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WESTSIDESTORY NEWSPAPER

Governor Gavin Newsom Delivers Final State of the State Address ress.

Before a joint session of the California Senate and Assembly, Gov. Gavin Newsom delivered his final State of the State address on Jan. 8, fulfilling a requirement of the state Constitu- tion that the governor report annually to the Legislature.

Several members of the California Legis- lative Black Caucus (CLBC) were present for the address, which ran a little over an hour. During his remarks, Newsom described Cali- fornia as a "beacon" of democracy and proghunkering down. We are not retreating. We are a beacon. This state is providing a different narrative, an operational model, a policy blue- print for others to follow," Newsom said.

“This state, this people, this experiment in democracy, belongs not to the past, but to the future. Expanding civil rights for all, opening doors for more people to pursue their dreams," he added. "It's a dream that's not exclusive, not to any one race, not to any one religion, or class. Standing up for traditional virtues compassion, courage, and commitment to By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media and asserting that no one, particularly the President of the United States, stands above the law."

It was Newsom's first in-person address to a joint session of the Legislature since 2022. In previous years, he fulfilled the requirement with a written letter in 2023, a letter and video in 2024 on California's 175th anniversary, and a recorded video message in 2025.

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"In California, we are not silent. We are not something larger than our own self-interest