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From California Shared Prosperity Forum 2010
| In a strategic effort to lift up community values and shared prosperity as dynamic and relevant ideals that shape the looming California gubernatorial race, a group of community organizations and networks have proposed the organizing of the California Shared Prosperity Forum. To take place on August 7, 2010, the forum will train more than 1,500 precinct and community leaders to represent our core values and organize non-partisan voter education and get out the vote drives this fall as a Voice for California’s Families. The forum will also seek the participation of California’s two leading gubernatorial candidates, as well as other key state elected representatives for a frank exchange with our voters on how shared prosperity and community are essential for California’s renewal.
In part the forum will be modeled after the Center for Community Change and Gamaliel Foundation’s Iowa Heartland Presidential Forum, held in December 2007 as part of a national Campaign for Community Values. The proposed dialogue with our next Governor and other key state elected officials, and the high media visibility it will obtain will elevate the voices of California families. The concerns of grassroots community leaders will be told through their stories as they express their concerns on such issues as the devastating impact of the state’s budget and fiscal crisis on working families, communities of color and seniors. The forum also seeks to raise the stakes for California’s next governor to provide solutions that all can share in and not cutbacks that target the most vulnerable amongst us. The forum will also be a day-long training for action modeled on the excellent work of the California Alliance, Wellstone Action and others to train key community leaders to register, educate and turn out large numbers of voters in communities across California in 2010. This will lift the impact of a vibrant block of voters who want California’s next governor to seek systemic change and not short-term solutions to the budget and fiscal crises brought about by the great recession. Finally the forum will also serve the longer term goal to build and sustain greater statewide collaboration among allied progressive community organizations from throughout the state around strategic statewide policy reform and voter engagement initiatives. This includes the 2020 Vision and 2010 plan underway by the California Alliance to bring about systemic California tax and fiscal reform. For more information:
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