Throughout the month of March, “In Focus SoCal” is highlighting the achievements of women and the work being done to secure women’s rights and to empower the next generation of female leaders. From advocating for policy changes to breaking barriers in state leadership, “In Focus SoCal” is taking a look at the progress being made to ensure women are not only being represented but also leading the charge and supporting policies that address challenges faced by all Californians. 

On this week’s “In Focus SoCal,” host Tanya McRae visits a nonprofit in Orange County that’s making a real difference through its mission of providing resources and opportunities to women who have been abused and are homeless. Karen Butera, president of OC Women2Women, founded the organization in 2014.

“We empower these women, we invest in them, and we help them. And we love having that opportunity,” Butera said. 

OC Women2Women raises funds and donations to assist a number of other organizations that are doing great things, like Mariposa. Lauren Justice, who created the Enhanced Care and Management Treatment Program in 2023, was once herself homeless and living in tents and on the streets, battling an addiction to heroin, meth and alcohol. The program helps people who are transitioning out of homelessness or incarceration with support services. 

“I think the common denominator with the homeless communities is that there’s a lot of pain out there. And that we’re all trying to survive together,” Justice said. 

Also on this week’s “In Focus SoCal,” McRae sits down with Lieutenant Gov. Eleni Kounalakis. She discussed her campaign to be California’s next governor and the issues she continues to advocate for. 

“There’s been a lot of shoring up of women’s rights that we’ve enshrined in our constitution and in our laws here to protect California women, but really to protect women anywhere who need to come here for reproductive care and have privacy and all of that,” Kounalakis said. 

The lieutenant governor is co-sponsoring a bill that will make it easier to build accessory dwelling units to address the high cost of living in California. “We simply have to deliver more homes, and so that’s something that I’m gonna continue to talk about.” 

Susannah Delano, executive director of Close the Gap, also joins McRae on this week’s episode. She heads the statewide campaign to close the gender gap in the state legislature by 2028.

Send us your thoughts to InFocusSoCal@charter.com and watch at 11 a.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m. on Sundays.