Josh Becker remembers the moment he realized that real change wasn’t going to come from Washington.

It was 2008. Becker, then working in the private sector, was helping support “Cleantech for Obama,” advocating for climate solutions during Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign. The cap-and-trade legislation, a market-driven approach to reduce carbon emissions, seemed within reach. But when political pressure derailed the effort, Becker found himself looking westward.

“I got frustrated at our ability to make progress [on] climate at the federal level,” Becker said. “When we couldn’t get cap-and-trade passed, I started focusing on the impact we could have in California, and that’s when I decided to run for the legislature.”

As a California state senator representing a district that includes Stanford University and Silicon Valley, Becker is focused on making the most significant possible impact at the state level. With California’s role as the world’s fourth-largest economy, he sees the state as uniquely positioned to set standards that influence not only the nation but the globe.

Before entering public office, Becker built his career at the intersection of technology, nonprofits, and policy. He founded Full Circle Fund, a philanthropic network supporting social entrepreneurs, and spent decades collaborating with innovators and activists across the Bay Area. It’s these local relationships, combined with the region’s spirit of creativity, that shape his approach to state legislation.

“A lot of the ideas that I take to the legislature are ideas from the local area, from the people that I’ve worked with… through both Full Circle Fund, meeting a lot of great social entrepreneurs, and through representing this district with so many smart, innovative people,” Becker said.

Many of Becker’s bills stem from very local issues, such as protecting local news outlets, responding to community incidents of antisemitism, and improving services for vulnerable populations. Others tackle broader concerns, like climate change and strengthening democratic institutions, but remain deeply rooted in the everyday experiences of his constituents.

“I’ve got three bills this year that are just very local, focused on local news,” he said. “Or I could be writing a bill about something broader, about antisemitism, both of which are informed by local constituents.”

Like his colleague Sam Liccardo, Becker believes that young people have a crucial role to play in shaping the future — especially at a time when he sees fundamental democratic norms under threat. Becker has seen firsthand the difference that committed youth can make. One of his early campaign staffers was a high school student who chose to postpone college and work on Becker’s race full-time, he said.

“Young people have a massively important role to play,” Becker said. “I’ve always had a lot of young people involved in various ways, and they really have a huge impact.”

Becker’s advice to young people is simple: Get involved. Whether it’s volunteering for a campaign, speaking at city council meetings or working with local nonprofits, the most effective change comes from engagement at the grassroots level. 

“Young people can help reshape the conversation,” Becker said. “Stand up for the rule of law, protect the independence of the judiciary, defend the press. Be ready to mobilize and protest when it’s necessary.”

California, Becker adds, will continue to be a beacon of innovation and inclusion — but only if its people work to protect that dream.

“We control our fate here in California, largely, and it’s up to us to make sure we meet our own goals,” Becker said. “People have probably taken for granted that the rule of law and the separation of powers will always be there, but those things are fragile. We all have to work collectively to protect them. And for that, we’ll need young people to step up.”