25th Anniversary Racial Justice in Motion

25th Anniversary

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Annual Report

Our Impact

Who We Are

Who we are

Educational Equity

Equity in Community Investments

Equity In Community Investments

Political Voice

Reimagine Justice & Safety

What We Do

Research and Data Analysis

Research & Data Analysis

Government Relations

Building Power

How We Do It

Publications

Maps & Data

Campaign Tools: Pursuing Racial Equity

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Campaign Tools

In The Press

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For 25 years Catalyst California has advanced racial justice through building multiracial solidarity, forging deep connections with people across geography and identity, and believing that truth is the basis for transformative social change that makes the lives of Californians better. 

We kicked off the 25th Anniversary at Race & Politics – Solidarity in Movement in March.


In the press

Show your support for Catalyst California and spread our message on social media.

Accountability Systems

Babies and Toddlers

The Early Years are Critical to Setting a Strong Foundation

Babies are Rapidly Acquiring Language and Knowledge of the World Around Them

Supporting Babies to Thrive Gives Them Opportunities to Succeed and Build Resilience

Babies and Toddlers in LA County Report

Building California's Future: Tackling the Facilities Challenge for Our Youngest Learners

Uplifting the Assets of California's Dual Language Learners in the Early Years

Uplifting Family Voices: Family Engagement in California’s Rate Reform & Quality Initiative

The research is clear that the healthy growth, learning, and overall well-being of our babies and toddlers is directly connected to the well-being of their families and community. Supporting babies and toddlers to thrive means supporting families and communities to thrive. It is critical that the state intentionally centers whole child, whole family policies and resources for our babies’ and toddlers’ healthy development and growth.

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Bringing Up California

Built Environment

California Partnership for the Future of Learning

California Racial Equity Coalition

California Redistricting

Care First

Centering Equity for L.A. County’s Redistricting Cycle

Community Safety Solutions

Decrease the Role of Law Enforcement

Dual Language Learners

ECE Facilities

Early Care & Education

Equitable Economic Investments

Equitable Funding

Equitable and Common Sense Charging Policies

Fair Redistricting

About the Program

Funding Racial Justice- Local Budget Basics

That's a Wrap: Inaugural Funding Racial Justice Budget Advocacy Training Program

Funding Racial Justice: Budget Advocacy Training for Community Power

Government Responsiveness to Racial Inequity

Healthy Built Environment

Justice Reinvestment

K-12 Education Policy

Los Angeles Office of Racial Equity (ORE)

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 will work to realize this vision and advance a community-based reform agenda. 

OUR LA - Organize | Unite | Reform LA

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This November, LA County voters will have the option to begin a process of fundamentally reshaping how the County Government operates. Unlike the City of Los Angeles, which took a methodical approach over nearly two years to identify modest governance reforms, the County has brought sweeping reforms to voters in less than a month with Measure G. Like many others, Organize, Unite, Reform LA (OUR LA) is still analyzing these reforms and their potential implications on our communities. 

OUR LA Statement: County Governance Reform Measure G

Participatory Budgeting

Police Reform

Prosecutorial Reform

Quality in Early Care and Education

Racially Just Schools of Belonging

California’s public schools and early childhood learning spaces serve children of all races, religions, and economic backgrounds, so they can grow and thrive. As advocates, we have long worked to make these spaces safe, inclusive, and affirming where joyful learning can happen for every child. But under the Trump administration, this diverse education system is under serious threat. 

Resources for Safe Schools in Challenging Times

Student Equity Need Index

Furthers LCFF’s vision by prioritizing the allocation of resources to high-need schools to better address inequities.

Strengthens shared-power and shared-decision making between district and community.

Provides additional flexible funding for school sites.

Equity Alliance for LA's Kids

SENI in the Context of COVID

LAUSD's SENI Website

Racial Justice Equity Plan to Recovery

On a Podcast: Budgeting for Educational Equity

Transparency

Whole Child

Youth Development

Organizational

Race Counts

Reimagining Justice & Safety

The fight for equity to serve the Los Angeles region’s highest-need students did not end with building more schools. It continued through the passage of the Local Control Funding Formula and the launch of the Equity Alliance for LA’s Kids.

2014: Launch of the Equity Alliance for LA's Kids

2014: Launch of the Equity Alliance for LA’s Kids

In the shadow of the Trump administration’s ongoing drive to corrupt the census, it seems hard to believe that this constitutional mandate was ever anything other than a battle over who gets counted, who gets representation, who gets resources—and who doesn’t. But 15 years ago, as the nation prepared for its 23rd decennial count, the trend was toward good governance and open government.

2010: Launch of Census 2010 website, powered by HealthyCity.org

Our ongoing advocacy for equity in school building and gang violence reduction during the early 2000s brought Advancement Project California (APCA, today Catalyst California) into close contact with education policy makers and thinkers at all levels.

2007: Launch of the Water Cooler conference series to bring together the education field

Long before the 2007 publication of A Call to Action, Advancement Project California’s report on gang violence in Los Angeles that would change how the city approached the problem, our co-founder, Connie Rice, spent months laying the foundation for its reception. 

2007:  Advancement Project California (now Catalyst California) leads the implementation of GRYD through research for gang reduction zones

At the beginning of the century, even as Advancement Project California’s work helped lower crowding in urban schools, a much more insidious problem, out-of-control gang violence, engulfed Los Angeles. 

2007: Groundbreaking report by Advancement Project California Transforms the Discussion Around Gang Violence

After civil rights attorneys Molly Munger, Steve English and Connie Rice won Godinez v. Davis, and with it the redirection of almost $1 billion in school construction bond funds toward the Los Angeles Unified School District, they realized data mapping could help even the stakes for communities combating unfair systems. 

2003: Launch of Healthy City to help communities map areas of need

In 1999, California’s urban school districts struggled with crowding that forced students to compete for desks in classrooms and attend school in staggered sessions year-round. To help, the state’s voters had just approved a school bond raising $9.1 billion to use with local funds to build new schools.  

2000: Godinez v. Davis wins nearly $1 billion for new schools in California's urban districts

Board member Monica Lozano on Catalyst California's 25th Anniversary

Board member Barrett Litt on Catalyst California's 25th anniversary

Board member Fred Ali on Catalyst California's 25th anniversary

Alejandra Ponce de Leon on Catalyst California's 25th anniversary

Aaron Robertson on Catalyst California's 25th anniversary

Chris Ringewald on Catalyst California's 25th anniversary

Race & Politics: Solidarity in Movement – Healing Communities and Building Multiracial Solidarity

2025 CHAMPIONS FOR EQUITY AWARDS: Leadership in Movement

Join us for the big celebration at the Champions for Equity Awards – Leadership in Movement on September 21, 2025!

Celebrate 25 years of Catalyst California’s fight for racial justice and equity. See our journey and impact.

25 Years of Racial Justice | Catalyst California

25th Anniversary Racial Justice in Motion

Our Historic Victories

A Trip Down Memory Lane