How do your values and your vision align with The California Wellness Foundation’s work?

I often tell people I have the best job in California. I say that for a lot of reasons – I work with an amazing team and report to a fantastic Board. But it’s also because our work is so aligned with my own personal values. Cal Wellness’ grantmaking priorities emphasize equity. We’re committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, all of which have been personal touchstones for me throughout my career.

And when it comes to gun violence prevention, that’s also very personal. My family lost my sister Vickie to gun violence 38 years ago. She was 28 years old. She went off to work one day and never came home. Just weeks before, she had been the maid of honor at my wedding. The day I lost Vickie was a marker in my life – I think about my life in terms of before and after that day. And I think about Vickie every day. I know first-hand the trauma and pain the families and communities experience. Having that hole in your life that will never be filled. So, I’m proud that Cal Wellness has a 25-year legacy of funding in this field, recognizing it as an important public health issue.

This is a particularly timely moment for gun violence prevention. How does Cal Wellness work to address this issue?

Like so many Americans, I’ve been inspired by the commitment and determination shown by young people in recent months – when it comes to confronting violence in their communities and creating change. I had a chance to attend the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C., and am still energized from talking with young people from California about their visions for the future.

Our work at Cal Wellness takes different forms. We make grants, of course. We fund organizations working to address gun violence through direct services to community members and by advocating for change at the local, state and national level. We also use our voice to speak out: I write about gun violence, and we join conversations through our social media platforms. And we partner with others through venues like the Hope and Heal Fund, which brings together experts, community leaders and funders to support creative and effective solutions to gun violence. By sharing what works with these partners, we promote a culture of learning.

What else needs to happen in California to address gun violence?

There are a couple areas to address, I think. The first is education. It’s great that California is now the home of the first publicly supported research center on firearms. We need to lift up data and research findings so Californians have a more complete picture of gun violence. When I talk about the issue, many folks are still surprised to learn that the majority of gun deaths are the result of suicide.

Second, we’re fortunate that California’s policymakers have long recognized the importance of common-sense gun control. And California voters have also favored ballot measures in recent elections to enact reforms. One area where future efforts can focus is strengthening implementation of these existing laws. For example, gun violence restraining orders are an important tool that many in law enforcement or the courts – and family members – may not know how to utilize effectively. Foundations can help spread the word.

Why is gun violence prevention particularly important for boys and men of color in California?

One only needs to look at the data to see how boys and men of color are impacted by gun violence and why we need to focus resources here when we think about prevention. We know that black men in America are 13 times more likely than white men to be shot and killed with guns.[1] And as I said earlier about the impact of my sister’s death on my family, the ripple effects throughout communities of color are significant.

How can we make progress in creating healthy neighborhoods if we don’t address violence prevention? One of the highlights of March for Our Lives and the youth mobilization we’re seeing today is how intentional these spokespeople are about how race, community conditions and social inequities link to community violence. By now, most of us have seen Edna Chavez’ speech from the March – but this young woman, part of the Community Coalition in South Los Angeles, perfectly nails this point.

What lessons or advice would you share with funders who may be interested in working in this field?

While our work at Cal Wellness tackles this issue from a public health perspective, gun violence has many facets. It isn’t just about health. It’s clear that we need to bring different groups together to tackle this issue – funders, but also concerned people with interests in mental health, domestic violence, the education system, our business community, and partners from law enforcement and justice and corrections systems. Partnership is key. And partnership has been critical to how Cal Wellness has approached this work for more than two decades.

How else is Cal Wellness responding to the threats facing our communities in the current political and social landscape?

Like many of you, this isn’t quite the world I imagined we’d be living in. Some days, I just want to stay in bed and pull the covers up over my head. But we don’t have that luxury when the lives of so many Californians are threatened. Over the last year or so, our staff organized to assess and respond to emerging needs in the community; our Board worked with us to accelerate our grantmaking process; and our grantees across the state have engaged, providing critical services and advocating for change. I’m truly proud of the Cal Wellness team, but it’s our grantees who are the true heroes in this work. The truth is that the future remains uncertain. If the last year has taught us anything, it’s that we’ll need to stay focused, engaged and unafraid to act when our values are threatened.

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