As we watch communities destroyed by record-breaking wildfires, wake up to orange skies, and see photo after photo of empty reservoirs, we know that California is at the forefront of the climate crisis. Fortunately, our historic state budget surplus allows us the opportunity to take action.
It is our civic duty to serve on a jury, but many Americans are unable to participate because they cannot afford to take unpaid time off from work. This means a smaller pool of potential jurors that often results in juries that are wealthier and less diverse – not at all reflective of the communities they serve.
You and I both see it throughout our city: far too many people are living on the street or in tents.
As we move on from the pandemic, it is clear that back-to-normalcy won’t happen quickly, especially with our kids. Not only did they lose more than a year of in-person learning, but they also lost emotional and social development that comes with human interaction. Isolation, anxiety, stress and depression are among the impacts of distance learning, and they will last long after schools reopen.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created serious hardships for many Californians. As the state continues to reopen, we still have much work to do in order to make sure that people are able to recover.
I’ve done it. You probably have, too. You’re walking on Clement or Irving streets, and a store on the other side of the street catches your eye. Giving in to temptation, you look both ways and cross in the middle of the block once it’s safe to do so.
When will it stop? Since the start of the pandemic, hate incidents against Asian Americans have dramatically spiked, as people wrongly blame them for COVID-19 and the hardships that came with it. In all instances, the racist attacks were unprovoked.
California parents are eager to get their children back into the classroom – and thanks to Assembly Bill (AB) 86, more students will return for in-person learning this month.
The Bay Area had a housing affordability crisis before the onset of COVID-19, and income and job losses have pushed many to the brink of homelessness.
As chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, in December I released the “Preserve, Respond, Protect, Recover” budget blueprint.
As a parent of two children in public schools, I worry students are falling behind in their studies as we continue relying solely on remote learning. Additionally, the longer they don’t see their friends and teachers in person, the more social isolation will impact development and emotional intelligence.
Like you, I am ready to put 2020 behind me. With President-elect Joe Biden and the Bay Area’s own Vice President-elect Kamala Harris set to move into the White House, our country can finally get moving in the right direction, starting with getting COVID-19 under control.
As soon as I’m sworn in next month, I’ll prioritize the state’s economic recovery, our children’s education, housing/homelessness, the environment and other pressing needs.
The need for resurfacing on 19th Avenue is an issue I have updated readers on several times over the past few years. I am pleased to finally share that work toward that end will finally begin this month.
When we woke up to a dark and hazy orange sky on Sept. 9, it was an eerie and alarming experience. It looked like a scene from a movie about a dystopian future, but there were no special effects involved. It was real.
