SACRAMENTO — Following the close of California’s 2019 legislative session today, Color Of Change–the nation’s largest online racial justice organization–issued the following statement from Managing Director of Campaigns Arisha Hatch:
“The 2019 session of the California legislature drove a number of achievements for civil rights progress, advancing the quality of life for Black people, low-income people and other marginalized communities in the state.
From standing up to the NCAA to demand fair pay for Black collegiate athletes, to ending the legal regulation and repression of Black hair, to curtailing predatory loans that trap Black communities in debt, this legislative session demonstrated the power of everyday Californians to organize for transformational change that prioritizes our communities over corporate profits. We are proud of the passage of the Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act, which aims to dramatically improve the quality of healthcare for Black mothers by addressing the impact of implicit bias that remains rampant across our healthcare system.
Color Of Change is honored to have been part of this historic effort and will continue to push for legislative progress that improves equity and representation for Black people.
Our work doesn’t end in California: using the blueprint we’ve built in this state, every call, lobby visit, petition, and action in other states and at the national level will focus on winning progressive change for communities of color.
###