Ballot Measures Revealed: The California B Word Project

Seventeen ballot measures will go before California voters on November 8. According to the Los Angeles Times, “It is the longest list of state propositions on a single ballot since March 2000.”

Some have already garnered controversy such as Proposition 60 (Adult Films and Condoms), Proposition 62 (Death Penalty), Proposition 63 (Firearms and Ammunition Sales), and Proposition 64 (Marijuana Legalization).

Most voters seem to be intimidated by the sheer number and complexity of the ballot measures. The goal of the B Word Project is to inform voters about the statewide measures so they can make informed voting decisions.

Partners in Ballot Measures Revealed

Som Chounlamountry

PalacioMagazine.com has partnered once again with California State University Long Beach Professor Som Chounlamountry. We worked with a group of his students last Spring on the Long Beach Vote Project. This semester, we’re teaming up with fourteen students to sort out and present fact-based information on seventeen ballot measures up for a vote on November 8.

While we will be providing information on all seventeen ballot measures, we’re focusing on three of the more controversial ones:

• Prop 51 School Bonds. Funding For K–12 School And Community College Facilities. Initiative Statute
• Prop 58 English Proficiency. Multilingual Education. Initiative Statute
• Prop 63 Firearms. Ammunition Sales. Initiative Statute

The Student Homework

Over the month of October, the students will produce a series of explainers and multimedia presentations on the ballot measures:

• Ballot summaries
• Pro and Con arguments for each side
• Conduct in-person interviews with voting age citizens. We’ll turn them into multimedia presentations on each of the three ballot measures above

We’ve also created a Special Projects team to help make some sense of the whole ballot measure system. The students will explain how those measures go from idea to the voting booth. We’ve also set aside the time to look into who are the players behind these ballot measures and how much money they intend to contribute to their wins and defeats. According to The Los Angeles Times, more than $452 million will be spent directly on ballot measures in California in 2016.

The B Word Project Team

Here are the fourteen California State University Long Beach students on the B Word Project.

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Here are their Bios

• Amanda Kilian: Hi, my name is Amanda Kilian and I am from Los Alamitos currently living in Santa Ana. I am a junior and Political Science is my major. Ideally, I would like to be a legislative aide for a state senator or U.S. Senator and work on K-12 public education reform among other important public welfare issues. When I’m not keeping up with the latest news in politics, I love to go on road trips. My last road trip was cross-country from Boston, Massachusetts to Santa Ana, CA. I greatly enjoy exploring new places and learning new things.
• Bianca Salgado: I was born on September 2^nd, 1995 so that classifies me as both a Virgo and a Millennial. Growing up as a child, I lived in the city of Maywood where I attended Fishburn Ave. Elementary School. After completing the 5^th grade, my parents decided to move to Downey. Upon our arrival, I attended Griffiths Middle School then I soon found myself to be a product of Downey High School’s class of 2013. After graduating from high school, I began my college journey starting at Cerritos Community College. I attended Cerritos for three straight years and recently graduated this past May. I earned an Associate’s degree in Political Science. During my three years at Cerritos, I was a part of various clubs, including the student-run print & online newspaper, Talon Marks, where I was the Opinion Editor, photographer, and writer. I was also the President of both the Model United Nations club and the Library Club. Currently at California State University, Long Beach, I am a Political Science major focusing on Global Politics & minoring in Philosophy. I am involved with the Model UN club, International Student Association, and Political Science Student Association on campus this semester. I aspire to work for the United Nations in New York. Afterward, I plan to teach at a community college once completing my studies when I receive my Ph.D. I am very fond of volunteering my time in organizations within my city, such as the Downey Arts Coalition, or helping students learn how the Model UN spectrum works as our conferences are quite different from a speech & debate forum.
• Cameron Long: As a child, I moved around a lot as my mother had to take care of me alone for most of my life. We ended up settling in Southern California, specifically the city of Orange, where I spent most of my adolescence. I did not have a strong sense of self or self-motivation until I got to my mid-twenties and realized that there were things I wanted to do in life and there was nothing wrong with pursuing those things. I am a Political Science major with an interest in Political Theory and a minor in History. I am interested in getting involved in government or electoral politics if I can, but I’ve always seen teaching public high school as something I’d excel at and find rewarding. People have told me I’m smart all my life, and if that is the case, I want to put it to use making the world and the lives of those around me better.
• Dianne Zepeda:I am currently enrolled at Cal State Long Beach and in the class of POSC 450 with Som. I am from the city of Carson. My current major is political science. When I grow up I would like to be a lawyer or even a paralegal. One personal thing about me is I have two sisters and one brother.
• Emma Leal: I live in Pico Rivera. I’m studying Political Science and will be a great female attorney one day.
• Jaqueline Giraud: I live in Anaheim which is part of Orange County.  I am a political science major with emphasis in law, politics and policy. One of my goals is to end up working for the executive branch, primarily for governmental agencies like the FBI or the CIA. After I obtain the Bachelor’s Degree in political science, I want to pursue a Master’s degree; either in Public Administration or Public Policy. One thing I would like everyone to know is the I grew up in a very diverse and low income community. When I was growing up, my neighbors, my parents and myself, we did not know what ballots were and how when propositions were or were not passed would affect us. The community that I grew up in was not advanced in education. Most of the peers around me only advanced into community college or barely completed high school. So for them reading a proposition felt like reading another language. For me, this is very personal. If I had known this when I was younger,  I would have advised those around me about the ballots and how that would affect our community as a whole.
• Jose Alfaro: I was born and raised in Lynwood, California. I am studying Creative Writing and I am hoping to become a copy editor when I graduate. One personal thing about myself is that I am a very passionate short story writer and try to write whenever I have the free time to do so.
• Kali Tacub: I am a senior at CSULB and a political science major. I hope to go to law school post graduation. I decided to engage in the Palacio Magazine because I wanted to experience politics on the local level and see how the media process takes place.
• Kassandra Chhay: I am a local resident of Long Beach, CA for the past 21 years. I am a senior at CSULB working on my Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology with a minor in Political Science. After I earn my Bachelor’s degree in the Spring, I will be attending graduate school to earn my Master’s degree in Applied Anthropology, and then my Ph.D. When I am finally done with formal schooling I plan to give back to the city of Long Beach to maintain and/or implementing community development programs.
• Licette Alcantar: I’ve been living in SoCal all my life. A Political Science major who’s also minoring in English Lit set to graduate at the end of the year. Passionate about current events, horchata, and Harry Potter.
• Rick Garcia: I am a Political Science major and Journalism minor at Cal State Long Beach. I am planning on going to law school after graduation, concentrating on contracts and intellectual property within entertainment. I am a jack-of-all-trades, interning at an established game studio in the valley and also working as a community manager for a local mobile games startup. I also work for one of the biggest promoters in LA. I am working on my own project/business and pushing to get it off the ground. My plan is to get it up and running and hand it off to a trusted partner while I attend law school. I get involved with local politics as often as possible and I like to volunteer at music festivals. I enjoy traveling and music, especially when combined. I swim and meditate religiously and like to spend my time outdoors more than in.
• Robert Munoz: I am a senior at Cal State University, Long Beach and my major is political science with a focus in Global Politics and I am also minoring in Geography. I live in Rancho Palos Verdes. I am still unsure as to what exactly I want to do after I graduate, but I have several goals in mind that I’d like to see through. I am an active competitor/practitioner in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
• Tausifur Osmani: My name is Tausifur Osmani, but most people just call me “Taus” for short. I’m 23 years-old and currently attending Cal State Long Beach as a first year transfer student by way of Riverside City College as a Journalism major. Sometime in the near future I hope to get my dream job and work with National Geographic or Vice Magazine so that I may take advantage of travel opportunities and acquire various cultural and social perspectives around the globe. School and work have definitely been a grind since I am currently commuting from Riverside to Long Beach at least 3 times a week for class and working 2 jobs. Balance has definitely been an asset I look to improve upon this semester.
• Vrinda Bhuta: I am currently a Junior at the California State University Long Beach (CSULB); I am majoring in Political Science, minoring in Communication Studies, and pursuing a Legal Studies and a Mediation Certificate. I was born in Mumbai, India and moved to San Diego, California at the age of five. I stayed in San Diego for three years, and then moved to Cypress, California, where I now reside. During my first year at CSULB, I became involved in Beach Forensics (a speech and debate organization). I was more involved during my second year at CSULB as Government Elections Officer for the Student Government; concurrently, I interned at the Project Access Resource Center (a resource, tutoring, and services center for children and adults) and I tutored high school students during my spare time. Whenever I have a few minutes to spare, I find myself reading, painting, dancing, or taking a stroll in nature. I enjoy working with children and teenagers and wish to advocate for the needs of children in foster care. After graduation, I plan to attend Law School and work closely with the foster care system to make sure that children receive a homey and inviting atmosphere to learn and grow.

Photo by danxoneil

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