On January 27, LPPI leadership, fellows, and staff brought together legislative and community leaders for LPPI’s Annual Policy Briefing. The briefing, which was held at The California Endowment in Sacramento, was part of the institute’s Policy in Action Summit.

LPPI Director Amada Armenta and Assemblymember Jose Luis Solache, Jr. opened the event with remarks on the importance of data-driven policymaking to create lasting change for working families, small business owners, and underserved communities across California. 

“Our mission at LPPI is always to put our research and data into the hands of those who can use it to inform policies that expand opportunity, advance equity, and strengthen the foundations of our democracy,” Armenta said.

Assemblymember Solache’s keynote was followed by a presentation from Silvia R. González, LPPI’s director of research, on her work about entrepreneurship and the Latino workforce in California.

Among the findings shared was the striking scale of Latino workforce participation in the Golden State. LPPI’s data showed that Latinos now represent 7.8 million workers, or two in five, in California, a 77% increase over the last two decades. Latino self-employment increased 44% in the last 15 years, with Latinas driving entrepreneurship. Despite this growth, Latino workers and entrepreneurs still face significant economic inequities and barriers to building wealth.

González’s presentation was followed by a panel discussion featuring leaders working across sectors, including businesses, economic development, and academic organizations, to address economic opportunity, mobility, and equity for Latino workers and entrepreneurs.

The panel featured the CEO and co-founder of the Black and Brown Opportunities for Profit Center, Vanessa Perez-Trang, Luis Sandoval, executive director of Building Skills Partnership, and Enrique Lopezlira, director of the low-wage worker program at the UC Berkeley Labor Center.

“Attending LPPI’s 7th Annual Policy Briefing in Sacramento was meaningful and powerful, especially during such a difficult time in our history,” said Miriam Torres Sanchez, an LPPI fellow and member of the Latina working group leading research on California’s self-employed Latinas. “Coming together with policymakers, community members, and researchers highlighted the power of unity in addressing the issues that affect Latinos, women, and other marginalized communities.” 

The second day of the Policy in Action Summit programming continued with student fellows meeting with Asm. James Ramos in Capitol Park, who shared about his fight to recognize the Miwok and Nisenan peoples of present-day Sacramento. The cohort then had the opportunity to hear from legislative staff members of Sen. Eloise Gómez and Sen. Sabrina Cervantes’ staff to learn about their career trajectories that led them to their current roles. Finally, students were invited to visit the assembly floor, where they got a first-hand look at how bills are voted on by floor staff and then heard directly from Asm. Mark Gonzalez and Asm. Michelle Rodriguez about their roles and responsibilities in the Assembly as the majority whip and assistant majority whip, respectively. 

The day came to an end with the fellows partaking in an 8-clap with Bruin alumnae, Carla Castilla.