So Long, 2016

In this year’s election, the nation went one way, and California went another. 

As the civic community - advocates, think tanks, the media, and philanthropists - works to understand its role in creating a more informed, compassionate, and prosperous future, New America CA has three New Year’s resolutions: 

1. Focus local - as the federal government has slowed, cities and states have become laboratories for innovation.
2. Break out of our echo chamber - tailor-made news has made it easier to reinforce current ways of thinking, we want to challenge preconceived notions. 
3. Find new ways to bring people together who don't normally interact - convening conversations between unlikely bedfellows creates opportunities for empathy and understanding. 

Looking Back

Building on the foundation that we laid this year, we are planning for a bigger and better 2017.

To recap, this year we launched our #CAFellows program, supported seven amazing innovators working on everything from portable benefits to diversity in tech, helped them tell their stories to new and broader audiences through more than 150 articles and events, and started recruiting for the next class of CA fellows.

Our first class of fellows have already launched:

• The first statewide police-use of force database

• The Financial Justice Project for the City and County of San Francisco

• A community-led reporting project called Storyboard

• Worked with the White House to promote diversity in tech

• State advocacy platforms like POPVOX/TN

• The Economic Security Project to explore Universal Basic Income

Looking Forward

If you’ve got a big idea, a bold vision for the future, and a plan of action to back it up, APPLY to be a 2017 CA Fellow or NOMINATE a worthy candidate today.

Tomorrow, December 15th, we are hosting a conference call for everyone who is interested in applying, but has questions about the application process or the fellowship. Details about that Q&A call can be found here.

Thank You

Before we sign off for the holidays, I want to take a moment to thank a few people who have helped make this year’s successes possible:

• To our Advisory Council, for pushing us to be the best version of ourselves,
• CA Fellows, for inspiring us to be the change we wish to see in the world, and
• Partners, for thoughtful collaboration and proving that the sum is always greater than its parts.