SACRAMENTO –– Even as the federal government continues to decimate programs and resources that help California’s underserved communities, pushing back collectively against the cuts is one of the best ways to counter their impact.
That was the message during an Oct 21 California Connects convening of community-based organizations, philanthropic organizations and local leaders.
Even though the federal government is attacking our community every day, “we can build something together” by showing a united front, pointed out Josh Fryday, GO-Serve director and California Chief Service Officer.
Since President Trump took office in January, his administration has been chipping away at the nation’s health care, food assistance, education, housing and child care. Federal dollars fund a good chunk of those programs.
Fryday said there was an “incredible hunger” among people and organizations to be connected, which is why the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications was set up in 2024 under the governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GO-Serve), which sponsored the convening.
The agency was established to expand public service, volunteerism and civic engagement. The governor’s office has invested $60 million in the program.
California, which boasts the fourth largest economy in the world, has one of the most diverse populations in the state, where a total of 50 or so languages are spoken, said Aubrey Fong, OCPSC’s acting executive director, in her opening remarks. Sixty seven percent of the population are immigrants.
Speakers also emphasized the importance of engaging youth in the OCPSC’s programs. Thomisha Wallace, director of the Youth Empowerment Commission, talked about her agency’s efforts to get youth into more leadership roles. She said when “we listen to young people we remind them that their voices matter.”
The OCPSC’s network is hoping to take the message directly to the community, bridging equity gaps in statewide outreach, Sacramento Vice Mayor Karina Telemantes said.
“We need to build networks and bridges,” she said, stressing that communities must band together and take advantage of the state’s diverse population.
The Sacramento convening was the fourth of eight such events scheduled across the state in October and November this year. The first convening kicked off in San Francisco on Oct. 8.
In the coming weeks, the next stops will include Los Angeles, Anaheim, Sacramento, Riverside, Oxnard, and Fresno.
Viji Sundaram is a Bay Area-based free-lance reporter.
