What’s Next: Upcoming food insecurity event, financial aid updates & more on the horizon 👀
As we roll out this new edition of the NextGen What’s Next newsletter it feels like the month of February just flew by with March just around the corner. It is difficult to believe that we are already two months into the legislative session, but that is the case, and the NGP team has been hard at work meeting new state Assembly and Senate members; reviewing the state budget; and figuring out our policy priorities for the upcoming year. We’re super excited to provide updates on a few recent initiatives and projects, including a new page on our website that houses legal assistance and other helpful resources for immigrant communities; important information for students who are applying for financial aid to attend college; details on the upcoming Small Farms Conference where NextGen’s Policy Advisor Tiffany Germain will talk about programs that address food insecurity; and several other topics!
Let’s take a look at What’s Next here at NextGen:
★ Information & Resources to Support Immigrants: During these challenging times, NextGen remains undaunted in our efforts to do our part to support and protect our nation’s immigrant communities. It is important for everyone to know their rights and we encourage everyone to review and share the immigrant resources page we’ve put together – there is information on how to access legal assistance as well as helpful toolkits and other resources designed to help individuals, families, students, and all impacted communities to stay informed and be prepared. Remember: we’re stronger when we stand together and uplift each other in the face of unconstitutional and/or unlawful actions.
★ An Important Update on Financial Aid Deadlines: For the second year in a row, the federal application for financial aid – Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – was released late, significantly shortening the window for students in California to apply. Typically, students in California have five months – October through March – to complete their applications to receive state financial aid. However, this year students will have even less time – only a four-month window to apply. The state must act quickly to provide clarity and ensure students and families receive updated guidance on the application process. Without an extension, this year’s applicants will be at a major disadvantage compared to previous cohorts, potentially missing out on the financial aid that can make higher education possible. Stay tuned for more updates on the deadlines, and learn more about how California students can apply for financial aid.
★ Upcoming Small Farms Conference: Don’t miss out on an exciting opportunity to learn more about California’s efforts to fight food insecurity! You can catch NextGen’s Policy Advisor Tiffany Germain at the upcoming California Small Farms Conference on February 25th at 11:30 AM PT. Tiffany will speak about our team’s role in protecting the California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP). Programs like CNIP are essential to addressing California’s food insecurity crisis, because they help fund important nutrition assistance programs like Market Match which enables California’s low-income families to purchase healthy and nutritious foods. Learn more about the upcoming California Small Farms Conference!
A brand new Let’s Talk blog post has landed! Let’s talk about the role apprenticeships play in addressing California’s workforce shortage.
Hear from NextGen’s Policy Associate Kami Peer to learn what our team is doing to help expand apprenticeship opportunities to all Californians and build a more equitable workforce.
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★ Did You Know? February is Black History Month! Now more than ever it’s important to honor and remember the achievements, contributions, and lived experiences of African American leaders and historical figures who have helped to shape our culture and advance racial equity in our nation. We encourage you to take a look at the special Black History Month shoutouts that NextGen is sharing to highlight state legislators and partner organizations whose work makes a positive difference in the lives of Californians.
★ Member Spotlight: This week, we’re shining a spotlight on and giving a warm welcome to Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D - Tracy), who was recently elected to represent California’s 13th Assembly District. Assemblymember Ransom brings over two decades of experience in public service with her to this role – including as a member of the City of Tracy’s Planning Commission, and as a Councilmember for the Tracy City Council where she advocated for education equity and a strong local economy. It was recently announced that Assemblymember Ransom will play a key role in working on the fire recovery efforts in southern California as Chair of the Assembly Emergency Management Committee. Make sure to follow Assemblymember Ransom to stay up-to-date with her work!
★ Legislative Deadlines and Insights: As February draws to an end, the Capitol Community faces a major legislative deadline – bills must be introduced by this Friday, February 21st. This legislative session, the Assembly and Senate updated their house rules to decrease the number of new bills any member of the Legislature can introduce: a maximum of 35 bills over the two years legislative session (please note that resolutions or constitutional amendments do not count). Legislative offices have been even more discerning and selective about their bill packages which means that many advocates and lobbyists are still awaiting final decisions about whether or not a member will author their bill idea. Good luck to everyone that is still waiting to get your bills placed. You can expect that the next edition of What’s Next will start reporting on both policy and budget committee hearings.
★ Our Mission: NextGen Policy fights for progressive policy change to address environmental, social, racial, gender, and economic inequities through justice-centered legislative advocacy, grassroots partnerships, and democratic civic engagement.
Thank you for being a part of our journey toward a more equitable California. As we continue to push for progressive policy change, we invite you to make a difference by donating to support our organization. Your contribution will directly impact our efforts to address environmental, social, and economic inequities throughout the state.
Thank you,
NextGen Policy