Power California
Template:TOCnestleft Power California harnesses the energy of young voters of color and their families to create a state that is equitable, inclusive and just for everyone who calls California home.
Board
Power California board, July 2019:[1]
- Luis Sanchez - President
- Aimee Thorne-Thomsen - Chair
- Dana Ginn Paredes - Treasurer
- Hemly Ordonez - Secretary
- Rhonda Ortiz - Member
Team
Power California Team, July 2019:[2]
- Luis Sanchez - Executive Director
- Carmen Aceves-Iniguez - Organizational Wellness Director
- Roque Armenta - Organizing Director
- Jay Banks - Digital Strategist
- Hillary Brooks - Associate Director, Operations
- Steven Carmona Mora - Data Associate
- Aurora Castellanos - Regional Field Lead, NorCal
- Esmeralda Castro - SoCal Youth Organizing Coordinator
- Jung Hee Choi - Associate Director, Communications & Policy Strategies
- Gabriela Dominguez - Administrative & Event Coordinator
- Khalil Edwards - Development Specialist
- Ines Garcia - 99Rootz Youth Organizer
- Crissy Gallardo - 99Rootz Director
- Thomas Gelder - IT & Collaboration Systems Manager
- Mynor Godoy - Statewide Field Manager
- Rufaro Gwarada - National Project Lead
- Suguey Hernandez - Chief Political Strategist
- Nancy Jessup - Operations & Payroll Manager
- Jasmine Leiva - 99Rootz Senior Organizer
- Liz Lugo - Development Director
- Vanessa Maldonado - 99Rootz Youth Organizer
- Alicia Olivarez - Policy Director
- Asmaa Rashid - HR & Compliance Specialist
- Fadwa Rashid - Finance & Benefits Manager
- Pacita Rudder - Cultural Strategist
- Aparna Shah - Senior Advisor
- Niquise Toliver - Regional Field Lead, SoCal
- Fermin Vasquez - Communications Director
- Carla Zamarripa - Bookkeeper[3]
Vision
Power California emerged from the union of Mobilize The Immigrant Vote and YVote, two of California’s most successful organizers of immigrants, refugees and youth of color.
Our vision for the future:
- All who call California home – regardless of citizenship – participate fully in decision-making for a just, safe, and culturally-vibrant state
- Power rests with the people, and those with the least economic, socio-cultural and political power have equal say in determining our state’s future
- California welcomes and fully embraces all people and our stories in every aspect our state, regardless of migration status, race-ethnicity, systems impact, class, gender, sexuality, disability, or age
- Our state centers young people, families and communities of color so California thrives together[4]
EMPOWERING YOUNG VOTERS
We focus on youth of color, who make up 70% of the millennial generation in California and 50% of whom have an immigrant or refugee backgrounds. We are building a movement of young voters of color and their families from diverse backgrounds: Black, Latinx, API, Native, LGBT, currently and formerly incarcerated, and undocumented and citizens. Power California is empowering the next generation of leaders in the Central Valley through our 99Rootz program. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
VOTER ENGAGEMENT
We inform, educate and mobilize young people of color and their families to engage in civic decision-making to transform their strength in numbers into real political power at the polls. Over the past two years, we have registered more than 40,000 young voters and engaged more than 200,000 voters in the last several elections.
LEADERSHIP TRAINING
We cultivate the leadership of young people of color to organize, shape, and determine California’s future. We lead, support and coordinate with local community partners on electoral campaigns to leverage our collective power and strength. We invest resources and training in local communities to build leadership and capacity to run electoral campaigns and movements. Our New Majority Fellows program trains the next generation of organizers of color.
BUILDING A MOVEMENT
We are building a voting bloc of young people and families of color to win policy victories, elect and hold leaders accountable and meet the aspirations of our communities. With our partners, we advance equity and justice for communities of color by advocating for criminal justice, immigrant, educational justice and other systems reforms.
CULTURAL SHIFT
We believe culture matters – especially in California, which is on the cutting-edge of defining and redefining cultural trends for the nation at large. Power California uses art, stories, and other cultural and communications strategies to shift public will toward embracing the rich diversity of California and more equitable and just outcomes for all. We work with artists and a community of creatives to engage communities and help elevate the voices of underrepresented Californians. Learn more about our cultural work through our racial justice initiative Until We Are All Free, and download our 2019 report, Cultural Strategy: An Introduction and Primer.