PREFACE

Social justice, including environmental justice, are necessary components of any plan for a healthy, sustainable future. Historically, low-income communities and communities of color suffer disproportionately. Recent coalition building strategies and campaigns are beginning to make a dent in this problem.

The content of this chapter is based upon the specific areas that have impacted social justice in Santa Cruz County (SCC) from 1993 to the present. Topics range from poverty and women's issues, to homelessness, to discrimination and ethnic diversity, to violence and teenage gangs.

The ACTION-SCC Committee for Social Justice has been very active since 1993, working together with different groups and activists on a variety of social justice issues, sometimes documenting situations with video. The coalition has conducted forums, well-organized events and rallies including community leaders, and is continuing to educate the public about the programs and projects available in SCC, including the development of a Social justice Resource Handbook and Library.

Santa Cruz County has more programs concerned with Social justice than many other areas in the U.S. This is often reflected in the voting patterns. For instance, in the November 1996 elections, this progressive community defeated Proposition 209, the Civil Rights Initiative Amendment opposing affirmative action in the public sector, but statewide, the proposition was approved. Santa Cruz voters defeated Proposition 187, anti-immigration legislation, likewise approved by a majority of California voters.