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Lynn La

Newsletter Writer

Lynn La is the newsletter writer for CalMatters, focusing on California’s top political, policy and Capitol stories every weekday. She produces and curates WhatMatters, CalMatters’ flagship daily newsletter with more than 150,000 subscribers.    

In the newsletter, Lynn analyzes the state’s policy issues for a broader audience, through original reporting and by summarizing and compiling stories from CalMatters and other news sources. Recently, she has reported on bills to address California’s worsening fentanyl epidemic, tackle retail theft and legislate happiness. She also reveals more about lawmakers by interviewing them for an occasional series on first-term legislators in 2023 and new committee chairpersons in 2024. 

Through WhatMatters, Lynn also plays a crucial role in CalMatters election coverage, helping to keep track of daily developments in key campaigns, including legislative and congressional races and ballot measures.  

Prior to joining CalMatters in March 2023, she wrote for the education technology startup Guild and was a senior editor at CNET. She also covered public health at The Sacramento Bee as a Kaiser media fellow and was an intern reporter at Capitol Weekly. 

Lynn is based in the Bay Area. She graduated from UC Davis and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Other languages spoken: Vietnamese (basic)

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Latest Stories

A close-up view of black headsets as they rest on top of a white keyboard on a desk. The hands of people typing and using a computer mouse can be seen in the blurry background.
A student enters Stege Elementary School in Richmond on Feb. 6, 2023. Photo by Shelby Knowles for CalMatters
A person wearing a black jacket and pants stands among tall, dense prickly pear cactus plants in a lush green landscape. Thick vegetation surrounds them, and trees rise in the background under a cloudy sky. The mood is contemplative and grounded in nature.
Two people are seen in a makeshift encampment in a brushy area near a road. One person, wearing a tank top and hat, is adjusting or hanging a woven mat near a palm tree. Another person sits on the ground in the shade, surrounded by bags, a stroller, and camping chairs. Dry palm fronds and tangled branches surround the area, with a utility pole and cars visible beyond a chain-link fence in the background. The scene suggests an improvised shelter in an urban natural area.
A computer screen shows a Turnitin similarity report with a 38% match score. The Match Overview panel on the right lists four top sources: student papers and one internet source, with the highest match at 16%. The blurred background reveals sections of a document highlighted in red to indicate matching text.
A person sits at a gravesite, looking solemnly toward the camera. They wear a white sleeveless top and an orange patterned skirt, with hands folded in their lap. Behind them is a memorial headstone featuring a portrait of Joseph R. Ramirez, along with flowers and decorations. A stone wall and greenery surround the cemetery setting.
A person in a green tracksuit holding up a sign saying, “IMMIGRANTS UILT THIS NATION,” while next to a guard railing over a highway in downtown Los Angeles. In the background, cars can be seen driving on the road while crowds of protesters hold up signs and flags on both sides of the highway.

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