Look West: How California is Leading the Nation
Look West provides a personal view of the California leaders representing you in the State Assembly. Tune in while these elected officials, influential leaders, and the general public provide a unique perspective on different issues affecting California, and learn more about the actions we’re taking to help lead the nation into a brighter future.
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DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on Look West are solely those of the guests and do not necessarily represent the views of the Democratic Office of Communication and Outreach or the Assembly Democratic Caucus.
CA for Black Lives Part 3 - How We Fight
July 24, 2020
In Part 3, How We Fight, we discuss legislation, community organizing, police abolishment, Black economic investment, and the 2nd Amendment as just a few in the long list of tools needed to dismantle structural racism and white supremacy. Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager, Bryon F. Wilson, Headmaster of the Wilson Academy in Conyers, GA and leader of #HowWeFight, and Dr. Melina Abdullah, Co-founder Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, shed light on these issues.
Coronavirus Shutdown Our Schools – What’s Next?
June 16, 2020
The impact of the coronavirus on California schools reverberates throughout the rest of our communities. From missing proms and graduations to parents learning to home school their children, to the creation of a distance learning system, the closure and eventual reopening of schools directly impacts the students, teachers and administrators. But it also impacts the parents, our neighborhoods and the business community. Look West talks with Assemblymembers Patrick O'Donnell (Chair of the Education Committee), Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, Cristina Garcia and local school officials about the day the schools were shut down, how to reopen the schools safely and addressing the inequities in the school systems that have been magnified by the coronavirus crisis.
CA for Black Lives part 2: Inclusion & Diversity
June 12, 2020
Continuing our discussion on race with Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber and guest, Rosalyn O'Neale, a Diversity & Inclusion Specialist, to talk about affirmative action, considering reparations for the descendants of former slaves, and how to foster communities and workplaces that not only include, but also celebrate diverse voices. In a time when nationwide protests hit home across California, Assemblymembers are listening to the experts and their communities to bring forth reformative policies to promote inclusion and diversity in the democratic process.
CA for Black Lives part 1: Criminal Justice Reform
June 10, 2020
While week-long peaceful demonstrations across California continue on, our podcast team spoke with Assemblymember Gipson, a member of the Legislative Black Caucus, and his guest Eva Tak, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and former police lieutenant, on racial inequality and the role police can play moving forward.
Mental Health During the Coronavirus Crisis (Part 2)
May 21, 2020
The World Health Organization and the United Nations have issued warnings of a pending global mental health crisis due to the wide, long-lasting implications of the coronavirus outbreak. Assemblymembers Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Sharon Quirk-Silva, James Ramos, and Phil Ting address the growing needs for mental health during this pandemic and what communities are affected the most. They emphasize these issues and specific ways to take care of our mental health.
Mental Health During the Coronavirus Crisis (Part 1)
May 14, 2020
In Part 1 of Look West’s coronavirus mental health response, California’s Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, shares her expertise about how increased stress negatively impacts physical health and how to manage it. Next week, in Part 2, Assemblymembers Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Sharon Quirk-Silva, James Ramos and Phil Ting share their insights on mental health and what they’re doing to address the mental health concerns of the people in their districts and all of California.
Public Health During the Coronavirus Crisis
May 5, 2020
On this episode of Look West you’ll hear about maintaining public health by staying together even though we’re apart. How widespread testing and tracing will be needed to maintain public health when the state begins to reopen. What it’s like for one nurse who works at the intersection of public health and the health care system – a covid-19 intensive care unit. And, from former ER physician now State Assemblymember, Dr. Joaquin Arambula.
First Responders in a Covid-19 World
April 23, 2020
Being a first responder has always been a very difficult job. The Covid-19 crisis has made that job even more stressful and dangerous. Two former first responders, who now serve in the State Assembly, talk about the challenges facing first responders today and how the State Legislature is working to make it safer for all the front line personnel.
Quarantine Life in California
March 30, 2020
#WorkFromHome is the hashtag of the moment. Millions of Californians are staying at home to flatten the curve of the coronavirus. On this episode of Look West California Assembly Democrats report in from their homes about the impacts of the COVID-19 quarantine in their districts and in their homes.
The Importance of the Census
March 12, 2020
The Census count happens every ten years. Each Census response is a piece of a puzzle that, when completed, creates a picture of who we are as Americans and Californians. And how best our resources can be shared. The Census determines how the federal government funds and responds to the needs of families, neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, roads, and community centers. In this episode, Assemblymember Marc Berman, Chair of the California Assembly Select Committee on the Census and Secretary of State Alex Padilla discuss the importance of filling out the 2020 Census form.