Pictured L–R: [Top] Vice President of Policy and Strategy Kim Pattillo Brownson; Crystal Stairs Chief Executive Officer Jackie Majors. [Bottom] Community Voices members stand with California State Senator Holly Mitchell.
Stand for Children: First 5 LA Vice President of Policy and Strategy Kim Pattillo Brownson recently attended the 6th Annual Stand for Children Day at Los Angeles Trade Technical College. Hosted by Crystal Stairs and their parent advocacy group, Community Voices, the family-friendly event brought together parents, child-care providers and community members to raise awareness of the importance of early childhood education and access to quality child care within L.A. County. California State Senator Holly Mitchell was honored at the event for her contributions to the early care and education field. Also in attendance with Crystal Stairs’ Chief Executive Officer Jackie Majors. Majors was recently appointed to the First 5 California Commission.
Pictured L–R: [Top] Best Start Community Leader Teresa Vega; Gov. Gavin Newsom; First 5 LA Executive Director Kim Belshé [Bottom] First 5 LA Vice President of Policy & Strategy Kim Pattillo Brownson; Best Start Metro Los Angeles Community Leader Tiana Vernon; Miguel Santiago; Best Start Metro Los Angeles Community Leader Miguel Santiago.
Welcoming Newsom: Further strengthening our relationship with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration, First 5 LA facilitated a visit by the governor, and other prominent state officials, to the Los Angeles-based Hope Street Margolis Family Center. The visit was designed to promote the unprecedented state-level investments in early childhood development reflected in the governor’s most recent budget. “Investing in our youngest Californians is the best investment we can make, and I made a commitment to support the youngest Californians and their parents so that they can get a quality education, good health care and other things they need to have successful lives,” said Gov. Newsom in a press release about the event. State Surgeon General Nadine Burke Harris, Sen. Holly Mitchell and Assemblymember Miguel Santiago stood with the governor during the press conference, and each called attention to the importance of children’s early years. Each elected official also took time to speak with Best Start community members. NBC 4 News covered the visit — click here to view the segment. Additionally, click here for the full recording of the press conference and click here for our article covering the event.
Pictured L–R: [Top] Senior Government Affairs Strategist Jamie Zamora; Government Affairs Strategist Anais Duran; Sen. Susan Rubio (SD-22).
Demonstrating ECE: Colleagues from the Public Policy & Government Affairs and Early Care & Education (ECE) departments partnered with other ECE leaders to host an early learning site visit for Sen. Susan Rubio (SD-22). The group, which included representatives from the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles, Child Care Resource Center (CCRC), Child 360 and Pomona Unified School District, visited the American Future Learning Center in the city of Covina. The goal was to demonstrate to Sen. Rubio the importance of early learning and how state-level investments in subsidized care play a large role in ensuring that children get the best start. The senator was able to hear from center staff about the challenges they face in providing quality early learning, and she also spent some time reading to the students. Sen. Rubio currently serves as Chair of the Senate Insurance Committee, and she is also a member of the Senate Health Committee.
Pictured L–R: Senior Government Affairs Strategist Jamie Zamora; Sen. María Elena Durazo (SD-24).
Backpack Giveaway: Senior Government Affairs Strategist Jamie Zamora hosted a First 5 LA resource table at Sen. María Elena Durazo’s (SD-24) “Boyle Heights Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway & Community Resource Fair,” held at Utah Street Elementary School in East Los Angeles. In anticipation of the coming school year, Sen. Durazo gave more than 400 backpacks to children from the district. Parent attendees also learned about important resources from government and nonprofit agencies. Sen. Durazo is currently the Vice Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus and a member of the Senate Appropriations and Education committees. First 5 LA was a sponsor of the event.
Pictured L–R: [Top] Event staff member Mehtap Sevil; event staff member Ana Quiran; event staff member Imelda Lizette Rubio.
Arts Festival: First 5 LA recently sponsored and contributed our signature breastfeeding and baby-changing station to the Southeast Los Angeles Arts Festival, hosted by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. Held in the basin of the L.A. River, the event featured artists, musicians, vendors, art galleries and live performances. Senior Government Affairs Strategist Jamie Zamora stopped in and said this about the event: “Assembly Speaker Rendon’s L.A. River arts festival is becoming an annual Southeast Los Angeles staple for community engagement where artists, advocates and residents come together to celebrate the diversity and cultural significance of the region. More so, the event demonstrates the Speaker’s vision for revitalizing and developing family-friendly activities in the L.A. River.”
Pictured L–R: [Back row] Communications Manager, Children’s Health Outreach Initiative Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Kimberly Cooper; Director of Nutrition and Physical Activity Program, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; Health Systems Program Officer Alexandra Parma; Strategic Partnerships Manager Sharon Murphy; Director of Strategic Partnerships Jennifer Pippard; Programs Senior Strategic Consultant Lindsey Angelats. [Front row] Health Systems Program Officer Zully Jauregui; Professor Emerita of Cal State LA, Discipline Director of Special Education for the California Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Nancy Hunt; Health Systems Program Officer Ann Isbell; Health Systems Senior Program Officer of Early Identification & Intervention Cristina Peña.
Mapping Services: The Strategic Partnerships department hosted an on-site lunch presentation by Nancy Hunt, Professor Emerita of Cal State LA and Discipline Director of Special Education for the California Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities program. Titled “How Does Early Learning for Children With Special Needs Work?” the presentation focused on the different pathways that developmentally delayed children, especially preschool-age children, have to go through to access services. Colleagues working on health-related efforts and partners from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health were invited to join the presentation. A rich discussion followed, including considerations for the implementation of Help Me Grow as well as the needs and challenges that families face when the child enters the K–12 system. Strategic Partnerships staff will facilitate further exploration of the issues discussed.
Pictured L–R: [Top] Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) staff; Senior Government Affairs Strategist Jamie Zamora; Assemblymember Tom Lackey; CCRC President Michael Olenick; Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles Policy Associate Jessica Guerra; Communities Program Officer Roxana Martinez; CCRC staff. [Bottom] Jamie Zamora; Assemblymember Tom Lackey; Roxana Martinez.
AV Site Visit: Senior Government Affairs Strategist Jamie Zamora and Communities Program Officer Roxana Martinez participated in a legislative site visit to showcase for Assemblymember Tom Lackey (AD-36) early childhood education in the Antelope Valley. Held at the Antelope Valley College Child Development Center in the City of Lancaster, the visit was hosted by the Child Care Resource Center (CCRC). The visit provided Lackey with the opportunity to learn about the importance of early learning in Assembly District 36, and to hear about some of the challenges that families face in accessing child care in California and Los Angeles County.
Pictured L–R: Senior Government Affairs Strategist Jamie Zamora; Sen. Bob Archuleta.
District Open House: Senior Government Affairs Strategist Jamie Zamora attended Sen. Bob Archuleta’s (SD-32) District Open House at his Norwalk District Office. Sen. Archuleta, who is a Vietnam veteran, West Point graduate and former Mayor of the City of Pico Rivera, was elected to the State Senate in November 2018. During April’s First 5 Advocacy Day in Sacramento, Sen. Archuleta expressed his commitment to serving as a champion for children in Sacramento. He will visit a child-care center this fall to learn more about the importance of early learning in the 32nd Senate District.
