This week ushered in a new political reality for our nation. In the aftermath, we recognize that many communities across the country and our state are grappling with uncertainty and fear and preparing for what may come next.

Here in California, we see reasons for hope. On Tuesday, Californians around the state overwhelmingly rejected the politics of division and exclusion. Instead, we stood up for the values we hold dear—for justice, opportunity and inclusion. We stood up for quality education and for making schools a welcoming place for students of all backgrounds. We stood up for second chances, continuing to roll back a failed approach to public safety that for too long has disproportionately impacted communities of color and low income communities.

As we look toward the future, we are reminded of how far California has come, and how our journey toward equality for all here in the Golden State may hold lessons for the path forward. It was only a little more than two decades ago that voters passed Proposition 187, a measure that sought to exclude, immigrants – our family, friends and neighbors – from access to education, healthcare and other services. Thanks to the courageous and enduring work of advocates and organizers, today, California leads the way in ensuring rights for the more than 10 million immigrants, both documented and undocumented, who call this state home.

We also take heart in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who said: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” As an alliance of foundations who are aligned around improving outcomes for Latino, African American, Native American, and Asian and Pacific Islander men and boys and their families, we are committed to redoubling our efforts. We will continue to work to dismantle systemic barriers and championing fairness and opportunity. We will continue to support the visionary young people, advocates and leaders around the state who are taking bold action. And we will continue to stand up and stand together until we make real our vision of a California where not one community is left out, and not one community is left behind.

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About The California Executives’ Alliance:

The California Executives’ Alliance for Boys and Men of Color (CEA) brings together CEOs from 19 foundations to help shape a better future for boys and men of color in the state. The CEA aligns the resources, networks and voices of California foundations to build the momentum, public will and policy attention necessary to improve outcomes and expand opportunities for African American, Latino, Asian Pacific Islander and Native American boys and young men. The CEA’s overarching goal is to significantly expand the percentage of BMoC in California who achieve stable full-time employment with earnings sufficient to support a family.