California Voices Collections

Barriers to voting disproportionately impact marginalized members of California's communities. Voting is a privilege, and one that people with access should exercise.

Every voter has their own reasons for casting a ballot — nonvoters do, too, they just might not realize it yet. By hearing from first-time voters about their passion, disaffected voters might find a reason to participate this fall.

As a DACA recipient in San Diego completed her citizenship ceremony, she thought of "the community that poured into the cup of this once-undocumented Mexican girl with big dreams."

For a formerly incarcerated person, the opportunity to vote for the first time is filled with mixed emotions. After years of disenfranchisement, voting is an act of empowerment.

Even if young voters are disillusioned with the American democratic process, they need to participate in our elections and support climate change protections and advocates, writes a Eureka teen.

Advocacy groups fight for causes that matter to their communities, demonstrating what is possible when people come together, writes a teen first-time voter.

Many Californians experiencing homelessness do not have access to the kind of care they need to overcome substance use disorder, which is almost always a significant barrier to finding stable employment or securing permanent housing.

Californians ask why homelessness keeps rising despite enormous local and state investments. Much of it is one-time funding. Ongoing support for housing has traditionally come from the federal government.

Despite spending by Democrat lawmakers, California's homeless population kept growing over the last five years. The current approach of throwing money at the problem is clearly not working.

To reach tens of thousands of people living in tent encampments, California must prioritize and focus the billions generated through the Mental Health Services Act. Proposition 1, going before voters in March, is a major step towards the original law's promise.