We are a United Front of community organizations, labor, policy advocates, academics, and philanthropy leaders representing millions Californians of every race, religion, and region of the state. We demand Governor Newsom and other elected leaders choose us — the people of California — not corporations and the wealthy few. Choose us to reverse historical inequities and immediately invest in a collective future that benefits all Californians.
The United Front is comprised of community organizations, labor, policy advocates, academics, and philanthropy leaders representing Californians of every race, religion, and region of the state. Members include: Asian American Pacific Islanders for Civic Empowerment – AAPIforCE, ACCE, AFSCME, California Calls, CAUSE, California Community Foundation, CHIRLA, Children’s Defense Fund – CA, Health Access, LAANE, PICO California, Partnership for Working Families, Policy Link, Power California, San Francisco Foundation, SEIU State Council, SEIU 2015, SEIU-USWW, UFCW 770, Unite Here 11, UTLA, Warehouse Workers, Working Partnerships – USA. Together we represent millions of Californians.
From July 31 to August 7, the #ChooseUsNotBillionaires Week of Action organized by United Front members will highlight recovery solutions for key communities that have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including ways to generate much-needed revenue to fund a fair and just recovery. Actions will take place throughout the state.
Housing: Choose Us Not Billionaires
Organization: Housing Now!
School re-opening: Center children and families in defining what a just recovery looks like.
Health and safety of essential workers
Defund the police: remove police from schools and redirect funding for police to other community needs like mental health and housing services.
Relief for undocumented people: Pass Wage Replacement for Undocumented Workers
Health and safety of essential workers
The Choice is Clear: Tax Billionaires, Invest in Our Communities
Too many of California’s politicians allow wealthy corporations and their lobbyists to bend the rules and determine our policy and budget priorities.
A recent report from Americans for Tax Fairness shows that California’s 154 billionaires, through their billion-dollar corporations, increased their wealth by over $175 billion since the start of the pandemic in mid-March. As the rich make billions, essential workers earn less than a living wage. Renters are forced to pay sky high rent to live in unstable housing. Immigrants live in fear ranged raand exclusion. All the while, schools, and neighborhoods remain underfunded.
With an uprising in the midst of a pandemic, we have a historic opportunity to choose our fellow Californians – Black families, students, essential workers, renters, and immigrants – over billionaires and corporations. Right now, and this election year, is our moment to rewrite our collective future so that all of us – not just a wealthy few – are safe and thriving.
This moment isn’t about a lack of resources, especially in a state that is as wealthy as California. There is enough for everyone to stay healthy, safe, and connected. The choices we make now on how to use the abundant resources we have will determine our future.
California’s leaders must choose, do you work for corporate billionaires or us? We see now more than ever that the status quo that favors the wealthy – and leaves the rest of us sick, poor and over-policed – is an act of systemic racism and inequality. California’s lawmakers must choose a path forward that protects health, safety, and long-term economic well-being for all of us.
We are powerful when we act together. We choose us. We choose California. We need Governor Newsom and our other elected leaders to choose us, too.