California represents the hopes and successes that people have pursued for generations, yet too many Californians find themselves working harder and harder for less and less. In 2013, 40 percent of Californians lived in poverty or near the poverty line. Nearly 1.5 million working families in California are living in poverty, as well as nearly two out of every five young adults.
Our work focuses on Californians who are working but struggling with poverty, specifically expanding economic and political opportunity for families and young adults. This includes exploring ways to remove the systemic barriers that prevent too many Californians from achieving financial stability and political influence.
Economic opportunity and political opportunity go hand in hand and reinforce each other.California workers who live in poverty are less likely to engage in political and civic activities, but without a stronger political voice, low-income Californians won’t have the opportunities to build a better life. That is why we will seek ways to expand both economic and political opportunity for working California families and young adults who are in or on the brink of poverty.