Where California goes, so does the nation

Orlando Ibarra
February 12, 2025

The Freedom Foundation’s outreach efforts in California continued to strike gold during 2024.

The Golden State saw more than 16,500 public-sector union members opt out for the year, a nearly 30 percent increase from 2023 and more than any other state in which the Freedom Foundation is active.

At the same time, the cost per opt-out was reduced by almost the same amount. This means that outreach efforts — whether they be mailers, emails, digital ads and everything in-between — provide a better return on investment than ever for the organization’s many donors.

As we continue to examine what works and what needs to be improved, the California outreach team will continue to empower the average government employee to ditch his or her union membership and save dues money.

As they do so, the Freedom Foundation will slowly but surely bring to a halt the corrupt bargain public-sector unions have with leftist politicians in the state and across the country.

The New Year will prove to be another battle year for the Freedom Foundation as we march forward with our mission.

- Outreach
, 2024, California

Orlando Ibarra

California Outreach Director

Before joining the Freedom Foundation, Orlando studied and graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles. During his college career he worked and canvassed for various organizations and candidates to bring change to Southern California and his neighborhood of San Bernardino County. As an independent minded student, honored the freedoms and limitation set forth by the Constitution. As a deputy director for Rick Caruso’s bid for mayor in Los Angeles in 2022, Orlando’s role was to recruit, train and manage canvassers fulfilling his passion of engaging with people about politics on the streets of South LA. Despite the hostile environment, he enjoyed being an effective member of Caruso’s team. Orlando enjoys spontaneous trips with friends, the sunny beaches of Orange County and making his newly-wed wife, Mariana, laugh.