Framing
Equity is about ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their identity, have access to the resources, opportunities, and support needed to thrive. The United States was founded on systems of slavery and colonialism, which established a culture of exclusion rooted in systemic racism. This entrenched racial hierarchy not only oppressed people of color but also set a precedent for the marginalization of other groups within the nation's social and economic systems, such as women, immigrants, and those with disabilities. Just as the U.S. established systems of racial hierarchy and exclusion, California followed similar patterns of genocide, discrimination, and forced labor. Indigenous peoples faced state-sanctioned genocide, Chinese immigrants endured exclusion laws and violence, Japanese Americans were incarcerated during WWII, and Mexican and Filipino workers faced exploitation. These legacies of violence and discrimination have deeply influenced California's social and economic structure, reinforcing racial inequities that persist today.
Policy spotlight
* California Assembly Bill 3121 (2020) created a California Reparations Task Force dedicated to examining the legacy of slavery and its impact on African Americans, with the goal of providing recommendations for reparations. In 2023, they issued the California Reparations Report to the state legislature. * Legislation to address current inequities and historic harm against Native Californian communities includes: California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (AB 978, 2001); California Indian Education Act (AB 132, 2019); Tribal Energy Sovereignty Resolution 2019. * The Equal Pay Act (most recently amended in 2017) prohibits wage differences based on sex, race, and ethnicity for substantially similar work. * The Gender Recognition Act (2017) allows residents to legally change their gender marker on state-issued documents to "nonbinary."
Justice lens
* California is home to many historically marginalized groups who face systemic barriers and inequities. Some individuals face compounding challenges due to intersecting identities across different marginalized or underserved groups. While race and gender are noteworthy, there are other lines of systemic discrimination and marginalization, including LGBTQ+ communities and migrant workers. * LGBTQ+: California is widely recognized for promoting equity for all sexual orientations and gender identities. According to the Movement Advancement Project LGBTQ Policy Tally California Profile, the state performs high (45 points out of 49 possible, as of March 1, 2025) in terms of existing LGBTQ+ policies. Although policies play an essential role in influencing the experience of equality for LGBTQ+ people, they do not reflect the entire social climate. Despite California's legal protections, instances of discrimination persist across the workplace, educational institutions, and the healthcare system. * Migrant workers: Migrant workers are essential to California's economy, particularly in agriculture, which generates almost $60 billion annually. Despite their vital contributions, these workers face harsh conditions, low wages, and limited protections. Many endure wage theft, poor housing, and lack access to healthcare. Undocumented workers are especially vulnerable, fearing retaliation if they report abuses. While policies like farmworker overtime laws aim to help, systemic inequities persist.
Source & citation
Content on this page draws from The California Doughnut Snapshot and Report, used under CC-BY 4.0.
Aritza, A. and Kraus-Polk, J. et al. (2025). The California Doughnut Snapshot and Report. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17540639