The James Irvine Foundation

Lax Oversight, Few Inspections Leave Child Farmworkers Exposed to Toxic Pesticides Child laborers and other farmworkers in California are being exposed to toxic pesticides, in part because of splintered enforcement of safety regulations.

A recent @capitalandmain.bsky.social investigation reveals that California’s system for protecting farmworkers from pesticide exposure is dangerously fragmented.

capitalandmain.com/lax-oversight-few-inspections-leave-child-farmworkers-exposed-to-toxic-pesticides

YouTube video by CalNonprofits Recording - Public Good vs Private Gain The Implications of OpenAI’s Restructuring 11/18/25

ICYMI: Irvine CEO Don Howard recently joined LatinoProsperity's Orson Aguilar, @techequity.bsky.social's Catherine Bracy, and @unitedwaysca.bsky.social's @pmanzo.bsky.social to discuss the implications of OpenAI’s restructuring plans: youtu.be/tQti5Uh8HnM?...

Los niños jornaleros de California: agotados, mal pagados y trabajando en campos de cultivo tóxicos Según revela una investigación, las autoridades estatales evaden proteger la salud y seguridad de miles de trabajadores agrícolas jóvenes.

Lea esta investigación en español.
capitalandmain.com/los-ninos-jo...

California’s Child Farmworkers: Exhausted, Underpaid and Toiling in Toxic Fields State officials are failing to protect the health and safety of thousands of young field laborers, an investigation has found.

This investigation by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Robert J. Lopez is based on interviews with 100+ underage and adult farmworkers, experts, labor and agricultural industry advocates and state and local officials. Read the investigation here.
capitalandmain.com/californias-...

California’s Child Farmworkers: Exhausted, Underpaid and Toiling in Toxic Fields State officials are failing to protect the health and safety of thousands of young field laborers, an investigation has found.

An investigation by Capital & Main, in partnership with the @latimes.com, found that enforcement of child labor laws is negligible in CA’s fields and that underage farmworkers endure punishing conditions, including extreme heat and exposure to pesticides.
capitalandmain.com/californias-...

YouTube video by CalNonprofits Recording - Public Good vs Private Gain The Implications of OpenAI’s Restructuring 11/18/25

Thank you @calnonprofits.bsky.social for this discussion about what #OpenAI shift means for philanthropy and our future.
youtu.be/tQti5Uh8HnM?...

With @catherinebracy.com @techequity.bsky.social @irvinefdn.bsky.social @unitedwaysca.bsky.social @/latinoprosperity
#ai #philanthropy #nonprofits

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Economic Well-Being Key findings from the latest survey include: Three in ten Californians say their household cut back on food to save money in the past year. About seven in ten expect bad economic times for the state i...

New survey from @ppicnotes.bsky.social found that most Californians are satisfied with their jobs and favor increasing government funding for job training programs.

Meanwhile, many continue to struggle with the high cost of living and remain concerned about executive actions and AI: bit.ly/4ptSoFa

Opinion: California business leaders must be vocal and active in pursuit of immigration reform - Sacramento Business Journal The aggressive expansion of federal immigration enforcement across California is triggering an economic crisis rivaling the Great Recession or Covid-19 pandemic, our guest contributors argue.

ICYMI: Irvine's Don Howard and UC Merced Community and Labor Center's Ana Padilla highlight the impact of federal immigration enforcement on all Californians and what business leaders can do in this piece in Sacramento Business Journal: bit.ly/3JFfnOm

The Economic Milestones of Young Californians Faced with a shifting economy and shrinking population, California's young adults must navigate an uncertain future in the labor market. PPIC’s latest report examines young adult milestones across gen...

New report from @ppicnotes.bsky.social looks at how young Californians are progressing along key milestones—primarily in work and education—and how these patterns have evolved over time: www.ppic.org/publication/...

An Alternative Vision for the Future of Tech and Work: A First Look at Labor’s AI Values A new report details how unions are responding to AI in the workplace.

As AI transforms jobs, labor is pushing for adoption that centers workers & communities, embraces common-sense guardrails, and improves workers’ quality of life on & off the job. More from UC Berkeley Labor Center: https://inequality.org/article/an-alternative-vision-for-the-future-of-tech-and-work/

State-Led Approaches to Apprenticeship Expansion and Innovation Join the Urban Institute for a discussion on state-led approaches to apprenticeship expansion and innovation. States have been making strategic investm…

Want to learn about how different states are approaching #apprenticeship expansion and innovation?

Register now to join Urban Institute on Thursday, November 20 at 9 AM: https://www.urban.org/events/state-led-approaches-apprenticeship-expansion-and-innovation

Evaluating Trends and Challenges in State Regulation of Workplace Technologies | TechPolicy.Press The 2025 US state legislative session has been something of a watershed moment for tech and work policy, write Mishal Khan and Annette Bernhardt.

Emerging technologies are reshaping the workplace. While these technologies can be beneficial, workers and researchers are increasingly reporting negative impacts.

Learn more from @ucblaborcenter.bsky.social's Mishal Khan and Annette Bernhardt in @techpolicy.press.web.brid.gy: bit.ly/47K3uP2

State-Led Approaches to Apprenticeship Expansion and Innovation Join the Urban Institute for a discussion on state-led approaches to apprenticeship expansion and innovation. States have been making strategic investm…

There’s still time to register!

Join the Urban Institute on 11/20 @ 12:00 p.m. ET for a virtual event on the future of state-led approaches to #apprenticeship expansion and #innovation. #LiveatUrban

Opinion: California business leaders must be vocal and active in pursuit of immigration reform - Sacramento Business Journal The aggressive expansion of federal immigration enforcement across California is triggering an economic crisis rivaling the Great Recession or Covid-19 pandemic, our guest contributors argue.

The expansion of federal immigration enforcement in California is triggering an economic crisis rivaling the pandemic and Great Recession. Business leaders must again step up and push for solutions.

Irvine's Don Howard & UC Merced Community and Labor Center's Ana Padilla share how: bit.ly/3JFfnOm

The Economic Milestones of Young Californians Faced with a shifting economy and a shrinking population, California's young adults must navigate an uncertain future in the labor market. PPIC researchers will present key findings from a new report ...

Shifting opportunities, lasting effects of the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and #AI are impacting the future of young adults in #California.

Want to learn more?

Join @ppicnotes.bsky.social on November 18 as they share key findings from their latest report: www.ppic.org/event/the-ec...

Congratulations to Charles Fields, Irvine’s executive vice president of programs, for being appointed to the Board of Trustees of Blue Shield of California Foundation!

Read more: bit.ly/4opCwDy

Don recently sat down with Kristine Michie to discuss the role of #philanthropy in the AI-driven world, our grantee-partners' efforts to support workers paid low wages, and the importance of having a people-focused strategy.

Listen to the full episode of #ThePlayfullPodcast here: bit.ly/4nwkKx8

Institute for Social Transformation awarded $700k grant to support inclusive economic development throughout Central California The James Irvine Foundation has awarded the institute a two-year community-level learning partner grant as part of its Priority Communities initiatives, which seeks to strengthen regional economies by...

We’re happy to share that Irvine’s #PriorityCommunities initiative provided a $700,000 grant to the Institute for Social Transformation at UC Santa Cruz!

Learn more: bit.ly/47qQNbM

Leveling California’s Economic Advancement Playing Field - Independent Sector The James Irvine Foundation President and CEO Don Howard shares how his organization helps Californians improve their livelihoods.

Our CEO, Don Howard, recently spoke with Independent Sector about our work to help ensure #California is a place where all low-income workers can advance economically—and what the social sector must do during these challenging times.

Check it out: bit.ly/4o6RPRq

The American Job Quality Study

The American Job Quality Study reveals that only 4 in 10 U.S. workers are in jobs that meet their basic financial needs and provide safe, respectful environments, opportunities to build skills, a voice in decision-making, and some control over their time and work.

Learn more: bit.ly/3WjvbsN

The Courage Project - Submit a Hero in Your Community The Courage Project is a bold new initiative honoring everyday acts of bravery that reflect the best of the American spirit.

We’re thrilled to announce the third slate of awardees for #TheCourageProject!

From young leaders championing access to education, to faith communities mobilizing in times of crisis, these honorees embody the values that hold our society together. Learn about the awardees at: thecourageproject.org

Poverty among California’s Workers About half of adult workers who are living in poverty are employed full time; poverty rates tend to be higher among service and agricultural workers.

We know CA will thrive when everyone is paid a living wage, but the reality is that 9.8% of workers in our state are living in poverty. When wages are low and expenses like childcare and housing keep rising, making ends meets remains difficult.

@ppicnotes.bsky.social: www.ppic.org/publication/...

@obi-belonging.bsky.social is launching a new podcast series on October 21 at 9–10:30 a.m. PT!

Each episode connects lived experiences to forward-looking policies that can move us toward a future where everyone belongs and thrives.

Sign up for the launch event at bit.ly/realsolutionspodcast

Kent Wong, a champion of nonviolent resistance in the L.A. labor movement, dies at 69 Kent Wong, who spent decades teaching a doctrine of nonviolent resistance, died Wednesday at a hospital in Los Angeles at the age of 69.

“At the heart of everything Kent did was his unwavering commitment to protecting and uplifting immigrant workers.” www.latimes.com/business/sto...

Too Old to Keep Working, Not Enough Money to Stop As the senior workforce grows, more older Americans are staying in physically demanding jobs, often risking their health.

Older Americans are having to continue working, often without enough retirement savings to step away.

By 2030, more than 1 in 5 U.S. residents will be 65+, underscoring the growing need to advance worker protections and programs for older Americans.

@capitalandmain.bsky.social: bit.ly/4gT3RuI

Seeds of Change in Fresno: Funders Witness CEMI at Work - Smart Growth California West Fresno knows what it means to be overlooked. When Valley Children’s Hospital relocated to another community 25 years ago, it left a void in… Read More »

At the Sweet Potato Project, students turn sweet potatoes into marketable products while sampling college life at Fresno State. They also receive mentoring, stipends, and health services to support their journey.

Projects like this are exactly what CEMI was created to strengthen: bit.ly/3VKt157

ICYMI: The latest issue of @johnsoncenter.bsky.social’s The Foundation Review features an article by Irvine and our partners at Engage R+D: scholarworks.gvsu.edu/tfr/vol17/is...

It highlights how to engage grantees early in strategy development and build reciprocal grantee-funder relationships.

This summer, Irvine’s #BetterCareers initiative supported a group of grantees and key registered apprenticeship organizations in LA to join a delegation of SoCal leaders traveling to Zurich for the CEMETS Summer Institute.

What did they learn? Check out the top takeaways below.

The Inland Empire is one of the fastest-growing regions in CA and a vital hub for the nation’s logistics industry, but climate hazards put workers at risk.

A new policy brief from the IE Labor and Community Center highlights the need for proactive worker protections: ielcc.ucr.edu/worker-clima...

Statement on the Fundamental Freedom of Speech “Acts of political violence — from the recent murder of Charlie Kirk to the murder of Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman of Minnesota — have…

The Irvine Foundation strongly condemns all acts of political violence. This is a moment for leadership that drives unity rather than division.

We join #UniteInAdvance in standing against efforts to weaponize political violence to mischaracterize charitable organizations: bit.ly/3VS653N