Angel Garcia, 16, is stressed about the implications of COVID-19 and how it may affect his health and future. Lauren Fitzgerald, a high school student, worries about the reforms she believes are needed in our country's justice system. 

With Congresswoman Jackie Speier's new Youth Advisory Board (YAB), young people in the 14th Congressional District will now have the opportunity to weigh in on their concerns.

Congresswoman Jackie Speier is accepting applications for district high school youth to run for the board, which will allow students to meet with each other to discuss issues and brainstorm how they can be addressed.

"I want to listen to the young people in my district and be in touch with their concerns and, as much as possible, create opportunities for them to participate in the legislative process," said Rep. Speier.

Speier has long been an advocate for youth engagement. By attending programs and events and meeting with young people, he has told them that they are the generation that must address issues like climate change and ensure that people have access to the vote. 

Through this new program, Speier hopes that more young people will be able to participate in the legislative process and influence the outcome of the many issues that affect us today. She said, "This will be a productive forum to exchange ideas and solutions. 

The board will meet once a month, from October through May, for a total of six meetings to which youth in San Mateo County are being encouraged to apply. Applications are available at web site and must be submitted by August 30.

For Fitzgerald, she has important opinions on key issues and would like to share.  

"I am very interested in bringing immediate reforms to the criminal justice system. It's time for a system that brings restorative justice to victims. "said Fitzgerald. 

Through the YAB, it is hoped that youth like Garcia and Fitzgerald can have their concerns addressed, creating a positive and empowering forum for discussion, action and the pursuit of change among the teens on the Youth Advisory Board and Congresswoman Speier. 

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According to the 2020 Census, racial and ethnic diversity in the U.S. has increased and changed in recent years, signifying the need for an equitable and fair redistricting where all residents feel represented.  

Today we have the opportunity to have new data that allows the redrawing of the maps to be a breakthrough for social justice. 

"American democracy is based on the principle that all people receive equal representation in the U.S. House of Representatives, in their state legislature and in local government, things like city council, county commission and school boards," said Yurij Rudensky, a redistricting attorney in the Brennan Center's Democracy Program.

During a briefing with the media organized by Ethnic Media ServicesIn his opinion, the specialist explained that district boundaries have to be adjusted periodically to comply with this principle of equal representation. 

"The census provides the population data and geographic elements for this periodic redistribution of political power, so it takes place every 10 years immediately following the release of the census results. In other words, over the next two months, political boundaries at the national, state and local levels will be redrawn."

And that is because the redistricting process exists to take into account the different ways in which the population has changed. 

"This not only means that the district should have the same number of people, but ideally the districts should also be adjusted to reflect the demographic changes that have occurred. So that the increasingly diverse nation, and the growing African-American, Latino, Asian and Native communities that have historically suffered discrimination and are protected by the Voting Rights Act, have an equal opportunity to elect their candidates."

Unfortunately, in most states redistricting is a very political and partisan process, Rudensky said.

"When a political party controls the process, it can abuse and ignore the public interest to manufacture political outcomes". This gives rise to what is known in English as gerrymandering, a common term for these redistricting abuses. 

"It's what happens when politicians ignore the public interest and changes in the population ... to manufacture political outcomes without any consideration," he said. "The goal of the gerrymandering is to secure an electoral advantage for a party or a set of current political or policy interests, so that they cannot be eliminated".

Also an adjunct professor at New York University School of Law, he stressed that the goal of gerrymandering is to take away meaningful choice from voters, which undermines the system of government that was supposed to be a reflection of the people. 

He further explained that there are three factors that increase the risk of gerrymanderingThe first is whether one party controls the process and the state government; the second is whether the state is closely divided politically or is a rapidly evolving state politically; and the third is whether the demographics of the state are changing. "When all three of these factors are present, the risk is incredibly high."

In view of this, and in order to prevent the gerrymandering moving forward, it would be best to relinquish control over redistricting to an independent commission, where the map-drawers do not have the same political motivations as incumbent politicians. Such is the case in the states of California, Colorado, Michigan and Arizona.

"The idea with independent commissions is that they are more oriented toward identifying and serving public interests and interacting with the public through hearings, rather than producing certain electoral and political outcomes."

Diversity, the face of America.

Mark Hugo Lopez, director of research on race and ethnicity at Pew Research Center, noted that after some of the 2020 Census results were released last week, it is imminent that the nation continues to become more diverse.

The Census Bureau reported that white Americans, non-Hispanic, single-race white Americans make up 58 percent of the nation's population. "That's the lowest proportion we've seen for non-Hispanic whites in the United States, who have had a decline of 5 million."

However, with more than 200 million people, it remains the nation's largest racial or ethnic group overall.

He added that the Latino and Asian populations now account for three-quarters of the population growth.

The Hispanic population has grown to nearly 62 million people, and Latinos now make up 19 percent of the nation's total population, an increase of 23 percent over the past 10 years.

In addition, the African-American population now represents 12 percent of the population, the Asian community 6 percent, and Native Americans make up 1 percent of the more than 330 million people in the United States.

In terms of age, the expert highlighted that the number of older adults in the country also grew, and now reaches 20 million.

Lopez noted that 32 states had population growth, however, Washington D.C., Idaho and Utah reported the greatest growth of Caucasians.

On the other hand, he said, in many parts of the country, especially in the heartland, in states like Minnesota, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia, people have two or more races, so there is a real change and diversity happening.

"In many places, Hispanics or non-Latino Caucasians are the second largest group in states. Yet, interestingly, in many parts of the country people of two or more races are the second largest racial or ethnic group."

In that sense, 34 million Americans said they belong to more than one race, 9 million more than in 2010.

The 2020 Census also showed that the population has shifted significantly to urban areas, after rural areas have seen a considerable decline in the number of their residents.

Time to take action in the face of an endangered democracy

Interim Vice President of Government Affairs for the Leadership Conference Education Fund Jesselyn McCurdy said nothing is more fundamental than freedom and the right to vote, but right now democracy is in jeopardy.

"Nothing is more fundamental to American democracy than freedom and the right to vote. But right now our democracy is in danger and if we don't take immediate and direct action we will lose it."

The measures, he said, will be to fully protect against racial discrimination at the polls and to ensure that every voice and every vote counts, which is why he said Congress must pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the People's Bill.

"We filed a series of commissioned reports in 10 states, with more to come, that demonstrate to Congress that it is imperative and urgent to restore the Voting Rights Act, individually and collectively."

These reports, he said, reveal racial discrimination at the polls, where mainly African-American voters and voters of color have been blocked, so they hope that lawmakers will update the Voting Rights Act to respond to what is happening in the country and to the diversity of the U.S. population.

"We also continue to press Congress to pass the People Act, which will create national standards that protect our freedom to vote. It is being acted on in the Senate as a compromise bill," he stressed. "We look forward to action on that bill in the Senate in September, regardless of our race or zip code. We all value voting freedom and believe that all Americans should have a voice in key decisions that affect our lives."

You may be interested in: San Mateo Redistricting Advisory Commission Ready

Cheers, chants, and horn honking kept the atmosphere lively and at times, chaotic, throughout the Peninsula on Friday morning.  

Rallies took place as part of U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier’s bus tour that stopped in Daly City, San Mateo, and Redwood City. She was joined by state Sen. Josh Becker, state Rep. Kevin Mullin, numerous city councilmembers, other civic leaders, and community, all encouraging people to return their ballot and “Vote NO on the Recall” in the upcoming gubernatorial recall election.

Speier emphasized how critical this election is for the state of California. She criticized the recall process that is costing about 270 million dollars, and praised Governor Newsom.

“GOVERNOR NEWSOM HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB. CALIFORNIA IS RECOVERING VERY WELL. IT IS TIME FOR US TO RECONSIDER THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF THE RECALL. VOTE NO ON THE RECALL. VOTE NOW AND PUT IT IN THE MAILBOX AND LET’S MAKE SURE WE CAN CONTINUE THIS GREAT ADMINISTRATION,” SAID SPEIER.

Speier’s concerns were echoed by Mullin, who called this recall election, “an abuse of the recall provisions in the state constitution.”

Speier’s bus rally highlights the upcoming recall election to determine whether or not current California Governor Gavin Newsom will be recalled in the next few weeks. This effort allows voters to first choose whether to recall Newsom from office, “Yes,” or “No.” If recalled, voters then have the choice of forty-six candidates on the ballot to choose from. 

This effort to promote the “Vote NO on the recall” campaign began quietly just after 8 am in Daly City, with early morning commuters honking support for the crowd in the parking lot of Westlake Shopping Center.  

Supporters traveled by bus down El Camino to the second stop at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo, where civic leaders delivered impassioned speeches. State Representative Marc Berman and State Senator Josh Becker praised Governor Newsom and stressed the importance of getting out to vote. 

“VOTING WILL TAKE THIRTY SECONDS OF YOUR TIME, THAT’S REALLY HOW TO SAVE THE FUTURE OF THIS STATE” SAID BERMAN. 

“This governor has done a tremendous job during a very difficult time,” said Becker. 

However, by the third stop at the Sequoia Station Shopping Center in Redwood City, it was clear that not all voices agreed with the “No on the Recall” advocates. Equipped with flags, signs, microphones and bullhorns, protesters met the bus with criticism of Newsom and his policies.

The effort by both sides turned into a raucous showdown, with advocates on both sides dancing, chanting and cheering the crowd to vote "Yes" or "No" on the recall.

“DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE WEARING THOSE MASKS STRAPPED ONTO YOUR FACE FOREVER?” CHANTED THE PROTESTORS FAVORING THE RECALL. 

The recall election reflects tensions over new mask and pandemic orders which have caused dissension throughout the country. State administrations have been in the spotlight over their policies about the enforcement of masks, and over following of pandemic protocols in schools. 

Some protesters focused on criticism of Governor Newsom's dinner at the French Laundry in Yountville, California. The Governor had attended this dinner on November 6, after having established strict COVID-19 protocols for the state doing the opposite. 

However, supporters of Newsom maintain that he has excelled in swiftly moving on climate resiliency, the pandemic, and stressed the importance of insuring that his recently signed $123.9 billion education package goes forward. Concern was expressed that recalling the governor and changing administration will halt progress on proposed legislation. 

Dorie Paniza, Commissioner of Daly City’s Arts and Culture Commission, explained her point of view as an immigrant to the United States who is now a citizen. She is a passionate supporter of Newsom — highlighting his long- standing support for minorities and all disenfranchised groups. 

“AS A FILIPINO AND SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD TO WORK HARD, WE NEED TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER,” SAID PANIZA. “NOW IS THE TIME.”

While the rally didn’t reveal the outcome of the recall election of California Governor Gavin Newsom, it was clear that many people were eager to come out and make their voices heard. 

East Palo Alto City Councilwoman Lisa Yarbrough-Gauthier reminds all of the importance and impact that people can have in this recall election. 

“We need more than ever for people to return their ballots. Exercise your rights and vote. No matter what side you’re on, exercise your right to vote,” said Gauthier.