Rooted in imagination and action, Californians strive for a future filled with creativity and community care. Our history of celebrating and stewarding natural surroundings, leveraging policy and legislative action for change, and prioritizing visionary joy, guides the state’s bright future.

From the iconic landscapes of Yosemite and Death Valley to a favorite local tidepool, California’s renowned ecosystems aren’t just valuable resources; they are places of community engagement and transformation. Californians find a sense of connection and purpose in caring for these beautiful, natural spaces, through efforts such as maintaining trails and beaches, supporting sustainable agricultural practices and participating in environmental conservation.

The West on Fire project, in which the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West is partnering with Indigenous fire practitioners in the Southern Sierra, is just one example of Californians uniting to steward our great land, expand access and share knowledge with future caretakers.

Californians understand that legal structures reflect and shape societal values. We engage with our history to do better as we move forward, from teaching children about Japanese American incarceration during World War II to celebrating Biddy Mason, a formerly enslaved woman who had fought for her freedom and became a prominent businessperson and philanthropist in Los Angeles. Programs like the Los Angeles Service Academy, which I co-lead, challenge high school juniors to use their experiences to address issues such as water policy. And, from school boards to federal representatives, Californians govern to build a better state.

Visionary joy fuels California’s drive for creativity and innovation. Known for groundbreaking achievements in film and technology, California embodies a spirit of optimism and celebration that underpins advancement. In the legal history courses I teach, I see this reflected in students who creatively strive for inclusion and belonging across society.

While California faces daunting challenges, including homelessness and housing affordability, wealth and justice disparities, and climate change, we are resourceful, diverse and resolute. By drawing on the power of nature, advocating for legal reform and fostering joy and community, Californians transform imagination into action to build a utopian future.

From its inception, the idealized image of California as a golden land of opportunity was built on a foundation of ecological and social disaster for the Indigenous people who lived here before settlers arrived. Generations of migrants have gone west in search of the California dream, a vision of perfect weather and economic opportunity. Today, that dream is at risk. Catastrophic fires, chronic drought, endemic homelessness and a growing wealth gap threaten the promise California once offered.

As someone who studies the intersections of race, space and capital in Southern California, I have witnessed firsthand how these issues play out across the state. Nature, once California’s selling point, has become an existential threat. The fires now synonymous with California summers pose significant economic risks, threatening key industries and overwhelming public safety systems. Additionally, wildfire smoke, carrying fine particulate matter similar to deadly diesel exhaust, is responsible for increasing respiratory hospitalizations. Those most affected by exposure to heat and toxins are often in economically and racially marginalized communities. Here, the twin horrors of dystopian nightmares — ecological and social collapse — show their sharpest teeth.

The California dream also faces economic peril. Economic and social inequality saturate the state. California ranks among the top 10 states in wealth disparity, with households in the top 10th percentile earning 10 times more than those in the bottom 10th. This gap has widened since the 1980s, with Black and Latino households disproportionately represented at the bottom. This disparity is driven by the state’s high poverty rates, with approximately 5 million residents living at or below the poverty line, despite the fact that members of most impoverished households are working. Although social safety nets, such as food and housing subsidies, have helped, these programs may be in jeopardy given the state’s projected budget shortfall.

Key economic sectors also show signs of distress. Hollywood has struggled to recover from the pandemic and major tech companies have moved away. Despite fundamentally sound economic indicators, discontent persists. For years, pro-business advocates have contended that state regulations, particularly environmental protections, stifle business growth. Some business leaders, citing a hostile regulatory environment and aggressive state agencies, have announced plans to leave the state.

Yet, amidst these challenges lies opportunity. By investing in its diverse communities, especially those that are most vulnerable, California could chart a new course. In doing so, the state may yet serve as a model for what a diverse and vibrant America could be, transforming its dystopian legacy into a blueprint for an inclusive future.