Events

At a CalMatters/Milken Institute event, experts discuss how the pandemic has changed the California economy, but why there's reason for hope. Here are three key takeaways.

California is one of a few states failing to recoup jobs at a pace on par with the rest of the nation. Its weekly unemployment claims make up almost 20% of the United States’ new claims — even though California supplies roughly 12% of the national workforce. Many employers in the state are struggling with […]

Stakeholders across California participated in a moderated discussion about the state's digital divide and its effect on small business.

The pandemic has revealed how much our workforce, our students, our healthcare and our economy are dependent on the internet. The profound new experience about business meetings on Zoom and classrooms online has forever changed professional relationships, communication and, for many of us, even where we live. Remarkably, just 14 years after the first iPhone, […]

For many small businesses, the pandemic and recession was devastating. Some long time businesses closed for good. Other shops survived, barely. The changes have reshaped many downtowns in cities and in neighborhoods. Now, with recovery underway, what are the opportunities and remaining challenges for small businesses? CalMatters and the Milken Institute hosted a discussion about […]

In a CalMatters and Milken Institute event, experts explored the economic disparities highlighted by the pandemic and how state policies can foster a more equitable post-COVID future of work.

The chair of the University of California board of regents said Wednesday he’s open to considering dramatic cuts in the number of armed, sworn police officers across the university system.   The comments by Regent John Pérez came during a panel on the future of campus policing co-hosted by CalMatters and KQED, in which the UC […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated job displacement and unemployment trends — precipitated by advancements in technology and automation. Although these disruptive forces impacting the workforce are not new, they do exacerbate long standing social inequities embedded in our pre-COVID economic landscape. CalMatters and the Milken Institute hosted a discussion to reimagine traditional economic development approaches that prioritize diversity […]

In the wake of nationwide protests against racism and police brutality, colleges and universities are taking a hard look at their own policing practices. University of California student activists are calling for UCs to abolish or reshape their in-house police departments, and the Peralta Community College District recently voted to end its contract with the […]

From the Bay Area to Southern California, communities are facing different prospects for recovery based on the coronavirus pandemic and the impact it’s making on workforce trends and government revenues, as well as the state’s prior economic development trajectory.  In our fourth “Future of Work” event, we are talking with mayors around the state about […]