CalMatters Events
CalMatters events promote nonpartisan civic engagement and build awareness of important issues, politics and policies that shape California’s future. From intimate salon sessions at the CalMatters Studio in Sacramento to public events across the state, our events deliver interesting and compelling content to Californians in person and online. Each event brings together California's thought leaders, along with our editors and reporters, to discuss the critical topics that matter most. Our interactive programming encourages participants to form their own perspectives and offers them valuable networking opportunities with state leaders, policymakers, and fellow Californians.
Hybrid, SoCal Series
From healing to learning: How trauma-informed care shapes the future of education
February 05, 2026 • 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Center for Impact, 318 4th Avenue Chula Vista, CA 91910
For many children, preschool is their first experience with structured learning — and for some, their first opportunity to heal. At Mi Escuelita in San Diego, children as young as three who have experienced domestic violence and trauma learn in classrooms designed for recovery, where teachers work alongside therapists and play is part of the healing process. This panel explores what trauma-informed early education looks like in practice, how programs like these are sustained, and what policymakers can do to expand them statewide. The discussion asks: How can California build early-learning systems where healing is the foundation for learning?
Hybrid, SoCal Series
The Evolution of Crime and Punishment in California: What’s Next?
February 25, 2026 • 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Mark Taper Auditorium at the LA Central Library, 630 W 5th Street Los Angeles, CA 90071
Join us for a conversation about the future of criminal justice in California. Our panelists will examine where the state is headed on prosecution, long-term incarceration, and rehabilitation, and what role government should play in helping people leave prison prepared to contribute to their communities. How can California balance accountability, public safety, and justice for victims while pursuing meaningful rehabilitation? Is a system built around transformation possible, or is a return to punishment and confinement inevitable?