SECRETARY PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ALAN I BROUGHT A GILL. ARCHILA
TOÀN. ASHBY. ATKINS. BECKER.
BLAKE SPEAR. BRADFORD. CAVIAR
Ó. COURTESY. DOLLY! DONE. THERE
WAS Ó. HAGMAN. GLASER. SALAS.
GROWTH. POTATO. JONES. LAYERED
LIMÓN MCGUIRE MENJIVAR. MEN.
NEWMAN. WHEN NILO. JOE BUG. BUT
THERE PORTANTINO ROT. RUBIO
SEYARTO. SKINNER SMALL QUIVERS
STERN. HAMBURG, WAHAB WIENER.
WILK. MEMBERS CORMAN'S PRESIDENT
WITH OUR MEMBERS AND OUR GUESTS,
BEYOND THE RAIL AND IN THE
GALLERY, PLEASE RISE. WILL BE
LED IN PRAYER THIS MORNING BY
OUR CHAPLAIN, SISTER MICHELE
GORMAN, AFTER WHICH WE'RE GOING
TO ASK YOU TO REMAIN STANDING
FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO
THE FLAG. AND SO WE GATHER IN
THE PRESENCE OF OUR GOD. IN HIS
LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL,
APRIL 1619 63. REVEREND DOCTOR
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR STATED. I
HAVE TRIED TO MAKE IT CLEAR.
THAT IT IS WRONG TO USE IMMORAL
MEANS TO ATTAIN MORAL INDS. BUT
NOW I MUST AFFIRM. THAT IT IS
JUST AS WRONG AND EVEN MORE. TO
USE MORAL MEANS TO PRESERVE
IMMORAL ENDS. TODAY. LET US
PRAY, IN THE WORDS OF DR KING.
OH GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THE
FACT THAT YOU HAVE INSPIRED MEN
AND WOMEN IN ALL NATIONS AND IN
ALL CULTURES. WE CALL YOU
DIFFERENT NAMES? ALLAH HALLOWEEN
, JEHOVAH BRAHMA. UNMOVED MOVER.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THESE ARE ALL
NAMES FOR ONE AND THE SAME GOD.
GRANTS THAT WE WILL FOLLOW YOU.
AND BECOME SO COMMITTED TO YOUR
WAY. THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO
ESTABLISH IN OUR LIVES AND IN
THIS WORLD A BROTHERHOOD AND
SISTERHOOD. THAT WE WILL BE ABLE
TO ESTABLISH HERE. KINGDOM OF
UNDERSTANDING. WHERE MEN AND
WOMEN WILL LIVE TOGETHER AS
BROTHERS AND SISTERS. AND
RESPECT THE DIGNITY AND WORTH OF
EVERY HUMAN BEING. EVEN OUR
ENEMY NEIGHBORS. AND WE ASK YOU
GOD IN THESE DAYS OF EMOTIONAL
TENSION WHEN THE PROBLEMS OF THE
WORLD ARE GIGANTIC AND EXTENT.
AND CHAOTIC IN DETAIL. TO BE
WITH US IN OUR GOING OUT AND ARE
COMING IN. IN OUR RISING UP AND
IN OUR LYING DOWN IN OUR MOMENTS
OF JOY. AND IN OUR MOMENTS OF
SORROW UNTIL THAT DAY WHEN THERE
SHALL BE NO SENSE SET AND NO
DAWN. AMEN. MEMBERS JOIN ME IN
THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
TO WHAT.
MEMBERS WERE MOVING TO
PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR. THERE
ARE NONE. MESSAGES FROM THE
GOVERNOR. WILL BE DEEMED READ.
MESSAGES FROM THE ASSEMBLY WILL
BE DEEMED READ. REPORTS AND
COMMITTEES WILL BE DEEMED READ
AND AMENDMENTS ADOPTED. MOTIONS
RESOLUTIONS AND NOTICES. ARE
THERE ANY OF THIS TIME? 69.
MOVING ON. TO INTRODUCTION AND
FIRST READING OF BILLS BILLS
WILL BE DEEMED READ.
CONSIDERATION OF THE DAILY FILE
WERE IN SECOND READING FILE
ITEMS ONE AND TWO. SECRETARY
PLEASE READ. SENATE BILL 402
WITH AMENDMENTS IN THE BILL 382.
RIGHT? NOW WE'RE MOVING TO
SENATE THIRD READING.
ALL RIGHT. FILE ITEM. MOVING ON
TO FILE ADAM 64. CLINICAL RAID.
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 95
BYSTANDER BRADFORD RELATIVE TO
REVEREND DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER
KING JR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND BEFORE WE INTRODUCED SENATOR
BRADFORD, I WANT TO TAKE A
MINUTE TO, UH, INTRODUCE AND
WISH HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ANOTHER
VERY IMPORTANT PERSON IN BLACK
POLITICAL HISTORY AND WE WISH
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO STEVEN
BRADFORD. THANK YOU. SENATOR
BRADFORD, YOU MAY PROCEED. THANK
YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT AS VICE
CHAIR OF THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK
CAUCUS. IT IS WITH GREAT PRIDE
AND HONOR THAT I PRESENT SCR 95,
WHICH RECOGNIZES MONDAY, JANUARY
15TH. AS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR
DAY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE
ATTENDED TO BLACK CAUCUSES
BREAKFAST YESTERDAY. IT WAS
FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY, AND I
STARTED MY REMARKS BY SAYING WE
WILL BE CELEBRATING MICHAEL AH,
KING JR DAY AND I SAID IT TWICE
AND PEOPLE'S LOOKED WITH GREAT
AWE AND WANTED TO CORRECT ME.
AND MANY WERE UNAWARE THAT HIS
BIRTH NAME WAS MICHAEL. AND NOT
UNTIL 1934 AT THE AGE OF FIVE
THAT HIS FATHER CHANGED BOTH HIS
NAME AND HIS OWN NAME TO MARTIN
LUTHER. SO THIS DAY IS ALSO, UM,
WOULD CELEBRATE HIS 95TH
BIRTHDAY. AND THAT'S WE ENJOY
THIS HOLIDAY. WE SHOULD REMEMBER
DR KING'S LEGACY AND IMPACT ON
THE STATE, THE NATION AND THE
WORLD. DR KING WAR. MANY HATS
THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. HE WAS A
SON. HE WAS A FATHER HUSBAND
ABOUT THIS MINISTER, AN ACTIVIST
PRESIDENT OF SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE. AND MANY
CONSIDERED THE GREATEST LEADER
AND PROPONENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS IN
AMERICA AND PERHAPS THE WORLD.
HIS WORK AND ADVOCACY HELPED
BRING FORTH ADVANCEMENT IN
VOTING RIGHTS DESEGREGATION.
LABOR RIGHTS AND ALL OTHER CIVIL
RIGHTS NOT JUST FOR BLACK
AMERICANS, BUT ALL AMERICANS, WE
WOULD NOT HAVE THE GREAT
DIVERSITY AND ETHNIC CAUCUSES
THAT WE HAVE IN THIS INSTITUTION
AND ACROSS THIS NATION IF IT
WERE NOT FOR DR KING'S
LEADERSHIP, HIS LEADERSHIP MADE
AMERICA AND THE WORLD LISTEN AND
PAY ATTENTION TO THE INJUSTICE
SUFFERED BY BLACK AMERICANS.
AMERICAN STAND. AGAIN AT THE
PRESS OFFICE OF CHANGE. THE RISE
OF HATE AND DIVISION IN THIS
COUNTRY ECHOES THE SAME
ENVIRONMENT THAT DR KENT KING
SPENT HIS ENTIRE LIFE FIGHTING
AGAINST. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
WE RECOGNIZE MONDAY AS A DAY ON
AND NOT A DAY OFF. WE STAY ON TO
RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE STILL
INJUSTICES AND JUSTICES TO MAKE
RIGHT CALIFORNIA HAS THE ABILITY
TO MAKE REAL PROGRESS TOWARDS
PAYING BACK THE DEBT OLD TO HIS
DISENFRANCHISE CITIZENS. THAT'S
WHY I KEEP A KEENLY IMPORTANT WE
SUPPORT REPARATIONS THIS YEAR
AND WHATEVER FORM IT COMES TO
THIS BODY. DR KING RECOGNIZED
THAT EVEN AFTER THE EMANCIPATION
PROCLAMATION WAS SIGNED. THAT
THE NEGRO WAS TO RISE OUT OF
POVERTY. THEY HAD TO PERSEVERE
THROUGH DISCRIMINATION AND
SEGREGATION WITHOUT RECOGNITION
OR COMPENSATION FOR THE
CENTURIES OF HARM THAT WERE
INFLICTED. AND I HAVE A DREAM
SPEECH. DR KING SHINED A LIGHT
ON THE ISSUE, SAYING THAT WHEN
THE ARCHITECTS OF OUR REPUBLIC
WROTE THE MAGNIFICENT WORDS OF
THE CONSTITUTION AND THE
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,
THEY WERE SIGNING A PROMISSORY
NOTE WHICH EVERY AMERICAN WERE
TO FALL AIR. EVEN THE NEGRO
AMERICA HAS DEFAULTED ON THEIR
PROMISE. PROMISSORY NOTE AND SO
FAR AS THE CITIZENS OF COLOR ARE
CONCERNED, AND INSTEAD OF
HONORING THE SECRET OBLIGATION
AMERICA HAS GIVEN THE NEGRO
PEOPLE A BAD CHECK. WHICH HAS
COME BACK MARKED INSUFFICIENT
FUNDS. BUT AS DR KING SAYS HE
REFUSED TO BELIEVE THAT THE BANK
OF JUSTICE. I WAS BANKRUPT. HE
REFUSED TO ACCEPT THAT. THE
VAULT OF, UH OF OPPORTUNITY AND
IT'S COUNTRY WOULD COME BACK
INSUFFICIENT FUNDS. THERE ARE
THERE IF WE'RE COMMITTED TO
MAKING THOSE CHANGES, DOCTOR
KING SITS STATED THAT. IT WAS
EQUIVALENT TO KEEPING A PERSON
IN PRISON AND SUDDENLY
DISCOVERING THAT THAT PERSON WAS
NOT GUILTY OF A CRIME. AND DON'T
GIVE THEM ANY MONEY TO GET SOME
CLOTHES TO PUT ON HIS BACK OR
GET ON HIS FEET AND START THEIR
LIFE AGAIN SINCE CALIFORNIA'S
REPARATIONS TASK FORCE RELEASED
ITS FINAL REPORT LAST YEAR, WE
NOW HAVE ACTIONABLE SOLUTIONS TO
ENSURE CALIFORNIA LEADS THE
NATION. BEING THE BANK OF
JUSTICE. WE CAN LEAD THE NATION
IN MAKING SURE JUSTICE IS GIVEN
TO ALL OF OUR CITIZENS AND LIKE
DR KING THAT OUR ACTIONS LEAD
OUR WORDS. THIS IS MARTIN LUTHER
KING DAY. I ASK MY FELLOW
COLLEAGUES, CALIFORNIANS AND
AMERICANS TO REMEMBER THE TRUCE
OF DOCTOR WHAT DR KING STOOD FOR
THE TRUTH OF EQUALITY OF LOVE
AND INJUSTICE. LET US ALL
EMBODIED THOSE TROOPS AND
HONORED DR MARTIN LUTHER KING
AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR
VOTE. THANK YOU. SENATOR
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. YOU RECOGNIZED
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT AND
COLLEAGUES I RISE ON BEHALF OF
SCR 95 THAT ALSO RECOGNIZES
JANUARY 15TH IS DR MARTIN LUTHER
KING JR DAY TO COMMEMORATE A
BRAVE VISIONARY WHOSE
REVOLUTIONARY CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR
ALL PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY TO
HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS AND YESTERDAY
WE CELEBRATED WITH A WONDERFUL
BREAKFAST. UH AND SO HAPPY THAT
MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES SUPPORTED
THE BLACK CAUCUS AT THE
BREAKFAST. I HAD THE HONOR OF
REPRESENTING OUR CAUCUS OVER
WITH THE WOMEN'S CAUCUS AS WE
WENT TO CHOWCHILLA PRISON. UM
AND I THINK IT WAS REALLY ABOUT
THE ACTIONS OF DR KING THAT WERE
ON MY HEART AS WE STEPPED INTO
THAT PRISON, UH, AND AS MY GOOD
COLLEAGUE TALKED ABOUT DR KING'S
PERSPECTIVE ON OUR JUSTICE
SYSTEM. I WANT YOU TO KNOW
YESTERDAY WE LEARNED OUR WORK IS
STILL ALIVE WELL AND NEEDED AS
WE HEARD ABOUT THE CONTINUED
SEXUAL ASSAULT OF WOMEN WHO ARE
IN OUR CARE AND THE LACK OF
REHABILITATIVE SERVICES THAT
THEY ARE RECEIVING. AND SO I IN
THIS MOMENT, I WANT TO JUST
REFLECT ON THAT. LIVED
EXPERIENCE YESTERDAY AND HOW
MOVING IT WAS AND HOW DR KING
WAS IN THE ROOM WITH US AS ONE
OF THE RESIDENTS THERE, SAID THE
SPIRIT OF CHANGE IS WITH US
TODAY. IN THIS MOMENT, WE STILL
LIVE IN A WORLD THAT IS MARRED
BY RACISM, HATRED. AND MILITARY
VIOLENCE AND I LOVE THE DOCTOR
KING OF 1968. HE IS MY FAVORITE.
UH WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW HIS
IMAGE AND HIS WORDS HAVE BEEN CO
OPTED BY FAR TOO MANY ABOUT IT
WAS THAT END OF LIFE, WHERE HE
WAS ABLE TO REFLECT IN SOME UP
ALL OF THE MOVEMENTS WHERE HE
TURNED INTO THE MOST RADICAL,
MOST DEFINING HIS J. EDGAR
HOOVER CALLED THE MOST DANGEROUS
MAN IN AMERICA WHEN HE STOOD UP
FOR NOT JUST THE END OF RACISM,
BUT THE END OF ECONOMIC
INSECURITY AND THE END OF THE
MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. UM
I THINK WE SEE TODAY A AS THERE
IS WAR IN THE UKRAINE AND WE SEE
THE WAR THAT IS HAPPENING IN
GAZA. WE HAVE TO REFLECT ON DR
KING'S APPROACH TO NON VIOLENCE
AGAINST FIERCE HATRED AND
DECADES OF INJUSTICE. DR KING'S
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT DEFENDED
THE RIGHTS OF BLACK AMERICANS,
BUT REALLY ALL HUMAN BEINGS IN
THIS COUNTRY, AND IT WOULD NOT
HAVE SUCCEEDED IF NOT ALL RACES.
ALL RELIGIONS STOOD UP WITH THAT
MOVEMENT TO ENSURE THAT JUSTICE
WOULD PREVAIL IN THIS DEMOCRACY.
IN FACT, THE BLACK JEWISH
ALLIANCE THERE WAS SOME RESEARCH
THAT SHOWED THAT 90% OF THE
ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE DEFENDED AND
PROTECTED THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT, AND THOSE IN IT WERE
JEWISH, AND MANY JEWISH LEADERS
MARCHED ALONGSIDE OF DR KING.
AND AS YOU KNOW, MY DISTRICT IS
WHERE DR KING CAME TO DO ALL OF
HIS FUNDRAISING. IT WAS IN MANY
OF OUR DISTRICTS THAT HOUSE
PARTIES WERE HELD TO SUPPORT THE
MOVEMENT BY LEADERS LIKE WOMEN
IN MY DISTRICT. GOD REST HER
SOUL. WHEN GREEN, WHO WAS WHO
WAS THEN THE SECRETARY OF THE
SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP
CONFERENCE OF LOS ANGELES, WE AS
A PEOPLE AS A COMMUNITY ACROSS
SECTORS CAME TOGETHER IN WINNING
AND STANDING WITH DR KING FOR
JUSTICE. IN OUR VOTER
REGISTRATION DRIVES IN OUR FIGHT
AGAINST SEGREGATION AND SIT
ENCOUNTERS. WE WERE FIGHTING FOR
REAL POLICIES, REAL ENFORCEMENT
TO PROTECT OUR TERRORIZED
COMMUNITIES. AND WHEN WE SAY
REAL ENFORCEMENT, MEANING THAT
WE COULD CALL ON THE GOVERNMENT
TO STAND WITH AND PROTECT OUR
COMMUNITIES AGAINST HATE AND
DISCRIMINATION IN AN ACTIVE AND
PROACTIVE WAY WE CAN LEARN FROM
THIS ALLIANCE. WE CAN LEARN FROM
THE GOALS OF THAT MOVEMENT, AND
WE CAN CONTINUE IN OUR STATE AND
IN THIS UH, CHAMBER TO UNITE OUR
COMMUNITIES TOGETHER TO WORK FOR
JUSTICE AS WE LEARNED FROM DR
KING'S NONVIOLENT RESISTANCE. WE
WILL SEEK SEQUEL PEACEFUL
SOLUTIONS FOR OUR WORLD. TODAY
WE WILL CHECK AND WATCH THE
POURING IN A BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
TO CONTINUE WAR AND HUMAN
SUFFERING AS WE ARE SEEING,
GROWING AND DEVELOPING AROUND US
WITH ALL SORTS OF NEGATIVE
FORCES ALIGNING FOR INJUSTICE.
AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IN
OUR STATE THAT WE CHALLENGE ANY
EFFORT TO INVEST MORE IN WAR AND
ARMAMENT AS WE ARE FIGHTING TO
BALANCE OUR BUDGET TO ENSURE
THAT FOLKS IN THIS STATE AND IN
THIS COUNTRY ARE ABLE TO JUST
MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS AND TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO
BUILD THE REAL LADDER TO
OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL DR KING WAS
VEHEMENTLY AGAINST THE RAVAGES
OF THE VIETNAM WAR. REINFORCING
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN WAR AND BAR
ABROAD IN THE INJUSTICES AT HOME
, HE ARGUED THAT AMERICA SHOULD
REFOCUS ITS PRIORITIES AWAY FROM
VIETNAM AND TOWARDS GREATER
SUPPORT FOR ANTI POVERTY
PROGRAMS AND DIPLOMACY THAT
UNITES THE WORLD IN PEACE AND
NONVIOLENCE. AND AS WE SEEK
SOLUTIONS TO CRITICAL ISSUES
HERE IN CALIFORNIA, WHERE WE'RE
FACING POVERTY WHERE WE ARE
FACING A CRISIS OF HOUSING
INDIVIDUALS WHERE WE ARE FACING
A CRISIS OF DEFINING WHAT IS
REHABILITATION IN THE FACE OF
CRIME THAT HELPS OUR COMMUNITIES
, BUILD STRONGER SKILLS AND ABLE
TO REJOIN AND BECOME GOOD
NEIGHBORS TO OUR COMMUNITIES. WE
HAVE TO LOOK TO DR KING AND HIS
POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN AND
RECOGNIZE THAT AS WE ARE THE
STATE WITH THE MOST
BILLIONAIRES. IN THE COUNTRY. WE
SHOULD AND CAN CREATE AN
ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO
ENSURE THAT THERE ARE BASIC
OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERY
CALIFORNIAN HERE TO LIVE WITH
DIGNITY, TO LIVE WITH PEACE AND
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A BRIGHTER
FUTURE FOR THE CHILDREN THAT
THEN WE HAVE TODAY. DR KING
UNDERSTOOD THAT RACIAL INJUSTICE
IS INSEPARABLE FROM ECONOMIC
INJUSTICE. HE KNEW THAT THIS
NATION COULD NOT TRULY MOVE
FORWARD IF IGNORED THE NEEDS OF
THE POOR, SAYING WHATEVER
AFFECTS ONE DIRECTLY AFFECTS US
ALL. INDIRECTLY EACH ONE OF US
RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM CAN
ENTER HONOR DR KING'S LEGACY BY
TURNING THOSE DREAMS INTO
ACTIONS, AND I KNOW WE DO IT
EVERY DAY. AND I THINK THE STATE
AND OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE CALLING
ON US TO DO IT NOW, MORE THAN
EVER, AS WE STAND AT A
CROSSROADS FOR OUR NATION. IN
TERMS OF WHO WE ARE GOING TO BE.
ARE WE GOING TO GO BACK TO THE
DAYS THAT DR KING HELPED TO
BRING US OUT OF, OR ARE WE GOING
TO MOVE FORWARD INTO A CLIMATE?
RESILIENT BRIGHTER FUTURE THAT
BRINGS ALL CALIFORNIANS ALONG TO
OPPORTUNITY AND GROWING OUR
ECONOMIES TOGETHER? I THANK YOU
FOR THE TIME TODAY ECHO THE
BIRTHDAY WISHES TO MY GOOD
COLLEAGUE FROM GARDENA. AND WITH
THAT, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION.
SENATOR WIENER YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. HMM THANK YOU,
MADAM. PRESIDENT COLLEAGUES. I
RISE TODAY AS CO CHAIR OF THE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE JEWISH
CAUCUS IN STRONG SUPPORT OF SCR
95. AND I WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUE FROM GARDENA. UM MY
COLLEAGUE FROM LOS ANGELES FOR
REMOVING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD
, DR KING FOUGHT DIVISION AND
OPPRESSION. HE TAUGHT US TO
VALUE THE PRECIOUSNESS OF LIFE
AND TO TREAT ALL PEOPLE WOULD
THINK THAT HE, UM HE WAS VIEWED
AS A RADICAL FOR BELIEVING IN
JUSTICE, AND IN THE END HE WAS
MURDERED FOR IT. ASSASSINATION
WAS ONE IN A STRING OF BLOODY
EVENTS THAT SOUGHT TO QUASH A
RIGHTEOUS MOVEMENT. THOSE
MURDERS WERE OF MANY BLACK
PEOPLE. BUT OTHERS AS WELL,
INCLUDING JEWS WHO STOOD FOR
RACIAL EQUALITY. UH IN THE
MOVEMENT, THE DOCTOR KING LED
JEWISH THINKERS AND ACTIVISTS
FOUND ALLIES AND CHAMPIONS. THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO
PROUDLY TEACH THE LESSON OF
RABBI ABRAHAM JOSHUA HERSCHEL.
EXCUSE ME, A RABBI. WHOSE
UNDERSTANDING OF JEWISH VALUES
AND TRADITIONS LED HIM TO THE
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WHO
MARCHED WITH DR KING FROM SELMA
TO MONTGOMERY. SIMILARLY WE
REMEMBER THAT DR KING HELD A
PLACE FOR JEWS IN HIS MOVEMENT.
HE REFUSED TO IGNORE THE PLIGHT
AND SUFFERING OF OTHER PEOPLE OR
ANYONE. HE FREQUENTLY SPOKE OF
THE NEED TO STAND BY THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY WHO HE CONSIDERED A
SIBLINGS TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
DR KING CHRISTIAN REVEREND CITED
JEWISH PHILOSOPHERS LIKE MARTIN
BUBER TO EXPLAIN THE MORALITY OF
SEGREGATION AND REFERENCED THE
PERSECUTION OF JEWS SEEING OUR
COMMUNITIES AS PARTNERS IN THE
FIGHT AGAINST HATE. AS CYNICAL
ACTORS TODAY SEEK TO CREATE
DIVISIONS AMONGST COMMUNITIES
THAT HAVE LONG BEEN ALLIES. WE
MUST NOT FORGET THE LESSONS OF
DR KING. THAT OUR GREATEST
STRENGTH LIES IN OUR UNITY.
TODAY'S RISE AND BIGOTED,
HATEFUL RHETORIC AND VIOLENCE
SHOW THAT WE ARE STILL FAR FROM
THE LIBERATION THAT DR KING
IMAGINED AND HE WOULD BE. I AM
CONFIDENT, ALARMED BY ARE RISING
RACIAL AND ECONOMIC INEQUALITY.
AND BY THE FACT THAT IN 2023 WE
STILL SEE. SO MUCH NOT JUST HATE
, BUT PEOPLE WHO THINK IT'S THAT
IS OKAY AND THAT THEY CAN GET
AWAY WITH JUST BRAZEN OPEN.
DENIGRATION AND ATTACKS ON
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. WE LOST
DR KING WHEN HE WAS ONLY 39
YEARS OLD. AND YET HE LEFT US
WITH SO MANY LESSONS AND SO MUCH
WORK. THAT WE NEED TO DO STILL
TO CONTINUE HIS RIGHTEOUS
MISSION. MAY DR KING'S MEMORY BE
A BLESSING AND MAY WE ALL
CONTINUE HIS WORK? I URGE AND I
VOTE. THANK YOU. SENATOR MENU
ARE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE ASIAN
PACIFIC, ASIAN AMERICAN AND
PACIFIC ISLANDER LEGISLATIVE
CAUCUS. I'M HONORED TO RISE TO
COMMEMORATE THE LIFE. OF DR
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AND I
WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM
GARDENA FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD. AS WE ALL KNOW, AND HAS
BEEN ELOQUENTLY STATED BY MY
COLLEAGUES, DR KING FOUGHT FOR
INCLUSIVITY QUALITY AND AGAINST
ECONOMIC OPPRESSION AND LEADERS
TODAY CONTINUE TO INSPIRE US TO
FIGHT FOR THESE GOALS FOR
EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW
AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, THESE
BATTLES ARE STILL UNDERWAY. NOW
WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF OUR
COMMUNITIES WORKING TOGETHER TO
FIGHT FOR THESE GOALS. INCLUDING
THE AAPI COMMUNITY. API WOMEN IN
PARTICULAR. BY GRACE LEE BOGGS,
YURIKO CHAMA. ROSCA AND HELEN
ZIA WORKED CLOSELY WITH ALLIES
IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT,
INCLUDING WITH MALCOLM X AND DR
KING. TOGETHER OUR COMMUNITIES
FAR FOR INTEGRATED EDUCATION AND
HUMAN RIGHTS. AFTER THE MURDER
OF VINCENT CHIN. JESSE JACKSON
JOINED FORCES WITH ASIAN
AMERICAN ACTIVISTS TO DEMAND
JUSTICE. AND WE WANT TO STAND AS
WITH THE AAPI CAUCUS WITH THE
BLACK CAUCUS TO RECOGNIZE NOT
ONLY THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR
KING, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO, GOING
FORWARD TO TRY TO CONTINUE TO
MAKE DR KING'S DREAM AND
REALITY. AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
ELOQUENTLY EXPRESSED BEFORE WE
HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. RACISM
STILL EXISTS AND IS ON THE RISE.
DIVISION ECONOMIC OPPRESSION ARE
ON THE RISE. WE'RE SEEING AN
ALARMING RISE IN HATE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AND YES, IN CALIFORNIA.
WE'RE SEEING OUTRAGEOUS ACTS
TAKEN UNDER THESE CULTURE WARS.
MEMES UH, EVEN IN CALIFORNIA IN
THE DISTRICT I REPRESENT. WE'VE
SEEN ATTEMPTS TO ENACT BOOK
BANDS AND VOTER SUPPRESSION
EFFORTS. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF
WORK TO DO. AND I URGE YOU TO
SUPPORT THIS AND THANK AGAIN MY
COLLEAGUE FROM GARDENA FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD. THANK
YOU, SENATOR BLAKE SPIRIT YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. I RISE
TODAY TO OFFER MY SUPPORT FOR
THE RESOLUTION HONORING THE LATE
CIVIL RIGHTS PIONEER REVEREND
DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MY
TRIBUTE IS NOT JUST TO THE
LEGACY BUT TO THE PRESENT DAY
IMPACT OF DR KING. DR KING IS
NOT ONLY AMERICA'S MOST MOURNED
MARTYR. BUT HE IS OUR ONLY
MODERN DAY FOUNDING FATHER. HIS
MOVING MEMORIAL AND WASHINGTON
D. C WHICH IS INSIDE OF THE
LINCOLN AND JEFFERSON MEMORIAL
IS THE ONLY NATIONAL MONUMENT IN
WASHINGTON DEDICATED TO A PERSON
OF COLOR. WE ADMIRE ARE AMERICAN
FOUNDING FATHERS FOR THEIR
VISION FOR THEIR COURAGE, THEIR
INTELLECT, THEIR LEADERSHIP. AND
MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR THEIR
DEDICATION TO THE PRINCIPLES OF
JUSTICE, LIBERTY, DEMOCRACY AND
EQUALITY. AS I AM READING THIS
BOOK ABOUT DR KING, WHICH IS THE
FIRST MAJOR BIOGRAPHY IN THE
LAST 35 YEARS AND INCLUDES A LOT
OF INTERESTING NEW MATERIAL. I
WILL NOT QUOTE FROM TODAY I AM
CONTINUALLY STRUCK BY THE
COMMITMENT OF THIS LEADER,
PREACHER AND ORDER TO THOSE
BEDROCK PRINCIPLES OF
INTEGRATION OF NONVIOLENCE AND
OF LOVE OF YOUR FELLOW HUMAN. HE
ASKED HIS SUPPORTERS TO LOVE THE
ENFORCERS OF WHITE SUPREMACY,
EVEN WHEN IT WAS A FIGHT TO THE
DEATH. ALL OF US IN THIS CHAMBER
WORK, TOO. RIGHT INJUSTICES.
IT'S THE DEEPEST CALLING OF
PUBLIC SERVICE. THE FACT THAT
KING AND MILLIONS OF ORDINARY
PROTESTERS COULD BUILD A
REVOLUTION FOR GENERATIONS AFTER
THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR THAT
FORCED AMERICA TO RECKON WITH
OUR FAILURE TO LIVE UP TO OUR
FOUNDING FATHERS STANDARDS. AND
OUR AMERICAN IDEALS IS TRULY
REMARKABLE. HE USED ONLY THE
TOOLS OF NONVIOLENCE, CHRISTIAN
LOVE AND FAITH AND COLLECTIVE
ACTION. THIS IS THE MOST DEEPLY
INSPIRING AMERICAN HISTORY THAT
WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY. WELL DR
KING IS BELOVED AND INFLUENTIAL,
AND WE HAVE THIS NATIONAL
HOLIDAY ON MONDAY AND HUNDREDS
OF STREETS AND SCHOOLS THAT ARE
NAMED AFTER HIM ALL ACROSS
AMERICA AND ALL ACROSS
CALIFORNIA. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE
NOT LIVED UP TO HIS OR THE
FOUNDING FATHERS IDEALS. BLACK
CALIFORNIANS CONTINUE TO FIGHT
HOUSING AND EDUCATIONAL
SEGREGATION, ECONOMIC
INEQUALITY. DISPARATE LEVELS OF
GUN VIOLENCE OF HOMELESSNESS OF
MATERNAL DEATH RATES, AMONG MANY
OTHER INJUSTICES. I RISE TODAY
IN RECOGNITION OF THIS
UNACCEPTABLE REALITY AND TO ADD
MY VOICE TO THE CHORUS OF VOICES
WHO FINDS INSPIRATION IN DR KING
WHO RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF
THIS HOLIDAY EVERY YEAR TO
REMIND OURSELVES OF WHERE WE ARE
AND WHERE WE NEED TO BE AND AS
SOMEONE WHO REMAINS AS COMMITTED
TO OUR NATION'S AND DR KING'S
DEMANDS FOR RACIAL AND ECONOMIC
JUSTICE FOR EVERY CALIFORNIAN
AND EVERY AMERICAN TOGETHER WE
CAN AND WE MUST DO BETTER. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR. SENATOR
SKINNER, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT I
RISE ON BEHALF OF THE
LEGISLATIVE WOMEN'S CAUCUS AND
SUPPORTIVE SCR 95 AND TO HONOR
THE LATE DR MARTIN LUTHER KING.
AS OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE MENTIONED
TODAY ARE WORLD STRUGGLES WITH
SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC
VIOLENCE, AND THERE IS AN URGENT
NECESSITY. TO REINVIGORATE
OURSELVES IN THE COMMITMENT OF
DR KING'S PHILOSOPHY AND
METHODOLOGY OF NONVIOLENCE. THE
NUMEROUS ACTS OF NONVIOLENT
ACTIVISM THAT HE LED AND
INSPIRED. HAVE TRANSFORMED OUR
NATION AND OPEN THE DOORS TO
LIBERTY FOR MANY FOR WHOM IT
TONIGHT. BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO
REMIND US ON THE DAY THAT WE
HONOR HIM THAT HIS FOCUS.
EXPANDED AS TIME WENT ON. AND AT
THE POINT OF HIS ASSASSINATION
IN MEMPHIS. HE WAS THERE IN
MEMPHIS. TO SUPPORT THE STRIKING
GARBAGE WORKERS. WHO NOT ONLY
HAD BEEN DENIED. ANY KIND OF
DECENT WORKING CONDITIONS. THEIR
WAGES WERE BEYOND POVERTY, AND
YET THEY WERE THEY WERE DOING A
JOB THAT EVERY CITY RELIES ON
WHICH IS TO KEEP A COMMUNITY
CLEAN AND PICK UP GARBAGE. BUT
WHAT HE WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON
WAS, OF COURSE, THOSE WORKERS,
BUT THE IN GENERAL ECONOMIC
INJUSTICE OF LOW WAGES AND LACK
OF WORKER PROTECTIONS THAT BLACK
AND OTHER LOW WAGE WORKERS.
FACED. AND UNFORTUNATELY
CONTINUE TO FACE UM, SO I THINK
THAT WE NEED TO REMIND OURSELVES
THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO FACE THIS
CHALLENGE OF ECONOMIC, JUSTICE
AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, THAT
IN DR KING'S HONOR, WE SHOULD
RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO THOSE. UM
TO RIGHTING THOSE WRONGS, AND I
URGE YOUR I VOTE. THANK YOU,
SENATOR LAIRD, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT I RISE TODAY ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA LGBT CAUCUS
AND SUPPORT OF SCR 95, AND I
COMMEND THE FIRST TWO MEMBERS
THAT SPOKE THAT BROUGHT THIS TO
US SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THIS
DISCUSSION AND CALL ATTENTION TO
SOME OF THE MAJOR PIECES OF THE
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. WE'RE
HERE TO HONOR DR KING AND HIS
INCREDIBLE WORK HIS LEADERSHIP
THAT WHAT HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR
BUT WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
TODAY IS THE INTERSECTION OF TWO
DIFFERENT CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENTS, AND IT WAS BEST
EMBODIED THIS YEAR. BECAUSE OF
BARACK AND MICHELLE OBAMA AND
THEIR HIGHER GROUND. PRODUCTIONS
WHERE THEY PRODUCED A MOVIE ON
BAIRD RUSTED. AND BAIRD RUSTIN
WAS A LEADER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT AND MARTIN LUTHER KING
SIDE. AND SINCE THE HIGH POINT
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
UNTIL THIS MOVIE HAD LARGELY
FADED FROM MEMORY. AND IN 1946
1946. IT WAS. AGAINST THE LAW,
IN ESSENCE FOR INTERSTATE BUT
TRAVEL FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND
HE ORGANIZED WHAT WAS THE WHAT
WE NOW RECOGNIZES THE FREEDOM
RIDES ONE OF THE FIRST FREEDOM
RIGHTS HE SERVED 21 DAYS ON A
CHAIN GANG IN NORTH CAROLINA FOR
BREAKING THE LAW ABOUT CROSSING
THE STATE BORDER AS A BLACK MAN.
AND AS IT WENT FORWARD, HE
STUDIED IN THE EARLY 19 FIFTIES,
A GANDHI. AND WHEN MARTIN LUTHER
KING WAS ORGANIZING THE
MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT, HE
ADVISED MARTIN LUTHER KING ABOUT
GANDHI IN A WAY THAT TOGETHER
THEY DECIDED TO ADOPT THOSE
PRINCIPLES FOR HOW THAT BUS
BOYCOTT WAS RUN. HE WAS AT HIS
SIDE WHEN THEY WERE ORGANIZED
THE SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE THAT WAS
MENTIONED AND HE WAS ONE OF THE
LEAD ORGANIZERS OF THE MARCH ON
WASHINGTON. HE HAD A PHILIP
RANDOLPH INSTITUTE FOR THE NFL
CEO AND IN 1964 WHEN PEOPLE
ADVISED HIM NOT TO DO IT, HE
ORGANIZED A BOYCOTT OF THE NEW
YORK CITY SCHOOLS FOR ONE DAY
BECAUSE OF THE DE FACTO
SEGREGATION THAT EXISTED IN THE
NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS. AND UH,
IT WAS JUST AN AMAZING SUCCESS.
COMING OUT OF THAT. BUT AT THE
SAME TIME HE WAS A GAY MAN. AND
HE WAS A GAY MAN WHO AT THE TIME
I DIDN'T RUN AWAY FROM IT. IN
1953. HE WAS ARRESTED AND
PASADENA FOR GAY SEXUAL
ACTIVITY. AND THAT COLORED HIS
PLACE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT. THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT
ARGUED THAT HE SHOULD BE IN THE
BACKGROUND. AH AND THEN STRUM
THURMAN AT THE TIME OF THE MARCH
ON WASHINGTON, READ THE ENTIRE
POLICE REPORT FROM PASADENA INTO
THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. AND IT
PROBABLY LED. TOO RUSHED AND NOT
BEING THE HEAD OF, UH OR LEADER
IN THE SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE. IT
DEFINITELY CAUSED A MOVE BACK IN
THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON AND HIS
PARTICIPATION THERE AND YET HE
WAS CLEAR. AND MARTIN LUTHER
KING. DID NOT PUSH HIM AWAY. IT
WAS VERY IMPORTANT AND IN 1987
WHEN THE SUPREME COURT ON A 5 TO
4 VOTE AH OUTLAWED SODOMY LAWS
ACROSS THE STATE. THEY'RE GOOD.
MARSHALL WAS A KEY VOTE, AND HIS
VOTE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO HIS
FRIENDSHIP. AND THE
CONVERSATIONS WITH BAIRD,
RUSTAM. AND SO YOU MOVED TO THE
CURRENT TIME. YOU WONDER PEOPLE
TALK WITH, UH, ONE OF OUR
COLLEAGUES MENTIONED WHAT WOULD
MARTIN LUTHER KING DO IF WE WERE
IN THE CURRENT TIME? WHICH
ISSUES WOULD HE TAKE ON BECAUSE
THERE'S SO MANY THAT ARE WITHIN
HIS SPHERE WERE JUSTICES HAVE
NOT BEEN ADDRESSED, AND I THINK
THE SAME WOULD BE TRUE WITH
BAIRD RUSTIN. HE WOULD BE OUT
THERE. AND CLEAR. HE HAD A
PARTNER IN THE LAST 10 YEARS OF
HIS LIFE, AND THERE HAS BEEN A
REDRESS OF JUSTICE TO HIM, NOT
JUST IN HIS MEMORY BEING HONORED
WITH THE FILM, BUT THE SENATOR
FROM SAN FRANCISCO AND THE
GOVERNOR, I THINK THREE OR FOUR
YEARS AGO DEALT WITH PARDON IN
RELATION TO THE PASADENA IN
NORTH CAROLINA TOOK THEM TILL
2022. BUT THEY RESCINDED THE
CHARGE FOR HE AND OTHER PEOPLE
THAT WERE IMPRISONED IN THE 1946
FREEDOM RIDE. AND IT'S JUST VERY
SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT IS A TRUE
INTERTWINING. OF THE TWO
MOVEMENTS, AND THE INTERESTING
THING IS BOTH MARTIN LUTHER KING
JR AND BAIRD RUSTIN. WERE MEN OF
THEIR TIMES. MARTIN LUTHER KING
WAS TAKING THE INJUSTICE AS HE
SAW IT AND ADDRESSING IT CASE BY
CASE, UH, TO ADVANCE CIVIL
RIGHTS. AND BAIRD RUSTIN WAS
DOING THE SAME THING. HE DID NOT
SHRINK. I MEAN, IT IS NOT
BELIEVED TO BE J. EDGAR HOOVER.
BUT A PHOTO WAS LEAKED. MARTIN
LUTHER KING, UH, CLEANING UP
SOMEWHERE WITH BARE RUSTIN AT
HIS SIDE, IMPLYING A
RELATIONSHIP, AND IT'S BELIEVED
THAT THAT J. EDGAR HOOVER LEAKED
THAT PHOTO. AND SO IT IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE. YES WE
HAVE A LOT TO DO IN BOTH
SPHERES, BUT WE'VE COME THIS FAR
BECAUSE OF TWO MEN THAT WERE
CREATURES OF THEIR TIMES AND
FACED INJUSTICE AS THEY SAW THEM
AND STOOD STRONG AND ADDRESS THE
ISSUES AND WE REALLY DO NEED TO
CONSTANTLY RECOGNIZE DR MARTIN
LUTHER KING ON THIS DAY AND
EVERY DAY FOR WHAT HE DID, AND
THE EXAMPLE HE SHOWED FOR PEOPLE
BECAUSE I THINK IT IS MY
EXPERIENCE, AND I THINK IT'S
EXPERIENCE OF PROBABLY THE
DIFFERENT CAUCUSES THAT HAVE
BEEN REPRESENTED THUS FAR. I
SAID, SO WE GO THROUGH OUR
INDIVIDUAL LIVES. SOMETIMES WE
DON'T CONSIDER OURSELVES PART OF
A LARGER MOVEMENT. BUT JUST
RESPONDING TO THE INJUSTICE IN
THE MOMENT. MEANS IN FACT, WE
ARE AND IN RETROSPECT, IT TAKES
AN OUTSIDE VIEW COMPARED TO WHAT
WE THOUGHT WAS HAPPENING AT THE
TIME OR IN THE MOMENT AND IN
PART, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE
CELEBRATING TODAY. SO ON BEHALF
OF THE CAUCUS STRONGLY SUPPORT
SCR 95 AND IN THE SPIRIT OF WHAT
I'VE TALKED ABOUT, ASK YOUR
IPHONE. THANK YOU, SENATOR.
SENATOR RAZO. YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. I RISE IN SUPPORT OF
SCR 95 AND THANK THE BLACK
CAUCUS AND MY COLLEAGUE FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND HAPPY
BIRTHDAY. LAST YEAR, I HAD THE
PRIVILEGE OF INTRODUCING SENATE
RESOLUTION 38. WHICH WILL
ENCOURAGE EACH LOCAL EDUCATION
AGENCY TO INCLUDE IN ITS
CURRICULUM. THE STUDY OF THE
PRINCIPLES OF NONVIOLENCE THE
DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING,
PRACTICED AND CHAMPIONED
THROUGHOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT. THIS RESOLUTION PASSED
THE LEGISLATURE OVERWHELMINGLY.
COLLEAGUES WE MUST NOT. WE
MUSTN'T LET THESE TEACHINGS GET
LOST OR FORGOTTEN. TODAY'S
GENERATION IS PRACTICING. I'M
PROUD THEY ARE PRACTICING THE
PHILOSOPHY OF NONVIOLENCE
THROUGH STRIKES AT THE UC
CAMPUSES THROUGH ORGANIZING AT
AMAZON AND IN THIS VERY CAPITAL,
UM THEY ARE REJECTING HATE.
THEY'RE REJECTING VIOLENCE.
THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD. WITH
PEACE THROUGH JUSTICE BY
TEACHING OUR STUDENTS ABOUT
NONVIOLENCE PRINCIPLES WE CAN
HELP WE WILL HELP FUTURE
GENERATIONS MOVE TOWARDS RACIAL
HEALING, OVERCOME HATE AND
DIVISION AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY,
THE GOAL OF DR KING KING WAS TO
BUILD THE BELOVED COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU AND RESPECT
PHILOSOPHY. I WILL THANK YOU,
SENATOR. NEAL. OH, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. I RISE. IN HONOR OF
DR MARTIN LUTHER KING. I REALLY
CAN'T ADD TO ALL OF THE COMMENTS
THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ALREADY, BUT
CLEARLY DR KING'S MEMORY WILL
LIVE FOREVER. TO CONTINUALLY
REMIND US OF HIS TEACHINGS. AND
HIS TREMENDOUS WORK IN CIVIL
RIGHTS. FOR THE OPPRESSED, BUT
IMPORTANTLY FOR JUSTICE FOR ALL
HE, UH. USE SOME TACTICS OF
CONFRONTATION. BUT HE DIDN'T DO
IT TO DRIVE US APART. HE DID IT.
TO TRY TO KEEP US TOGETHER. AND
TWO QUOTES THAT I'VE SEEN. OF DR
KING'S. THAT DISAPPEARED FROM MY
SCREEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE SAID.
FORGIVENESS IS NOT AN OCCASIONAL
ACT. IT IS A PERMANENT ATTITUDE.
WE MUST LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER.
AS BROTHERS. AND SISTERS. OR
PERISH TOGETHER AS FOOLS. WE ARE
TREMENDOUSLY POLARIZED IN THIS
COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. NOT IN THIS
CHAMBER. SO VERY COLLABORATIVE
PLACE, BUT IN OUR COUNTRY, THE
POLARIZATION IS DEEPLY TROUBLING
TO MANY OF US. MYSELF INCLUDED.
WE COULD USE MORE THAN HIS
MEMORY, BUT ACTUALLY HIS
EXISTENCE BACK WITH US AGAIN TO
HELP US BE. LESS FOOLISH. AND
MORE BROTHERLY AND SISTERLY.
THANK YOU, SENATOR. SENATOR
BRADFORD. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. I WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUES FROM THE VARIOUS
CAUCUSES AND THE VARIOUS PARTIES
BOTH SIDES OF THE HOUSE FOR YOUR
COMMENTS ABOUT DR GANG AND WE
COULD BE HERE ALL DAY. STATING
THE IMPACT THAT DR KING HAS HEAD
ON THIS WORLD AND WILL CONTINUE
TO HAVE ON EACH AND EVERY ONE OF
US. I WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. IF
IT WASN'T FOR DR KING. BECAUSE
AT AN EARLY AGE HE TAUGHT ME THE
COURAGE OF STANDING UP. SHOWING
UP. SPEAKING UP. AND SOMETIMES
SHOWING OUT. BY ME SITTING DOWN
WHEN MOST FOLKS WANTED YOU TO
LEAVE. TO REFUSE TO YOU KNOW?
GET UP FROM A COUNTER WHEN FOLKS
WANTED YOU TO LEAVE TO HAVE THE
COURAGE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT? YOU
KNEW IT WAS RIGHT. AND THAT'S
WHAT HE DID, AND THAT'S WHAT WE
ALL SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO. DR
KING OPTION STATED. WE WILL NOT
REMEMBER THE WORDS OF OUR
ENEMIES. BUT THE SILENCE OF OUR
FRIENDS AND FAR TOO MANY OF OUR
FRIENDS ARE SILENT ON THE ISSUES
THAT MATTER, THE MOST TO
CALIFORNIA AS WELL AS AMERICANS.
SO LET'S NOT JUST HONOR DR
KING'S MEMORY. LET'S LIVE OUT.
HIS DEEDS BY OUR ACTIONS. LET'S
PROMOTE PEACE UNITY BECAUSE HE
WAS A BRIDGE BUILDER OF AYE.
VARIETY OF. ENTITIES LIKE IT'S A
GAY RIGHTS. WOMEN'S RIGHTS,
CIVIL RIGHTS, LATINO RIGHTS, AND
MANY FOLKS DON'T KNOW DOCTOR
KING WAS A REPUBLICAN. IT WAS A
REPUBLICAN UP UNTIL JOHN KENNEDY
RAN FOR OFFICE. HIS FATHER WAS A
REPUBLICAN. AND SO HE WORKED. ON
BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, AND HE
WAS A SERVANT LEADER. AND A
COURAGEOUS INDIVIDUAL WHO IS A
FINE EXAMPLE THAT WE SHOULD ALL
LEAD, BUT I WANT TO TOUCH UPON
ONE THING. MY COLLEAGUE FROM
BERKELEY TOUCHED UPON IT. THE
FOCUS OF THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON
AND DR KING'S ENDING OF LIFE WAS
ABOUT ECONOMIC EQUALITY FOR
EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE OF
COLOR. SO I SAY TO EACH AND
EVERY ONE OF US HERE IN
CALIFORNIA AND ACROSS THIS
NATION UNTIL WE REMOVE THE
SHACKLES AND BONDAGE OF POVERTY.
AND THE LACK OF GENERATIONAL
WEALTH. FROM EACH AMERICAN. WE
WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO TRULY
APPLE. THE WORDS OF DR KING FREE
AT LAST FREE AT LAST. THANK GOD
OF MARIA. I'M FREE AT LAST I
ASKED FOR I VOTE. THANK YOU.
SECRETARY WILL CALL THE ROLL.
ALAN AYE. I BROUGHT A YOUNG AYE,
ARCHULETTA. AYE, ASHBY. AYE,
ATKINS. AYE, BECKER. I
SHAKESPEARE. AYE, BRADFORD. AYE,
CABALLERO. ORTEZ. DELI. AYE,
DODD. TERRAZZO. AYE, EGGMAN.
AYE, GLASER. I GONZALEZ. GROVE.
I THOUGHT, OH, JONES. AYE,
LAIRD. AYE, LIMÓN. AYE, MCGUIRE.
I MADE A BARGAIN. I MEAN,
NEWMAN. I WIN. I KNOW. HI JOE
BOOK. I AM. AYE, PORTANTINO. I
BROUGHT AYE, RUBIO. I SAY ARE
TOO HIGH. SKINNER I SMOKE
WAIVERS. I STERN HI, HAMBURG. I
WILL HAVE AYE. WIENER. AYE,
WILK. BYE. PLEASE CALL THE
ABSENT MEMBERS. CAVIAR Ó.
CORTESI. GOD. SALAS HARTARTO.
MEN. I. 35 0. THE MOTION IS
ADOPTED BUTTON MOVING ON A FILE
AND I'M 10 RETURNING TO MOTIONS
AND RESOLUTIONS. THIS IS THE
TIME FOR A JOURNEY AND MEMORIES.
WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN TODAY WITH
SENATOR ARCHULETTA. FOR MANUAL
RUBEN KOTA. THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. MM. I RISE TODAY. TO
GIVE HONOR TO A VERY DEAR FRIEND
OF MINE WHO HAS SERVED WITH THE
82ND AIRBORNE. AND AS I LISTEN
TO OUR COLLEAGUES AND ALL OF YOU
ABOUT MARTIN LUTHER KING. I'VE
GOT TO JUST FOR A SECOND INSERT
SOMETHING BEFORE I TALK ABOUT MY
BROTHER. IN ARMS FELLOW
PARATROOPER BECAUSE WE WERE IN
NORTH CAROLINA. TURN THE CLOCK
BACK 1965 IN NORTH CAROLINA. AND
MANUAL COTA, MY BUDDY FROM EAST
L. A AND I WALKING DOWN WITH A
COUPLE OF OTHER BROTHERS FROM
LOS ANGELES. AFRICAN AMERICANS
TO LATINOS. AND WE'RE WALKING
DOWN STREETS OF FED VILLE, NORTH
CAROLINA. WE WANTED TO GO INTO
THE THEATER BECAUSE WE'RE OFF
POST. AND IT'S SCIENCE, SAID
WHITES ONLY, AND WE WALKED A
LITTLE FURTHER. THE OTHER SIGN
SAID BALCONY, UH FOR THE BLACKS.
AND WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER.
WE'RE ALL FROM CALIFORNIA, AND
WE SAID THIS IS NOT CALIFORNIA.
THIS IS NOT AMERICA AND WE KEPT
GOING UNTIL WE FOUND OUR TIME TO
BE TOGETHER. THEN MY FIRST TIME
IN COMBAT. AND THE MISSION I WAS
ON SIDE BY SIDE OR TO BLACK
AMERICANS, AFRICAN AMERICANS,
THE ONLY THREE OF US AND THAT
MOMENT IN COMBAT. AND THEY
FOUGHT WITH DIGNITY WITH HONOR
AND I WAS SO PROUD OF BOTH OF
THEM AGAIN. MY FELLOW
PARATROOPERS, SO I GO BACK A
LONG WAYS, BUT I WILL TELL YOU
WHEN, IN THE SIXTIES, MARTIN
LUTHER KING WAS DOING WHAT HE
WAS DOING. WE WERE IN THE
MILITARY AND WE HEARD WE SAW AND
NOW AS I AS I AS THE CHAIR OF
MILITARY AND VETERANS COMMITTEE
I SEE OUR MILITARY NOW THE
DIVERSITY AND I'M SO PROUD THAT
MARTIN LUTHER KING IS DONE NOT
JUST FOR THIS COUNTRY, BUT FOR
OUR MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN
ACROSS THIS NATION, THE
MINORITIES AND I'M SO PROUD OF
WHAT HE'S DONE, AND THAT'S MY
INPUT. SO BACK TO HONORING MY
FELLA PAIR TROOPER EMANUEL KODA.
AND ADJOURNED IN HIS MEMORY. AND
UH, TO THE FRIENDS AND RELATIVES
HE HAS FROM EAST LOS ANGELES AND
THE FAMOUS GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL,
WHERE HE GRADUATED FROM
FOLLOWING HIS, UH HIS GRADUATION
FROM GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL. HE
LIKE SO MANY BACK, THEN JOIN THE
MILITARY AND MANUALS CALL OF
DUTY WAS JOINED THE 82ND
AIRBORNE TO BE A PROUD
PARATROOPER, AND THAT'S WHERE WE
MET UP. AND I WAS ALREADY THERE
AND HE CAME IN, AND WE STARTED
TALKING ABOUT GOOD OLD EAST L A.
WHAT? YOUR BOULEVARD. ONLY BUT
GOODIES MOTOWN. NEXT THING THE
FRIENDSHIP GREW AND GREW AND, UH
THEN WE WERE INSEPARABLE. AND AS
WE GOT CLOSER AND CLOSER TIME
WENT ON, THEN WE'RE BOTH
DEPLOYED. WE WENT OVERSEAS. UH
HE CAME BACK. FIRST WENT HOME
STARTED HIS LIFE. AND THEN WHEN
I GOT OUT, I WAS ABLE TO MEET
HIS FAMILY AND HE OPENED THE
DOORS FOR ME FOR EMPLOYMENT AND
EVERYTHING ELSE SO I CAN GET
ACCLIMATED BACK IN THE WORLD AS
THEY SAY SO MANUAL KOTA, YOU'VE
TOUCHED MY HEART. AND UH, WHEN I
GOT A CALL THAT HE WAS, UH LYING
DEAD IN HIS HOME IN WHITTIER. IN
ONE OF MY CITY'S IS DAUGHTER
CALLED CRYING HYSTERICALLY. THAT
MY DAD IS DAD, YOU GOT TO GET
HERE, SO I LEFT MY FAMILY AT A
QUINCEANERA IN LOS ANGELES
JUMPED IN THE CAR DROVE TO
WHITTIER. AND THERE HE WAS IN
THE HOUSE. YES. HE WAS DEAD AND
HAD BEEN THERE FOR A COUPLE OF
DAYS BECAUSE NO ONE HAD
RESPONDED TO HIM. AND FINALLY,
WHEN THEY DID, THEY FOUND HIM
THERE AND I WAS ABLE TO PRAY
OVER HIM. AND KISS HIM IN THE
FOREHEAD. WE TALKED A LITTLE
BIT. AND, UH, THEN I WAS WITH
THE FAMILY AND I CALLED FOR THE
FUNERAL TO COME OUT AND PICK
THEM UP. PUT THEM IN THE BODY
BAG AND AS HE WAS BEING BROUGHT
UP, I LOOKED UP ON TOP OF HIS
ROOF. THERE WAS THE AMERICAN
FLAG. AND I ASKED HIS DAUGHTER'S
FIANCE. TAKE THE FLAG DOWN. WE
PUT IT OVER THE GURNEY AND OVER
HIM AND AGAIN, WE PRAYED AND WE
SALUTED. I SALUTED MANUAL KOTA,
YOU'RE GOING TO BE MISSED MY
BROTHER. I WILL TELL YOU WHAT,
WHAT HE DID, UH, HE RAISED HIM
GREAT KIDS. HE UH, WORKED AT AN
INSPECTOR AT NORTH INDUSTRIES AT
A DEFENSE PLANT. AND UH, HE ALSO
GOT INTO THE REAL ESTATE
BUSINESS. I GUESS I PUSHED HIM A
LITTLE BIT ON THAT. AND UH, BUT
HE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN ALL THE
MILITARY UNITS, UH, THAT HE
COULD GET HIS HANDS ON. HE HE
JOINED THE 82ND AIRBORNE
ASSOCIATION DFW AMERICAN LEGION.
UH AND HE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN
NORWALK. DOWNEY EAST L A. AND
ALL THIS THE AREAS, UH,
SURROUNDING WHITTIER. AND UH, HE
PASSED AWAY IN OCTOBER 14TH, AND
THEN WE ARRANGED A FULL MILITARY
HONOR RIVERSIDE CEMETERY AND WE
WERE ABLE TO HAVE A GOOD 120
PEOPLE THERE IN RIVERSIDE FROM
LOS ANGELES TO RIVERSIDE. YOU
CAN IMAGINE THE DRIVE, BUT
EVERYBODY FOLLOWED ONE ANOTHER
LONG CARAVAN OF CARS. FULL
MILITARY HONORS. THE GUN SALUTE
TAPS THE WHOLE THING. I WAS ABLE
TO SPEAK ON HIS BEHALF. AND UH,
MANUAL SURVIVED BY HIS DAUGHTER,
MITZI CODA AND SON ADRIAN. CODA
GRANDDAUGHTER PRISCILLA KOTA AND
GRANDSON. AIDEN DANIEL GO TO
COURSE. NOW. HE'LL, UH THE ONE
WHO'S WHO'S REALLY SAD AND ALSO
WAS HIS HIS SISTER DIANA, WHO
WAS I WAS ABLE TO MEET WHEN I
MET HIS MOM. BUT HE NOW JOINS
HIS, UH HIS MOTHER AND FATHER
AND NIECES AND THOSE THAT HAVE
BEEN FAMILY. SO LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN, MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES
AS WE HONOR ANOTHER VETERAN, I
THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME. AND UH,
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO
ADJOURN IN HIS MEMORY PARACHUTE
FOR VETERANS AND AMERICAN
MANUAL, KOTA. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, SENATOR. WE ASK YOU THAT
YOU BRING HIS NAME FORWARD SO IT
CAN BE PROPERLY MEMORIALIZED BY
CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE. NEXT UP
IS SENATOR SKINNER AND WAHAHA.
THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT AND
MEMBERS. I ASKED THAT YOU JOIN
ME. IN ADJOURNING THE SENATE IN
THE MEMORY OF OFFICER OAKLAND
POLICE OFFICER JUAN LES, WHO WAS
KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY ON
DECEMBER 29TH IN OAKLAND. HE WAS
36 YEARS OLD. OFFICER LES WAS
WORKING UNDERCOVER IN A BURGLARY
TASK FORCE WHEN HE WAS
INVESTIGATING OAKLAND CANNABIS
DISPENSARY BURGLARY. AND THERE
HE WAS SHOT AND KILLED. TWO
PEOPLE ARE NOW IN CUSTODY ON
SUSPICION OF MURDERING OFFICER
LAY AND ONE IS, UH, HAS BEEN
ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF
BURGLARY. OFFICER LEE WAS THE
FIRST OAKLAND POLICE OFFICER TO
BE KILLED IN NEARLY 15 YEARS.
AND HE WAS THE 54TH OAKLAND
OFFICER TO DIE IN THE LINE OF
DUTY IN OAKLAND'S 171 YEAR
HISTORY. AT HIS MEMORIAL SERVICE
ON JANUARY 10TH. HUNDREDS OF
OAKLAND OFFICERS AND OFFICERS
ACROSS THE REGION, AS WELL AS
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND MANY
OTHERS JOINED IN HIS, UH IN
MEMORY. HE WAS BELOVED NOT ONLY
BY HIS FELLOW OFFICERS, BUT BY
THE MANY OAKLAND RESIDENTS WHO
CAME INTO CONTACT WITH HIM. HE
WORKED AS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE
OFFICER IN WEST OAKLAND, HELPING
TO REDUCE QUOTE CRIME AND FOSTER
A BETTER COMMUNITY. THE TYPE OF
OFFICER HE WAS, IS THAT HE WOULD
REALLY ENGAGE WITH THE RESIDENTS
IN THE AREA THAT HE WAS THE BEAT
OFFICER. HE WOULD GIVE THEM HIS
CELL PHONE. HE WAS A GREAT
LISTENER. HE WAS THERE WAS NO
COMPLAINTS LODGED AGAINST HIM.
HE WAS KNOWN FOR HELPING BRIDGE
THE DIVIDE IN OAKLAND BETWEEN
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND, UH,
OAKLAND'S VERY LARGE ASIAN
AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND THE
CHINATOWN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
FOR EXAMPLE, HOSTED A MEMORIAL
SERVICE AND OFFICER LAYS ON HER
EARLIER THIS MONTH. HE WAS BORN
IN SAIGON, VIETNAM. HE
IMMIGRATED TO THE U. S AT THE
AGE OF SEVEN AND HIS MOM AND HE
SETTLED IN OAKLAND. HE ATTENDED
OAKLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND HE
BECAME A NATURALIZED CITIZEN. AT
AGE 14. ON 911? YES ON SEPTEMBER
11TH 2001 HIS LIFELONG DREAM WAS
TO BE A POLICE OFFICER AND TO
FOLLOW IN THE GRAND STEPS OR
EXCUSE ME TO FOLLOW IN THE
FOOTSTEPS OF HIS GRANDFATHER,
WHO WAS A POLICE OFFICER IN
VIETNAM. AFTER GRADUATING FROM
OAKLAND HIGH, HE OR AND DISPATCH
LEAR'S DEGREE AT SF STATE, AND
HE GRADUATED FROM THE POLICE
ACADEMY IN 2000, OAKLAND'S
POLICE ACADEMY. HE HAD DEEP
CONNECTIONS TO THE OAKLAND
COMMUNITY. AS I MENTIONED, UH,
GROWING UP, THEY'RE GOING TO
HIGH SCHOOL THERE, AND HE
ULTIMATELY GAVE HIS LIFE IN
SERVICE TO THAT COMMUNITY TO
MAKE IT SAFER. AFTER HE WAS
RUSHED TO OAKLAND'S HIGHLAND
HOSPITAL ON DECEMBER 29TH SCORES
OF OFFICERS FROM OAKLAND AND
OTHER CITIES AND OFFICIALS ALL
SHOWED UP. AND STAYED. OUTSIDE
THE HOSPITAL INDIVIDUAL TO PAY
THEIR RESPECTS. SO LET ME
MENTION WHAT ACTING POLICE CHIEF
ALISON REFERENCED ABOUT OFFICER
LES. HE SAID THAT ALL THOSE THE
LOSS OF OFFICER LAY LEAVES A
VOID IN OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR
COMMUNITY AND HE WILL BE MISSED
HIS LEGACY OF COURAGE,
COMPASSION, SERVICE AND
SACRIFICE WILL BE IMMORTAL. HE
LEFT HIS MARK ON OUR DEPARTMENT
AND IN OUR COMMUNITY, HIS
KINDNESS, HIS LOYALTY AND HIS
SMILE WILL REMAIN IN OUR
MEMORIES. A TRUE HERO, HE WILL
NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. AND AS I
CLOSE I THINK WE WERE ON TO
REMIND OURSELVES THAT EACH AND
EVERY DAY ARE SWORN PUBLIC
SAFETY OFFICERS PUT ON THAT
UNIFORM AND WALK OUT THEIR DOOR.
THEY ARE TAKING THEIR LIVES IN
THEIR HANDS. AND THEY ARE DOING
THAT THEY'RE TAKING THAT RISK ON
OUR BEHALF TO PROTECT OUR PUBLIC
SAFETY. AND OUR HEARTS AND.
THOUGHTS GO OUT TO OFFICER LAYS
FAMILY AND HIS FRIENDS BUT ALSO
TO ALL HIS FELLOW OFFICERS. ALL
OF THE OAKLAND PD AS WELL AS
OFFICERS UP AND DOWN THE STATE.
WHO FEEL THE LOSS OF AN OFFICER.
IN THIS WAY, WHO WAS SHOT IN THE
LINE OF DUTY. THEY FEEL IT
ACUTELY. SO WE KNOW IN OUR
RATHER IN THIS ADJOURNING
MEMORY. WE ACT ON OUR OFFICER
LES, BUT WE ALSO ACT TO HONOR
ALL OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS FOR
THEIR SERVICE. AND WITH THAT, I
ASK YOU TO ADJOURN IN HIS
MEMORY. SENATOR JOAB. THANK YOU
COLLEAGUES. I ALSO RISE TO
ADJOURN IN MEMORY OF OFFICER TO
JUAN LES, WHO LIVED IN MY
DISTRICT IN THE CITY OF HAYWARD
AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH, NOT
ONLY AS A PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR,
YOU KNOW, UM SENATOR SKINNER IS
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT OFFICERS THAT
APPROACH FRONTLINE EFFORTS OFTEN
OR MET WITH RISKY SITUATIONS AND
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO HONOR THE
WORK THAT IS BEING DONE TO
PROTECT OUR SAFETY AND THE
SAFETY OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, WE ALSO HAVE TO REALIZE
THAT SACRIFICES ARE MADE.
OFFICER LES WAS LOVED IN THE BAY
AREA COMMUNITY WHERE HE AND HIS
WIFE LIVED IN HAYWARD. EVERYONE
WHO KNEW HIM SAID HE COULD LIGHT
UP A ROOM WITH HIS CONTAGIOUS
SMILE AND LAUGHTER AND THAT HE
WAS ALWAYS UPBEAT AND POSITIVE.
ONLY WAS ALSO KNOWN AROUND THE
COMMUNITY FOR JUST WALKING HIS
DOGS AND CARING FOR HIS GARDEN
AND TAKING HIS HARLEY FIRST SPIN
. HE WAS DEEPLY DEVOTED TO HIS
FAMILY, WHO HE SPECIFICALLY
ADORED HIS EXTENDED FAMILY, HIS
COUSINS, HIS BROTHERS AND SISTER
IN LAWS AND HIS NIECES AND
NEPHEWS. THOSE WHO KNEW HIM
DESCRIBED HIM AS FUNNY. LOYAL
RESPONSIBLE, HARDWORKING,
HONEST. FULL OF INTEGRITY AND
COMPASSION. AND SINCE CHILDHOOD,
JUAN DISPLAYED A SPIRIT OF
GENEROSITY THAT HE CARRIED WITH
HIM INTO ADULTHOOD. IN FACT,
AFTER COMING TO THE EAST BAY
FROM VIETNAM, TWAN GREW UP AS
THE ONLY CHILD OF A SINGLE MOM.
THE TWO OF THEM MOTHER, AND SOME
SUN WERE INSEPARABLE. HE
SPECIFICALLY WAS DEVOTED AS A
SON BUT ALSO LOVED GOING TO
SCHOOL AND ALWAYS HAD A
POSITIVE, CHEERFUL OUTLOOK ON
LIFE. EVERY SINGLE PERSON,
INCLUDING OUR POLICE FORCE. BOTH
MOURNED THE DEATH OF TWAN LI AND
CELEBRATE HIS LIFE ACROSS THE
DISTRICT, HAYWARD AND THE API
COMMUNITY. I ALSO JUST WANT TO
SAY THAT WITH THIS ADJOURNING
MEMORIES SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE
ALSO HONORING THE LIVES OF ALL
OF THOSE WHO ARE AT THE FRONT
LINE AND END UP SACRIFICING
THEIR OWN LIFE FOR OUR SAFETY
AND SECURITY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU AND WE ARE SET. YOU BRING
HIS NAME UP SO THE SENATE CAN
PROPERLY WE'LL LOOK MORE ALLIES
HIM. THANK YOU FOR HIS SERVICE
AS WELL. NEXT UP. WE HAVE
SENATOR DURAZO. THANK YOU, MR
PRESIDENT. TODAY I RISE AND ASK
YOU TO ADJOURN IN THE MEMORY OF
MR ERIC HONEY. HE IS THE FATHER
OF A VERY DEAR FRIEND, DR ARMOND
GALGIANI. MR AHANI LIVED THE
TRUE IMMIGRANT JOURNEY COMING TO
AMERICA FROM IRAN AS A COCA COLA
ACCOUNTANT HAVING TO REINVENT
HIS ENTIRE LIFE IN CALIFORNIA,
STARTING WITH NOTHING. AND HIS
WIFE REESTABLISHED THEMSELVES.
ONCE THEY MOVED TO AMERICA. THEY
RAISED TWO AMAZING CHILDREN. ONE
OF THEM, I, DEAR FRIEND, DR
ARMANDO GONE, HONEY. ERRAND HIS
PHD IS NOW A PROFESSOR EDDIE
STELLY COLLEGE AND A SCHOOL
BOARD MEMBER IN BURBANK, SHARING
HIS FATHER'S PASSION FOR SERVING
THE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT HIS
LIFE. MR AHANI EXHIBITED A
PASSION FOR CAMARADERIE AND THE
SIMPLE JOYS OF LIFE,
PARTICULARLY THROUGH HIS LOVE
FOR PLAYING GIN, RUMMY AND
BACKGAMMON. FOR HIM. THE MOMENT
SPENT PLAYING JIM RUNNY AND
BACKGROUND AND WE'RE NOT JUST
ABOUT THE GAMES THEMSELVES, BUT
A REFLECTION OF HIS CHARACTER,
HIS LOVE FOR TOGETHERNESS, HIS
APPRECIATION FOR THE SIMPLE
PLEASURES IN LIFE AND HIS
ABILITY TO CREATE A WARM AND
INVITING ATMOSPHERE FOR THOSE HE
HELD DEAR. AFTER A LONG PERIOD
OF ILLNESS. HE PASSED AWAY ON
DECEMBER 25TH 2023 IN GLENDALE,
CALIFORNIA IS THAT LEGACY LIVES
ON IN THE HEARTS OF ALL WHO ARE
FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE TOUCHED
BY HIS LOVE? OF LOVING FATHER
HUSBAND, GENEROUS FRIEND,
BELOVED COMMUNITY MEMBER,
UNWAVERING LOVE FOR FRIENDS AND
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY. HE
CONTINUES TO INSPIRE US TO
CHERISH OUR RELATIONSHIP AND
HOLD OUR LOVED ONES CLOSE, JUST
AS HE DID THROUGHOUT HIS
REMARKABLE LIFE. WE SEND OUR
CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY DURING
THIS DIFFICULT TIME. REST IN
PEACE, MR ERIC AHANI. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, SENATOR. OUR DEEPEST
CONDOLENCES AND WE ASK THAT YOU
BRING THE NAME FORWARD SO YOU
CAN BE PROPERLY MEMORIALIZED
EXCEPT FOR SENATOR RAW. FRIENDS
I ASKED YOU TO JOIN ME THIS
MORNING AND ENDURING ADJOURNING
IN MEMORY OF OFELIA VALDEZ
JAEGER. WHO SADLY PASSED AWAY
EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. IN
RIVERSIDE OF FAILURE WAS TRULY A
FORCE OF NATURE IN INLAND
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND SHE WAS
A VERY VERY DEAR FRIEND OF MINE.
AS AN EDUCATOR AND COMMUNITY
ADVOCATE OF FAILURE WAS A
CHAMPION FOR GREATER ACCESS,
EQUITY AND INCLUSION FOR ALL IN
OUR COMMUNITY. HE WORKED IN SO
MANY WAYS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY
OF LIFE. OF OUR RESIDENTS IN OUR
REGION. A CHILD OF MEXICO. SHE
WAS A TRUE TRAILBLAZER. SHE WAS
THE FIRST IN HER FAMILY TO EARN
A COLLEGE DEGREE. SHE STARTED AS
ONE OF THE FIRST STUDENTS IN THE
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM AT UC
RIVERSIDE IN 1965, WHERE SHE
EARNED HER DEGREE IN SPANISH AND
LATER HER TEACHING CREDENTIAL.
SHE BECAME AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
TEACHER AND A HIGH SCHOOL
COUNSELING AND ASSISTANCE
ASSISTANT. OF FAILURES,
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION AND
LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY LED
HER TO BECOMING IN 1992, THE
FIRST LATINA ELECTED TO THE
RIVERSIDE UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT BOARD, AND SHE LATER
CHAIRED THE RUSDI BOND MEASURE
COMMUNITY COMMITTEE. SHE WORKED
FOR OUR FORMER RIVERSIDE MAYOR
RON LOVERIDGE, AND HELD THE ROLE
OF CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE LIAISON
TO THEN RIVERSIDE COUNTY
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS DAVE
LONG, WHO LATER SERVED AS OUR
CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF
EDUCATION. IN 1993. SHE WAS ONE
OF THE FIRST FOUNDING MEMBERS OF
THE LATINO NETWORK, WHICH TODAY
IS A PROMINENT AND POWERFUL
ORGANIZATION IN OUR REGION,
UPLIFTING AND EMPOWERING LATINO
VOICES. FAILURE HAD A DEEP
PASSION AND LOVE FOR EXPANDING
AND PROMOTING THE ARTS. SHE WAS
THE IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
RIVERSIDE ART MUSEUM AND WAS
INSTRUMENTAL IN RAISING MILLIONS
AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. FOR THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHEECH
MARINE CENTER FOR CHICANO ARTS
AND CULTURE IN RIVERSIDE, WHICH
OPENED IN 2022. YESTERDAY WOULD
HAVE BEEN HER BIRTHDAY. AND OUR
HEARTS GO OUT TO HAVE FAILURES.
WONDERFUL FAMILY, HER BELOVED
HUSBAND. HER FOUR CHILDREN AND
SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN AT THIS MOST
DIFFICULT TIME. I CAN SAY THAT
SHE WAS EVERYWHERE. ALL THE
TIME. SHE LEFT QUITE A LEGACY
AND SOME VERY, VERY BIG SHOES TO
FILL FOR ALL OF THE REST OF US.
AND WE WILL MISS HER A LOT. I
ASKED THAT WE KEEP A FAILURE IN
OUR FAMILY IN OUR PRAYERS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR. WE ASK
THAT YOU BRING HER NAME FORWARD
SO SHE CAN BE PROPERLY
MEMORIALIZED BY THE CALIFORNIA
STATE SENATE. IF THERE IS NO
OTHER BUSINESS, INTER ATKINS THE
DESK IS CLEAR. MR PRESIDENT,
THANKS SO MUCH. JUST A COMMENT
AS WE WRAP UP. I DON'T KNOW
ABOUT YOU, BUT I OFTEN FIND
MYSELF AS I LISTEN TO OUR
CHAPLAIN, SISTER MICHELLE, OFFER
BLESSINGS. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT
SOMETIMES IT COMES EXACTLY WHAT
SHE IS SAYING COMES EXACTLY AT
THE RIGHT MOMENT. UH AND SEEKS
TO INSPIRE ME AND REMIND ME OF
OUR PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE. AND
TODAY WAS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS
SO I OFTEN GET HER BLESSINGS IN
PRINT SO THAT I HAVE THEM IN
CASE I WANT TO REFLECT A LITTLE
FURTHER, SO IF YOU HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT HER
REMARKS TODAY, I AM GRATEFUL FOR
HER WORDS OF IN ENCOURAGEMENT
AND INSPIRATION, PARTICULARLY
TODAY COLLEAGUES, UM AND I
DIDN'T FEEL THE NEED TO GET UP
AND SPEAK AFTER EACH OF YOU.
SPOKE. BUT I HAVE TO SAY, I HOPE
WE ALL GET TO TRULY REFLECT THIS
WEEKEND AS WE GO INTO THE
CELEBRATION OF A LIFE OF
EXCELLENCE AND CELEBRATE, UM DR
MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR'S
BIRTHDAY ON MONDAY, MANY OF US
WILL GO HOME TO OUR DISTRICTS,
AND WE WILL DO AN ACTIVE SERVICE
. WE WILL PARTICIPATE IN WAYS
THAT HOPEFULLY, ARE REMINDERS OF
THE GOALS AND THE GREAT
INSPIRATION HIS LIFE GAVE US AND
I WILL BE JOINING ONE EVERY YEAR
IN SAN DIEGO. I LOOK FORWARD TO
THE MARTIN LUTHER KING BREAKFAST
MORE THAN 1000. PEOPLE SHOW UP,
AND I ALWAYS WALK AWAY INSPIRED,
SO I HOPE YOU HAVE THAT
OPPORTUNITY. WITH COMMUNITY AND
FAMILY TO DO THAT, AS WELL. UM
BEFORE WE ADJOURN. I JUST WANT
TO INVITE EVERYONE ONCE AGAIN TO
SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR, UH,
COLLEAGUE AND PRESIDENT OF
TODAY'S SESSION, BUT INVITE YOU
ON BEHALF OF HIS STAFF AND ALL
OF US. TO JOIN US IN THE MADDIE
LOUNGE FOR SOME CUPCAKES IN
CELEBRATION OF HIS BIRTHDAY AS
WE HAD HOME TO OUR DISTRICTS,
AND OUR NEXT FLOOR SESSION IS
SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY
16TH TUESDAY THE 16TH 2024 AT
TWO PM SAFE TRAVELS COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THE
SENATE WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL
330 PM, AT WHICH TIME AN
ADJOURNMENT MOTION WILL BE MADE,
WILL RECONVENE ON TUESDAY AT 2
P.M. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.