CFJ Youth Leader Camron Advocates for Long Beach
Growing up in the South Wrigley District in Long Beach, Californians For Justice Youth Leader Camron knew he wanted better for himself and his community. “It’s a place that I didn’t wanna stay,” said Camron. “It inspired me to try to do my best, even if my peers didn’t believe in me.” Though he initially…
Celebrating 25 Years of SYLA Across California
Each year, Californians for Justice offices across the state transform into the Summer Youth Leadership Academy (SYLA). This intensive 5-week program focuses on political education, public speaking, organizing tactics, and campaign work. What started as neighborhood canvassing and local word-of-mouth recruitment in our Bay Area regions has expanded greatly. Today, SYLA spans four regions across…
Student Spotlight: The Legacy and Future of CFJ Core Intern Ariel
After three and a half years with Californians for Justice, core intern Ariel is ready for the next phase of her life. Raised by her grandparents, the values of community strength were instilled in Ariel at a young age. Her grandparents, her grandma from Arkansas and her grandpa from Mississippi, brought with them southern values,…
Series of Wins: Securing Safety and Sanctuary in Schools
Series of Wins: Securing Safety and Sanctuary in Schools Year round and beyond election season, youth leaders are making noise. From Long Beach to the Bay, our organizing is rewriting what’s possible in education and in our communities when we fight back together. Because of youth leadership — and your continued support —we’ve scored wins…
End of 2025 Legislative Session: How Did We Fare?
The 2025-26 California State Budget has officially passed the legislature! On Sunday, Governor Newsom hit his deadline for signing – or vetoing – California bills, bringing the 2025-26 legislative cycle to a close. In this update, the CFJ Policy Team breaks down what that means for the racial justice & youth power bills on our…
California Budget Protects Schools, Not People: Communities Left Vulnerable Amid ICE Raids
The 2025-26 California State Budget has officially passed the legislature! We need bold, values-driven leadership in California, which has never been more urgent. We are living in the wake of recent ICE raids and the deployment of 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines in Los Angeles, which have deeply unsettled immigrant children, students, and…
Youth Leader Highlight – Blog from our first Community Schools Student Liaison
I am Frida, an 11th grader at Anaheim High School and my school’s first Community Schools Liaison for the Associated Student Body (ASB). I consider myself to be a very active person on and off campus, as I dedicate my time to various leadership and advocacy positions. Currently, I am one of the Southern Coast…
Community of Transformative Practice – a Shining Light for Our Schools
As you know, CFJ is a lead organization in the State Transformational Assistance Center (S-TAC) for Community Schools. In this role, we co-lead a Community of Practice with the Regional Transformational Assistance Centers (R-TACs) across California to support the implementation of the Community Schools strategy. Our shared goal is to ensure that all schools across…
Key Ed Justice Issues to Watch This Fall
As we head deeper into the new school year it’s important to stay on top of the many issues impacting our public school students and families. To help you better navigate the shifting education justice landscape we’ve put together a roundup of some key issues to watch this fall. 1. Updates on State Policies Impacting…