First 5 LA August Board Meeting: Navigating the Shifting Landscape
By, Ruel Nolledo | Freelance Writer August 19, 2025 First 5 LA’s Board of Commissioners met on August 14, 2025, for an information-only session centered on the urgency of planning for the future in the midst of a rapidly changing policy landscape. Commissioners heard...
Subject to Change: An Analysis of California’s Finalized 2025-26 State Budget
Ofelia Medina | Senior Policy Strategist August 20, 2025 On June 27, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law California's state budget for FY 2025-26. The enacted budget includes $321.1 billion in spending — up 3.3% over last year's budget — and will be covered by $228...
It Takes All of Us: Talking Community Power at the Best Start Learning Agenda Summit
By, Ruel Nolledo | Freelance Writer August 12, 2025 The illustration, much like the conversation it tries to capture, is packed with images, ideas, and movement. Values and declarations share space with actions and goals. Our participatory learning process. Not just...
First 5 LA Board Approves Budget for FY 2025-26
By, Ruel Nolledo | Freelance Writer August 5, 2025 First 5 LA's Board of Commissioners convened in person for its monthly meeting on June 12, 2025. Highlights of the meeting included the approval of the FY 2025-26 Budget and Long-Term Fiscal Plan, as well as several...
Statement from First 5 LA President & CEO, Karla Pleitéz Howell : First 5 LA Stands in Solidarity with L.A. County’s Immigrant Community
June 9, 2025 (Los Angeles, CA) – There are moments that call for us to choose – between fear and compassion, division and dignity, silence and courage. This is one of those moments. What we choose now shapes the kind of community and future we are building for our...
Pride Month 2025: Building a Society Without Discrimination
Building a Society Without Discrimination “If we desire a society without discrimination, then we must not discriminate against anyone in the process of building this society." Those words from Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin take on renewed meaning this June as we...
Celebrating Home Visiting in LA
By, Ruel Nolledo | Freelance Writer May 22, 2025 Opening your home to a stranger can be scary. Especially if you're a new mom. Just ask Dani. After the birth of her son, she got a call from a parent educator asking if she'd like to participate in a home visiting...
Conversations That Count: Encouraging Bilingualism in Young Learners
By, Ruel Nolledo | Freelance Writer April 22, 2025 The young boy is talking about cognates. "I know some words in Spanish," Mateo tells the nice lady sitting next to him in the booth. "When we watch these videos, they show the word first in English and then, at the...
First 5 LA Advocacy Day in Sacramento: Advancing a Future Where Every Child Thrives
By, Erika Witt | First 5 LA Policy Analyst May 22, 2025 On April 28, 2025, First 5 LA returned to the State Capitol for its annual Advocacy Day, delivering a clear message: California must continue to invest in young children, especially as families face rising...
FIRST 5 LA BOARD EXPLORES INITIATIVE 3: MATERNAL & CHILD WELL-BEING
By, Ruel Nolledo | Freelance Writer May 22, 2025 First 5 LA’s Board of Commissioners Meeting was convened on May 8. Highlights of the meeting included a discussion on the proposed First 5 LA budget for the new fiscal year; a presentation on First 5 LA’s Maternal &...