Healing California

The Center for Health Journalism has teamed with ethnic media organizations in California to report together on health equity, immigrant health, community well-being and gaps in health care in a unique collaborative learning effort. Learn more about the initiative here

By
Jian Zhao

When both her children came out as queer, Janice Lee struggled initially to accept, but it didn’t take her long to come to terms with it. She read a lot and made the effort to learn about sexuality and gender identities. In many Asian households, changes are taking place, as parents challenge long-standing patterns of shame and silence around LGBTQ+ identity.

By
Robert Hansen

Although California has banned suspensions for “willful defiance” in grades K-12, both Elk Grove Unified and Sacramento City Unified school districts continued to suspend students for defiance during the 2023-24 school year, according to an OBSERVER analysis. The issue has gained new relevance as federal policies under the Trump administration threaten funding for schools that implement equity-based discipline practices.