California Native Vote Project is inviting local Native American and Alaska Native peoples and allies to join in conversation as the organization decides how best to utilize funds from Measure J.
The listening session on Saturday, March 4, will ask community what programs or projects this funding should be directed to.
LA County voters approved Measure J in 2020. The measure dedicated no less than 10% of the county’s locally generated unrestricted funding to address the disproportionate impact of racial injustice. The funding would be invested in projects related to youth development, job training, small business development, supportive housing services and alternatives to incarceration.
“What it is, is having folks give their input as to where they want to see those dollars spent,” said Native Vote Project organizer, Juay Roybal-Kastl who also hosted a virtual listening session on March 1. “The biggest part of yesterday was that people in our community are trusting the work that California native vote project is putting forth. We are from the community doing work for the community, and we live in the community.”
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors directed the Chief Executive Officer to establish a 17-member Measure J Reimagine LA Advisory Committee. This committee provided funding recommendations to the CEO in June 2021. Then, in August 2021, the Measure J Reimagine LA Advisory Committee expanded to become the Care First and Community Investment Advisory Committee, a 24-member body comprised of 23 voting members and 1 non-voting member.
In 2021, $500,000 was allocated for Native housing to the Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission out of overall a $44 million for all LA County residents for safe, permanent, and affordable housing. In 2022, $500,000 was allocated toward Native youth programs.
Joseph (Joey) Williams, Kern Valley Indian-Nuwa (Kawaiisu) & Xicano, represents the Native American Indian Commission for the…
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