California Archives - Oakland Voices

Governor Newsom’s final ‘State of the State’ address

January 21, 2026 California Black Media

Gavin Newsom calls California ‘policy blueprint,’ emphasizes progress.

Homelessness dropping in California, but funding cuts may stop progress

October 10, 2025 Marisa Kendall

A lack of federal funding could stall progress in reducing homelessness.

Opinion: Still time to stop Governor Newsom’s planned transit funding cuts

June 10, 2025 Amy Thomson

Governor Newsom’s draft budget slashes transit funding. But there’s still time to fix it.

After California rejects prison labor ban, incarcerated firefighters battle wildfires

February 12, 2025 Prism Reports

Californians voted in November to support forced prison labor. Last month, those laborers helped put out the LA wildfires.

How the 2024 election looks for one first-time voter from Oakland

October 21, 2024 Alma Collins Dumas

Alma Collins Dumas, 18, shares her perspective of the 2024 elections as a first-time voter.

a pink surgical mask lays on a white background

Masks: Is it over?!

July 15, 2021 Kevonna Taylor

Editor’s Note: Oakland Voices alumna Kevonna Taylor shares how she feels about mask guidelines, especially now with variants. Now that California is slowly re-opening, and masks can come off for those who are vaccinated in

a dark brown wood table has a concealer pen and cloth mask with a faded American flag design

Facial Freedom: An Escape from “Mask-ne”

June 14, 2021 Ryan Barba

Editor’s Note: Oakland Voices alumnus and Editor-in-Chief of The Peralta Citizen, Ryan Barba was an essential worker during the pandemic, requiring him to wear a mask many hours out of the day. Now that California