Senator Cortese and Assemblymember Kalra Tackle Racial Justice and Poverty in Silicon Valley

SAN JOSE - On Saturday, State Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) and Assemblymember Ash Kalra (Assembly District 25), along with an exceptional panel, successfully convened a Town Hall on Racial Justice and Poverty at the Silicon Valley Career Technical Education Auditorium. This event, attended by community members and leaders, shed light on the pressing racial inequity and economic disparity issues in Santa Clara County.

Last year, the Human Rights Institute at San Jose State University (SJSU) released its fourth annual Silicon Valley Pain Index. The report is full of startling findings, including that Silicon Valley residents are worth a combined $1.5 trillion, but San Jose leads the nation in youth homelessness. At today’s town hall, SJSU Professor Scott Meyers-Lipton presented vital findings, focusing on economic inequities, workforce development, and the criminal justice system. Esteemed panels of inequality experts and community leaders discussed the issues to help inform future policy.

“Today, we took an important step towards understanding and addressing the deep-seated issues of racial injustice and poverty that affect our community,” said Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose). “The Silicon Valley Pain Index inspired my SB 333, which will break the cycle of homelessness in California by establishing a guaranteed income program for homeless high school seniors exiting high school. This guaranteed income program is a strategic investment in young people and California’s economy. I applaud Scott Meyers-Lipton and our other panelists for moving the conversation forward. Important action cannot wait.”

“The discussions held during the town hall and the insightful analysis provided by the Pain Index shed light on the intersectionality between societal and economic issues,” said Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose). “These conversations are not just informative, but also serve as crucial tools to guide our legislative efforts concerning labor, housing, and economic policies. I am thankful to the panelists and attendees who participated today.”

"The devastating harm of stark economic disparities documented in the Silicon Valley Pain Index manifests most clearly in the criminalization and incarceration of the Valley's poor and communities of color,” said Raj Jayadev, Coordinator of Silicon Valley De-Bug. “To see the wake of the punishing inequity in Silicon Valley, look to those in the back of cop cars, the jails, the juvenile halls, the buses to the state prisons.”

“Too often, our system conflates detention with safety, especially for young girls, women, and gender-expansive youth of color, detaining them for nonviolent offenses linked to basic survival. At the Young Women’s Freedom Center, we challenge this narrative by providing alternatives that empower and support self-determination,” said Alexis Roman, Director of the Young Women’s Freedom Center of Santa Clara County. “Our work with local leadership and agencies is creating a blueprint for change, emphasizing the importance of meaningful employment, guaranteed income models, and mentorship programs. Incarceration often stems from a lack of resources, not a lack of resolve.  We are committed to prioritizing alternatives to incarceration to transform lives through investment in leadership, opportunity, and community support.”

“TechEquity Collaborative envisions a world where the tech industry is responsible for building widespread economic prosperity, and is held accountable for the economic harms it creates in our communities,” said Megan Abell, Senior Director of Advocacy at TechEquity Collaborative. “We're thrilled to participate in a conversation about the Silicon Valley Pain Index, which surfaces the gaps that exist in meeting the vision of an equitable tech-driven economy. Senator Cortese's leadership in bringing this vital discussion to the district with academic experts, advocates, community members, and activists is an important step in addressing the inequities that exist within the tech industry, and as a result of its products and presence in the community.”

“In Santa Clara County, we're taking significant strides, whether it's improving access to high-road jobs or implementing more robust wage theft protections,” said Maria Noel Fernandez, Executive Director of Working Partnerships USA. “But at every juncture, we are fighting corporations leveraging their wealth and influence to sway policymakers, bully workers into unjust agreements, and perpetuate narratives that mask their exploitation of communities. We need a sustained shift in power and a future where working individuals have a voice both in their workplaces and in our local democratic processes.”

Senator Dave Cortese represents Senate District 15, which encompasses most of San Jose and much of Santa Clara County in the heart of Silicon Valley. Visit Senator Cortese’s website: https://sd15.senate.ca.gov

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