By Eric K. Ward Last week, as we welcomed a new year that felt too much like the one before and observed the anniversary of the January 6 insurrection, there was appropriate attention paid to the durability of the Big Lie. The high numbers of Republicans, in particular, who continue…

In earlier stories we’ve recalled some of the horrific violence of the Ballot Measure 9 campaign and the painful internal divisions within the LGBTQ community, including racism within the campaign and deeply-felt differences around campaign strategy. As harsh as those realities were, the No on 9 years were also a…

When Eric and I first brainstormed the arc of stories we wanted to tell to commemorate the 30-year anniversary of the Ballot Measure 9 campaign, he was clear that, early on, we needed to address the role of the press. Back then, when “digital” referred to something you did with…

Dear Friend,

In response to the arrest of Quintez Brown after an attack on a Louisville mayoral candidate, Eric Ward, Executive Director of Western States Center issued the following statement: “Political violence is never acceptable and does nothing to move us closer to justice. It’s unclear whether Quintez Brown’s attack was a…

Friends,

An MLK Message for 2022 — By Eric K. Ward “America’s Chief Moral Dilemma” remains as it was when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech with this title to a large multiracial crowd in Berkeley. It was one of several addresses in the last year of his life in which he warned…

In response to President Biden’s remarks about the attack on the United States Capitol one year ago today, Western States Center Executive Director Eric K. Ward issued the following statement: “President Biden spoke powerfully about the attempted coup that took place on January 6th of last year and the ongoing…