Activism
Gov. Newsom: California Won’t Sit Idle While Texas “Games the System” in Redistricting Battle
The governor’s office confirmed that four legal and political options are under review, including a 2026 ballot measure that would dismantle the state’s independent redistricting commission and return the power to draw political maps to the Legislature. California voters created the commission in 2008 to insulate the process from partisan influence.
By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
Gov. Gavin Newsom says California won’t “sit idle” as Republican-led states like Texas manipulate congressional maps to entrench power — even if that means rethinking California’s own redistricting rules.
“We’re not going to play by a different set of rules anymore,” Newsom said last week, after Texas Republicans approved new congressional maps in a special session pushed by President Trump. He called the move a “five-alarm fire for democracy” and signaled that California may need to respond in kind to help Democrats reclaim control of the U.S. House.
The governor’s office confirmed that four legal and political options are under review, including a 2026 ballot measure that would dismantle the state’s independent redistricting commission and return the power to draw political maps to the Legislature. California voters created the commission in 2008 to insulate the process from partisan influence.
The idea, still in exploratory stages, has sparked sharp backlash from California Republicans, who accuse Newsom and state Democrats of trying to upend a fair system for political gain.
“We win elections by a war of ideas, not by manipulating the lines,” said Assembly Republican Leader Heath Flora (R-Ripon). “This could cost everyone a lot of money and destroy voter trust.”
Other GOP leaders warn the proposal could unravel nearly two decades of bipartisan reform and tarnish Democrats’ credibility on voting rights. They argue that responding to Texas by undermining California’s own democratic safeguards sends the wrong message.
Newsom, however, insists California can’t be passive while other states exploit partisan redistricting to tilt national power. He noted that the state’s independent system was created under different political conditions and may no longer serve California’s strategic interests.
“This could cost everyone a lot of money and destroy voter trust,” he said.
Still, critics from both parties remain skeptical that California voters — who overwhelmingly approved the redistricting commission — would back a return to lawmaker-controlled mapmaking. Newsom has not ruled out putting the issue before voters in 2026.
As of publishing time, the Texas Legislature had not officially approved the redrawn electoral maps, and Gov. Greg Abott had not signed them into law.
The redistricting debate comes at a critical moment, as both parties aim to lock down control of the U.S. House. Any changes to California’s maps could reshape the national political landscape for years to come.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of September 9 – 15, 2026
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 9 – 15, 2026
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Activism
Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026
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Activism
Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association
The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”
Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association
The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.
Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).
Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.
According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.
The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”
Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.
EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”
Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.
An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”
The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.
The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”
The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”
Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.
Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.
Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.
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