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California Democratic Party Adopts Platform Language Prioritizing Black Student Achievement

The shift in the education plank of the 2022 Democratic Party Platform is consistent with a change in public sentiment in which there is renewed focus on meeting the specific needs of Black students. The changing tides are brought on by the racial reckoning in America after the police killing of George Floyd and the growing frustration of parents during pandemic-related school closures.

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Margaret Fortune is president and CEO of Fortune School of Education.
Dr. Margaret Fortune is the President/CEO of Fortune School, a system of nine, K-12 public charter schools with over 2,300 students focused on closing the Black achievement gap by preparing students for college.

LET’S TALK BLACK EDUCATION

By Dr. Margaret Fortune, President, CEO Fortune School

On March 6, the California Democratic Party (CDP) adopted language brought forth by the CDP Black Caucus into the 2022 California Democratic Party Platform that supports California’s Black students. This unprecedented move by the CDP is a monumental win for those who support prioritizing Black student achievement and recognizing the unique and important needs of Black students in K-12 public schools.

Among the amendments put forth by the CDP Black Caucus and adopted by delegates at the Party’s state convention is language calling on Democrats to “support all public school options that provide the parents and guardians of Black or African American, American Indian and Alaskan Native students access to high quality educational alternatives to close achievement gaps.”

The Caucus also won language to “work to increase the percentage of Black mothers who receive prenatal care and to decrease Black infant and maternal mortality.” The Caucus sought changes to the CDP platform because the 2020 platform excluded the unique and important needs of Black children.

In a statement, the Caucus thanked the CDP delegates, calling the newly adopted platform, “a significant step towards rectifying the core values of the Democratic Party — equality, opportunity, justice, and inclusivity for all — with the reality that Black students still face today.” The new platform will stay in place until 2024.

The Caucus thanked Party delegates for including changes in the 2022 California Democratic Party Platform to “specifically call out and address the needs of Black children and students as it relates to birth and beyond, school funding and closing yawning achievement gaps.”

The CDP Black Caucus said through its official statement to Party delegates, “Black students are subjected to harsh and disproportionate disciplinary actions. In addition, rising incidents of overt racism directed toward Black students in our schools are frequently the subject of news reports throughout California.”

Calling these conditions “unacceptable,” the Caucus demands for change were met by Democratic Party delegates voting to approve platform language to address their concerns head-on.

“We are very concerned, as all Democrats who care about Black children should be, that our schools leave over two-thirds of Black children unable to read or write at grade level. Nearly 80% are below grade level in math, and 86% are falling below science standards,” the Black Caucus wrote.

The shift in the education plank of the 2022 Democratic Party Platform is consistent with a change in public sentiment in which there is renewed focus on meeting the specific needs of Black students. The changing tides are brought on by the racial reckoning in America after the police killing of George Floyd and the growing frustration of parents during pandemic-related school closures.

“One of our core values is to educate,” said Calvin Harrell, president of the Community Democratic Club — one of the largest Democratic Clubs in Solano County. “We are proud to have been a part of the groups advocating for these important changes in the California Democratic Party Platform. This is a critical time to use our voices and push to make the necessary changes needed.”

The CDP Black Caucus was recognized by party officials at the state convention for its participation in a fair, public, and transparent process facilitated by the CDP Platform Committee to advocate for these important changes.

In the lead up to the March 4-6, 2022, State Democratic Convention, the Platform Committee facilitated an inclusive months-long process that began in the summer of 2021. The process was public and open to all Democrats. The CDP Black Caucus, participated in six hearings and had a diverse coalition of people representing various civil rights organizations, Democratic Clubs, delegates, central committee members, and Democrats from across California, most of them parents.

“The National Action Network has a longstanding commitment to ensuring equity in education in our nation and throughout the state of California. These important additions to the platform will help ensure we move towards high student achievement for all, particularly Black students,” said Rev. Darryl Scarbrough president of NAN Sacramento.

The California Democratic Black Caucus pledged to continue to fight for safe and culturally affirming educational environments that are free from overt and systemic racism. For more information on the work of the Black Caucus visit the website at https://cdpblackcaucus.org.

Dr. Margaret Fortune is the President/CEO of Fortune School, a system of nine, K-12 public charter schools with over 2,300 students focused on closing the Black achievement gap by preparing students for college.

Dr. Margaret Fortune

Dr. Margaret Fortune

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

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Juneteenth: Celebrating Our History, Honoring Our Shared Spaces

It’s been empowering to watch Juneteenth blossom into a widely celebrated holiday, filled with vibrant outdoor events like cookouts, festivals, parades, and more. It’s inspiring to see the community embrace our history—showing up in droves to celebrate freedom, a freedom delayed for some enslaved Americans more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

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Wayne Wilson, Public Affairs Campaign Manager, Caltrans
Wayne Wilson, Public Affairs Campaign Manager, Caltrans

By Wayne Wilson, Public Affairs Campaign Manager, Caltrans

Juneteenth marks an important moment in our shared history—a time to reflect on the legacy of our ancestors who, even in the face of injustice, chose freedom, unity, and community over fear, anger, and hopelessness. We honor their resilience and the paths they paved so future generations can continue to walk with pride.

It’s been empowering to watch Juneteenth blossom into a widely celebrated holiday, filled with vibrant outdoor events like cookouts, festivals, parades, and more. It’s inspiring to see the community embrace our history—showing up in droves to celebrate freedom, a freedom delayed for some enslaved Americans more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

As we head into the weekend full of festivities and summer celebrations, I want to offer a friendly reminder about who is not invited to the cookout: litter.

At Clean California, we believe the places where we gather—parks, parade routes, street corners, and church lots—should reflect the pride and beauty of the people who fill them. Our mission is to restore and beautify public spaces, transforming areas impacted by trash and neglect into spaces that reflect the strength and spirit of the communities who use them.

Too often, after the music fades and the grills cool, our public spaces are left littered with trash. Just as our ancestors took pride in their communities, we honor their legacy when we clean up after ourselves, teach our children to do the same, and care for our shared spaces.

Small acts can inspire big change. Since 2021, Clean California and its partners have collected and removed over 2.9 million cubic yards of litter. We did this by partnering with local nonprofits and community organizations to organize grassroots cleanup events and beautification projects across California.

Now, we invite all California communities to continue the incredible momentum and take the pledge toward building a cleaner community through our Clean California Community Designation Program. This recognizes cities and neighborhoods committed to long-term cleanliness and civic pride.

This Juneteenth, let’s not only celebrate our history—but also contribute to its legacy. By picking up after ourselves and by leaving no litter behind after celebrations, we have an opportunity to honor our past and shape a cleaner, safer, more vibrant future.

Visit CleanCA.com to learn more about Clean California.

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OPINION: California’s Legislature Has the Wrong Prescription for the Affordability Crisis — Gov. Newsom’s Plan Hits the Mark

Last month, Gov. Newsom included measures in his budget that would encourage greater transparency, accountability, and affordability across the prescription drug supply chain. His plan would deliver real relief to struggling Californians. It would also help expose the hidden markups and practices by big drug companies that push the prices of prescription drugs higher and higher. The legislature should follow the Governor’s lead and embrace sensible, fair regulations that will not raise the cost of medications.

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Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook. Courtesy of Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook.
Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook. Courtesy of Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook.

By Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook

As a pastor and East Bay resident, I see firsthand how my community struggles with the rising cost of everyday living. A fellow pastor in Oakland recently told me he cuts his pills in half to make them last longer because of the crushing costs of drugs.

Meanwhile, community members are contending with skyrocketing grocery prices and a lack of affordable healthcare options, while businesses are being forced to close their doors.

Our community is hurting. Things have to change.

The most pressing issue that demands our leaders’ attention is rising healthcare costs, and particularly the rising cost of medications. Annual prescription drug costs in California have spiked by nearly 50% since 2018, from $9.1 billion to $13.6 billion.

Last month, Gov. Newsom included measures in his budget that would encourage greater transparency, accountability, and affordability across the prescription drug supply chain. His plan would deliver real relief to struggling Californians. It would also help expose the hidden markups and practices by big drug companies that push the prices of prescription drugs higher and higher. The legislature should follow the Governor’s lead and embrace sensible, fair regulations that will not raise the cost of medications.

Some lawmakers, however, have advanced legislation that would drive up healthcare costs and set communities like mine back further.

I’m particularly concerned with Senate Bill (SB) 41, sponsored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), a carbon copy of a 2024 bill that I strongly opposed and Gov. Newsom rightly vetoed. This bill would impose significant healthcare costs on patients, small businesses, and working families, while allowing big drug companies to increase their profits.

SB 41 would impose a new $10.05 pharmacy fee for every prescription filled in California. This new fee, which would apply to millions of Californians, is roughly five times higher than the current average of $2.

For example, a Bay Area family with five monthly prescriptions would be forced to shoulder about $500 more in annual health costs. If a small business covers 25 employees, each with four prescription fills per month (the national average), that would add nearly $10,000 per year in health care costs.

This bill would also restrict how health plan sponsors — like employers, unions, state plans, Medicare, and Medicaid — partner with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to negotiate against big drug companies and deliver the lowest possible costs for employees and members. By mandating a flat fee for pharmacy benefit services, this misguided legislation would undercut your health plan’s ability to drive down costs while handing more profits to pharmaceutical manufacturers.

This bill would also endanger patients by eliminating safety requirements for pharmacies that dispense complex and costly specialty medications. Additionally, it would restrict home delivery for prescriptions, a convenient and affordable service that many families rely on.

Instead of repeating the same tired plan laid out in the big pharma-backed playbook, lawmakers should embrace Newsom’s transparency-first approach and prioritize our communities.

Let’s urge our state legislators to reject policies like SB 41 that would make a difficult situation even worse for communities like ours.

About the Author

Rev. Dr. VanHook is the founder and pastor of The Community Church in Oakland and the founder of The Charis House, a re-entry facility for men recovering from alcohol and drug abuse.

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