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OPINION – The COVID-9 crisis is disproportionately hurting economically distressed communities. Many are essential workers who are serving society while putting themselves at risk. By bravely going in to work, they are leading the economic recovery of Southern California.

But what about their kids?

Afterschool programs provide safe and enriching environments for children of working-class families. In Governor Newsom’s recent state budget proposal, he proposed to cut these programs by $100 million. This will devastate a safety net for Angelenos. There is no question that these are tough financial times. But the budget cuts proposed by Governor Newsom put these programs at risk, which in turn harms the working families who rely on these programs. Statewide, more than 60,000 children could lose access to their afterschool program, including over 300 in Compton Unified School District alone, where 96.8% of students are African American or Latinx and more than 80% of students qualify for free-and-reduced price meals.

Full opinion piece included here.