Serge Fiankan responses:

1. People with disabilities represent more than 20 percent of the California population. If elected, what would you do to make sure that disabled people have a voice in your administration? Would you appoint a senior advisor on disability issues to help you set goals, track progress, and integrate disability issues throughout your administration?

People with disabilities aren’t a special interest—they’re our neighbors, coworkers, and family. In California, that’s more than one in five people, and they deserve a real voice in leadership. If elected, I will appoint a Senior Advisor on Disability Issues to drive accountability, set measurable goals, and ensure inclusion is built into every agency, policy, and budget.

Real inclusion means shaping the agenda, not just having a seat at the table. My administration will partner with disability communities to design solutions together—across housing, transportation, education, and healthcare.

This is about dignity, opportunity, and building a California where no one is left out or unheard.

2. Please describe how you have worked with disabled people and disability-led organizations in the leadership roles you have held to date.

I’ll be candid: I haven’t yet worked professionally with disability-led organizations, but disability is personal to me.

My mother lives with mobility challenges, and I’ve seen how everyday tasks, from leaving the house to navigating public spaces, require constant planning. It’s shown me how often systems overlook real accessibility needs.

I see that not as a gap, but a responsibility. I’m committed to partnering with disability-led organizations, listening to lived experiences, and centering those voices in decision-making.

Because leadership starts with listening, and turns it into action.

3. HR 1 cuts $30 billion a year from Medi-Cal, which represents a significant threat to the disabled children and adults and older Californians who rely on Medi-Cal to live in the community. What would you do to mitigate the impact of these cuts on disabled Californians? Can you promise to protect home and community based (HCBS) services from cuts? How can California better include peers, who can support outreach to communities who may be fearful of participating in safety-net programs, as the first point of contact to build on inherent trust and connection with people in need?

As Governor, I will protect access to care and keep people in their homes and communities, not institutions.

First, I will defend and expand Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), which are essential to dignity, independence, and cost-effective care.

Second, I will work with the Legislature to stabilize funding, closing loopholes, leveraging waivers, and maximizing federal dollars, while fighting for California’s fair share.

Third, I will reduce barriers. New bureaucratic hurdles risk pushing eligible people off coverage, so we will streamline enrollment and invest in outreach to keep people covered.

We’ll also build trust by expanding peer-to-peer outreach, training people with lived experience to help others navigate care.

This is about our values. California will lead with compassion and a clear commitment: no one will be left behind.

4. Our state has made immense progress in providing Medi-Cal to people regardless of immigration status, but the 2025 budget bill reversed most of this progress. How would you advance immigrant justice and disability rights through the Medi-Cal program? How would you raise needed revenue to ensure that cuts to federal funding are not borne primarily by people with disabilities and immigrants in the state?

California has led on a simple truth: health care is a human right—no matter your immigration status. Rolling that back would put immigrants and people with disabilities at greater risk of losing essential care.

As Governor, I will restore and advance universal access to Medi-Cal. When people are excluded, they don’t stop getting sick—they end up in crisis, which is more costly and less humane.

We must also address fear. Too many families avoid care because they worry their information could be used against them. I will strengthen privacy protections and make clear: seeking care will not put your family at risk.

Access alone isn’t enough—we need enrollment. I will invest in community-based, peer-led outreach so trusted messengers help people sign up and stay covered.

If federal cuts shift costs to California, I won’t let immigrants and people with disabilities bear the burden. We’ll close loopholes, maximize federal funding, and prioritize cost-effective care like home and community-based services.

This is about choices. I choose a California where everyone has access to care, dignity, and a fair shot at a healthy life.

5. Governor Newsom developed master plans for aging and for developmental services. What ideas do you have for leveraging these plans or updating them to reflect current priorities?

Governor Newsom’s Master Plans for Aging and Developmental Services set a vision, but plans are only as strong as their implementation. We need measurable results.

First, transparency and accountability matter. I would create a public dashboard tracking progress, housing built, wait times reduced, access improved, so Californians can see what’s working.

Second, services must be coordinated. Agencies will align around shared goals and funding so people aren’t lost navigating a fragmented system across housing, healthcare, education, employment, and transportation.

Third, we must update plans for today’s realities. I will accelerate accessible, affordable housing, streamline approvals, and invest in home modifications so people can safely age in place.

Fourth, care must be person-centered. I will expand individualized planning statewide, services that reflect goals, culture, and lived experience.

Finally, we govern differently: pilot-first solutions, independent oversight, and continuous improvement. Test what works, scale what succeeds, reform what doesn’t.

At the end of the day, this is about people, seniors staying home, young adults with disabilities finding work, families navigating support without burnout. California needs results people can feel every day.

6. What strategies would you use to improve outcomes for people who are currently unhoused and unsheltered, including the over 40% who qualify as people with disabilities?

Homelessness in California is a crisis, and people with disabilities are disproportionately affected, over 40% of unhoused Californians have a disability. Solutions must address accessibility, health, and dignity.

First, expand permanent supportive housing with wraparound services, accessible apartments paired with mental health care, substance use treatment, and case management, so no one must choose between shelter and care.

Second, make emergency shelters fully accessible, with ramps, ADA-compliant restrooms, medical access, and staff trained in disability awareness.

Third, scale peer-led outreach. People with lived experience of homelessness or disability build trust and connect unsheltered Californians to housing and services.

Fourth, coordinate health, behavioral health, and social services, integrating Medi-Cal, SSI, and local supports, so people don’t get bounced between agencies.

Finally, secure sustainable funding by leveraging federal dollars, closing loopholes, and protecting programs that serve people with disabilities and the unhoused.

Homelessness isn’t just about beds, it’s about dignity, opportunity, and safety. California must ensure no one is left out.

7. How would you work to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in the State government and in the delivery of services funded by the government?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t just values, they’re the foundation of effective government. California’s services must reflect the people they serve.

First, our government workforce should mirror the communities it serves, with recruitment, mentorship, and career pathways for underrepresented groups, including people with disabilities and immigrants.

Second, equity must be built into every program and budget decision, ensuring policies don’t unintentionally widen disparities.

Third, services must be accessible and culturally competent, translation, disability accommodations, peer-led outreach, and community-designed programs.

Fourth, accountability matters: independent audits and public dashboards will track DEI progress and ensure measurable results.

Finally, communities must shape policy through advisory councils, boards, and direct engagement.

Equity isn’t optional, it’s essential. Inclusive government ensures every Californian has the opportunity to thrive.

8. The representation of state workers with disabilities decreased significantly during Governor Newsom’s two terms. What ideas do you have to improve recruiting, retention, and career development for state workers with disabilities?

The decline of state workers with disabilities is a wake-up call. California cannot serve all its residents if its workforce doesn’t reflect the diversity of ability in our communities.

First, recruitment must be intentional. We will partner with disability-led organizations, vocational programs, and universities to actively recruit candidates, highlighting accessibility, accommodations, and inclusive culture.

Second, retention requires meaningful support, proactive accommodations, accessible technology, mentorship, employee resource groups, and supervisor training to ensure staff are empowered, not sidelined.

Third, career development must be accessible. Promotions, training, and leadership pathways will remove barriers and actively prepare employees with disabilities for leadership roles.

Finally, accountability matters. We will track hiring, retention, and promotions by disability status, publish results, and hold leadership responsible for real progress.

California’s workforce should reflect its people. By fostering an inclusive, supportive, and opportunity-rich government, employees with disabilities will not just be present, they will lead, shape policy, and drive change.

9. In November, we marked the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). What ideas do you have for protecting adequate funds for special education and improving outcomes for students with disabilities in California? Do you have specific ideas for improving outcomes and equal access for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing? Or students with disabilities caught in the school-prison nexus and involved in the juvenile legal system?

The 50th anniversary of IDEA reminds us of progress, and the work that remains. Every student deserves a free, appropriate education, but that only happens if funding, services, and outcomes support real opportunity and inclusion.

Protecting and expanding funding: I will ensure California fully funds special education, closing gaps between mandates and resources, and targeting support for districts serving high numbers of students with disabilities.

Improving outcomes: Early intervention, individualized learning plans, teacher training, peer mentorship, transition planning, and integrated behavioral health services will help students thrive.

Students who are Deaf or hard of hearing: I will expand access to ASL instruction, qualified interpreters, captioning, and Deaf educators, ensuring language access equals learning access.

Ending the school-to-prison pipeline: I will invest in restorative justice, trauma-informed behavioral supports, and on-campus counseling so schools remain safe, supportive learning environments.

Accountability and equity: We will track outcomes by disability type, and region, adjusting funding and services based on real results.

Education is the foundation of opportunity. IDEA must be more than law, it must be a reality for every student, fully included, supported, and empowered.

10. Wildfires, earthquakes, flooding and other disasters have disproportionate impacts on people with disabilities and older adults. What ideas do you have for improving emergency preparedness and response for these populations?

Disaster planning in California must be disability-inclusive from the start, not an afterthought. Too often, people with disabilities and older adults are left behind because systems are not designed with their needs in mind. As Governor, I would make accessibility and inclusion a core requirement of every emergency preparedness and response effort.

I would ensure that mandates move from paper compliance to functional reality. All state and local emergency plans must incorporate disability access, such as accessible evacuation routes, transportation for people with mobility needs, and shelters that can accommodate medical equipment, service animals, and personal care attendants. Communication must also be accessible in real time, including ASL interpretation, captioning, multilingual alerts, and formats accessible to people with visual or cognitive disabilities.

I would strengthen partnerships with disability-led organizations and community-based groups to help design and implement emergency plans. These organizations are often the most trusted messengers and can ensure outreach reaches people who may otherwise be isolated or overlooked.

I would invest in preparedness at the individual and community level, supporting programs that help people create personal emergency plans, maintain access to medications and equipment, and stay connected to care during disasters.

I would improve coordination across agencies so that emergency response, healthcare, and social services work together seamlessly during and after disasters.

11. Transportation continues to be a major barrier to employment, access to healthcare and school, and community engagement for many Californians. What ideas do you have to improve transportation access, particularly in rural parts of the state?

Transportation isn’t just convenience, it’s a lifeline. Without reliable, accessible transit, people can’t reach work, school, healthcare, or community life. Barriers are even greater for rural Californians and people with disabilities.

Expand rural and flexible transit: On-demand shuttles, ride-sharing partnerships, and mobile transit hubs can connect isolated communities to jobs, schools, and medical appointments.

Accessible and inclusive design: All transit, buses, trains, paratransit, must meet ADA standards, with ramps, priority seating, clear signage, and real-time accessible scheduling tools.

First- and last-mile solutions: Sidewalk improvements, safe bike lanes, and community shuttles bridge gaps between homes and transit hubs, especially in small towns and suburbs.

Leverage technology and coordination: Integrated apps and collaboration between transportation agencies, healthcare providers, and employers make trips easier and meet real-world needs.

Community-driven planning: Systems should be co-designed with residents, especially seniors, people with disabilities, and rural families, ensuring solutions are practical and effective.

When transportation works for everyone, opportunity opens, jobs, healthcare, education, and community life become fully accessible, no matter where you live or what mobility challenges you face.

12. California is home to the leading companies that develop new technologies for the world. How would you work with technology companies to improve technology accessibility and affordability for people with disabilities in California and beyond? Do you have a plan to address the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and ensure equitable measures to include diverse populations, including Californians with disabilities?

California is a global hub for innovation, but technology isn’t revolutionary if it leaves people with disabilities behind. Accessibility and affordability must be core, not optional.

Partnering with tech companies: I will work with companies to expand accessible hardware and software, screen readers, voice interfaces, captioning, and adaptive devices, and fund low-cost or subsidized solutions so all Californians can benefit.

Inclusive design from the start: I will incentivize “universal design” so accessibility is built in from day one, creating tools that work for everyone, from students to seniors.

AI equity and accountability: AI can replicate bias or exclude people with disabilities. I will convene panels of advocates, technologists, and ethicists to ensure:

• Accessibility is embedded in AI interfaces
• Bias against disability and marginalized groups is monitored
• Transparency and explainability guide AI decisions affecting public services

Community-driven innovation: Californians with disabilities will be involved in tech development and testing, ensuring products truly serve their needs.

By pairing innovation with inclusion, California can lead in both technology and equity, creating a tech ecosystem that empowers everyone, keeps AI safe and fair, and ensures no one is left behind.

13. Despite decades of state and federal legal requirements, both public and private sector entities continue to provide web content that is inaccessible to persons with disabilities, especially persons who are blind or have low vision. What commitments would you make to more stringent laws and increased enforcement of state law to ensure websites that are fully accessible to people with disabilities?

Digital access is essential, yet many websites remain inaccessible, especially for people who are blind, have low vision, or face other disabilities. This creates real barriers to education, work, healthcare, and civic life.

Stronger legal requirements: I will champion updated accessibility standards with clear, enforceable guidelines. Compliance must be mandatory.

Increased enforcement: State agencies will monitor compliance, investigate complaints, and issue meaningful consequences, with public reporting to ensure accountability.

Support and incentives: Guidance, training, and technical support will help organizations—especially small businesses and local governments—implement accessible design. Incentives for early adoption and best practices will accelerate change.

Inclusive design from the start: Accessibility must be built in, not retrofitted. Public-private partnerships with disability-led organizations will ensure people with lived experience help design and test digital tools.

Every Californian deserves equal access online. Strong laws, enforcement, technical support, and inclusive design will make California a national leader in digital accessibility, so the web empowers everyone.

14. California’s mental health system is struggling to keep up with major policy and funding changes implemented in the past five years—including CARE Court, SB 43, and Proposition 1—while one in seven adults live with a mental illness and many Californians struggle to find providers who accept their insurance. What is your plan to improve mental health care in California? What role do you see for peer leaders with lived experience with mental illness and substance abuse to help shape your approach, and what is your plan to fund and support consumer-operated, peer-led services—such as wellness centers and peer support? How can California work with private insurers to be more responsive to the growing need for care?

California’s mental health system is under pressure. One in seven adults lives with a mental illness, yet access is uneven, providers are overburdened, and many go without care. Policy innovation must match practical implementation.

Expand access and capacity: Fund more mental health professionals, incentivize service in underserved areas, and scale telehealth and mobile crisis teams for rural and hard-to-reach communities.

Center peer leaders: People with lived experience of mental illness or substance use provide insight and trust. They will be integrated into advisory councils, program design, outreach, and direct care to reduce stigma and guide effective services.

Support peer-led services: Wellness centers, peer support networks, and consumer-operated programs will receive sustainable funding, training, and technical assistance, improving outcomes, reducing hospitalizations, and building resilience.

Collaborate with insurers: I will work with private insurers to expand coverage, remove barriers, and incentivize coordinated, high-quality care that includes peer services.

Integrate systems: Policies like CARE Court, SB 43, and Proposition 1 must link housing, employment, and community support with clinical care to reduce crises, improve recovery, and save taxpayer dollars.

California can lead the nation with a mental health system that is accessible, equitable, and grounded in lived experience, where people don’t just survive, they thrive.

15. Many disabled Californians have been traumatized by the racial profiling and aggressive tactics being used by ICE employees in our State. How will you protect Californians from illegal harassment by the federal government and their contractors?

California must be a safe state for all residents, including people with disabilities, immigrants, and those vulnerable to federal enforcement. No one should fear harassment while accessing basic services.

Protect privacy and access: State-collected data, for healthcare, education, or social services, cannot be shared with ICE without a court order. This ensures people can access Medi-Cal, housing, and other programs without fear.

Limit ICE presence in state spaces: Schools, health clinics, and state-funded housing will remain safe zones where ICE enforcement is prohibited.

Accountability for contractors: Federal contractors operating in California, especially those serving vulnerable populations, must follow strict anti-harassment standards, enforced through state contracts.

Community-based support and legal aid: Funding will expand for legal services, immigrant advocacy, and peer-led networks that provide guidance, accompaniment, and emergency support.

California will protect residents from illegal harassment, guarantee access to critical services, and ensure everyone, including people with disabilities, can live without fear of federal intimidation.

16. What ideas do you have to improve our state’s understanding and support for people with Long COVID?

Long COVID is a growing public health challenge, limiting Californians’ ability to work, learn, and participate fully in their communities. Many struggle with symptoms that are misunderstood, underdiagnosed, or unsupported.

Expand research and data: California must study Long COVID, tracking prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes, to inform policy and care, including intersections with disability and chronic illness.

Improve healthcare access and provider training: Fund training for providers, create specialist networks, and expand Medi-Cal coverage for Long COVID care, rehabilitation, and assistive services.

Protect workplace and school accommodations: Ensure reasonable accommodations under ADA protections, promoting flexible policies that prevent job loss or educational setbacks.

Support community and peer networks: Expand funding for peer-led support groups and wellness programs, recognizing that lived experience is key to recovery and resilience.

Coordinate disability and public health systems: Integrate Long COVID care into existing disability services, ensuring access to benefits, assistive technology, and home-based support when needed.

By combining research, care, accommodations, and peer support, California can lead the nation in responding to Long COVID, making sure no one is left behind.

17. Access to healthcare is vitally important to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community who often face barriers to care. What ideas do you have to increase equal access to healthcare for people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing?

Access to healthcare is a fundamental right, yet Deaf and Hard of Hearing Californians face persistent barriers, from communication gaps to inaccessible materials, that put their health at risk.

Expand interpreter and captioning services: All state-funded providers must offer qualified ASL interpreters, real-time captioning, and other communication accommodations at no cost. Telehealth platforms must also meet accessibility standards.

Train providers in cultural and linguistic competence: Providers will receive expanded training on Deaf culture, communication strategies, and accessibility needs to deliver respectful, effective care.

Accessible health information: Public health campaigns, patient materials, and appointment communications will use ASL videos, captioned content, and plain-language resources.

Integrate with disability services: Healthcare will connect seamlessly with Medi-Cal, home- and community-based services, and mental health programs to provide coordinated, person-centered care.

Community involvement and peer networks: Deaf-led organizations and peer navigators will help design and implement programs, ensuring policies reflect lived experience and real needs.

Healthcare access is about dignity, equity, and full participation. By expanding communication access, provider training, and community-led initiatives, California can ensure Deaf and Hard of Hearing residents receive care on equal footing with everyone else.

18. In 2024, California’s poverty rate tied (with Louisiana) for the highest in the United States. What ideas do you have for helping Californians get the resources they need to meet their basic needs, and be able to afford to live here?

California’s high poverty rate is unacceptable. No one should have to choose between rent, groceries, or healthcare. Fighting poverty requires immediate relief and long-term solutions.

Expand access to basic needs: Make programs like CalFresh, Medi-Cal, childcare, and housing support easy to access, fully funded, and targeted to communities that need them most. Streamline applications and reduce bureaucracy.

Affordable housing: Accelerate construction of affordable, accessible housing, support rent stabilization, and invest in home modifications for seniors and people with disabilities.

Living wages and worker support: Raise minimum wages, enforce fair pay, and expand job training, apprenticeships, and skills programs. Paid family leave, sick leave, and childcare support prevent families from falling into poverty.

Invest in communities and prevention: Fund programs for education, healthcare, transportation, and mental health so people can thrive, not just survive.

Equitable funding: Ensure revenue comes from the wealthiest Californians and corporations, rather than burdening struggling families.

By combining direct support, accessible services, living wages, and housing stability, California can reduce poverty and ensure no one has to choose between survival and opportunity.

19. California incarcerates a higher percentage of its people than almost any democratic country, and Black Californians are nine times more likely to be imprisoned than white Californians. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, at least 40 percent of people in state prisons have a disability. As Governor, what would be your approach to public safety and racial equity as it relates to the criminal justice system?

California’s criminal justice system is failing many residents. Public safety and equity demand a focus on prevention, rehabilitation, and support—not punishment.

Shift to community-based solutions: Invest in alternatives to prison for people with disabilities, mental health needs, and non-violent offenses, including restorative justice, diversion courts, supportive housing, and treatment programs.

Address racial inequities: Reform policing, prosecution, and sentencing to eliminate disparities. Use data transparency and independent oversight to hold the system accountable.

Support incarcerated people with disabilities: Ensure accessibility, healthcare, mental health treatment, and rehabilitation programs so no one faces compounded punishment due to disability.

Reentry and reintegration: Expand programs providing housing, education, employment, and mental health services to formerly incarcerated individuals, with attention to those with disabilities, enabling them to rebuild their lives.

Community-driven public safety: Involve affected communities, peer navigators, and local organizations to design culturally competent and equitable safety strategies.

By prioritizing prevention, rehabilitation, and opportunity, California can reduce incarceration, protect public safety, and repair racial and disability-based inequities. Safety isn’t about cages, it’s about healthy, supported, and empowered communities.

20. In 2020, Governor Newsom signed SB 823 to close California’s youth prison system, which transferred the responsibility to care for young people charged with the most serious offenses from the state to the counties. Many young people who are currently detained in county-run juvenile detention facilities are disabled and reenter their communities with unaddressed and/or additional disabilities. There are also some juvenile detention facilities that the Board of State and Community Corrections have deemed unsuitable for housing young people, and yet they remain open. What ideas do you have to support young people with disabilities before and while they encounter the juvenile legal system?

Too many young Californians with disabilities enter the juvenile legal system without needed support, and often leave with new or unaddressed challenges. Our responsibility is clear:

prevent unnecessary system involvement, provide effective care when detention is unavoidable, and support successful reentry.

Early intervention and prevention: Invest in schools, community programs, and mental health services that identify and support youth with disabilities before legal involvement. Accessible counseling, behavioral support, and peer mentorship can prevent small challenges from escalating.

Transforming juvenile detention: Facilities must meet accessibility and safety standards. Programs should be individualized, trauma-informed, and address educational, behavioral, and mental health needs. Youth with disabilities must have access to specialists, accommodations, and rehabilitative services.

Accountability for unsuitable facilities: Unsafe or inaccessible facilities should be reformed or closed immediately. No youth should be housed in conditions that harm their development or worsen disabilities.

Reentry and community support: Coordinated services, education, healthcare, vocational training, and mental health, must be tailored to each youth’s needs. Peer navigators and community organizations should guide youth and families, ensuring continuity of care and preventing recidivism.

Data, oversight, and equity: Track outcomes for youth with disabilities, disaggregated by disability type, race, and county, to identify gaps and hold systems accountable. Policy and funding decisions should be guided by data and lived experience.

By prioritizing early intervention, safe and rehabilitative care, and community-based supports, California can create a juvenile system that protects, supports, and empowers youth with disabilities, giving them a real chance to succeed.

21. With federal civil rights enforcement severely weakened, state agencies are now carrying more of the burden. What specific steps will you take to strengthen California’s civil rights enforcement agencies—through funding, staffing, authority, and coordination—so that rights violations are investigated and remedied promptly and effectively across the state, including violations that implicate AI developers and deployers?

With federal oversight weakened, California must strengthen civil rights protections, especially for people with disabilities, immigrants, and historically marginalized communities.

Increase funding and staffing: Provide resources to hire more investigators, legal staff, and technical experts, ensuring timely investigations and meaningful remedies.

Expand authority and accountability: Empower agencies to enforce civil rights laws, issue penalties, and compel compliance, including addressing discrimination in technology and AI.

Specialized expertise for AI and emerging technologies: Create units to evaluate AI systems, review algorithms for bias, and ensure equitable outcomes for all Californians.

Coordination across agencies: Integrate civil rights enforcement across housing, labor, education, health, and technology departments to address systemic issues and prevent enforcement gaps.

Community engagement and transparency: Expand outreach to affected communities, maintain public dashboards, and provide accessible complaint processes to build trust and accountability.

By investing in capacity, authority, and expertise, California can lead the nation in civil rights enforcement, ensuring violations are addressed promptly and emerging technologies advance equity rather than undermine it.