Back by popular demand, R.A.C.E. Matters SLO is again hosting its multimedia, multi-location experience entitled Belonging. This two-month long event centers Back voices and is meant to give a voice to members of the San Luis Obispo County community who are of African American descent.

Sexual violence, intimate partner violence, sexual abuse, and stalking are serious public health problems that affect millions of people in the U.S. every year. To better support those ?affected by these acts of violence, RISE and Stand Strong, San Luis Obispo County’s two most trusted organizations dedicated to ending sexual assault and intimate partner violence, have merged into one larger, stronger alliance. This alliance will provide more comprehensive, inclusive services to those in our community who have experienced gender-based violence.

The educational concept known as “Critical Race Theory” has sparked debate across the country. How does it relate to new standards of social justice and a curriculum of ethnic studies that were recently passed in California?

Is our democracy failing? Just months ago, extremists attempted to overthrow the U.S. government in an insurrection. State legislatures across the country are passing voting rights restrictions, and the current Congress is too dysfunctional to agree on legislation that would protect the integrity of our elections. What can we do?

What bothers you about your transportation system? How should our region grow to accommodate new people, homes, and jobs? On what projects should transportation funds be spent? As our region continues to grow, good long-range planning and investments can help be proactive before problems come with them. This is one of the chief responsibilities of San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG), an association of local governments that represent the entire region, to explore multiple housing, job, and transportation scenarios through modeling and testing to prepare a long-range Regional Transportation Plan, or RTP for our future.

For over 25 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County has provided mentor relationships for over 3,300 children. The mission of Big Brother Big Sisters is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

Mi Gente, Nuestra Salud translated from Spanish means, “My community, Our health.” Research shows that expanding opportunities for healthcare benefits everyone. As the pandemic has shown, our health is only as good as that of our most vulnerable community members. Mi Gente, Nuestra Salud, which is a "people's movement for health ownership," aims to do this by empowering people from minoritized groups to govern the resources, education, advocacy, and access points that shape good health.

The Central Coast Economic Recovery Initiative (ERI) is a set of policy concepts, program ideas, and proposals to stimulate post-pandemic economic recovery and long-term vitality on the Central Coast, focusing on housing, clean energy, and infrastructure investment. Community members and stakeholders are encouraged to provide input on goals and objectives in the ERI, to date the initiative is supported by a growing coalition of elected officials and community leaders, and all members of the Central Coast community are invited to join this effort.

What are Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs? They are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood, and studies show are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and even substance use problems in adulthood. ACEs are common. Adults surveyed report at least 60% of adults have experienced at least one type of ACE, and nearly 1 in 6 said they had four or more types of ACEs. Preventing ACEs could possibly reduce a large number of health conditions, in our community, but how?

Stalking is a terrifying and complicated crime to address and navigate, however it is often minimized in our society. Media portrayals of stalking are often deeply problematic and lead to misconceptions being perpetuated further. In California State University Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) recent Campus Survey on Sexual Violence, 18% of respondents reported being persistently followed, and/or harassed, and/or pursued by someone in an unwanted way on or around Cal Poly’s campus, but only 32% of these students identified these behaviors as “stalking.” What is stalking? What does it look like? And, what help is available for survivors?