Redistricting: Providing Fair Representation for Californians

As California continues to prepare for the 2020 Census, it is easy to forget that redistricting comes immediately after. Similar to the census, redistricting will have high-stakes impact on public sector leadership, political power, and financial resources for the decade that follows. California is one of the few states with an independent and impartial system to redraw its districts. Recently, more philanthropic organizations have turned their attention to redistricting and the diverse roles they can play. 

In partnership with California Census 2020 Statewide Funders’Table and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, Philanthropy California invites you to join us for a robust discussion to learn about redistricting, how census data will guides the redrawing of California, and how grassroots organizations are educating and engaging communities in advocacy, redistricting, and voting rights. Our panel of experts will also share about the redistricting process, the California Redistricting Commission, and the role philanthropy can play.  

• John Kim, Executive Director, Advancement Project California
• Rey Lopez Calderon, Executive Director, California Common Cause 
• James Woodson, Organizing Coordinator, California Calls
• Kaci Patterson, African American Census & Redistricting Hub
• Connie Malloy,Chair, California Citizens Redistricting Commission; Portfolio Director, The James Irvine Foundation

For more information about the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, please click here.

Interested in learning more about the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission Applications click here.

Speakers

John Kim, Executive Director, Advancement Project California

John Kim is the Executive Director of Advancement Project’s California Office. Since joining Advancement Project in 2002, John has been lifting up the voice and needs of low-income communities of color to transform systems and expand opportunity for all. Through coalition building and by utilizing innovative tools and strategies, he has helped redirect hundreds of millions public and private dollars to the most underserved communities. John most recently oversaw the strategic direction and development of RACE COUNTS, a first of its kind initiative that examines racial disparity, performance, and population impact in each of California’s 58 counties. With John’s visionary leadership, RACE COUNTS engaged hundreds of statewide community stakeholders and was featured in The New York Times, CityLab, The Sacramento Bee and various radio shows.

Rey Lopez Calderon, Executive Director, California Common Cause 

Rey López-Calderón is the executive director of California Common Cause. López-Calderón’s career as an activist started with student organizing and his work as a volunteer organizer for the United Farm Workers of America in Orange County, CA. He has since worked for over 25 years in faith, labor, education, and political organizing. He has helped found several organizations including the Academy for Urban School Leadership, Latino Union, Alliance of the Southeast, and Common Cause in Illinois (relaunched the state organization).

Most recently, as vice-president for development, he led an overhaul of Common Cause’s fundraising operations at the national office in Washington D.C. He is an alumni award winner from the University of Chicago, where he was graduated with general honors. He holds a Juris Doctor from DePaul College of Law. López-Calderón has appeared on or been quoted in media outlets including Al Jazeera International, Fox News, the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, Univision, Telemundo, ABC, and In These Times, among others. If he’s not working, you might find him near the San Diego/Tijuana border where he lives with his husband and three toy fox terriers.

James Woodson, Organizing Coordinator, California Calls

James has been an Organizing Coordinator for California Calls since January 2016. He works specifically on the African American Civic Engagement Project with groups around the state, coordinating civic engagement programs and providing support and assistance to the founding cohort. James is also assisting coordination of the Million Voters Project.

Previously, James served as the Director of Clubhouse and Athletic Programs for the Boys & Girls Club of Newark, NJ, where he managed youth development programs for over 300 children. James is also a licensed attorney in the states of New Jersey and New York and proud alum of the Rutgers School of Law in Newark, NJ.

Prior to entering law school, James served in a variety of capacities within the Democratic National Committee, the NJ Democratic State Committee, and Obama For America. James was a lead organizer for the NJ Health Care For America Now campaign and served as co-Counsel for the New Jersey Congressional Redistricting Commission in 2012. In addition, James was the Founding Director of the Friendship Development Corporation, where he led the effort to create an outreach center that provides food, clothing, and other services to thousands of low-income families in the Baltimore metropolitan area.

James loves all things entertainment, and in his spare time, writes, produces, and directs all types of creative multimedia projects. He is the co-writer, director, and producer of the Off-Broadway stage play “Love’s Gonna Get You.”

Kaci Patterson, African American Census & Redistricting Hub

Connie Malloy, Chair, California Citizens Redistricting Commission; Portfolio Director, The James Irvine Foundation

Connie Archbold Malloy serves as Portfolio Director at The James Irvine Foundation, where she developed the Fair Work initiative to ensure that fairness and opportunity are afforded to all of California’s workers. She also leads grantmaking in the areas of immigration, voter and civic engagement, elections policies and practices, and Pay for Success.

Connie is currently appointed to the first-ever California Citizens Redistricting Commission for a 10-year term: 2010-2020. As Rotating Commission Chair, Connie has overseen the creation and implementation of fair political districts for the first time in the nation’s history, redesigning California’s citizen representation across the Assembly, Senate, Congressional, and Board of Equalization maps.

Connie’s impact in urban planning and policy innovation, community economic development, and strategic leadership development spans across the United States and Latin America. Connie is national co-chair of the Funders Committee for Civic Participation and a member of Southern California Grantmakers’ Public Policy Advisory Committee.

In 2018, she was appointed to the Southern California Grantmakers' board of directors.

Connie earned her master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor’s degree from La Sierra University in Riverside, California. Connie’s roots are in San Andres Island, Colombia, and she was a founding member of AFAAD: Adopted & Fostered Adults of the African Diaspora.

Partnership

This is a Philanthropy California event in partnership with Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR).