointed in the defeat of Proposition 16— which would have ensured diversity in hiring, contracting, and public education—but there is no time to wallow in sadness. Instead, the work must continue. Our coalition is a vital steward of economic growth and mobility, and everything we do must fiercely and unapologetically be done through a lens of equity and justice.
This month, I am excited to announce that John Brauer, the Executive Director of the California Labor Federation’s Workforce and Economic Development Program, has been elected as the CA EDGE Coalition’s new Vice President. John was gracious enough to be the first guest on our new interview series, The Cutting EDGE! This new capacity, our refreshed policy priorities, and his long tenure with EDGE are among the things we will discuss in his interview, which will be released later this month, so stay tuned!
With that, I hope you enjoy this month’s newsletter and I wish you a joyous, and COVID-safe, holiday.
Zima Creason
Read more: Monthly Newsletter, November 2020 Newsletter