Blueprint for California Advocates

Latest Episodes:

16. Five things you need to know when you lobby the California Budget with guest Jennifer Kent Sep 02, 2022

Show notes

Jennifer Kent, knower of all things California health care policy, shares her valuable insight on how the state budget sausage gets made.

Currently the CEO of the Kent Group, Jennifer Kent served under three different Governors, most recently as the Director of the California Department of Health Care Services. She’s held leadership roles in the Health & Human Services Agency and Governor's Office and also spent time in the third house as a lobbyist.

Here are my top 5 takeaways from our excellent conversation:

1. When it comes to the state budget, there’s never a down time. Budget creation is a year-round affair so your advocacy needs to be too. [00:03:51]

2. The executive branch ecosystem is a complicated family structure. Take time to understand how the puzzle fits together. [00:11:28]

3. Never interpret technical assistance from a Department or Agency as a sign of support. [00:14:21]

4. Draft your own appropriation language. TBL vs BBL? It depends on what you're trying to achieve. [00:18:03]

5. If you don’t like what you see in the Governor's budget, bring alternatives and solutions. [00:25:20]

Read the Transcript Here

Hosted by Kristina Bas Hamilton, founder of KBH Advocacy.

Say hi on Twitter. Better yet, click here to join the free text community for more insight and updates from KBH Advocacy.

Donate here to support the Podcast.

This episode is sponsored by:

• FastDemocracy is a streamlined and easy-to-use bill tracker that saves you time and allows you to focus on what really matters — advocating for policy. Visit fastdemocracy.com to learn more and don't forget to use the promo code BLUEPRINT.

• Subtext helps you build genuine connections with your biggest supporters over text. Subtext is an award-winning texting platform that connects hosts with subscribers free from the chaos of social media and the clutter of email. Go to www.joinsubtext.com.

15. Two Sides of the Same Coin: Why advocates can’t afford to ignore political action with guest Bill Wong Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

There are few who can speak on electoral politics in California with as much authority as Bill Wong.
As former Political Director for the California Assembly Democrats, Bill led efforts in 2018 and 2020 to build the largest Democratic “giga” majorities in the state Assembly in over a century. He served as a political advisor to Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and is a regular feature in Capitol Weekly's Top 100 Power List.

When I needed to know what was really going on behind the scenes in an Assembly race, my first call was always to Bill Wong.
Bill is a leader in the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) political community and a recognized expert on AAPI voters. You can check him out as host of The Ronin Project Podcast, launching on July 31. The podcast promises “real talk for Asian Americans who want to know more about how politics is played, political professionals that want to know more about Asian Americans and how they vote, and troublemakers who want to make the world a better place.”
My fellow troublemaker and I go behind the veil of the Assembly Democratic caucus. We discuss:

[00:03:45] Building a “giga” majority in the California Assembly
[00:06:56] Navigating the political fault lines in the Democratic caucus
[00:09:10] How to get involved in electoral politics
[00:07:18] Move away from performative politics
[00:09:54] How to vet candidates and the fundamentals of a good campaign
[00:14:26] If you want to change policy you have to invest time and energy in political campaigns
[00:21:46] Don’t get distracted by the headlines
[00:25:48] There’s politics and then there’s the business of politics

Connect with Bill Wong through his website or on Twitter.

Read the Transcript Here

Hosted by Kristina Bas Hamilton, founder of KBH Advocacy.

Find me on Twitter and let me know what you think about this episode.

This episode is sponsored by:

14. How We Fight Back: California Congressional Races with guest Bryan Blum Jun 30, 2022

Show notes

How many times have you heard this?

“I know federal elections are important, but I live in California - there’s nothing I can do.”

Yes, California is as blue a state as they come. But the reality is pro-Trump extremists are active throughout the state and some of them are members and/or candidates for Congress.

In California there are many critical Congressional races where grassroots support is urgently necessary.

In other words, there is a lot you can do to ensure Trumpists do not win control of the House of Representatives.

Today I talk with Bryan Blum, the political director for the California Labor Federation. Bryan shares his insight on several of the battleground races in California and how advocates on the ground can get involved by reaching out to the local Central Labor Councils.

Important: Since we recorded this conversation on Thursday, June 9, we have final primary election results pointing to the newly drawn CD 13, where Democratic Assemblymember Adam Gray will face off against Republican John Duarte, as another close race come November. Analysts are rating CD 13 as “Leans Democratic”

Resources to get involved in these races are listed below!

We discuss:

CD 47 – “Leans Democratic” Rep Katie Porter, the Democratic incumbent, vs Republican challenger Scott Baugh

CD 49 – “Likely Democratic” Rep. Mike Levin, Incumbent, vs Republican challenger Brian Maryott

CD 45 – “Leans Republican” Democratic challenger Jay Chen vs Republican Incumbent Michelle Steel

CD 41 – “Likely Republican” Democratic challenger Will Rollins vs Republican Incumbent Ken Calvert

CD 27 – “Toss Up” Democratic challenger former Assemblymember Christy Smith vs Republican Incumbent Mike Garcia

CD 22 – “Toss Up” Democratic challenger Assemblymember Rudy Salas vs Republican Incumbent David Valadao

CD 40 – “Likely Republican” Democratic challenger Doctor. Asif Mahmood vs Republican Incumbent Young Kim

Resources to get involved – If you have other organizations to add please let me know!

Orange County
Orange County Labor Federation
Orange County Civic Engagement Table
Mobilize

Los Angeles County
Los Angeles Labor Federation
Mobilize

Central Valley
North Valley Labor Federation
Kern, Inyo and Mono Counties Central Labor Council
Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Kings Central Labor Council
Communities for New California
Mobilize

Inland Empire
Inland Empire Labor Federation
Inland Empire United
Mobilize

San Diego
San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council
Mobilize

13. How to get people to care what you think with guest Frank Mecca Jun 19, 2022

Show notes

Who are the most influential groups in Sacramento?

We all know the traditional power players. Organizations that play big in electoral politics. Either they write big campaign checks, mobilize big voter turnout, or perhaps do both.

Dig deeper, though, and you’ll see they aren’t the only ones at the Capitol with clout.

Just because you don’t participate in electoral politics - for whatever reason – it doesn’t mean you are relegated to the sidelines.

Take stock of where you already have points of leverage. Maybe it’s access to information or technical expertise. Maybe it’s strategic alliances you’ve built. Maybe it’s your standing in the community.

These are your tools. If you use them effectively and consistently you will build credibility, trust, and eventually influence.

Today, I talk with Frank Mecca, former Executive Director of the County Welfare Directors Association. When Frank began his stint at CWDA he was one in a staff of three. By the time he left thirty years later, Frank had built a formidable advocacy shop with 11 staff, a history of legislative wins, and, above all, significant political standing at the Capitol.

In this episode we discuss:

4:18 - “Why would people care what you think?”

6:33 - Leverage the relationships you already have

10:04 - Create points of leverage: Be right. Be First. Be Nice.

17:53 - Building a genuine alliance with Labor

20:40 - Invite yourself to the table

21:50 - It also takes political courage.

25:00 - Separate yourself from the noise

Read the Transcript Here

Hosted by Kristina Bas Hamilton, founder of KBH Advocacy.

Find me on Twitter and let me know what you think about this episode.

This episode is sponsored by:

12. What you didn't learn about politics in high school civics with guest Jovan Agee May 19, 2022

Show notes

You won’t understand politics until you understand power. How it works. Who has it and who doesn’t. And most important of all, how you grow and use it to get what you want. You know there is inequality and injustice and you want to change it. But how? I had the opportunity to talk at length with Jovan Agee, Founder and CEO of Agee Global Solutions. Jovan served as Legislative & Political Director (and my supervisor) at UDW/AFSCME Local 3930, Senior Advisor to Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, Capitol Director for Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, and Deputy Treasurer for the State. Our discussion on local government advocacy evolved into a deep dive into the nature of political power and what, exactly, grasstops leaders need to do to step into the power they already have. We discuss: 01:17 - All politics is local 03:06 - Respect the fact that advocacy is science 5:29 - Between the thought and the doing there is the unsexy stuff 09:32 - Why it’s all about mindset 13:42 - The formula for building power 16:24 - The role of Faith leaders 19:39 - If we’re not having a conversation about power, we are part of the problem 24:24 - Why you should start with local government 27:00 - Why C3s need to invest in a C4 Read the Transcript Hosted by Kristina Bas Hamilton, founder of KBH Advocacy - www.kbhadvocacy.com Find me on Twitter at @kbashamilton and let me know what you think about this episode. This episode is sponsored by: FastDemocracy is a streamlined and easy-to-use bill tracker that saves you time and allows you to focus on what really matters — advocating for policy. Visit fastdemocracy.com to learn more and don't forget to use the promo code BLUEPRINT. Subtext helps you build genuine connections with your biggest supporters over text. Subtext is an award-winning texting platform that connects hosts with subscribers free from the chaos of social media and the clutter of email. Go to www.joinsubtext.com. © 2021 – 2022 KBH Advocacy, Inc.

11. Everything you always wanted to know about California budget advocacy* (*but were afraid to ask) with Senator Sydney Kamlager Apr 15, 2022

Show notes

Lobbying is not “one size fits all”. As any savvy lobbyist will tell you, securing funding in the California budget is very different from working to get a policy bill signed. You must follow timelines and committees that are separate and distinct from the legislative process. All of this can be intimidating and confusing for advocates, which is why I’m thrilled to have Senator Sydney Kamlager, (D-30) on the podcast.

As the new Senate Budget Subcommittee #4 Chair, Senator Kamlager gives us an inside view of the process, nuances, and relationships that successful budget advocacy requires.

Her advice and “real talk” will help advocates navigate a complex and often opaque budget process.

Episode breakdown:

01:27 - Why you must prioritize the budget when advocating for any bills that cost the state money

03:13 - Appropriations committee vs the Budget - how the two tracks work

07:55 - Beyond the “Big 3”, why you should focus on the ensemble

12:41 - Pay attention to the politics

16:57 - How advocates can build momentum and get the support they need

21:40 - The unspoken truths of the budget process

Episode Transcript

Visit Senator Kamlager's Website: https://sd30.senate.ca.gov

Follow Senator Kamlager on Twitter: @sydneykamlager

Hosted by Kristina Bas Hamilton, founder of KBH Advocacy.

Support the Blueprint for California Advocates podcast so we can produce more content like this.

Find me on Twitter at @kbashamilton.

This episode is sponsored by:

FastDemocracy is a streamlined and easy-to-use bill tracker that saves you time and allows you to focus on what really matters — advocating for policy. Visit fastdemocracy.com to learn more and don't forget to use the promo code BLUEPRINT.

Subtext helps you build genuine connections with your biggest supporters over text. Subtext is an award-winning texting platform that connects hosts with subscribers free from the chaos of social media and clutter of email.

10. What advocates should know about running for the California Legislature with guest Kipp Mueller Mar 23, 2022

Show notes

In 2019, Kipp Mueller, a workers' and civil rights attorney, entered the race for California State Senate District 21, challenging incumbent and then Republican Senate Minority Leader Scott Wilk.

Encompassing northern Los Angeles county and parts of the High Desert, SD 21 was a Republican stronghold for over a decade but voter registration has been trending Democratic.

A "dogfight" of a campaign, millions of dollars were pumped into the race by both sides. Neck and neck on election night November 2020, it was three weeks before the election was declared for the incumbent.
In the end, Kipp Mueller lost by less than 1% of the vote.

I recently caught up with Kipp. Having cut his teeth as a 2020 candidate, he continues to practice as a civil rights attorney and was recently elected Region 10 Director of the California Democratic Party.

There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes in grassroots campaigns, especially for a seat in the California Legislature. We discuss what it's really like to run for office and why even the smallest advocacy group should get involved in electing the next generation of California legislators.

Episode Breakdown:

2:30 - Every campaign has a tipping point

6:09 - These lessons for candidates are also lessons for advocates

10:02 - How you know a campaign stands a chance

17:44 - The Great Resignation in Sacramento creates Great Opportunity for advocates

19:13 - Why even small advocacy organizations can make an outsized impact on campaigns

Contact Kipp Mueller at kippmuellerca@gmail.com.

Episode Transcript

Hosted by Kristina Bas Hamilton, founder of KBH Advocacy.

Support the Blueprint for California Advocates podcast so we can produce more content like this.

Find me on twitter at @kbashamilton.

This episode is sponsored by:

FastDemocracy is a streamlined and easy-to-use bill tracker that saves you time and allows you to focus on what really matters — advocating for policy. Visit fastdemocracy.com to learn more and don't forget to use the promo code BLUEPRINT.

Subtext helps you build genuine connections with your biggest supporters over text. Subtext is an award-winning texting platform that connects hosts with subscribers free from the chaos of social media and clutter of email.

9. Why advocates need to know about the Gann limit with guest Scott Graves Mar 02, 2022

Show notes

The Gann limit hovers over the California capitol like an ominous cloud on an otherwise sunny day.

Despite massive tax revenues and a projected discretionary budget surplus of $20.6 billion (with a strong potential to exceed this amount by $15 billion), the state must abide by an arbitrary spending cap adopted over 40 years ago - the Gann limit. This limit severely restrains any new investment by the Governor and Legislature.

Budget advocacy is already very challenging. Gann ensures that advocates will battle a terrible headwind, especially for spending proposals that do not meet the narrow exclusions allowed by Gann.

Today I talk with Scott Graves, Research Director at the California Budget and Policy Center, a non-profit and non-partisan research group based in Sacramento. We break down the Gann limit and discuss what's at stake for advocates as they advance their FY 22-23 budget proposals.

We discuss:

01:59 - What is the Gann limit?

06:49 - What are the state's options for dealing with the Gann limit?

08:24 - What is infrastructure spending?

09:26 - What qualifies as emergency spending?

12:18 - What about reducing revenue?

13:24 - What does this mean for advocates?

16:54 - Wait, there's more: how Gann interacts with Prop 98 and Prop 2 is creating even bigger problems for advocates (and the Governor)

22:03 - The Gann limit will continue to be a problem for advocates after 2022

23:41 - How can we fix the Gann limit?

Episode Transcript

Learn more:

Q&A: How the Gann Limit Threatens Ongoing Investments for Californians (California Budget and Policy Center)

The Definition of Qualified Capital Outlay for the State Appropriations Limit (Legislative Analyst's Office)

Initial Comments on the State Appropriations Limit Proposal (Legislative Analyst's Office)

Hosted by Kristina Bas Hamilton, founder of KBH Advocacy.

Support the Blueprint for California Advocates podcast so we can produce more content like this.

Find me on twitter at @kbashamilton.

This episode is sponsored by:

8. How to build political power from the ground up with guest Aquilina Soriano Versoza Feb 11, 2022

Show notes

Before you can build political power you need a base. And Aquilina Soriano Versoza knows exactly how to get it done.

Aquilina is co-founder and Executive Director of the Pilipino Workers Center based in Southern California. She is President of the Pilipino Action Center, 501(c)4 sibling organization to the PWC. She is a leader in the California Domestic Worker Coalition, which in 2013 won the historic AB 241 (Ammiano) - the Domestic Worker Bills of Rights.

And because that’s not enough, she is also President of the Board of Directors of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, whose sister organization Care in Action helped push record turnout in the 2021 Georgia Senate races.

Aqui and advocates began organizing Pilipino workers in Los Angeles back in 1997. Today, the PWC is a national model, organizing around mutual aid, voter education, community education, and leadership development.

We discuss:

- How organizations can build trust with the community

- Legislative and political campaigns as an organizing tool -

- The necessity of playing the long game

- Why it’s all about the process

- How to scale your advocacy work

Episode Transcript

Hosted by Kristina Bas Hamilton, founder of KBH Advocacy.

Support the Blueprint for California Advocates podcast so we can produce more content like this.

Join my free text community or tweet me at @kbashamilton.

This episode is sponsored by:

7. How we broaden the movement for workers' rights with guest Victor Narro Jan 24, 2022

Show notes

Is your legislation on the infamous Chamber of Commerce "job killer" list? Is your campaign facing stiff opposition from corporate America with its infinite resources? In a battle of David and Goliath, how can marginalized communities come out on top?

Today I am honored to be joined by Victor Narro, a nationally recognized expert on immigrant and low-income workers. Project Director at the UCLA Labor Center, Mr. Narro is also on faculty at the UCLA Department of Labor and Workplace Studies. An immigrant and workers' rights activist for several decades, he previously served as Co-Executive Director of Sweatshop Watch and Workers’ Rights Project Director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA).

Mr. Narro was instrumental in the recent passage of the landmark worker protection bill SB 62 (Durazo), the Garment Worker Protection Act despite, facing fierce opposition from corporate interests. SB 62 was sponsored by the Garment Workers Center, the Western Center on Law and Poverty, and Bet Tzedek. In banning the exploitative "piece rate" payment system and for the first time holding retailers liable for wage theft committed by their subcontractors, the bill has international implications.

In this episode we discuss:

- recognizing our interconnectedness

- how organizing campaigns by Garment Workers, Day Laborers, and Domestic Workers serve as a model for future organizing efforts

- how non-traditional alliances helped push SB 62 to victory

- why we should embrace the never-ending process of relationship building

"Relationship matters. Interconnectedness matters. Otherwise we're not going to be successful in carrying out the work for justice." - Victor Narro

Transcript of this episode

Hosted by Kristina Bas Hamilton, founder of KBH Advocacy.

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Support the Blueprint for California Advocates podcast so we can produce more content like this.

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