When: Friday, September 26th, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Where: Half Moon Bay Brewing Co, 390 Capistrano Rd, Half Moon Bay, CA, 94019
Join us for Brews&Views! The Election Rigging Response Act (Prop 50): A Discussion with Congressman Mark Takano.
Find out why this initiative is on the ballot in response to gerrymandering in Texas and across the country; how this is a temporary pause of the independent redistricting commission in California until 2030, and why California is on the forefront of defending democracy.
California Proposition 50 is a special election ballot that would temporarily allow the legislature to draw new congressional districts. This measure was placed on the ballot in response to mid-decade partisan gerrymandering and reaffirms California’s commitment to independent redistricting and calls on all states to commit to fair and impartial maps.
Snacks are complimentary, Beer, wine, and other beverages will be available for sale at the event.
Guest and Moderator Bios:
Mark Takano
Mark Takano has spent more than twenty years working to improve the lives of Riverside County residents, both as a high school teacher and as an elected official.
Born and raised in Riverside, Mark’s family story is rooted in resilience. During World War II, his parents and grandparents were sent to Japanese American internment camps. After the war, they returned to Riverside County to rebuild their lives, and those experiences shaped Mark’s lifelong commitment to justice and service.
Mark graduated as valedictorian of La Sierra High School before heading to Harvard, where he earned a degree in Government in 1983. To help pay for school, he worked bussing tables and even organized a cross-country bicycle ride to support Oxfam America. After graduation, he returned home to teach in the Rialto Unified School District, experiencing firsthand the challenges facing students and educators.
In 1990, Mark was elected to the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees, later serving as president. In 2012, he made history as the first openly gay person of color elected to Congress. As Chair of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, he authored the Honoring Our PACT Act, which expanded healthcare and benefits to over 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans.
Today, Mark represents Riverside, Moreno Valley, Jurupa Valley, and Perris. He lives in Riverside and Washington, DC.
Lenny Mendonca, Moderator
Co-founder of the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, Former Chief Economic and Business Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom of California. He is a Senior Partner Emeritus of McKinsey & Company and a Lecturer on Inequality at the Stanford Business School. He founded McKinsey’s U.S. state and local public sector consulting practice. He also oversaw their knowledge development, Chairing the McKinsey Global Institute and the Firm's communications, including the McKinsey Quarterly. He is also the Founding Chair of the Coastside News Group (Half Moon Bay Review and Pacifica Tribune).