Black Lives Matter

Elections

This activist says voting is just one tool to improve Black lives

Helen Jones knows her work to improve Black lives is a long term project. She firmly believes that voting is one way to ensure change.

By Michael Lozano • January 5, 2021

Politics

With 2020 hindsight: Recapping the stories that defined California life

Coronavirus, of course, detonated our every expectation of 2020. For the most fortunate, this created room for new pastimes, new priorities. For the least so, it hollowed out holes that can never be filled. Nor was COVID our only profound challenge. There were raging wildfires, again. There was an overdue reckoning with racism, again. There […]

By CalMatters Staff • December 31, 2020

Commentary

Los Angeles is ready for single-family zoning reform

Legalizing duplexes, triplexes and quads in single-family neighborhoods seemed revolutionary a few years ago, but the political landscape has shifted.

By Guest Commentary • November 13, 2020

Elections

As Election Day neared, conflict in Bakersfield between Trump and BLM groups intensified

Months before Election Day, tensions had been building in Bakersfield between Black Lives Matter supporters and a group of Trump backers calling themselves the 1776 Patriots. They’ve clashed in parking lots, on sidewalks and in the road, leading to three arrests–one of a BLM protester brandishing a firearm, another of a 1776 Patriot openly carrying […]

By Freddy Brewster, Dereka Bennett and Injeong Kim • November 5, 2020

Elections

Prepared for the worst, California’s election went OK

California prepared for the worst but voters largely were masked and socially distanced, and unrest was limited to isolated protests.

By Lewis Griswold and Michael Lozano • November 4, 2020

Justice

No return to lock ’em up — California voters stick with less punitive justice

Over the last three decades, Californians have swung from “tough on crime” conservatism to a more lenient, less punitive approach to criminal justice. Based on the results of this year’s election, it doesn’t look like the pendulum is swinging back anytime soon. Already the state had gradually eased up on sentencing standards, made it easier […]

By Byrhonda Lyons and Ben Christopher • November 4, 2020

WhatMatters

California at crossroads over district attorney role

Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, October 29. (Yes, I know I said it was September in yesterday’s newsletter; the pandemic has warped my sense of time.) Traditional vs. progressive Beyond the criminal justice propositions on California’s November ballot, the upcoming election will also serve as a barometer for the role Californians think district attorneys should […]

By Emily Hoeven • October 29, 2020

Commentary

Business need to stand up for equal justice too

Chief executives of some of America’s largest companies have engaged in a new initiative to advocate for public policy changes to secure equal justice.

By Guest Commentary • September 18, 2020

California Divide

As Newsom weighs reparations bill, a scholar has a word of caution for California

A bill on Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk would authorize a reparations study for Black Californians. But a prominent scholar says he hopes California's effort won't detract from the national conversation on redressing slavery.

By Orlando Mayorquin • September 11, 2020

Justice

California lawmakers failed to enact sweeping police reforms. Here’s why.

Activists filled the streets but couldn’t fill the Capitol. And lawmakers ran out of time to hash out complex laws. A few bills passed, but the most controversial ones stalled.

By Laurel Rosenhall • September 1, 2020