Dr. Shirley Weber was appointed as California’s Secretary of State, leaving a vacant seat in the 79th State Assembly District. Now, residents of the district will vote in a special election on April 6, 2021 for the representation they deserve. Voters will decide who will represent them, a crucial role as communities begin to receive additional funding from the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Erin Tsurumoto Grassi

I couldn’t sleep last night after learning of the brutal news of death and violence directed at Asian women by a white man in Atlanta, Georgia. It shook me deeply, to my core, and left me angry, sad, horrified and worried for the safety of my family. This man viciously took the lives of eight people — six of whom were Asian — at three different locations before he was finally apprehended. This incident reflects a rise in anti-Asian violence, both nationally, and locally, here in San Diego. 

This is the second installment of blogs on the California Redistricting Commision. Check out the first here. 

Last week we spoke about redistricting; what it is and the way it impacts our communities. Now, let’s dig a little deeper on redistricting and some next steps.

Many of us completed the 2020 census. At final count, 99.9% of Californians were counted, one of the highest response rates in the state.We did our part and were counted, now what does the count mean for you and your community?