Look West: How California Is Leading The Nation

How is California breaking the stigma on mental health? Are mental health services accessible for every community? Assemblymember Phil Ting, Mark Salazar the Executive Director of Mental Health Association of San Francisco, and Sherrel Cross Assistant Manager for the California Peer Run Warm Line discuss the disparities in access and stigma of mental health. Further, we explore efforts of Assemblymember Phil Ting, Governor Gavin Newsom and Senator Scott Wiener who helped set a budget of $10.8 million over 3 years that supported the launch of California’s first statewide mental health line. This will improve access for all and break the stigma around mental health conversations.

California is taking steps to heal the relationship with the Native American community just as the first California Native American Assemblymember, James C. Ramos, was elected into the state legislature last year. This year, Governor Newsom apologized to Native Americans for the state’s history of violence against them. Since Assemblymember James C. Ramos swearing, he has passed legislation that not only reflects the current state of Native Americans but also with a deep commitment to the preservation of California Native American Culture. Join him to celebrate Native American Heritage Month!

November 1, 2019 marks 100 years since California ratified the 19th Amendment – however women had been voting in California since 1911!  The 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote but voter suppression discouraged and prevented specific groups from exercising their newfound right. With more women elected to office than ever before, the role of women in politics and society is ever-changing. Assemblymember Dr. Shirley N. Weber and Dr. Huma Ahmed-Ghosh dive into the last hundred years and the future of civic engagement.

For years Loan sharks have been praying on California consumers through loans with interest as high as 200% or even 300%. Irresponsible lenders have particularly targeted low income African American and Latinos. In this new episode of Look West, Assemblymember Monique Limón, the author of the new law that caps interest rates for loans between $2,500 to $10,000 to 36%,  talks about the problem and what is next with nationally recognized Social and Economic Justice advocate Reverend Shane B. Scott.

He’s the most interesting man in CA. He is highly respected and looked up to. He is the reason why the CA legislature has run as smoothly as it has for the last 27 years. His next adventure? A well-deserved retirement. Join Speaker Pro Tempore Kevin Mullin as he speaks with Chief Clerk E. Dotson Wilson and his tenure guiding the legislature.

Take a behind the scenes look at the end of the 2019 legislative year with Assembly Democrats and their staff as they describe to us the crazy and exciting last week of session in the Capitol. We spoke to Assemblymembers, Chiefs of Staff, Legislative Directors, Legislative Aids, and Assembly Fellows about the long hours and the snacks that got them through the week and heard their thoughts on the protests that rocked the Capitol during the last week of session.

This episode of LookWest features some of the best and brightest segments that have been covered since the inception of the show. Topics include civil rights, aging and Alzheimer’s, Millennial leadership, restorative justice and more.

On this episode of Look West, Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner Horvath and Carlsbad City Councilmember and 3x Women’s World Longboard Surfing Champion, Cori Schumacher, discuss equal pay for equal play, and why gender pay inequity is still an issue in the world of sports. Earlier this year, Assemblywoman Boerner Horvath introduced Assembly Bill 467, which ensures equal compensation prizes for the male and female categories in competitions that take place on state lands. You can find the bill text for AB 467 on the California Legislative Information website.

The CA State Assembly annually celebrates Pride by honoring those who are making a difference in the LGBTQ community and beyond. On this episode of Look West, Assemblymember Todd Gloria meets with Pride Award recipient and former NBA player, Jason Collins. Jason shares his experience on coming out as a professional athlete, what it’s like to meet Oprah, and the work he’s doing to advocate for LGBTQ individuals and families who are struggling to survive the migrant crisis on the southern border.

Each year the California State Assembly holds a special ceremony to highlight the achievements of people in the Asian Pacific Islander communities. In this episode of Look West, Assemblymember David Chiu talks with a Michelin star chef from Oakland (James Syhabout), the screenwriter of Crazy Rich Asians (Adele Lim) and the first Asian American to host a cable network news program (Richard Lui). #APICaucus #AsianPacificIslander #jamessyhabout #adelelim #richardlui #commis #crazyrichasians #msnbc #assemblydems #diversity

Assembly Constitutional Amendment 4 is a measure to allow 17 year olds to vote in the primary if they are 18 by the general election. It is an effort to increase civic participation among young people and to encourage interest in the electoral process for a lifetime. The idea has been around for more than 30 years and was first introduced by former Assemblmember Gene Mullin. At that time, although, it received a majority of votes, he could not receive the 54 needed for passage. Today, with youth even more involved and an atmosphere more conducive to the idea, Assemblymember Kevin Mullin (Gene’s son) has reintroduced the idea as ACA 4. Listen to the story of the idea from the two Mullins and hear what today’s students think of the idea as well.

On this episode of Look West, Assemblymember Robert Rivas sits down with civil and labor rights leader Dolores Huerta. Together, they discuss how California’s Housing Crisis is negatively impacting farmworkers and their families. Rivas’ legislation, the ‘Farmworker Housing Act of 2019’ hopes to address the issue.

On this episode of Look West, Assemblymembers Adrin Nazarian and Laura Friedman, Holocaust survivor Ruth Wildorff, and descendants of genocide survivors Vanndearlyn Vong, Nora Hovsepian, Esq., and Mihran Toumajan discuss why genocide education is so important.

On this episode of Look West, Assemblymember Monique Limón sits down with EDC’s Linda Krop and CAUSE’s Lucas Zucker at the site of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill - the largest spill in California’s history. They discuss the different roles of the coastal environment and why it continues to be so important to fight for environmental justice, especially here in California.

On this episode of Look West, Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon sits down with the creators and cast of the film, “El Chicano” to discuss the challenges Latino productions face in the film industry and how the California Film Commission’s Tax Credit Program empowers filmmakers to prioritize diversity.

On this episode of Look West, Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer links up with the folks of Ear Hustle Podcast and hears from the inmates at San Quentin State Prison on the subject of trauma-informed care, a revolutionary concept in youth justice, and how it could play a role in preventing at-risk youth from offending again.

On this episode of Look West, Governor Gavin Newsom outlines his plans for California, and some Assemblymembers offer insight on issues like education, water high speed rail and more.

On this episode of Look West, kid reporter Elena hits the streets of Sacramento to find out what people know about the New Laws coming in 2019.  Elena shares some of the changes surrounding Homemade Food Sales, the Straw Ban, Election Transparency and more.

On this episode of Look West, Assemblymembers Sharon Quirk-Silva, Patrick O’Donnell, Jose Medina and Blanca Rubio remember their times as teachers, and what it was like to go Back To School!  They share stories about what led them to teaching, the mentors that inspired them and talk about some of the challenges they faced from the classroom to the Capitol.

As wildfires continue to rage across California, Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) looks back on the devastation that ravaged Napa and Sonoma counties last October.  A winemaker, the Mayor of Calistoga and a local Battalion Chief all share their stories of loss and resilience, and discuss how wildfires are creating a “new normal” in the Golden State.