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With California facing a budget crisis of historic proportions, we need creative, equitable solutions now more than ever. That's why the Ella Baker Center has partnered with the Center for Juvenile & Criminal Justice, Drug Policy Alliance, and the American Civil Liberties Union California Affiliates to create the People's Budget Fix, a series of smart criminal justice reforms to increase public safety, protect the social safety net and save the state billions.
Just four years ago, Ella Baker Center first electrified the environmental movement with our "Green Jobs, Not Jails" message. And now, Van is on TIME Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the WORLD. As we celebrate this milestone in our movement, we also that we've only just begun our work to create an economy with good green jobs for everyone who needs one. Read the full article here.
One third of the time spent in DJJ is based on "time adds" -- a disciplinary measure that extends a youth's time in prison and tacks on an average of more than a year to each youth's stay. Books Not Bars has teamed up with Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) to introduce AB 999, a bill designed to eliminate this practice and replace it with an incentive model that rewards good behavior and positive program participation. Good news: the bill passed the Assembly!
As President Barack Obama signs the American Reinvestment Recovery Act, the Ella Baker Center has helped to launch a cross-sector coalition to ensure that California stimulus funds are used in a green and equitable way. The Working Group brings together labor, environment, social justice, and workforce development groups to direct funds toward the projects best suited to addressing California's needs -- improving the economy and protecting the environment. We're working with our partners to make it happen.
Ella Baker Center just launched its newest campaign, Soul of the City, to transform Oakland into a community that's socially just, spiritually connected, ecologically sustainable, with shared prosperity for all. The campaign will start with hands-on service projects and, this summer, we'll host Reclaim the Future transformational workshops to teach interconnectedness and introduce participants to the campaign's goals and vision. Later this year, we'll turn community service into community activism by engaging people in the political process. Check out our introductory video, which premiered at our launch party on Inauguration Night -- click here.
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