We have some terrible news on ACA 7 - the California Legislature’s latest attempt to take apart Proposition 209 in its important, educational provisions. On Sunday (August 30th), the State Assembly voted 59-to-19 (1 no vote recored), along partisan lines, to approve non-substantive changes to the bill, following the State Senate’s partisan vote for it on August 27th. This means that ACA 7 will be placed on the state ballot in 2028 and it will be once again up to Californian voters to decide whether or not race-based affirmative action in education should be legal.

Time and again, politically and ideologically progressive state lawmakers have tried to weaken California’s state constitutional guarantee of equal protection - codified via the historic passage of Prop. 209 in 1996. In 2014, SCA 5 - a Senate-led attempt to repeal its higher education provisions - was defeated in the State Assembly. In 2020, Prop. 16 - the blanket repeal of Prop. 209 - went down in flames as 9.65 million Californians said no with their votes. In 2024, the previous ACA 7 - another legislative measure to provide “research-based/ -informed” pathways to exempt Prop. 209 - also failed.

We believe that, with hard work, persistence and sufficient awareness building, this new measure can be stopped on the ballot. But we need to get to work to educate Californian voters on the issue right away! Six years ago, proponents of Prop. 16, from national politicians to corporate giants to Hollywood stars, mustered a $31-million war chest to try to make discrimination legal. There is no reason for us to believe that they won’t do it again. In fact, with growing grievances against the national political climate on the far left and their past failure of Prop. 16, we believe that agents for racial spoils and preferences will double down their fundraising and campaigning efforts.

Unlike the other side, we have the truth, facts, and a growing majority of the people on our side. And in contrast to the emergency situation in 2020 in which we only had a few months until the voters decided on Prop. 16, we are on the job right now! Our CFER team has been working diligently since last year to bring awareness to ACA 7.

You can help us and we need your help. Help us spread the word on ACA 7’s progress with the following actions:

1. Connect us with local advocacy groups and voluntary associations so that we can alert them to ACA 7. You can email me at wenyuan.wu@cferfoundation.orgfor the connections.

2. Follow CFER and CFER leaders on social media for future action alerts. Our X handles are: @CA4equalrights, @GailHeriot, @wu_wenyuan.

3. Make a tax deductible donation to CFER so that we can build up an effective voter education program. With your support, we can grow our media presence and social media footprints. We can reach out to more voters and let them know what Prop. 209 is and does and what this repeal would mean for California.

For the last six years, CFER has stood firm on the frontline pushing back against attacks on Prop. 209, in the court of justice and in the court of public opinions. We have taken public agencies to court to stop the abuse of taxpayer funds for racial discrimination. We have monitored the State Legislature and alerted the public to various dangerous proposals, many of which failed partly due to our efforts. We have published hundreds of columns and opinion pieces, helping shape the public consensus on equality, merit and freedom. We could have not accomplished any of that without your continued support or encouragement. Will you continue to support CFER as we continue to defend equal rights against the incoming threat of ACA 7 onto the state ballot?

Thank you in advance!