Everyday Injustice Podcast #257: Affordable Housing and Mass Incarceration on the California Ballot

Everyday Injustice

This week Everyday Injustice talks with Kevin Cosney, the Associate Director and Co-Founder of the California Black Power Network. The CA Black Power Network is a united ecosystem of Black grassroots organizations working together to change the lived conditions of Black Californians by dismantling systemic and anti-Black racism. They have launched the Million Voters Project - a multi-racial, multigenerational coalition made up of nine community-driven state and regional networks, will launch the largest field campaign in the state to get out the vote for the November 5th election. Cosney talks about their efforts to mobilize for Prop 5 which they believe “will help local cities and counties meet the demand for affordable housing and kick start public improvement projects like schools, libraries, parks, transportation and water resources.” At the same time, they are attempting to stop Prop 36, an initiative they say “will eliminate vital mental health services and crime prevention programs approved by California voters a decade ago.” Regarding Prop 36, James Woodson, executive director of California Black Power Network, and MVP steering committee member says, “Proposition 36 is a lie. It will increase our prison and jail population and take away funding for mental health services, trauma recovery centers, youth programs, rehabilitation, and treatment, programs that are proven to promote community safety. That is why we are turning out our communities to vote No on Proposition 36.