California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

House Resolution No. 23

Introduced by Assembly Member Bradford

August 8, 2013

House Resolution No. 23—Relative to youth.

WHEREAS, The criminalization of African American, Latino,
and Asian and Pacific Islander youth continues to pervade our
social, educational, political, and cultural systems; and

WHEREAS, Boys and men of color throughout California
continue to face unnecessary hurdles in education, in opportunities
to work, in public safety, and in other areas based on preconceived
notions and fear; and

WHEREAS, The verdict in the case against George Zimmerman
for the killing of Trayvon Martin was deeply troubling to many
young people and to Californians in general. Many have interpreted
the ruling to signify that there are two separate but unequal justice
systems for whites and nonwhites, that fearing a black and brown
youth can justify the taking of a life, and that simply walking down
the street or wearing certain clothes is viewed as criminal; and

WHEREAS, California’s boys and men of color face unique
barriers on their road to adulthood. They are more likely to grow
up in neighborhoods marked by poverty, violence, underfunded
schools, and low-wage jobs; and

WHEREAS, In California, 35 percent of African American
youth and 26 percent of Latino youth do not graduate from high
school; and

WHEREAS, Young African American men experience homicide
rates at least 16 times greater than that of young white men; and

WHEREAS, Racial profiling continues to exist throughout this
state, and our young people deserve better; and

WHEREAS, It is essential that all Californians examine their
prejudices and biases so that we can work toward a world in which
all people are judged by the content of their character and their
actions, and not by the color of their skin; and

WHEREAS, All lives are valuable, and none are disposable;
and

WHEREAS, All people, regardless of the color of their skin,
should be able to enjoy the basic liberty that many of us take for
granted, including the freedom to walk down the street; and

WHEREAS, Laws like Florida’s Stand Your Ground law risk
escalating minor confrontations with tragic results. We need to
find ways to defuse conflicts, and not escalate them; and

WHEREAS, The best way to honor the memory of Trayvon
Martin is to channel our pain and frustration into our work to create
an inclusive California in which our communities need not fear
our sons and brothers walking down the street; and

WHEREAS, Trayvon Martin’s death is not in vain. The tragedy
is a catalyst to create a California that embraces and invests in the
health and well-being of all young people. They are a source of
strength, creativity, and economic dynamism, and not a group that
should be feared or condemned. California’s diversity is its greatest
strength and a competitive advantage; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature is taking action through legislation,
budget decisions, and through the Legislative oversight function
to ensure that the needs of California’s boys and men of color are
a priority in state investments and programs; and

WHEREAS, The Assembly has established the Select
Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color to help put
our young people on a road to a healthy and successful adulthood
because successful young people are not born, they are nurtured;
now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the
Assembly encourages the Select Committee on the Status of Boys
and Men of Color to continue to advance its legislative agenda to
improve the lives of young people of color, including its work to
reduce the use of policies and practices that push boys out of school
and to instead promote common sense discipline that keeps pupils
in school and on track; and be it further

Resolved, That the Assembly encourages the Select Committee
on the Status of Boys and Men of Color to deepen its commitment
to prepare young men of color for success in the workplace and
in the marketplace and to increase the numbers of young men of
color who are prepared for jobs and professional careers in the
health, education, and green infrastructure sectors; and be it further

Resolved, That the Assembly further encourages the Select
Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color to support
growing state and national efforts to shine a spotlight on the needs
and aspirations of young men of color across the United States,
including the newly formed Congressional Caucus on Black Men
and Boys; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.