At LPPI’s 2026 Policy in Action Summit, 16 Policy Fellows travelled to Sacramento to connect with those in the driver’s seat of change. On January 26, the first day of programming, fellows heard from leaders in policymaking, were acknowledged on the Senate Floor, and met with legislative offices.

Their day began with a “Pathways to Public Impact” panel, featuring three UCLA alumni: Sara Cortez, principal fiscal and policy analyst at the Legislative Analyst’s Office, Nangha Cuadros, a LPPI policy fellow alumna and senior policy manager for campaigns at the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, and Joseph Villela, director of government relations at the California Wellness Foundation.

The discussion included the panelists’ journeys to their current positions and how they engage stakeholders with varying levels of power in the legislative process.

After the panel, LPPI and the fellows were recognized on the Senate floor (see minute 4:20) by Senator Caroline Menjivar, who was presiding on behalf of the Senate President pro Tempore, Monique Limón. They were able to watch the Senate vote on bills before heading to the Capitol Annex Swing Space for legislative visits.

Four groups of policy fellows met with the offices of nine state assemblymembers and senators to speak about their work at LPPI and the intersections between their passions and the representatives’ priorities. They also visited an additional 30 legislative offices and dropped off fliers inviting them to LPPI’s 7th Annual Policy Briefing the next day.

“These visits help inform policy decisions and narrow the gap between researchers and elected officials,” said Denisse Rodriguez, a policy fellow at LPPI’s mobilization team. “It’s really about strengthening our impact.”

“Knowing the political landscape and where to go in terms of coalition-building is important to spreading and amplifying the research,” said Fabian Diaz, a mobilization policy fellow.

The night wrapped up with a dinner at Tapa the World, where the fellows networked with LPPI alumni who now work in the Capitol.“Having the opportunity to connect with current LPPI fellows was an incredible full-circle moment for me. This same time last year, I was an LPPI fellow practicing how to present research to legislators and their staff, said Alondra Cervantes. “Now, I get the privilege of being on the other side and actively helping shape policy as a capital fellow in the State Senate. LPPI has truly transformed my career by bridging the gap between my academic training and real-world policymaking in ways that I couldn’t have imagined. I am wholeheartedly grateful for LPPI and the amazing work that they continue to do for others.”