| |  | | “The reality is that we're not separate. We are deeply connected to each other, but how do we actually learn to celebrate that, to exercise that muscle, to recognize it? We are connected, but how do we actually live that connection?” |
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| | IT’S SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVING IS…A WORK IN PROGRESS |
| Dear Colleagues and Friends,
Happy June! It’s officially summertime and so we’re officially doing summer stuff. We’re in the park barbequing and listening to Sean Paul on repeat. We’re breaking out our favorite tote bags to go to a Saturday picnic. And we’re writing newsletters to update you on CCB’s various and sundry projects.
In this newsletter, we’re excited to share a few updates on: Saying goodbye to our graduating leadership interns Our new blog post on single family zoning, segregation, and gentrification A recap on our recent legislative webinar How to buy the must-have non-profit tote bag of the summer
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| Unfortunately, despite what Sublime [1] said, it’s summertime and the living isn’t always easy. Specifically, June is a month with a lot of holidays and, dear reader, it sometimes gets a little overwhelming thinking through how to celebrate and acknowledge all of these important days in a way that each deserves, without making it seem like a check-the-box exercise.
So, rather than pretend that CCB can adequately give June’s holidays [2] – Juneteenth and Pride – their proper due in a few paragraphs, we’re going to attempt to convey our feelings by quoting a living legend, john a. powell, founder of the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley.
Mr. powell very succinctly sums up both the opportunity and challenge many, many communities face when it comes not just to the mundane-but-important laws and policies that need to change, but also the philosophical and conceptual perspectives that artificially keep us apart: |
| “The reality is that we're not separate. We are deeply connected to each other, but how do we actually learn to celebrate that, to exercise that muscle, to recognize it? We are connected, but how do we actually live that connection? And what we do is we figure all these ways to pretend we're not connected. Our sexual orientation, our race, our gender, our age, our language, our disability. We use all these things to try to pretend that we're not connected.” |
| So let’s do our best to use June’s important holidays to remind ourselves that we’ve seen – and frankly, are seeing – what happens to the world when we let divisive fictions become reality. At the same time, let’s also remember that keeping our shared connection and underlying similarities front-and-center is a practice like any other. While some days are easier than others to exercise that particular muscle, sticking with it is what’s important.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk; look forward to checking in again soon! |
| | | [1] Yes, before you email, we’re very aware Sublime’s song is mostly a cover of a George Gerswhin song written for his opera, Porgy & Bess. We just grew up in the ‘90s. [2] And Father’s Day. CCB loves dads, dad jokes, and the things that dads love (e.g. WWII documentaries, etc). |
| |  | L-R: Adam Briones, Giuliana Ramirez, Leila Brannan, Gillian Welcher, Sylvia Aguilar, Moremi Olora, and Greg Magofña. |
| Farewell to our graduating team! |
| May 29th was a great but kind of sad day: CCB said goodbye to two of our graduating Leadership Academy interns Leila Brannan and Moremi Olora! Congratulations to Leila (architecture) and Moremi (sociology) for wrapping up their undergrad degrees at the University of California, Berkeley and UCLA, respectively.
We're very sad to see them go, but we're incredibly grateful for the amazing impact they've made at CCB! If you’re curious to learn more about their experience at CCB, check out their exit interview with our newest Leadership Academy member, Danielle De Silva! |
| | | Single-Family Zoning’s Inherently Racist Origins Perpetuate California’s Housing Crisis Today |
| Speaking of interns, check out this blog post from our recently graduated Leila Brannan on the history of single family zoning. Leila tells it like it is and, like any good young person, doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to injustice. Give it a read!
“Single-family zoning plays a significant role in ongoing issues of gentrification and displacement. Because zoning law does not permit the creation of denser, more community-oriented housing in single-family zones that are predominantly white, newer development occurs in multi-use zones where more communities of color reside. These areas also tend to be those same areas that were historically redlined and the only places where low-income families and people of color could live as the result of exclusionary zoning. These communities face gentrification and displacement because they are often the only zones where new, denser development is permitted without influential neighborhood opposition.” |
| |  | Left-Right/Top-Bottom: Kelsey Lyles, Sosan Madanat, Esmeralda Lopez, Adam Briones, Michael Lane |
| Legislative Webinar Recap |
| | |  | Do you even go to the farmer’s market, bro? |
| Are you trying to really do summer things this summer? We’ve got you covered (or maybe we should say…bagged). For a limited time only, anyone that donates $50 or more will receive a complimentary CCB-branded tote bag. Supplies are limited and will go fast. Don’t get caught lacking at your next bonfire, picnic, or produce excursion — get yours today! |
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