In summary
CalMatters was joined by more than 1,000 Californians in Sacramento and online for the first-ever Ideas Festival.
CalMatters’ first-ever Ideas Festival is a wrap, but you can now watch videos of the sessions online.
The two-day festival held June 5 and 6 in downtown Sacramento featured more than a dozen events examining critical policy issues impacting the lives of millions of Californians. In addition to discussions about climate change, reparations, and transportation, the conference also explored California’s changing electorate, workforce development opportunities and our homelessness crisis.
The gathering brought together thought leaders, policymakers, and innovators including Leon Panetta, Xavier Becerra, Barbara McQuade, Rob Bonta, Betty Yee, Julian Castro, Mike Madrid, Doug Ose, and many more.
Made possible by support from our members and corporate sponsors, the event was deemed such a success that plans have already begun for the 2025 edition.
Whether you missed a session or want to revisit and share insightful discussions, you can now access each individual discussion at your convenience.
Day one sessions: Watch Here
Day two sessions: Watch Here
We’ve already heard from some attendees about the value of the festival:
Jonathan Changus of the Center for Sustainable Energy posted on LinkedIn thanking Hans Poschman for an invitation and personally suggesting people attend next year. In addition, he wrote: “This morning’s focus on #homelessness was one of the best series of speakers and panelists, on any topic, that I have been fortunate to participate in ever in my nearly 20 years as a professional. The speakers brought a tremendous amount of perspective AND ideas for solutions. I feel inspired and hopeful, and that’s no small thing in this day and age.”
Sutter Health posted on LinkedIn: “At the CalMatters Ideas Festival, Sutter’s Vice President of External Affairs Keri Thomas unveiled our exciting new program NextGen Scholars, a unique healthcare career program aiming to train 5,000 high school students by 2030. Partnering with Los Rios Community College District and investing $1.7M in Folsom Lake College as our pilot, we’re committed to expanding medical education and tackling the critical need for more healthcare professionals in California. See how this initiative will train aspiring young people & open doors to job opportunities within Sutter & beyond.”
