Prioritizing Equity and Accountability: Six Questions for the African American Community Empowerment Council

By Edward Henderson | California Black Caucus (CBM) – The African American Community Empowerment Council of California (AACEC) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring government accountability in enhancing the participation of California’s African American communities in the state’s prosperity. California, the 5th largest economy in the world, boasts a $3.6 trillion GDP that accounts for 14.3 % of the total U.S. economy. A basic tenet of the council is that California’s success is built on the strengths and contributions of all its residents. The state’s economic power can only be maintained by acknowledging what makes California strong: the strength of its diversity and the state’s commitment to inclusion. Therefore, the AACEC believes no resident should be left behind or denied access to the state’s prosperity. Even though California faces a projected deficit of nearly $68 million in next year’s budget, the state is still on relatively strong footing, considering its cash reserves of nearly $38 billion, the largest of any state in U.S. history. Nonetheless, policymakers and state budget experts expect deep cuts to spending during the next legislative session. In light of this challenge, the AACEC says it will continue to devise strategies to ensure critical funding reaches...