May news from Indivisible Alta-Pasadena
As we send out this May Newsletter to your inbox, we are just over 2 weeks away from the June 2nd Primary election day. One topic we have been coming back to in the last few newsletters is the critical Governor's race. Indivisible groups in California formed a Governors Working Group in response to calls for information and strategies to prevent a vote-splitting scenario where none of the Democratic candidates end up in the top two spots. We previously shared results from the Working Groups survey and links to candidate profiles in April's newsletter.
Since then the Working Group has been focused on scheduling candidate forums for Indivisible CA members to meet directly with the top 3 Democratic candidates. All candidates will be asked the same 6 questions prepared by members of the Working Group. The first candidate forum was held on May 12th with Katie Porter and the second forum with Tom Steyer on May 17th. You can watch the recordings below:
The working group is currently scheduling the same forum with Xavier Becerra and we will share this video (and add it here) as soon as it is available.
Another group of Indivisible members have also been working on collating research into a Top Three Candidate Analysis. (Members of our group were not involved in the candidate analysis research or preparing the matrix. There has been some push back that the analysis is biased towards one candidate, but we thought it was a great resource worth sharing with that caveat).
Finally, if you are undecided on the gubernatorial candidates, you might find the CalMatters Voter Guide useful. The guide includes ballot and voting information and quizzes to help guide your decisions on candidates, including one for the candidates for governor.
Below are some additional progressive election guides and endorsements:
- Democrats of Pasadena Foothills Endorsements
- Courage California Vote Guide (Pasadena)
- DSA-LA Voter Guide
- LA Forward Voter Guide
- Knock LA Voter Guide
- CalMatters Voter Guide
Pasadena Migrant Solidarity Collective hosts first fundraiser event
Members of our group are participating in a new mutual aid group. The Pasadena Migrant Solidarity Collective is supporting day laborers and migrant workers with immediate needs caused by ICE detention. PMSC organized a fantastic first fundraiser on April 25th - the silent auction raised over $10,200, far exceeding our original goal.
Up Next: PMSC will be participating in the Human Chain for Unity event in Altadena on Saturday June 13th. Save the date! Reach out to pasadenasolidarity626@gmail.com to learn how to get involved with this great group of people.
Photos from fundraiser and Save the Date flyer for June 13th
Upcoming Event: Pasadena Budget Workshop
Join Indivisible Alta-Pasadena members at the Budget Workshop on Tuesday May 19th at Jefferson Auditorium. Pasadena Councilmember Rick Cole will lead a short presentation on the budget process followed by opportunities for attendees to share their concerns and suggestions and learn how to get involved in budget advocacy.
Support Calls to De-Flock Pasadena
The day after the budget workshop there will be an effort to de-Flock Pasadena! Pasadena has paid $1 million for 61 automated license plate readers from Flock, a company that has repeatedly allowed data from the surveillance devices to go to ICE and CPB to help them unconstitutionally detain immigrants, as well as be misused in other ways. You can help by giving public comment at the Council's Public Safety Commission at 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 20, at Pasadena City Hall. For more information go to deflockpasadena.org.
In advance of the May 20th meeting there is a Flock + Other Surveillance Tech in Pasadena webinar on Sunday, May 17, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Register at the link below.
Can't attend the May 20th meeting? Sign the letter to the City Council at https://hov.to/b370761b.
State Legislation Update
This is a very busy month in the Legislature as bills introduced this year are required to pass out of their chamber of origin by May 29th. At the time of writing this Newsletter, the majority of the bills we are following have passed out of appropriations and are headed to a floor vote. We will be sharing ways you can support these bills with calls/emails to Senator Sasha Renée Pérez and Assemblymember John Harabedian over the next few weeks.
Some highlights
- Check out our new State Legislation page for our legislative work. This page lists the bills we are currently supporting both as Indivisible Alta-Pasadena and as part of the CA State Strong coalition.
- AB 1642 (Harabedian) has passed out of appropriations and is headed to a floor vote! Congratulations to the Eaton Fire Residents United for their work on this bill. You can learn more on their website here: https://www.efru.la/ab1642.
- Eaton fire survivors are headed to Sacramento next week to give testimony for several bills. Organized by the Dena Rise Up! coalition.
- NDLON is hosting a two-part webinar on California bills to get ICE Out Of Our Communities! The first session was on SB 1103, the REPAIR Act (Pérez). View slides here.
- Union of Concerned Scientists is inviting science advocates to join a Summer 2026 California Legislative Action Team. Join fellow scientists and experts in the UCS Science Network and help shape evidence-based policy across California.
- Bills related to Foster Youth & Homelessness are a priority for one of our group leads in the CASS Economic Justice work group. There are several bills related to this issue currently moving through the legislation, notably a package of six bills authored by Assemblymember Patrick Aherns, who has lived experience with both foster care and homelessness. AB 2764 (Extended Foster Care) has already passed an Assembly floor vote and is currently in the Senate waiting for policy committee assignment.
