June is a time of deep community building and cultural celebration. Last week, on the Assembly floor, we recognized and celebrated Juneteenth, marking 160 years since the final enforcement of the emancipation proclamation was issued in Texas, freeing the final American chattel slaves. June also marks Pride Month for our LGBTQ+ communities and their allies with celebrations across AD-18 and the country as we remind this federal administration that our communities are not going back and that love is love.
I also feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to celebrate Father’s Day, promote the impacts of our immigrant communities, and promote Alzheimer’s Awareness this month. Whatever you’re celebrating this month, I hope you hold your loved ones close and remember that California stands with you.
Yours in Service,
Mia Bonta
Assemblymember, 18th District
In Case You Missed It:
Immigration Rights & Resources
Last week, the Assembly passed our upcoming state budget as we seek to balance our budget and prepare for the continued chaos coming out of DC. Thanks to the advocacy and grit of our community, several key provisions are continuing to move forward:
- We’re increasing childcare and preschool services with an investment in an additional 12,000 slots by the 2026-2027 school year.
- California is increasing oversight and services for our women’s prison facilities because we know that in-prison programming is essential for rehabilitation.
- Our local community secured millions in vital transit funding to keep the public transit options our commuters rely on running fast, safe, and efficiently.
- We reaffirmed our commitment to robust education systems.
- Our advocacy prevented devastating healthcare cuts from occurring that would have made us all less healthy.
Our fight is not over, and we will need to continue meaningful conversations to protect our essential services. However, I am proud of our community, and these wins prove that there is nothing we cannot achieve when we collaborate and stand up for our values.
Alameda, Emeryville, Oakland, and the entire Bay Area, home to more than 13,000 residents from Assembly District 18, showed up peacefully on June 14 to protest and voice their support for democratic values and cherished civil rights and liberties - in what could be the largest protest in American history.
I was proud to stand alongside our Alameda and Oakland community, our immigrant families, and our friends and neighbors to march from Wilma Chan Park to Frank Ogawa Plaza to declare in one voice that each and every one of us will defend the democratic right to due process, and right of all to live freely in this nation. Few moments have felt as uplifting as joining with thousands of community members to fight for a common goal, and I will continue with legislation that defends our nonprofit service providers from government persecution, provides vital health care for our families of all nationalities, and call for investments that will truly make our communities safer.
From June 12th to 15th, the Oakland Coliseum hosted Major League Cricket for the first time, bringing new sports opportunities to East Oakland, with attendance peaking at approximately 7,361 cricket fans. The Town held six total matches in just the third-ever Major League Cricket season - with the local San Francisco Unicorns going unbeaten over three games.
While the scale and brutality of this administration’s treatment of immigrants has come as a surprise, we knew our immigrant communities would be top targets from this administration. That’s why I introduced legislation at the beginning of this year so California could continue to stand up for our immigrant populations wherever possible.
AB 1261 requires legal counsel for unaccompanied minors in civil immigration proceedings, and AB 1318 protects our nonprofits from politically motivated forgetting. Our children shouldn’t have to navigate immigration court alone, and our nonprofits should focus on serving the community, not tweets from the president. I am excited to be advancing these bills in the Senate.
Submit your support for AB 1261 and/or AB 1318 below.
Learn More: Alameda Municipal Power - 100% Clean Energy, Supervisor Bas, Measure W Alameda County Homeless Response June 30th Town Hall, Oakland Town Nights
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