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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SACRAMENTO, California, February 29, 2024 — Former Governor appointed and California State Senate confirmed Deputy Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA), Michael L. Younger, announces a historic and unprecedented grassroots campaign for Governor in 2026. Michael enters the campaign as a candidate with significant leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. His lived experience growing up in a low-income single-parent household, living in a shelter for mothers and their children and experiencing periods of being unhoused during his youth gives him both the perspective and the compassion to address some of California’s most pervasive challenges head on. Michael’s candidacy, which as he indicates, "is not something I grew up thinking about or even imagined as part of my career path" is likely to send shockwaves through the establishment arm of the Democratic party and is slated to energize and motivate the state's massive uninspired but eager voting base. He made history in 2021 as the only Governor appointed Deputy Secretary required to appear and be confirmed by the California State Senate in any administration and he received a 35-0 unanimous and bipartisan vote of approval from the full California State Senate. As the current Vice President of Workforce Strategy & Innovation at California's startup virtual community college (Calbright), which was enacted into law in 2018 under Governor Brown and continues to receive the support of Governor Newsom, Michael brings a unique lens to the race for Governor focused on inclusive economic systems, family-support and well-being, education to workforce pipeline, and climate resilience. He is also focused on innovation in higher education, public and private partnerships, health equity, public pension and benefit administration, corporate engagement and strengthening the critical safety net services offered by the state.
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