Redistricting Dictated a Change
For the first time since its founding in 2017, during the 2022 midterm elections Sierra Forward expanded its “field of play” — in terms of geography and activities.
We now have a presence in the twenty or so counties that reach from the central Sierra and adjoining foothills all the way to the Oregon border (more on that later). And while we had previously focused on a single Congressional district, we are now also involved in state legislative and local contests.
And as is often the case in politics — and sports — we won some and lost some. Of particular note were three endorsed candidates for Boards of Supervisors who won: Bobby Macaulay in Madera, Brooke Laine in El Dorado, and Lisa Swarthout in Nevada County.
Supervisor Laine offered her thoughts recently…
As a life-long supporter of the important balance between protecting our environment while at the same time being supportive of economic diversity, the support of Sierra Forward was very meaningful to me. Based on my limited experience so far, the Board Members have been open to new ideas and experiences. However, the recent controversial actions regarding the disbanding of the Human Rights Commission and the proposed requirement for Implicit Bias Training I believe are problematic. My hope is that the Board will continue to strive to work proactively and not reactively on the many important items that will come before us in the future. Now that I am back in public office, I look forward to opportunities to team with Sierra Forward on projects that are of mutual benefit.