Catalyst California (formerly Advancement Project California) advocates for racial justice by building power and transforming public systems.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – Today, Catalyst California is delighted to announce that John Kim, President & CEO, and Dr. John Dobard, Vice President of Policy and Programs, have been appointed to the Racial Equity Commission and Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory (RIPA) Board, respectively, by California State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. The appointments come at a crucial time as California reckons with racial disparities that have only been exacerbated in the wake of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic and racial uprisings.

In this final post of our blog series featuring our March 2023 Water Cooler convening, “A 10-Year Milestone: Deepening Racial Equity in LCFF,” we conclude by looking towards the long-term horizon for equity—particularly for Black students, who continue to experience some of the greatest disparities in public education.

The LA City scandal has caused deep wounds across communities and exposed inequities in how city government operates. While the political and civic leaders involved in the scandal must be held accountable, intercommunity healing and a more equitable future will require more than just resignations. A new vision of city governance is needed, and that vision needs to be rooted in and shaped by the perspectives of BIPOC and low-income Angelenos. In collaboration with residents, OUR LA coalition will work to realize this vision and advance a community-based reform agenda.