As this page seeks to explore California’s rich diversity, we will strive to include interviewees that represent different races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, religious backgrounds, economic backgrounds, immigration status, abilities, as well as voices from all the geographic regions of the state. Because California is one of the largest economies in the world, these interviews will also reveal the multitude of industries that exist in the state and the experiences of those who have worked in these industries. Finally, the interviews will reflect the importance of civic involvement and political action in California’s history and how Californian’s from many backgrounds have meaningfully engaged in this work.
Diversity can be an ambiguous term without clear markers of when it is achieved. So, rather than regarding diversity as an objective goal, for this site, it will rather inform how we seek to gather, curate, and feature content. Our approach will be to ensure this ever-growing collection of interviews features myriad voices and experiences. There will be gaps in what we feature initially. And in some ways, there may always be gaps. Ideally, though, our own understanding of diversity will become more nuanced and inclusive as interviews are added. We welcome feedback from users and contributors on areas where we are lacking and areas that can be addressed better. Indeed, the users and contributors are an important part of the diversity of this page—we hope a wide audience will not only find this page useful, but will find themselves reflected in the people featured and the stories they share.