Join CAUSE in celebrating our 20th anniversary! In July, CAUSE will bring together community leaders, public agency staff, and elected officials to learn and share policy solutions to the challenges faced in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Our Summer of Change: Strategizing Progressive Policies for Our Communities panels will highlight the experience of community experts and practitioners on policy issues including Farmworker rights, Environmental Justice, Housing Rights, Immigrant Rights, and investing in programs for youth development. As we emerge from the pandemic, we must work together to develop a policy agenda that invests in stronger and more resilient communities.

Essential Tomorrow? Farmworker Justice Beyond Today’s Crisis  - July 1st, 5-7 PM

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Join us in this panel where we will explore the future of farm work beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed and deepened the health and economic disparities that farmworkers have long faced. How can we ensure farmworkers recover from this crisis with lasting systemic change that values their essential work for the long run? With farmworkers facing continued changes and disruptions like climate change, automation, and the growth of the H-2A program, how can local communities work to ensure dignity and justice for farmworkers in the workplace?  

From Criminalizing to Reinvesting in Youth of Color  - July 8th, 5-7 PM

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This panel will delve into how cities and school districts can invest in programs and services to address the needs of local youth of color. How can cities move funding to create and reimagine youth programs? How can we address the wellness and mental health of young people in our community?  Join us to hear from local youth leaders and organizers about how we can incorporate youth in the decision-making process and advance transformational change for the next generation.

Building Healthy Communities Through Environmental Justice - July 15th, 5-7 PM

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How can local policymakers ensure the health and safety of communities facing legacies of environmental racism?  Join us as we explore different environmental justice tools and policies that support communities of color who are disproportionately burdened by toxic pollution.  We will discuss how communities can prevent diesel exhaust impacts from the rapidly growing goods-movement industry, transition from oil and gas infrastructure to zero-emission technology, and incorporate environmental justice practices in local city planning and zoning.

Winning Housing Affordability Beyond the Pandemic - July 22nd, 5-7 PM

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Working-class communities of color have been on the front lines of California’s housing crisis, experiencing housing insecurity, displacement, and gentrification across the state.  This crisis has deepened for communities impacted most by COVID-19 job losses, depleting savings and pushing families into debt, bringing new urgency to addressing our housing affordability crisis. This panel will explore best practice policies to strengthen tenant protections and build and preserve affordable housing. Join us to learn about long-term solutions to the housing crisis beyond the pandemic for communities across the Central Coast.

Advancing Immigrants Rights at the Local Level - July 29th 5-7pm

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California has made great strides to uplift immigrants through legislation expanding healthcare coverage for undocumented community members, strengthening the legal defense of immigrants from deportation within our local law enforcement systems, and during the pandemic, providing financial support to undocumented families excluded from the safety net. However, much work remains to be done to advance immigrant inclusion and keep families together. Join us to learn how local communities can take a more active role in advancing immigrants rights policy at the local level.