4 minute read
Looking Ahead
Driving Legislative Change
This observation, made by philanthropist and financier Michael Milken, underscores that systemic change is often best achieved through government action.
The Michelson Center for Public Policy advances innovative policy solutions that expand funding for medical research, increase access to education and careers for underserved communities, promote understanding of intellectual property, and protect animals. The organization looks to build on such recent legislative achievements as:
- The passage and signing of California Assembly Bill 2147, which eliminates barriers that prevent former inmate fire crews from pursuing a career as a firefighter once they served their time. This was achieved in partnership with the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program and the Anti-Recidivism Coalition.
- The passage and signing of California Senate Bill 573, which requires shelters to microchip all reclaimed or adopted cats and dogs, ensuring more pets will be reunited with their families, saving lives by reducing shelter euthanasia. This was achieved in partnership with Social Compassion in Legislation.
In 2021, the Michelson Center for Public Policy will be pursuing an ambitious agenda in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, and Los Angeles through a broad range of advocacy and political activities.
The Michelson Center for Public Policy, a 501(c)(4) social welfare nonprofit organization, is an affiliated, but separate, organization from Michelson Philanthropies, a 501(c)(3) private foundation.
FirstGen: Supporting Women Immigrants
In 2021, Alya Michelson will continue her work on the First Gen Project, which seeks to spotlight, empower, and support the success of first-generation women immigrants around the world through conversations with women who have achieved success in their adopted countries. These conversations highlight the benefits that immigration can bring to the economic, social, and cultural fabric of global communities.
Participants in the pilot series of interviews, which she conducted in spring 2020 (and are available on Instagram), have included Reyna Montoya, founder and CEO of Aliento (Mexico); Zeba Talkhani, author of My Past Is a Foreign Country: A Muslim Feminist Finds Herself (Saudi Arabia); Vanessa Luna, co-founder of ImmSchools (Peru); and Gisele Fetterman, second lady of Pennsylvania (Brazil). Candid and conversational, she and her guests discussed ways of coping with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, from mental health to isolation issues.
“I became part of Michelson Philanthropies about eight years ago,” Alya Michelson says, “and this year is significant for me because my voice and my passion for supporting women immigrants finally will be brought to life.”
MICHELSON RESPONDS TO COVID-19
In March 2020:
- Michelson 20MM was part of a philanthropic coalition that funded the deployment of 20,000 laptops to Los Angeles Community College District students, enabling their participation in remote learning.
- Better Neighbor Project (BNP) provided pet crates, food, and collars to the City of Los Angeles when it opened 21 emergency locations to help the homeless, supporting about 1,100 people and pets.
- Adopt & Shop (A&S) shifted all 112 foster-eligible animals into homes within seven days of the retail location’s closure.
- Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative launched an owner/operator education campaign on adapting pet-friendly rental communities to the pandemic.
LACCD Trustee David Vela delivers free laptops to students in March 2020 to enable their participation in remote learning, thanks to a grant from Michelson 20MM Foundation.
In April 2020:
- A&S introduced virtual processes to apply for pet foster and adoption. Paired with socially distant meet-and-greets, this allowed for continued adoptions throughout 2020.
In June 2020:
- Michelson Found Animals (MFA) joined industry partners to launch the #SpayTogether campaign to clear the backlog of animals created by the pandemic. MFA donated 50,000 microchips to this effort.
In July 2020:
- A Michelson Spark Grant enabled the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME) to develop two guidebooks supporting higher education faculty members and administrators as they integrate open educational resources into online education.
- BNP organized the first Pet Wellness Day in partnership with California State Assemblymember Miguel Santiago at the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA to offer veterinary care, grooming, and spay/neuter. Since March, BNP has helped more than 12,500 pets.
In August 2020:
- Michelson 20MM launched Connecting California: Solving the Digital Divide, a series that addresses the economic and educational gaps created by inequitable access to high-speed internet, computing devices, and digital literacy resources; highlights best practices; and mobilizes sectors around solutions.
- Michelson Medical Research Foundation, in partnership with the Human Vaccines Project, announced the 2020 winners of the Michelson Prizes for Human Immunotherapy and Vaccine Research and hosted an international symposium to discuss new developments in the fight against COVID-19.
In September 2020:
- MFA participated in the California Animal Welfare Funders Collaborative, funding innovative groups addressing the needs of their communities, especially those impacted by COVID-19. n BNP partnered with State Senator Maria Elena Durazo and Central City Neighborhood Partners for a Pet Wellness Event in downtown Los Angeles.
In October 2020:
- With support from Michelson 20MM, the Education Trust-West (ETW) mapped the digital divide by surveying students’ views of their institutions’ COVID-19 response. ETW presented its findings to Governor Gavin Newsom’s office and the State Assembly’s Joint Hearing on the Digital Divide.
- MFA’s Better Neighbor Project partnered with California State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon to serve 450 families and their pets during a Pet Wellness Day in Maywood, California.
