Prevention Works! Advocating at the Capitol on Denim Day

April 26, 2019 |
Valor
Red banner with white writing daying Denim Day and with CALCASA Logo in background. Latina women wearing denim jacket at podium with sign saying Prevention Works

CALCASA CEO Sandra Henriquez welcoming for Denim Day at the California State Capitol.

On April 24, 2019, legislators and staffers at the California State Capitol joined millions of people across thee world wearing jeans in honor of Denim Day.  Further, CALCASA and The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence made 97 legislative visits for Policy Advocacy Day. Over 115 domestic and sexual violence advocates joined together to ask the California legislature and Governor Newsom for $50 Million in ongoing funding for prevention in California to end sexual and domestic violence.
In the morning, CALCASA HELD A Denim Day rally in front of the State Capitol building surrounded by the SEIU United Service Workers West Promotoras (representing the janitorial industry), Lideres Campesinas (representing campesinas/farm workers), our legislative supporters, and legislative champions Assemblymember Blanca Rubio and Senator Jim Beall. Speakers included Janine Williams the Victim Services Division Chief of the California Office of Emergency Services, Anabella Aguirre of SEIU-USWW, Marcella Maggio, a Survivor and prevention educator, and Antonio Villaraigosa, former Assembly Speaker and Mayor of Los Angeles who is the statewide chair for Denim Day’s 20th year campaign.
Over 100 activists in front of State Capitol.

Denim Day and Policy Advocacy Day participants in front of the State Capitol.

On this warm and busy day in Sacramento, nothing was stopping sexual and domestic violence prevention advocates from joining together to ignite change. We made our call loud and clear, to END sexual and domestic violence. Ya Basta! Enough is enough!
We know that over 5 million Californians experience intimate partner violence each year, and over a million are the victims of some form of sexual violence. We also know that prevention works and prevention is possible. We need to invest in the prevention of sexual and domestic violence to stop it before it occurs and to create healthy and thriving communities. We stepped on a big stage, and we stepped into our fear knowing that all of the risks we take to ask for prevention funding are for the greater good.