The California Issue

The state has built the future, for good and bad. Where are we headed next?

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story June 2, 2023 Illustration by Benjamin Marra California is the place where the future happens, for good and ill. That's part of its magic. Read our first-ever California Issue to find out what roads the state will take us down next. Inside: A fight over a parking lot that explains the housing crisis; the future of California's power to shape national policy; how the state is adapting to a warming world — and more. FEATURES Illustration by Benjamin Marra THE CALIFORNIA ISSUE California Builds the Future, for Good and Bad. What's Next? From reparations to tax revolts, the Golden State tries out new ideas all the time. What roads will its latest experiments send us down? By Laila Lalami Paloma Dooley for The New York Times THE CALIFORNIA ISSUE A Tale of Paradise, Parking Lots and My Mother's Berkeley Backyard Plans to build apartments have sparked a fight between progressive newcomers and nostalgic old-timers — with surprising allegiances in a writer's hometown. By Daniel Duane Illustration by Erik Carter THE CALIFORNIA ISSUE Can the 'California Effect' Survive in a Hyperpartisan America? For decades the state has been setting policy for the whole nation. Now red states are pushing back. By Conor Dougherty Illustration by Jacqueline Tam THE CALIFORNIA ISSUE First Drought, Then Flood. Can the West Learn to Live Between Extremes? When Californians aren't thirsting for water, they're drowning in it. But experts see a way to navigate climate swings. By Brooke Jarvis Laura Morton THE CALIFORNIA ISSUE A Week With the Wild Children of the A.I. Boom In Silicon Valley's hacker houses, the latest crop of young entrepreneurs is partying, innovating — and hoping not to get crushed by the big guys. By Yiren Lu Devin Oktar Yalkin for The New York Times THE CALIFORNIA ISSUE In California's Heartland, a New Resistance Movement Is Taking Root How do you change a place as polluted and desperately unequal as the San Joaquin Valley? By Mark Arax Deb Leal for The New York Times THE CALIFORNIA ISSUE Greetings From 'Mexicoland' A Los Angeles shopping plaza is a preview of California's Latino future. By Héctor Tobar and Deb Leal Stay in touch: Like this email? Forward it to a friend and help us grow. Loved a story? Hated it? Write us a letter at magazine@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here to get the magazine newsletter. Listen to narrated versions of our articles every week: Download New York Times Audio, a new iOS app available for news subscribers. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The New York Times Magazine from The New York Times. To stop receiving The New York Times Magazine, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018