SACRAMENTO, Calif.,
Dec. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The
2020 California Economic Summit concluded virtually today, marking
the ninth gathering of more than 800 public, private and civic
leaders from across California's
diverse regions committed to ensuring more Californian's have the
opportunity to prosper through an equitable and inclusive economic
recovery.
The global pandemic has magnified the deep inequities in our
state, disproportionately impacting communities of color and
propelling us into an economic recession that has affected
millions. The record-breaking wildfire season has served as another
stark reminder of the rapid climate change our state is facing, and
the calls for racial justice we have seen come after decades of
inequities in policies that provide opportunities for some but not
all.
"There's no state better positioned into the future than this
state," said Governor Newsom during a conversation with
Jacqueline Martinez Garcel, CEO of
the Latino Community Foundation and member of California Forward's
(CA FWD) Leadership Council where the governor covered COVID-19
response, the economic recession, housing crisis, and climate
policies. He added, "We are committed to the future and we are
investing in it. We're investing because we know the future is in
decarbonizing our economy." A recording of the conversation can be
found here.
As Leon Panetta, founder and
director of The Panetta Institute for Public Policy and
founding chair of CA FWD emphasized during his keynote remarks on
Dec. 3, "That path towards a
resilient economy will take strong leadership. From elected
officials, from our business leaders, from labor leaders, from
community leaders, from the public, from educators, from all of
us." He added, "The key to recovery is leadership that is not
afraid of risk."
To build a truly equitable state, CA FWD and its wide array of
partners understand the need to hold policy and decision makers, as
well as each other accountable for progress. On Dec. 3, CA FWD CEO Micah
Weinberg and Debbie Chang,
president and CEO, Blue Shield of California Foundation unveiled
the California Dream Index, a tool that tracks and measures 10 key
indicators of economic mobility, security and inclusion. With
equity built into the index, the data can be analyzed by race and
ethnicity, region, and county as well as income and educational
attainment.
"We have the unique opportunity to reimagine California's economic renewal and redress the
racial inequities that will ultimately help more Californians
achieve prosperity," said Micah
Weinberg, CEO of California Forward. "The pandemic has
caused those who are struggling to get ahead to be hurt more than
others, we must do better. The California Dream Index will be the
tool that will keep us accountable, helping us measure and track
our collective progress in developing solutions that balance
equity, the environment and the economy."
Produced by CA FWD and the California Stewardship Network (CSN),
the Summit is built upon the principle that regional approaches to
economic problem solving are critical to advancing the state's
triple-bottom-line strategy of balancing equity, environmental
sustainability and economic growth to bring opportunity for
all.
At a time when the California Dream has become even more elusive
for many, the Summit focused on developing actionable plans that
will be carried out by its vast network of leaders in 2021 to
develop a more resilient, equitable and sustainable state. This
year's Summit focused on: Expanding Home Ownership
- Planning Regional Inclusive Economies
- Empowering Resilient and Productive Landscapes
- Investing in Small Businesses Owned by People of Color
- Advancing Manufacturing
- Strengthening Education Cradle to Career
- Providing Meaningful Career Pathways
- Ensuring Broadband for All
- Increasing Community Investment
Additionally, the Summit featured a session with the "Next
Generation of Leaders" from CA FWD's Young Leaders Advisory
Council. The session focused on the need for young adults to get
involved in discussions to ensure their views and voices are
represented in policies that will impact their lives.
The Summit followed its long-standing tradition and presented
two annual awards. The California Steward Leader Award was
presented to Isabella Casillas
Guzman, Director of the California Office of the Small
Business Advocate and the Regional Steward Leader Award was
presented posthumously to Alma
Salazar. Both of these awards recognize individuals for
their significant contributions to advancing the state's
triple-bottom-line. The Partnership for Industry and Education
(PIE) Award Contest was also presented to honor innovative
partnerships between educational institutions and private or public
organizations.
In 2021, the Summit will be hosted in Monterey on November
9 and 10. The annual California Economic Summit has been
held in Fresno, Los Angeles, Ontario, Sacramento, San
Diego, Santa Clara,
Santa Rosa and virtually.
About California Forward
California
Forward (CA FWD) leads a statewide movement, bringing
people together across communities, regions and interests to
improve government and create inclusive, sustainable growth for
everyone. A 501(c)(3) organization, CA FWD drives collective action
to identify solutions that can be taken to scale to meet the
challenges the state is facing. CA FWD serves as the backbone for
the California Stewardship Network, an alliance of regional
leaders, and is home to the California Economic
Summit and the California Dream Index.
CONTACT: Jania Palacios, CA FWD
520.404.7643, jania@cafwd.org
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SOURCE CA FWD