Defend California

Reclaiming Truth, Power, and Public Health

Why We Exist

Why We Exist
In an era of weaponized disinformation and eroding trust in science, governance, and each other, California’s most impacted communities—Black, Brown, immigrant, LGBTQ+, low-income, and rural—are facing a dangerous convergence:

Coordinated attacks on truth and public health (e.g., MAHA, anti-vax, climate denial)
Defunding of equity programs and vital infrastructure
Public health systems that reward neutrality over justice
A civic vacuum with too few accessible ways to act

Local leaders are ready. What’s missing is the connective infrastructure to turn concern into action—and build long-term civic power.

Defend California is our response: a bold, grassroots-led movement to mobilize credible messengers, defend public health, and reimagine the systems that keep us safe.

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What is Defend California?

Defend California is a statewide initiative catalyzing a networked, grassroots-led response to the political and narrative threats undermining public health, equity, and democracy.

At the center of this work are parents, youth, promotoras, and organizers from California’s most impacted communities. They are the leaders, the strategists, and the protectors of public health.

Public Health Advocates and the Public Health Alliance of Southern California serve as backbone partners—providing tools, training, coordination, and amplification to support and scale grassroots leadership.

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Our Strategy: Learn, Gather, Activate
We equip grassroots leaders and public health allies to:

🧠 LEARN: Host webinars and trainings that build “truth literacy” and critical thinking

🌐 Launch multilingual tools like MAGA Health Agenda Debunked: Get the facts, connect with others, and learn the language to push back against harmful health policies (coming August 2025).

🫂 GATHER: Organize local Building Sessions (e.g., Merced Building Session, July) to connect, heal, and plan action

🌱 Support regional fellowships and leadership pipelines rooted in equity

🎙️ Center community members as designers, speakers, and decision-makers

📢 ACTIVATE: Launch narrative and advocacy campaigns responding to urgent and long-term threats

🧰 Provide coaching, toolkits, and logistical support through our statewide Activation Hub

DONATE

California Leads the Way

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Our Key Activities

The Activation Hub in Action
We provide:

✅ Local Advocacy Toolkits and messaging guidance
✅ Training and leadership development for trusted messengers
✅ Resources for rapid response and coordinated campaigns
✅ Cross-sector coalition building rooted in health equity
✅ A statewide platform to support grassroots leadership

Why It Matters

Defend California isn’t just about defense—it’s about transformation.
We are building the infrastructure to turn isolation into action, confusion into civic power, and community voices into system-level change.

This is not a moment for business as usual. It's a moment to reclaim truth, redistribute power, and reimagine how we protect public health for generations to come.

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Let's Connect

Want to explore alignment or partnership with Defend California? Contact us!

FIGHT BACK

Learn

Gather

act