FINAL HEARING OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON HAPPINESS AND
PUBLIC POLICY OUTCOMES FOR THIS
LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THANK YOU
ALL FOR BEING HERE, ESPECIALLY
TO OUR PANELISTS. THE GOAL FOR
THIS COMMITTEE'S HEARING IS TO
LISTEN TO EXPERTS IN A WIDE
VARIETY OF FIELDS AS THEY SHARE
THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT
CALIFORNIA IS, CAN, AND SHOULD
BE DOING TO HELP MAKE PEOPLE
HAPPIER. OUR IMPRESSIVE GROUP OF
PANELISTS WORK IN A WIDE VARIETY
OF FIELDS, INCLUDING PRE-K
THROUGH 12 AND HIGHER EDUCATION,
PHILOSOPHY AND HAPPINESS,
SCIENCE, CIVIC WELL-BEING,
PUBLIC POLICY, EDUCATION AND
NATURE, AND OUTDOOR ACCESS.
BEFORE TURNING, I'M NOT GOING TO
TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES.
THEY'RE NOT HERE YET, BUT WHEN
THEY ARE, IT'S GOING TO BE
AWESOME, LATER, I'M GOING TO ASK
MY COLLEAGUES TO SAY HELLO.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO PANELS
WITH EACH PANELIST ALLOTTED
ABOUT FIVE MINUTES EACH. PLEASE
TRY TO STAY WITHIN YOUR TIME
FRAME AS WE DO HAVE SESSION
TODAY AT 1 P.M. AND WE NEVER
START LATE, WE'LL SAVE OUR
QUESTIONS FOR EACH PANELIST
UNTIL AFTER THE ENTIRE PANEL HAS
PRESENTED, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF
SUPERINTENDENT THURMAN, WHO I
KNOW NEEDS TO LEAVE BY 11 A.M.
AFTER OUR TWO PANELS CONCLUDE,
WE WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT. FOR THOSE
INTERESTED IN PUBLIC COMMENT,
PLEASE NOTE THAT EACH PERSON
WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR THEIR
REMARKS. ALL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL
BE IN PERSON, LET'S GET STARTED
WITH OUR FIRST PANEL, WHICH
WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT HAPPINESS
POLICIES IMPACTING YOUTH AND
YOUNG ADULTS IN PARTICULAR. I'M
SORRY. OKAY. WHILE WE'RE WAITING
FOR SUPERINTENDENT, THURMAN TO
ARRIVE, LET'S HAVE DOUG EVERETT,
DIRECTOR OF STUDENT. WELL
WELLNESS AND HEALTH PROMOTION AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
IRVINE. MR. EVERHEART, THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US TODAY. AND SOONER
OR LATER, OKAY. LET'S ALSO HAVE
CINDY BAGLEY COME UP AS WELL.
AND I'LL INTRODUCE YOU IN A
SECOND. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.
THANKS FOR COMING. GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING. GRAB MY GLASSES.
GERMANY. RENDON AND MEMBERS OF
THE PANEL. I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TO TALK
ABOUT HAPPINESS AND WHAT WE'RE
DOING SPECIFICALLY AT UC IRVINE.
FOR HAPPINESS, I AM THE DIRECTOR
OF THE CENTER FOR STUDENT
WELLNESS AND HEALTH PROMOTION AT
UC IRVINE. AND I SENT SOME
THINGS THROUGH KATIE THAT YOU
SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR PACKET THAT
I'LL BE REFERENCING TODAY. TO
GIVE YOU SOME FOUNDATIONS ON HOW
WE LOOK AT HAPPINESS. AND I'M
GOING TO BE TALKING MORE ABOUT
WELL-BEING, BECAUSE HAPPINESS
DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE
FOUNDATION OF WELL-BEING
OCCURRING FIRST. AND THE FIRST
ONE I'D LIKE TO, BRING YOUR
ATTENTION TO IS THE FROGS IN THE
POND SLIDE, WHICH BASICALLY
EXPLAINS HOW WE DO OUR WORK.
OFTENTIMES, WE LIVE IN THIS
WESTERN MEDICAL SOCIETY. WE WAIT
FOR FROGS TO BEHAVE STRANGELY.
IN THIS CASE, MAYBE THEY'RE
UNHAPPY. AND RATHER THAN RUSH TO
FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE
FROGS, MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE POND.
WHAT IS THE POND DOING TO CREATE
THE BEHAVIOR THAT WE MAYBE WANT
TO CHANGE? SO WE TEND TO LOOK AT
THE SETTING OR THE
INFRASTRUCTURE, THE ENVIRONMENT
AND THE CULTURE OF OUR SETTING,
BEING èC TO, TO DO THAT WORK.
THE NEXT PIECE IS THE SNAIL
MODEL THAT MY COLLEAGUE PAULA
SWINFORD CREATED OUT OF USC, AND
IT BASICALLY TALKS ABOUT THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEALTH
PROMOTION PREVENTION AND HEALTH
EDUCATION. HEALTH PROMOTION IS
REALLY A SALUTOGENIC APPROACH,
WHICH COMES FROM THE POSITIVE
SIDE OF HEALTH. WE WANT TO
ASSUME THAT EVERYBODY IS STARTS
WITH THE INTENT TO BE HEALTHY
AND WELL AND HAPPY, RATHER THAN
THE PATHOGENIC APPROACH, WHICH
IS WE WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO BE ILL
AND HAVE CHALLENGES AND THEN
RUSH TO FIX THEM. SO THE
SALUTOGENIC APPROACH IS REALLY
WHAT HEALTH PROMOTION IS ABOUT.
AND THAT MEANS LOOKING AT, AGAIN,
LOOKING AT THE POND OR THE
SETTING AND CREATING A CULTURE
AND THE OPPORTUNITY AND CAPACITY
FOR PEOPLE TO BE WELL. SO THAT'S
THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORK WE DO
AT UC IRVINE, WE'RE PART OF THE
UNITED STATES HEALTH PROMOTING
CAMPUSES NETWORK, WHICH IS PART
OF A NETWORK OF CAMPUSES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY THAT ARE WORKING TO
ADOPT THE OKANAGAN CHARTER,
WHICH WAS WRITTEN IN 2015. THAT
CHARTER IS A GLOBAL,
INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENT THAT
HELPS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
AROUND THE WORLD USE THEIR PLACE
IN SOCIETY TO RESEARCH AND
CREATE STRATEGY TO CREATE
SETTINGS AND COMMUNITIES OF
WELL-BEING. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE
DOING AT UCI. WE USE HEALTH
PROMOTION STRATEGY, MEANING
UPSTREAM APPROACHES LIKE POLICY
DEVELOPMENT, TEACHING PEOPLE
SKILLS TO BE HEALTHY AND WELL,
AND CREATING CULTURES OF
WELL-BEING. SO SPECIFICALLY WHAT
UCI IS DOING. SO THE APPROACH
IS, AGAIN, WE SUPPORT HAPPINESS
VERSUS REALLY FOCUSING ON
PREVENTING ILLNESS OR SADNESS.
SO NOT THAT THAT OTHER WORK IS
NOT IMPORTANT. I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR AS WELL,
SO WE DO THINGS, AS A HEALTH
PROMOTING UNIVERSITY TO CREATE A
CULTURE OF WELL-BEING, USING THE
OKANAGAN CHARTER AS A GUIDING
DOCUMENT. SINCE WE ADOPTED THE
CHARTER IN 2021, WE WERE ONE OF
THE FIRST EIGHT CAMPUSES TO DO
SO. THERE ARE NOW 30 CAMPUSES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE
OFFICIALLY ADOPTED THE CHARTER,
AND ALMOST 300 CAMPUSES, LOOKING
TO ADOPT THE CHARTER, WE HAVE
MADE WELL-BEING AN INSTITUTIONAL
VALUE. THAT WE'RE USING THE
GENEVA CHARTER, WHICH DEFINES
GLOBALLY WHAT WELL-BEING IS,
MEANING YOU INVEST IN
WELL-BEING. IT'S A POLITICAL
CHOICE TO PROMOTE WELL-BEING, SO
THOSE ARE THE FOUNDATIONS THAT
GUIDE OUR WORK AT UCI AS AN
INSTITUTION, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T
HAVE HAPPINESS WITHOUT
WELL-BEING. TO START WITH. SO
WE'RE DOING THINGS AND YES, WE
DO PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, WHICH
I'LL HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE
THINGS WE DO. WE HAD A HAPPINESS
DAY IN THE SPRING WHERE ONE OF
OUR POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
PROFESSORS ORGANIZED A DAY OF
HAPPINESS, WHERE STUDENT
ORGANIZATIONS CAME OUT AND JUST
TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT
THINGS THEY DO AS AN
ORGANIZATION TO PROMOTE
HAPPINESS AND WELL-BEING, WE DO
WEDNESDAY WELLNESS WALKS. WE
KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH
THAT SAYS BEING OUT IN NATURE.
AND I KNOW ONE OF OUR PANELISTS
TODAY IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT
NATURE. BEING OUT IN NATURE IS
DEFINITELY GOOD FOR YOUR MENTAL
HEALTH. SO WE DO WEDNESDAY
WELLNESS WALKS. WE HAVE SOME
GREAT NATURE PRESERVES ON OUR
CAMPUS AND IN OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITY. SO WE INTRODUCE OUR
STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF TO
BEING OUT IN THOSE NATURE
SPACES. WE HAVE A DISTRESS FEST,
EVERY FINALS WEEK WE'RE ON THE
QUARTER SYSTEM. SO THREE
QUARTERS OF THE YEAR DURING
FINALS WEEK, WE BRING IN THERAPY
DOGS, HAVE HEALTHY SNACKS,
HEALTHY FOOD. WE REMIND STUDENTS
THAT YES, THIS IS A STRESSFUL
WEEK, BUT TAKING CARE OF YOUR
WELL-BEING AND YOUR AND MANAGING
YOUR STRESSES IS PART OF BEING
WELL AND HAPPY. SO WE BRING OUT
THERAPY DOGS AND ALL OF THOSE
THINGS TO REMIND THEM THAT THERE
ARE RESOURCES HERE TO SUPPORT
YOU. WE HAVE A BEHIND HAPPY
FACES TRAINING MANY PEOPLE HIDE
BEHIND A HAPPY FACE WHEN THEY'RE
REALLY STRUGGLING INSIDE. SO WE
TALKED TO STUDENTS ABOUT IT'S
OKAY TO STRUGGLE. EVERYBODY
STRUGGLES TO A CERTAIN EXTENT,
BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS WE KNOW
HOW TO MANAGE THAT STRESS, HOW
TO RESPOND TO THOSE CHALLENGES
AND USE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE
TO US. AND LASTLY, WE HAVE AN
INSTITUTE FOR PEDAGOGICAL
WELLNESS. WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR
FACULTY TO TEACH THEM HOW TO
CREATE WELL-BEING IN THE
CLASSROOM, SO THAT STUDENTS KNOW
THAT THE FACULTY AND THE
INSTITUTION CARES ABOUT THEIR
WELL-BEING, NOT ONLY
PHILOSOPHICALLY, BUT AS PART OF
THEIR CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE. SO
BASICALLY, FROM A PUBLIC POLICY
PERSPECTIVE, MY QUESTION WOULD
BE IS HOW DO WE FIX THE POND? SO
IN THIS CONTEXT TODAY, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. AND HOW DO WE MAKE
PEOPLE HAPPY? WELL, HOW ARE WE
MAKING CALIFORNIA A PLACE THAT
SUPPORTS AND CAN CREATE CAPACITY
FOR PEOPLE TO BE HAPPY? THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
AND NÓ, ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES,
MISS WALDRON, WHO'S PROBABLY ON
A PLANE RIGHT NOW, WILL BE HERE
SOON, IS VERY INTERESTED IN IN
THE OUTDOORS AS WELL. SO I'M
GLAD. YOU MENTIONED THAT. AND
MISS, BAGLEY IS HERE. YEAH.
LET'S DO THIS IF YOU'RE OKAY.
MISS BAGLEY, LET'S GO TO THE
SUPERINTENDENT. BUT HE JUST SAT
DOWN, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE HE
DOESN'T GET TO REST AT ALL. DO
YOU WANT TO SAY HERE? SURE.
YEAH. THANK YOU. WELCOME BACK.
THANK YOU SIR. GOOD MORNING.
OUR, OUR OUR YOUNG FRIEND, LONG
TIME FRIEND, STATE
SUPERINTENDENT TONY THURMAN IS
HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF HAPPINESS AND JOY
IN CALIFORNIA'S CLASSROOMS, THE
SUPERINTENDENT HAS A TIGHT
SCHEDULE, SO, WE'RE WE'RE
DEALING WITH, AIRLINES AND
MONDAY MORNINGS, AS YOU KNOW, SO
WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PANELISTS
HERE, BUT I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE
I ASK MY QUESTIONS OF YOU UP
FRONT SO YOU CAN TAKE OFF WHEN
YOU'RE DONE WITH YOUR
PRESENTATION. THANK YOU,
SUPERINTENDENT THURMAN. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YOU
KNOW, IT'S FUNNY THAT YOU CALLED
ME OLD BECAUSE I WAS THINKING
BACK TO BEING IN SCHOOL, WHICH
WAS A LONG TIME AGO. AND WHAT
WAS IT THAT BROUGHT ME JOY, IN
TRYING TO THINK ABOUT TODAY'S
CONVERSATION. AND A LOT OF TIMES
IT WAS THE STUFF THAT HAPPENED
IN THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS.
YOU KNOW, THE EXTRACURRICULARS
AND THE SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES
AND, YOU KNOW, AND AS WE TALKED
TO STUDENTS TO ASK THEM ABOUT
WHAT GIVES THEM JOY, A LOT OF
THE THINGS ARE THE SAME. YOU
KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE AT A PLACE NOW
WHERE CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS PROVIDE
$1 BILLION FOR ARTS AND MUSIC
EDUCATION, EVERY YEAR NOW AND,
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY
TIMES IT WAS DRAMA OR MUSIC OR
SOMETHING BEING IN A BAND,
WHATEVER IT WAS THAT REALLY, YOU
KNOW, EVEN NOW, YOU KNOW,
CONTINUE TO GIVE ME JOY. AND,
AND I THINK OUR STUDENTS ARE,
ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THAT. AND
THEY WILL EXPERIENCE THAT AS
PART OF, THE NEW ARTS AND
EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT COMES
FROM PROP 28 FUNDING. WE HAVE A
LOT OF FORMAL PROGRAMS THAT HELP
ADDRESS NEEDS FOR OUR STUDENTS,
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, I THINK
STRUCTURAL THINGS THAT CAN BE
HELPFUL, LIKE FOR AFTER SCHOOL
PROGRAMS, OUR SCHOOLS HAVE $4
BILLION STILL FOR ARTS FOR AFTER
SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT COULD BE
TUTORING, THAT CAN BE
ENRICHMENT, THAT CAN BE ANYTHING
THAT'S GOING TO SUPPORT OUR
STUDENTS. WE HAVE $4 BILLION IN
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS WRAPAROUND
SUPPORTS TO HELP STUDENTS. AND
SO, WE'RE RECRUITING MENTAL
HEALTH CLINICIANS WHO WANT TO
WORK IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND WE GIVE
THEM A $20,000 SCHOLARSHIP IF
THEY WANT TO GET CREDENTIALED.
THE SAME FOR TEACHERS. SO WE
HAVE A $20,000 SCHOLARSHIP, AND
SO THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT
WE THINK CAN GIVE OUR STUDENTS
JOY, WE ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING
SURE THAT THEY ALL LEARN TO
READ, WE'VE PROVIDED A GRANT TO,
NEARLY 300 SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO
HIRE READING COACHES AND
SPECIALISTS TO MAKE SURE THAT
KIDS LEARN TO READ BY THIRD
GRADE, BUT WE WANT THEM TO
DEVELOP A LOVE OF READING AND
THAT THEY WILL READ TO LEARN,
AND THEY WILL READ THINGS THAT
THEY LOVE. AND SO WE KNOW THAT
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT
SUPPORT WELL-BEING. AND ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I'M REALLY
PLEASED TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE
HEARD OVER AND OVER FROM THE
YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE TALKED TO,
THEY WANT TO BE INVOLVED, THEY
WANT TO BE ENGAGED. THEY WANT TO
BE INVOLVED IN CIVICS EDUCATION.
WE NOW OFFER A SEAL OF CIVICS
ENGAGEMENT. THIS YEAR, WE WILL
PROVIDE 16,000 OF THOSE
CERTIFICATES. THAT'S UP FROM THE
12,000 LAST YEAR. WE HAVE GRANTS
THAT GO TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO
HELP THEM DEVELOP SERVICE
LEARNING PROJECTS FOR STUDENTS,
AND WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH
TWO ROUNDS OF THOSE GRANTS. AND
SO AND WE PARTNERED WITH THE
CALIFORNIA'S CHIEF JUSTICE ON
CIVIC AWARDS, CIVIC LEARNING
AWARDS, SO THAT WE CAN HONOR
EXEMPLARY CIVIC LEARNING
PROGRAMS IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND WE
THANK THE CHIEF JUSTICE FOR
CONTINUING THAT TRADITION. YOU
KNOW, BEING INVOLVED IN YOUR
COMMUNITY MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR
YOUR COMMUNITY AND FOR US, YOU
KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT IT WHEN
YOU GO TO A, YOU KNOW, A
VOLUNTEER DAY OR A COMMUNITY
SERVICE DAY OR JUST WHAT WE DO
IN PUBLIC SERVICE, WE GET A
CHANCE TO HELP PEOPLE. IT HAS A
FEEL GOOD QUALITY TO IT. WE HAVE
HEARD FROM STUDENTS IN OUR
ADVISORY COUNCILS AND IN OTHER
PLACES THAT THEY WANT TO BE
DEEPLY INVOLVED IN CIVIC
INVOLVEMENT, AND SO, EVEN IN
THIS TIME WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH
HATE AND WE'VE HAD TO PUSH BACK
ON THOSE WHO WOULD ATTACK LGBTQ
PLUS KIDS, AND I WAS PLEASED TO
SUPPORT THE LEGISLATION THAT
YOU'VE HELPED TO PASS THE SAFETY
ACT SO THAT OUR KIDS AREN'T,
SUBJECTED TO FORCED OUTINGS,
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE, YOU KNOW,
HAVE TO FIGHT THE BATTLE OF
THOSE WHO FIGHT AGAINST ETHNIC
STUDIES AND KIDS HAVING A CHANCE
TO LEARN ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTIONS
OF THEIR ANCESTORS IN SPITE OF
ALL THESE THINGS AND THE HATE
THAT WE SEE AND THE SPIKES IN
ANTI-SEMITISM AND ATTACKS,
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF GOOD
WILL, AS IT RELATES TO WHAT OUR
STUDENTS EXPERIENCE AND THEIR
OWN DESIRES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
IN THEIR COMMUNITY. AND SO I
WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU, THAT THERE
IS A LOT OF HAPPINESS AND JOY,
AND WE STAND READY TO WORK WITH
THIS SELECT COMMITTEE AND YOU
AND OTHERS OF YOUR COLLEAGUES ON
THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP
BRING HAPPINESS AND JOY TO MORE
STUDENTS AND TO SUPPORT THEM AS
THEY GROW AND DEVELOP. WE'RE YOU
KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE
ACCESS AGAIN, THANKS TO YOU AND
THE LEGISLATURE FOR, VOTING
EARLY TO APPROVE OUR LEGISLATION
TO TEACH OUR STUDENTS ABOUT
PERSONAL FINANCE. THAT MEANS
THAT THEY'LL GROW UP WITHOUT
DEBT. THAT MEANS THAT THEY'LL
UNDERSTAND HOW MONEY WORKS.
WE'RE WORKING ON A COMPUTER
SCIENCE GRADUATION REQUIREMENT.
THAT MEANS STUDENTS CAN WORK IN
JOBS IN BIOTECH AND, HEALTHCARE
AND STEAM JOBS WHERE THEY'LL
MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO BE ABLE TO
CARE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR
FAMILIES, WE THINK THAT THERE
ARE WAYS TO OFFSET THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE SEE TO THE
HIGH NUMBER OF HOMELESS YOUTH IN
OUR, IN OUR STATE, AND THOSE WHO
ARE STRUGGLING IN POVERTY, AND
THAT WE GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE A
CHANCE TO EARN, THEY WILL HAVE
GREAT FUTURES. I KNOW YOUR STORY
AND HOW YOU WORKED AND FACTORIES
AND OTHERS TO GET YOUR
EDUCATION. I REMEMBER STARTING
OUT, YOU KNOW, WORKING IN FAST
FOOD AND, AND RESTAURANTS JUST
TO PAY THE RENT. AND, THERE'S
NOTHING WRONG WITH HARD WORK,
BUT IF WE CAN GIVE OUR STUDENTS
A CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO EARN A
LIVING, TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO
STAY IN THE STATE WHERE THE COST
OF LIVING HAS BECOME SO HIGH, I
BELIEVE THAT WE CONTRIBUTE TO
THEIR LONG TERM SUCCESS, THEIR
HAPPINESS AND THEIR JOY, AND WE
STAND READY TO HELP IN ANY WAY
THAT WE CAN TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK
AND THE WORK OF THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE. THANK THANK YOU,
SUPERINTENDENT. THANK YOU.
YOU'VE BEEN DOING THAT IN YOUR
OFFICIAL CAPACITIES. AND
OTHERWISE, ONE OF THE THINGS
WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT
IS OBVIOUSLY COVID, WHICH YOU
YOU WERE IN YOUR ROLE DURING
THAT, STRUGGLE. AND I'M WHEN I'M
HEARING YOU TALK, I, I HEAR
THESE SORT OF DUAL, POTENTIAL
PROBLEMS OF, STUDENTS HAVING
MISSED SOME TIME, THAT SOCIAL
ASPECT WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT AND
ALSO, AN INCREASINGLY ELECTRONIC
WORLD WHERE THERE'S SORT OF A
DISTANCING, YOU TALK ABOUT
THINGS THAT ARE VERY TANGIBLE,
THE ARTS, YOU TALK ABOUT,
INVOLVEMENT IN COMMUNITY. HAVE
YOU, HAVE YOU SEEN THE EXTENT TO
WHICH, COVID AND, SOCIAL MEDIA,
ETC. HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
COMPLEMENT OR MAYBE, PERHAPS
SOCIAL MEDIA COULD COMPLEMENT,
SOME OF THE EFFORTS YOU'RE DOING
AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH MAYBE
COVID HAS HAMPERED OR. THANKS
FOR THE QUESTION. I THINK YOU
ARE CORRECT THAT, THE
EXPERIENCES OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND
ADULTS COMING OUT OF COVID WAS
JUST DEVASTATING. WE ARE NOT
MEANT TO BE ISOLATED, BUT YET WE
NEEDED TO BE FOR SAFETY. I MEAN,
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A MILLION
PEOPLE DYING FROM COVID, IT WAS
CLEAR THAT, WHAT NEEDED TO
HAPPEN TOOK PLACE. BUT, EVEN THE
MILLION STUDENTS WHO DIDN'T HAVE
A COMPUTER WHEN WE WENT INTO
COVID, THEY WERE SEPARATED FROM
THE ABILITY TO TALK TO A MENTAL
HEALTH PROVIDER. IF EVERYTHING
WAS BY TELEHEALTH AND YOU DIDN'T
HAVE A COMPUTER, YOU KNOW, THERE
WERE SOME DEVASTATING EFFECTS.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE
BEGINNING TO SEE OUR STUDENTS
CLIMB OUT OF COVID, BUT I THINK
IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME YEARS. A
LOT OF PEDIATRICIANS HAVE CALLED
IT. YOU KNOW, A MULTI YEAR
EFFORT TO SEE STUDENTS BOUNCE
BACK ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY.
I THINK WE SAW A VERY DRAMATIC
SPIKE IN DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS. THEY
WERE ROBBED OF NOT JUST BEING
AROUND FRIENDS, BUT EVEN A
GRADUATION OR A PROM OR THE
THINGS THAT MANY STUDENTS DO IN
SCHOOL, IT WAS VERY, VERY
DIFFICULT ON SO MANY YOUNG
PEOPLE AND SO MANY ADULTS. BUT I
DO BELIEVE THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE
ARE MORE THAN A SET OF
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEY HAVE
FACED. AND YOUNG PEOPLE ARE VERY
RESILIENT, AND WITH THE RIGHT
SUPPORTS, THEY CAN OVERCOME. AND
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE
DOING IS SAYING, LET'S WORK ON
OUR LONG TERM PLAN TO MAKE SURE
OUR STUDENTS BOUNCE BACK
ACADEMICALLY. AND THIS STATE HAS
PROVIDED THE RIGHT RESOURCES
MORE THAN ANY OTHER STATE. THIS
STATE PROVIDES $8 BILLION TO
SCHOOLS FOR WHAT'S CALLED
LEARNING RECOVERY ACTIVITIES.
THROUGH A BLOCK GRANT. EVERY
SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS RECEIVED A
PORTION OF IT $4 BILLION FOR THE
EXPANDED LEARNING PROGRAM. SO
THAT MEANS EXTENSIVE TUTORING
AND LONGER SCHOOL DAYS. AND SO
THIS STATE HAS BEEN CREATIVE.
WE'RE SEEING A GROWTH IN THE
RATE OF STUDENTS WHO ARE SIGNING
UP FOR TRANSITIONAL
KINDERGARTEN. I KNOW YOU MADE
YOUR CAREER IN EARLY EDUCATION.
AND, WHILE SCHOOLS ARE
STRUGGLING STILL WITH SOME
DECLINING ENROLLMENT, IT IS
ENCOURAGING TO SEE THAT GROWTH
OF FOUR YEAR OLDS WHO ARE
ENTERING TRANSITIONAL
KINDERGARTEN BECAUSE ONE OF THE
IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC IS THAT
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN WHO ARE
STARTING SCHOOL, IT'S DIFFICULT
FOR THEM TO DO SOME BASIC THINGS
LIKE HOLD A PENCIL OR, YOU KNOW,
TO, YOU KNOW, WE SEE A LOT OF
INCREASES IN BEHAVIOR. AND SO IN
SPITE OF THESE CHALLENGES,
CALIFORNIA IS POSITIONED WITH
THE RESOURCES TO HELP OUR
STUDENTS TO MAKE THE GREATEST
COMEBACK AND TO GROW. AND WE'RE
WORKING WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE
SURE THAT 300,000 TEACHERS GET
TRAINING. AS IT RELATES TO MATH
AND TEACHING KIDS TO READ SO
THEY CAN DEVELOP THAT LOVE OF
READING AND READING BY THIRD
GRADE. AND SO, DESPITE OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT EXIST IN THE
WORLD, I'M STILL HOPEFUL, I'M
FULL OF HOPE THAT, THIS GREAT
STATE WILL BE ABLE TO OVERCOME
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE
FACE AND LEAD A PATH FOR OTHERS.
AND SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK
OF THIS COMMITTEE. AND, TO YOUR
QUESTION, I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE
GOING TO SEE OUR STUDENTS MAKE,
SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY FROM THE
CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC. BUT
WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF THAT WORK,
AND WE'RE WORKING TO STYLE LONG
TERM PLANS FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE
BELIEVE WILL HELP THEM TO MAKE
THAT PROGRESS. THANK YOU.
SUPERINTENDENT, I KNOW YOU HAVE
TO GO. ONE ONE LAST QUESTION,
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, AND THANKS
FOR YOUR WORK ON TRANSITIONAL
KINDERGARTEN TO AS A FATHER OF A
FOUR AND A HALF YEAR OLD, IT'S
INTERESTING HOW TRANSITIONAL
KINDERGARTEN HAS GONE FROM A
NICHE TERM THAT NOBODY EVER
TALKS ABOUT TO SOMETHING THAT
ALL THE OTHER PARENTS TALK
ABOUT, AND IT'S SOMETHING
EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS. WE TALK
ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH OF, OF
STUDENTS. TOTALLY IMPORTANT,
IT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR. BUT WE
KNOW THAT SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN
ASKED TO DO MORE AND MORE AND
TEACHERS AND FACULTY, THAT'S
THAT CAN BE A CHALLENGE FOR
THEM. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE OR WHAT
THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE IN TERMS
OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR TEACHERS
HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES THEY
NEED, PARTICULARLY RELATING TO
THINGS RELATING TO WELL-BEING
AND HAPPINESS. YEAH. AND I HOPE
THAT YOUR FAMILY IS ENJOYING TK
YEAH, IT'S REALLY SPECIAL WHEN
WE SEE THE YOUNG ONES GETTING
THAT JUST THAT INTRODUCTION AND
HAVING FUN AND ENJOYING THINGS
AND KNOWING THAT THEY'LL BE PUT
ON A PATH FOR SUCCESS GOING
FORWARD. AND SO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORK IN THIS AREA. IN TERMS
OF, YOU KNOW, JUST WORKING
THROUGH CHALLENGES, OUR SCHOOLS,
YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T ASK THE
TEACHERS AND CLASSIFIED STAFF TO
BE THE COUNSELORS OF KIDS,
RIGHT? THEY'VE GOT A LOT TO DO.
WE ARE TRYING TO COUNTER CHRONIC
ABSENTEEISM. KIDS HAVE MISSED A
LOT OF SCHOOL EVEN NOW. AND PART
OF IT IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE MOVED
AWAY FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THEY'VE MOVED AWAY FROM THE
STATE. WE'RE NOT ALWAYS SURE
WHERE THEY WENT, BUT JUST LIKE
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, KIDS MISS A
LOT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE OF
ILLNESS, TAKING CARE OF A
YOUNGER SIBLING, DEALING WITH
LACK OF TRANSPORTATION,
HOMELESSNESS, WE HAVE 240,000
HOMELESS STUDENTS IN THE STATE,
10,000 OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE
UNACCOMPANIED, THEY'RE ON THEIR
OWN. AND IF WE DON'T HELP THOSE
10,000 STUDENTS RIGHT AWAY, THEY
WILL BECOME HOMELESS ADULTS. AND
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TRANSITIONAL
HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP
THEM TO GET A SUBSIDIZED
APARTMENT AND STAFF THAT PROVIDE
THE WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS. YOU
KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE SAY IT'S
MISSION CREEP TO ASK SCHOOLS TO
DO MORE, BUT THE SCHOOL ALWAYS
HAS BEEN, IS STILL THE HUB OF SO
MUCH GREAT ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS
AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES, LIKE
ADULT EDUCATION, TO GIVE PARENTS
OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT
RESOURCES FOR THEMSELVES AND HOW
TO SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS, BUT
WE DO HAVE GREAT RESOURCES IN
OUR SCHOOLS, LIKE THE COMMUNITY
SCHOOLS GRANT, THE $4 BILLION.
SO THERE'S SOMEONE AT THE SCHOOL
WHO IS TRAINED TO CONNECT PEOPLE
TO RESOURCES FOR WHATEVER IT IS
THAT THEY NEED HEALTH, MENTAL
HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES. THE
STATE HAS A $4 BILLION MENTAL
HEALTH PLAN TO GET ALL THE
SYSTEMS ALIGNED, FROM HEALTH
CARE SYSTEMS TO COUNTY HEALTH TO
SCHOOL BASED HEALTH PROGRAMS.
IT'S CALLED THE CHILDREN'S
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE.
AND IT IS SIGNIFICANT. IT REALLY
YOU KNOW, THESE SYSTEMS
SOMETIMES DON'T TALK TO EACH
OTHER. AND GETTING THEM ALL
WORKING TOGETHER MEANS THAT,
LIKE, I LIKE TO CALL IT, THERE'S
NO WRONG DOOR TO GO THROUGH. WE
HAVE TO REMOVE STIGMA AROUND
MENTAL HEALTH. WE HAVE TO HAVE
CLINICIANS WHO HAVE YOU KNOW,
VARIOUS TRAINING AND CULTURAL
COMPETENCY AND SPEAK MULTIPLE
LANGUAGES. AND THEY'RE READY TO
WORK IN COMMUNITIES AND DO HOME
VISITS IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES
TO GET TO WHERE THE NEEDS ARE.
AND CALIFORNIA IS POISED FOR
THAT. BUT WE HAVE TO RAMP UP AND
HIRING STAFF AND TRAINING STAFF,
TO BE READY TO DO THAT WORK. AND
SO, IT'S WHY I STILL HAVE HOPE,
YOU KNOW, THAT THE VOTERS OF
CALIFORNIA PASSED A BILLION
DOLLAR BOND TO ADDRESS
HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH
FOR VETERANS AND OTHERS, I THINK
THAT IT WILL TAKE TIME. BUT AS
WE LAYER THESE PROGRAMS
TOGETHER, WE WILL SEE DEEPER
IMPACT, FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND
ADULTS, GOING FORWARD AND, WHEN
YOU LAYER THAT WITH THINGS LIKE
CIVICS AND SERVICE LEARNING AND
COMMUNITY SERVICE, YOUNG PEOPLE
LEARN TO BECOME STEWARDS OF THE
ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT'S REALLY
DOING SOMETHING GOOD FOR THEM TO
LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THERE'S A
COMMITMENT TO YOUR NEIGHBORS, TO
HELPING OTHERS. WE HAVE STUDENTS
IN HIGH SCHOOLS WHO TUTOR
STUDENTS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT ONLY OUR
NEXT WAVE OF TEACHERS, BUT WHAT
THEY'RE DOING FROM AN
INTERGENERATIONAL STANDPOINT
PREVENTS BULLYING, SUPPORTS OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE, AND SO THERE ARE
SO MANY EXAMPLES. WE JUST NEED
SOME TIME TO LAYER IT ALL
TOGETHER AND TO MOVE FORWARD
WITH THIS PLAN, WITH DILIGENCE,
TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE HELP
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR ALMOST 6
MILLION STUDENTS. GREAT. THANK
YOU. I KNOW YOU HAVE A BUSY
SCHEDULE, A BUSY DAY. THANKS FOR
ALWAYS BEING SUCH A GOOD FRIEND.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. MY
PLEASURE. ALWAYS A PLEASURE.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
SUPERINTENDENT. TAKE CARE. CAN I
GIVE THIS TO YOU BEFORE YOU
LEAVE? YES. THANK YOU. THIS WAY.
GREAT THANK YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR
PATIENCE, MISS BAGLEY, OUR FINAL
PANELIST FOR PANEL ONE IS CINDY
BAGLEY, PRESIDENT OF THE
CALIFORNIA PARK AND RECREATION
SOCIETY. MISS BAGLEY, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME
HERE. IT'S GREAT TO SPEAK WITH
THESE TWO EXPERT PANELISTS. I IN
MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE, I'M THE
COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR FOR
THE CITY OF ROHNERT PARK. SO
RECREATION, ALL THINGS HAPPINESS
AND FUN IN THAT AGENCY. AND
TODAY, I'M HERE BEFORE YOU AS A
VOLUNTEER, AS THE PRESIDENT OF
THE CALIFORNIA PARK AND
RECREATION SOCIETY, WHICH IS A
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION THAT
REALLY IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT
PROFESSIONALS WHO BRING
HAPPINESS TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS
CALIFORNIA EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THERE'S SO MUCH TO PACK INTO
WHAT PARKS AND RECREATION CAN DO
FOR HAPPINESS AND YOUTH. AS YOU
SEE, I HAVE MY TWO KIDS BACK
HERE IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
ONE OF WHICH YOU JUST FINISHED,
TK AND HAD A FANTASTIC
EXPERIENCE. WHEN I THINK ABOUT
MY OWN KIDS AND I THINK ABOUT
DAYS WHEN THEY'LL SAY THINGS
LIKE THAT WAS THE BEST DAY EVER,
MOMMY! IT WAS A DAY THAT
INCLUDED A PARK AND THAT DIDN'T
COST ME ANY MONEY. ALL IT COST
ME WAS A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA
TIME OUT OF MY DAY TO LET MY
KIDS ENJOY OPEN SPACE AND FREE
PLAY. NOT ONLY FREE PLAY TO ME
DIDN'T COST ME ANYTHING, BUT
ALSO FREE PLAY WHERE THEY GET TO
DESIGN THEIR OWN DAY. THEY GET
TO DESIGN THEIR OWN FUN AND
THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE, AND IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT KIDS HAVE
ACCESS TO PARKS AND OPEN SPACE,
AND THERE'S SO MANY KIDS IN OUR
STATE WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO
PARKS AND OPEN SPACE, WHICH IS
THE BASIS OF HAPPINESS. RIGHT
FROM THE BEGINNING OF YOUTH, THE
FIRST PLACE PARENTS TAKE THEIR
KIDS TO ENJOY RECREATION IS TO
THEIR PARK, NEXT TO THEIR HOUSE,
IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHERE
THEY CAN WALK DOWN THE STREET
AND WATCH THEIR KIDS JUST ENJOY
LIFE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, TALKING
ABOUT THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC,
PARKS REALLY GOT A REALLY GOOD
REPUTATION AGAIN, THAT WAS THE
PLACE WHERE EVERYBODY COULD GO
OUTSIDE AND ENJOY AND STILL FEEL
NORMAL FOR HOWEVER MANY MOMENTS
IT WAS. BUT AGAIN, HOW MANY
CALIFORNIANS ACROSS OUR STATE
DIDN'T HAVE THAT ACCESS,
COULDN'T GO OUTSIDE AND SEE
NATURE OR PLAY IN A PLAYGROUND?
THEY WERE STUCK INSIDE OF A HOME
OR INTO A MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENT
COMPLEX, AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY
PLACE TO GO TO GET OUTSIDE AND
GET FRESH AIR AND PLAY WITH
THEIR NEIGHBORS, IN A SOCIAL
DISTANCING ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT AND SOMETHING THAT WE
REALLY WANT TO SEE ACROSS THE
STATE IS THAT EVERY CHILD IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS ACCESS
TO PARK AND OPEN SPACE WITHIN
WALKING DISTANCE, BIKING
DISTANCE OF THEIR HOMES. I THINK
THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE
UNUSED PRIVATE SPACE BE ABLE TO
BE REWARDED, TO BE CONVERTED
INTO PARK AND OPEN SPACE URBAN
LANDSCAPES. I'VE SEEN SOME OF MY
COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE STATE GET
GRANTS FROM THE STATEWIDE PARK
PROGRAM TO CONVERT AN UNUSED
ALLEYWAY INTO AN URBAN PARK
SCAPE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
IS SO WONDERFUL FOR THE
COMMUNITY. WE SEE LOTS OF,
HOUSING INITIATIVES. WE WANT WE
WANT MORE HOUSING. WE NEED MORE
HOUSING, BUT WE ALSO NEED MORE
PARKS. WE NEED MORE OPEN SPACE
TO GO WITH THAT HOUSING, IT'S
GREAT TO GET GET THE HOMELESS
PLACES TO STAY AND HAVE ROOFS
OVER THEIR HEAD. WE ALSO WANT
OUR COMMUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO
PLAY AND RECREATE TOGETHER. AND,
YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO THE
SUPERINTENDENT SPEAK, THERE'S
LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
SCHOOLS TO REACH ACROSS THE
TABLE TO THEIR LOCAL AGENCIES IN
PARKS AND RECREATION. OUR
TEACHERS ARE OVERWHELMED AND
THEY ARE OVERBURDENED. I WILL
TELL YOU THAT FOR A LONG TIME IN
OUR INDUSTRY, WE WERE ABLE TO
GET TEACHERS TO WORK FOR US IN
THE SUMMER. THEY WOULD COME TO
OUR SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS. WE HAD
EXPERTS. THEY WERE STILL READY
TO GO SINCE THE COVID 19
PANDEMIC AND STUDENTS COMING
BACK TO SCHOOL AND TEACHERS
REALLY SPENDING A LOT OF THEIR
DAY DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH
THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE
DAY, THEY WANT THEIR SUMMERS
ACTUALLY OFF. AND SO NOW YOU'RE
LOOKING TO PARKS AND RECREATION
AGENCIES TO REALLY CONTINUE THE
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES OVER THE
SUMMER, TO CONTINUE TO GIVE KIDS
ACCESS TO SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT AND
PLAY WHEN THE TEACHERS ARE
TAKING A BREAK. SO THEY CAN
RECHARGE AND BE READY TO GO FOR
THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND SO I SEE
LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR
RECREATION AND PARK
PROFESSIONALS TO TALK TO THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT, REACH OUT TO
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ASK HOW
WE CAN PARTNER. WHAT HAPPENS AT
5:00 WHEN THE TEACHERS ARE DONE?
THE KIDS STILL NEED SPACE. THEY
STILL NEED PLAY. THEY STILL NEED
SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AND THAT'S
WHERE, YOU KNOW, PARKS AND
RECREATION PROFESSIONALS AND OUR
PARK SYSTEMS CAN REALLY PLAY
INTO KEEPING KIDS HAPPY. NOT
ONLY DURING THE SCHOOL DAY,
AFTER THE SCHOOL DAY, AND
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SUMMER,
ANOTHER ASPECT TO THIS IS IF YOU
LOOK AT OUR PARK SYSTEMS IN
PLACES WHERE WE DO HAVE
PLAYGROUNDS, YOU SEE A LOT OF 2
TO 5 YEAR OLD PLAYGROUNDS AND 5
TO 12 YEAR OLD PLAYGROUNDS. SO
UNTIL JUST RECENTLY THIS SUMMER,
WHERE MY KIDS TURNED FIVE AND
TEN, THEY COULD NOT PLAY OR
SHOULD NOT PLAY IN THE SAME PLAY
STRUCTURE AT THE SAME TIME
BECAUSE IT WAS DANGEROUS FOR MY
YOUNGER CHILD TO PLAY IN THE TEN
YEAR OLD PLAY STRUCTURE, SO WE
REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS
MOVEMENT OF ALL INCLUSIVE PLAY
SPACES, WHICH ARE DESIGNED FOR
ALL AGES AND ALL ABILITIES. NOT
ONLY DID IT GIVE KIDS ACROSS
PHYSICAL DISABILITIES, EMOTIONAL
SENSORY TYPE NEEDS ALL A PLACE
TO PLAY TOGETHER, WHICH WILL
HELP PREVENT BULLYING IN THE
FUTURE. BUT IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT
INTERGENERATIONAL RIGHT. GRANDMA
CAN TAKE THEIR GRANDKIDS TO THE
PLAY STRUCTURE AND ACTUALLY BE
ABLE TO GET ONTO IT WITH THEM,
AND SO RIGHT NOW, LOTS OF OUR
PLAY STRUCTURES BY LAW NEED TO
BE ACCESSIBLE, WHICH MEANS THAT
SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY CAN
ACCESS IT. BUT THEN WHAT DO THEY
DO ONCE THEY GET TO IT? THEY
CAN'T PARTICIPATE ON IT, THEY
CAN'T PLAY ON IT, AND IT JUST
HIGHLIGHTS THE DISABILITY. SO WE
REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS
MOVEMENT OF ANYTIME SOMEONE
REPLACES A PLAYGROUND, THAT THEY
REPLACE THAT PLAYGROUND WITH AN
ALL INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND, WHICH
IS DIFFERENT THAN ACCESSIBLE
PLAYGROUND. INCLUSIVITY IS
REALLY IMPORTANT TO BUILDING
SOCIAL COHESIVENESS, WHICH MAKES
HAPPINESS IN ALL OF OUR KIDS AND
OUR YOUTH, WHICH TRANSCENDS INTO
THEM. GOING TO A UNIVERSITY
WHERE THEY CHOOSE UNIVERSITIES
THAT ARE GOING TO HELP THEM
CONTINUE IN THAT HAPPINESS. BUT
THEY HAVE TO FIND THAT HAPPINESS
AT THE CORE WHEN THEIR CHILDREN
FIRST. SO THAT'S THAT'S WHERE
I'LL STOP. THERE'S SO MANY MORE
THINGS TO SAY, BUT WE'LL STOP.
WE'LL STOP THERE. THANK YOU. AND
I APPRECIATE IT. I'M GOING TO,
ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS AS YOU
JUST FINISHED AND YOU MADE ME
THINK OF A LOT, IN A LOT OF
COMMUNITIES, I'M THINKING OF TWO
DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMUNITIES.
MY VERY URBAN COMMUNITY THERE.
WHEN WE THINK OF PARKS, WE OFTEN
THINK OF SWEEPING GREEN SPACES.
JUST DON'T HAVE THOSE IN MY
COMMUNITIES, IN MY COMMUNITIES,
I'M KIND OF WONDERING WHAT
YOU'VE SEEN, IN TERMS OF
COMMUNITIES LIKE THAT, VERY
DENSE URBAN COMMUNITIES, WHAT
THEY CAN DO, WITH LIMITED SPACE.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WAS
THINKING OF IN CERTAIN SUBURBAN
COMMUNITIES, THE LARGEST GREEN
SPACES, ARE OFTEN, SCHOOLS,
WHICH, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY,
OFTEN HAVE A GIANT FENCE AROUND
THEM, OR INACCESSIBLE FOR, YOU
KNOW, DIFFERENT REASONS, AFTER
3:00, 4:00, CAN YOU SPEAK TO
THOSE? AND WHAT WHAT WE AS
LAWMAKERS, AT THE STATE LEVEL,
BUT ALSO PERHAPS AT THE CITY AND
SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVEL MIGHT BE
ABLE TO DO IN TERMS OF, YOU
KNOW, CREATING MORE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS TO WORK TOGETHER. BUT
ALSO TO FIND SMALLER PIECES OF
PROPERTY THAT WE CAN USE FOR
PARK SPACE. YEAH, I THINK THE
PROPERTY PIECE IS A LITTLE
TRICKY AGAIN, BECAUSE LOTS OF
THE PROPERTY THAT THAT YOU COULD
SEE BE CONVERTED INTO OPEN SPACE
PARKLAND IS PRIVATE. AND SO IT'S
REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO CROSS-POLLINATE THE PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE SECTOR SO THAT YOU
CAN INCENTIVIZE PRIVATE PARKING
LOT OWNERS, FOR EXAMPLE, TO BE
ABLE TO CONVERT A PORTION OF
THAT PARKING LOT INTO SOME SORT
OF OPEN SPACE, TREE LANDSCAPED
AREA. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A
PLAYGROUND. IT REALLY CAN JUST
BE CONVERTING A SPACE IN YOUR
PARKING LOT WITH GREENERY AND
BENCHES AND PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO
CONGREGATE, A TABLE THAT HAS A
CHECKERBOARD ON IT SO THAT
PEOPLE CAN JUST ENGAGE IN SOCIAL
ACTIVITIES TOGETHER. SO, YOU
KNOW, PLAYGROUNDS AND PARK
SPACES LIKE THAT ARE VERY
EXPENSIVE. BUT CONVERTING AN
UNUSED PIECE OF HARDSCAPE ON A
PRIVATE PROPERTY IS REALLY NOT
THAT EXPENSIVE. BUT REALLY, THE
CHALLENGE IS GETTING THE PRIVATE
PROPERTY OWNERS TO BE ABLE TO
WORK WITH THE PUBLIC AGENCIES TO
BE ABLE TO CONVERT THAT. SO
THAT'S WHERE I WOULD SEE THE
BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY IS HOW DO
YOU INCENTIVIZE THAT, THAT
RELATIONSHIP TO CREATE MORE
OPPORTUNITY IN THESE UNUSED
SPACES? BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF
UNUSED CONCRETE SLABS. THAT JUST
SIT THERE AND THEY'RE TOO
EXPENSIVE TO DEVELOP. SO THE
PRIVATE DEVELOPERS DON'T DO
ANYTHING WITH IT. AND IT SITS
THERE UNUSED. SO THAT'S WHERE I
WOULD SEE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY IN
THOSE URBAN LANDSCAPES. AS FAR
AS THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, RIGHT.
RIGHT NOW I THINK THAT PUBLIC
AGENCIES THAT HAVE THE BEST
OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE KIDS ACCESS
IS THOSE THAT HAVE A REALLY
GREAT SUPERINTENDENT IN THEIR
SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND THEY HAVE THE
JOINT USE AGREEMENTS. SO IF WE
CAN GET MORE OF THOSE TYPES OF
OPPORTUNITIES WORKING TOGETHER,
ESPECIALLY FOR THAT POST 330
TIME SLOT, IS THAT, HEY, I'M
GOING TO WORK WITH X, Y, Z
PUBLIC AGENCY AFTER 3:00. THEY
CAN USE ALL OF OUR SPACES JUST
AS IF THEY WERE THEIR OWN. SO
ALL OF OUR YOUTH SPORTS
ORGANIZATIONS CAN USE THOSE
SPACES. WE CAN USE THEIR
CLASSROOMS, I CAN SPEAK FROM MY
OWN PRIVATE PUBLIC AGENCY THAT
WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR SCHOOL
DISTRICT TO ACCESS THOSE,
EXTENDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN COME IN
ONTO THEIR SPACE AFTERWARDS. WE
HAVE THE STAFF AND PROVIDE
ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES, THE
GATE THING IS A CHALLENGE, AND I
UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT
YOUR YOU DON'T WANT TO BUNCH OF
PROBLEM PEOPLE IN YOUR
PLAYGROUND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
NIGHT, AND THE KIDS COME IN TO
PLAY IN THE MORNING AND THERE'S
SHREDDED GLASS ON A SLIDE, SO
THERE IS IT WOULD REQUIRE SOME
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR STAFFING
TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE SPACES
CAN HAVE A RECREATION
PROFESSIONAL, FOR EXAMPLE, IN
THE SPACE, DOING ORGANIZED
ACTIVITY IN A PLAYGROUND AREA.
BUT I THINK THE OPEN SPACE IS
REALLY JUST A JOINT USE
AGREEMENT SAYING THAT AFTER
3:00, THE PUBLIC AGENCY IS GOING
TO COME IN AND RENT THESE FIELDS
JUST LIKE WE WOULD OUR OWN. AND
BY RENT, I MEAN SIGN AN
AGREEMENT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE
FEES ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THAT'S
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WAY THAT I
THINK WE CAN GET ACCESS. WE ARE
ALL SERVING THE SAME POPULATION
OF KIDS. WE ALL HAVE THE SAME
GOALS, IS TO GIVE OUR KIDS
PLACES TO PLAY AND HAVE FUN, AND
SO I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY WE
COULDN'T CONTINUE TO DO THAT
ACROSS THE STATE. I'VE ONLY SEEN
IT SUCCESSFUL IN A HANDFUL OF
THEM. IT'S DEFINITELY A
CHALLENGE. THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE
MORE QUESTION FOR YOU, BUT I
ALSO THOUGHT YOU MADE A GOOD
POINT. AND IT'S SORT OF
ANALOGOUS BETWEEN, YOU SAID THE
REC PARKS AND REC FOLKS DON'T
HAVE TO. THEY CAN JUST RENT THE
SPACE AND THAT REMINDS ME OF
YOUR PREVIOUS COMMENT WHEN YOU
TALKED ABOUT HOW PARKS CAN BE
OPEN PLAY, I THINK ABOUT MY
DAUGHTER, WHO LOVES PARKS, LOVES
PLAYGROUNDS. AND THEN WHEN SHE
COMES HOME, SHE REPLICATES THEM
IN HER HOME, SOMETIMES AT GREAT
COST. AND, YEAH, BREAKS, BREAKS
A LOT OF STUFF, BUT IT'S THAT
IT'S THAT COOL IDEA OF SORT OF
THAT IT'S THAT'S CREATIVITY. IT
REALLY IS BECAUSE BECAUSE OF
OPEN PLAY. AND I THINK THAT'S
SOMETHING WE NEED NOT ONLY FROM
OUR KIDS, BUT ALSO FROM OUR,
SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CITIES AND
LEGISLATURES AS WELL. ONE ONE
LAST QUESTION. I'M REALLY
INTERESTED IN, ALWAYS INTERESTED
IN COMPARATIVE MODELS, AND YOU
SORT OF ENDED, WHERE I WANT MY
NEXT QUESTION TO START. WHAT
WHAT COMMUNITIES, WHAT SCHOOL
DISTRICTS ARE DOING A REALLY
GOOD JOB OF HAVE YOU SEEN,
EXAMPLES THAT ARE THAT WE CAN
REPLICATE? I MEAN, WELL, I HAVE
ONE MYSELF, BUT I FEEL LIKE
THAT'S I'M BEING BIASED, BUT, I
MEAN, I'M IN THE CITY OF ROHNERT
PARK, SO WITH THE COTATI-ROHNERT
PARK UNIFIED 8OOL
OUR SUPERINTENDENT, SHE SHE'S SO
OPEN TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND
TRYING TO WORK ACROSS THE TABLE.
OUR, OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OUR
SCHOOL BOARD HAVE MEETINGS
TOGETHER, TALKING ABOUT HOW WE
ARE CREATING THESE SPACES FOR
OUR YOUTH, AND SO I THINK THAT
WHEN YOU HAVE BOTH SETS OF YOUR
ELECTEDS WORKING TOGETHER RATHER
THAN SEPARATELY, THAT'S WHEN YOU
GET OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE, THE
PRACTITIONERS TO BE ABLE TO COME
IN AND DO REALLY GREAT WORK FOR
OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR JOINT USE
AGREEMENT ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY
RIGHT NOW IS EXPIRED, BUT WE ARE
STILL BOTH ALLOWING EACH OTHER
TO CONTINUE USING IT AS IF IT
WASN'T WHILE WE WORK ON, YOU
KNOW, THE PAPERWORK PART, WHICH
IS CHALLENGING, I CAN'T I DON'T
WANT TO SPEAK FOR OTHER AGENCIES
BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE. WHEN I GOT
MY JOINT USE AGREEMENT STARTED
SEVEN YEARS AGO, I DID REACH OUT
TO MANY AGENCIES TO FIND OUT WHO
WAS DOING A GOOD JOB. THE CITY
OF ROSEVILLE, WOULD BE A GOOD
EXAMPLE UP HERE IN THE NORTH,
BUT AGAIN, IT'S BEEN SEVEN
YEARS, SO I DON'T KNOW WHO'S
DOING WHAT TODAY, BUT WE COULD
DEFINITELY GET YOU ACCESS TO
THAT INFORMATION RELATIVELY
EASILY THROUGH THROUGH OUR
ASSOCIATION. GREAT. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
APPRECIATE IT. MISS BAGLEY, A
COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR MR.
EBERHARDT, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT
HAPPINESS WEEK AT UCI AND HOW
THAT WENT. AND IF THERE WERE
PARTICULAR, I'M SURE, LIKE, I'M
SURE YOU'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO
IMPROVE YOUR MODELS. WHAT WORKED
WHAT DIDN'T WHAT DID YOU SEE WAS
THE MOST EFFECTIVE? WHAT WERE
THE MOST EFFECTIVE ACTIVITIES?
WELL, I'M GOING TO BE CAREFUL IN
COMMENTS BECAUSE THAT WASN'T MY
EVENT. IT WAS ONE OF OUR FACULTY
MEMBERS, BUT ONE OF OUR PEER
EDUCATORS. OUT OF OUR OFFICE
HELPED ORGANIZE IT. AND I THINK
THE STUDENTS ARE JUST REALLY
LOOKING TO REENGAGE. I THINK
THIS COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC
THAT THAT EVERYBODY'S BEEN
TALKING ABOUT IS A BIG ISSUE, SO
I THINK THE STUDENTS ARE BEGGING
FOR WAYS TO ENGAGE. BUT WHAT
WE'RE FINDING IN OUR OFFICE IS
WE'RE HAVING TO RETEACH JUST THE
BASICS OF STARTING A
CONVERSATION. AND BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS. RIGHT, SO WE CAN
HAVE SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND EXPECT
STUDENTS TO COME AND SAY, HERE'S
AN OPPORTUNITY. BUT IF THEIR
ANXIETY BECAUSE THEY WERE
ISOLATED FOR THREE YEARS AND
THEY THEY MISSED OUT ON A LOT OF
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN HOW
TO START A CONVERSATION AND
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. SO YOU MEAN
THAT LITERALLY? I MEAN, THAT
LITERALLY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS
WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR IS OUR
OFFICE IS BECAUSE WE TRIED THE
SOCIAL PROGRAM AND HAVE STUDENTS
COME, BUT WE HAD MORE AND MORE
STUDENTS JUST SAY, I'M HAVING
TROUBLE MAKING FRIENDS. I'M
HAVING TROUBLE MEETING PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO WORK
WITH THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL
SCIENCES, AND WE'RE GOING TO
START CHANGING OUR PROGRAMMATIC
MODEL TO DO A SOCIAL EVENT AND
HAVE IT BE EDUCATIONAL, BUT NOT
CALL IT AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
AND INVITE FACULTY, STAFF, AND
STUDENTS FROM A SCHOOL AND GIVE
THEM PROMPTS. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR
FAMILY. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR
HOBBIES. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR
PETS. THOSE CONVERSATION
STARTERS, THEY REALLY TEACH
PEOPLE CONVERSATION ONE ON ONE
BECAUSE THE FACULTY SAY THERE'S
THIS GENERATIONAL GAP. AND, YOU
KNOW, THE YOUTH OF TODAY AND
STUDENTS TODAY JUST AREN'T THE
SAME. AND I CAN'T CONNECT WITH
THEM. AND THE STUDENTS WILL SAY,
I DON'T. THAT FACULTY ARE
INTIMIDATING. I CAN'T TALK TO
THE FACULTY. THERE'S THIS POWER
DYNAMIC. WELL, IT'S ALL THE SAME
THING. THEY'RE BOTH ANXIOUS OF
EACH OTHER. SO LET'S BRING IT
BACK TO BASICS AND REALLY TEACH
PEOPLE HOW TO REENGAGE IN
IN-PERSON CONVERSATIONS. SO I
THINK THAT'S LITERALLY A PIECE
OF THE PUZZLE THAT IS CRITICAL.
SO THAT'S WHY WE GO BACK TO
THOSE FOUNDATIONS OF REALLY
STARTING WITH WELLBEING BEFORE
YOU CAN EXPECT THINGS LIKE
HAPPINESS AND FLOURISHING AND
THRIVING. WE NEED TO TEACH
PEOPLE SOME OF THE BASICS OF
JUST HOW DO YOU BE IN A SPACE
WITH OTHERS AND BUILD COMMUNITY?
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WELL SAID.
I THINK A LOT OF WHAT WE FOUND
IN THIS, COMMITTEE HAS BEEN, BE
CAREFUL HOW I SAY THIS. A LOT OF
THERE'S A LOT OF OBVIOUS THINGS.
AND THEN YOU THINK, WELL, IF
THEY'RE SO OBVIOUS, WHY DON'T
YOU DO THEM, AND I THINK THAT
SORT OF MINDFULNESS IS A BIG
PART OF THAT. AND THINGS LIKE
START BEING ABLE TO START
CONVERSATIONS OR THINGS THAT ARE
SO LIKE, I WAS SURPRISED WHEN
YOU SAID THAT I WASN'T SURE WHAT
YOU WERE EVEN TALKING ABOUT. AND
I THINK THAT'S THAT'S VERY
HELPFUL FROM THAT, PERSPECTIVE
AND WOULD PROBABLY BE HELPFUL
FOR A LOT OF, LEGISLATORS WHO
LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THEMSELVES SO
THAT MAYBE YOU CAN DO THOSE
CLASSES HERE. YEAH I HAD ANOTHER
QUESTION, FOR YOU, AND THERE'S A
GREAT ARTICLE IN THE JOURNAL FOR
HIGHER EDUCATION THAT CAME OUT
ABOUT A YEAR AGO USING, COLBY
COLLEGE AND A FEW OTHER IN MAINE
AND A COUPLE OF OTHER PLACES AS
EXAMPLES OF UNIVERSITIES THAT
HAVE SORT OF TURNED THEMSELVES
INSIDE OUT, WHERE THE CAMPUS
SORT OF SPREADS INTO THIS
NEIGHBORING CITY, WHICH I THINK
COLBY IS IN WATERTOWN, MAINE,
AND, SO THEY HAVE CLASSES IN THE
CITY, THEY HAVE ALL THE
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES ARE IN THE
CITY, SO THAT THE UNIVERSITY,
THE COLLEGE IS NO LONGER A
ISOLATED SPACE. AND IT BECOMES,
YOU KNOW, ONE WITH THE CITY. SO
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, STUDENTS
WANTING TO, TO ENGAGE AND
REENGAGE, I THINK THAT'S I THINK
THAT COMPLEMENTS THAT TO, TO A
LARGE EXTENT, HAVE YOU HAVE YOU
SEEN THAT AS WELL AT UCI? IT'S,
I KNOW IT'S A BIG CAMPUS. YEAH,
AND, I, I FIND THE DESIGN REALLY
INTERESTING IN THAT THE THAT'S
SORT OF THE CIRCLES CIRCLE.
YEAH. ARE ARE ALMOST A BLESSING
AND A CURSE. YEAH, I COULD
IMAGINE. YEAH. BEAUTIFUL,
BEAUTIFUL PARK ON THE INSIDE.
BUT YOU WONDER IF PEOPLE ARE
MORE INCLINED TO GO INWARD
RATHER THAN OUTWARD. CAN YOU
SPEAK TO THAT? YEAH. A COUPLE OF
THINGS WITH THAT MODEL, BECAUSE
I WAS BEFORE I WAS AT UC IRVINE,
I WAS AT UC RIVERSIDE, WHERE
EVERYTHING CRISSCROSSED THROUGH
THE BELL TOWER. GO HIGHLANDERS,
GO HIGHLANDERS. SO EVERYTHING
HAPPENED AT THE BELL TOWER
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU COULD
SEE EVERYBODY CRISS CROSSED AT
SOME POINT DURING THE DAY WHEN
THE CAMPUS IS BUILT IN A CIRCLE
AND AT THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE
IS A PARK. UNLESS YOU HAVE A
SPECIFIC REASON TO GO TO THE
PARK, YOU LIVE ON THE CIRCLE.
YEAH. SO IF YOU'RE IN THE SCHOOL
OF ENGINEERING AND THE SCHOOL OF
SOCIAL SCIENCES IS HERE AND THE
STUDENT CENTER IS HERE, UNLESS
YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A REASON
TO BE SOMEWHERE ELSE ON THE
CIRCLE, YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY
INTERACTING WITH OTHER. SO
THAT'S ANOTHER STRUCTURAL PIECE
THAT WE HAVE TO GRAPPLE WITH. SO
WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO WORK ON
ACTIVATING OUR PARK TO GET MORE
PEOPLE THERE. YEAH. SO THERE'S
THAT PIECE, THEN EXPANDING OUT
THE OKANAGAN CHARTER, ACTUALLY
PART OF THE CHARTER SAYS SCALING
OUT. SO UNIVERSITIES ARE KNOWN
FOR THEIR RESEARCH STRATEGIES
FOR CREATING SOLUTIONS. BUT THEN
IT'S ABOUT SCALING OUT TO YOUR
LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITY TO
SHOW THE REST OF THE WORLD
WHAT'S WORKING IN YOUR
RESEARCHED ENVIRONMENT AND THEN
SHARING THAT OUT. SO WE'RE
ACTUALLY PARTNERING WITH, WITH,
THE COMMUNITY ON A LOT OF
DIFFERENT THINGS. SUSTAINABILITY
IS AN EXAMPLE THAT COMES TO
MIND. WE'RE PARTNERING OUR
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND
PHYSICAL SCIENCES LOOKING AT,
YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT GREEN ENERGY
SOURCES. SO COMPRESSED HYDROGEN
IS A NEW THING THAT WE'RE
RESEARCHING AND ENGINEERING AND
PHYSICAL SCIENCES. SO WE'RE
PARTNERING WITH SOCAL GAS TO
REALLY LOOK AT HOW CAN WE REALLY
SCALE THIS OUT ON A MUCH BROADER
SCALE, WHERE I LIVE, 60 MILES
INLAND IN THE SAN BERNARDINO
AREA, AND WE JUST LAUNCHED OUR
FIRST HYDROGEN POWERED MONORAIL,
OR NOT MONORAIL, RAIL SYSTEM, SO
THE METROLINK IS NOW HAS A
HYDROGEN FUELED, CLEAN EMITTING,
TRAIN LINE. SO WE'RE WORKING ON
THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEN THE
PARKS AND WE WORK WITH THE
SCHOOLS, WE WORK WITH ALL KINDS
OF THINGS TO REALLY BUILD THOSE
CONNECTIONS SO THAT IT'S NOT
THAT'S UCI OVER THERE. AND THEN
THIS IS THE REST OF THE IRVINE
COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE REALLY
LOOKING AT THOSE PARTNERSHIPS
BECAUSE THAT'S AGAIN, WHAT THE
OKANAGAN CHARTER IS TALKING
ABOUT. COOL. I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I THINK WHAT YOU MADE ME
THINK ABOUT INTERESTING
INTERSECTION BETWEEN WHAT YOU
BOTH DO, I WAS THINKING OF THE
URBAN, JANE JACOBS, WHO'S A
URBAN THEORIST, TALKED A LOT
ABOUT LARGE. SHE DIDN'T LIKE
LARGE PARKS. SHE THOUGHT THAT
LARGE PARKS WERE TENDED TO BE
DORMANT AT NIGHT IN PARTICULAR.
AND, SHE WAS A BIG PROPONENT OF
POCKET PARKS, AND SHE THOUGHT
ALL BIG PARKS SHOULD BE BROKEN
UP AND, YOU KNOW, SORT OF
INTERSPERSED WITH HOUSING AND
BUILT INTO SMALLER PARKS. AND
THAT'S AN INTERESTING, IT WAS
SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THAT
ACTIVATION ISSUE THAT SHE FELT
THAT THERE WERE, GREAT TO HAVE
BIG, LARGE SWATHS OF LAND, BUT
OFTEN THERE, SO IRVINE
SPECIFICALLY IS BUILT INTO THESE
DIFFERENT VILLAGES WE CALL THEM.
RIGHT? SO EACH VILLAGE IN THE
COMMUNITY IN THIS BIG CIRCLE
THAT IS IRVINE, HAS ITS OWN
PARK, ITS OWN SHOPPING CENTER,
ITS OWN SCHOOL. SO EVERYTHING,
EVEN THOUGH IT'S A BIG CITY,
IT'S MADE UP OF 6 OR 7 DIFFERENT
VILLAGES, AND EACH ONE IS
INTENTIONALLY DEVELOPED TO
INCLUDE PARK SPACE AND OPEN
SPACE AND PLAY SPACE, BUT ALSO
THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU NEED.
FANTASTIC THANK YOU SO MUCH. I
APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU, MISS
BAGLEY AND MR. EVERHART, THANK
YOU SO MUCH. GREAT PANEL. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I'M
GONNA CALL THE SECOND PANEL UP.
BUT BEFORE I DO, I'M GOING TO
SAY HELLO TO MY FRIEND MISS
WALDRON. HOW'S HOW SOUTHWEST
AIRLINES TREATING YOU THIS
MORNING? YEAH. ALL RIGHT. GOOD.
I ACTUALLY, FOR SOME REASON,
EVERYONE DECIDED TO HAVE A
SELECT COMMITTEE THIS MORNING.
SORRY I KIND OF ONE STARTED
BEFORE THIS ONE, SO I POPPED IN
THAT ONE AND GOT IT, ANY OPENING
COMMENTS YOU WANT TO. I KNOW YOU
JUST GOT HERE. I DON'T WANT TO
BLINDSIDE YOU, BUT. NO, I MEAN,
I'LL JUST SAY, WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT HAPPINESS, I'VE MENTIONED
THIS BEFORE. LIKE, GETTING
OUTSIDE IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT
PART OF THAT WELL-BEING. EVEN IF
YOU FEEL BAD, IF YOU GO OUTSIDE
ON A BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY, YOU
CAN'T HELP BUT AT LEAST FEEL
YOUR MOOD ELEVATED, I GREW UP IN
THE SOUTH BRONX, IN NEW YORK,
WHERE WE DIDN'T REALLY GET TO
SEE TOO MUCH SKY. SO EVERY TIME
YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU COME UP FROM
THE SUBWAY, IF YOU'RE IN
MANHATTAN, YOU WOULD LOOK UP AND
SEE SKY, AND THAT WOULD BE ABOUT
ALL YOU COULD SEE, AND WE HAD A
LOT OF GLOOMY WEATHER THROUGH
THE WINTER ALL THE WAY UP TO
APRIL, WHEN THE CROCUSES WOULD
BREAK THROUGH AND THE ICE, AND
THEN I WOULD FEEL MY MOOD START
TO CHANGE WHEN WE HAVE LONGER
DAYS, SO JUST GETTING OUTSIDE IS
SO IMPORTANT. AND I LOOK AROUND
SACRAMENTO AND THEY HAVE GREAT
PARKS. I JUST HEARD THE
DISCUSSION ABOUT PARKS AND SOME
OF THE PARKS GOT RUN DOWN AND,
I'VE SEEN THEM REJUVENATE
BECAUSE THEY'VE ADDED DISC GOLF
COURSES. BELIEVE IT OR NOT. AND
PEOPLE ARE WANDERING AROUND IN
THE WOODED AREAS AND OTHER
AREAS, AND IT'S PRETTY SAFE NOW
BECAUSE OF THAT, GETTING MORE
USE OUT OF PARKS CAN REALLY
CHANGE THE WHOLE ATMOSPHERE OF
THEM, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
TO HAVE THAT MULTI-USE,
FLEXIBILITY IN PARKS. SO YOU
HAVE LITTLE KIDS AND ADULTS AND
SENIORS AND EVERYONE BEING ABLE
TO RECREATE AT ALL TIMES TO NOT
JUST, YOU KNOW, THE MIDDLE OF
THE DAY. SO ANYWAY. THANK YOU.
THANKS. MISS WALDRON, MISS
WALDRON, I GET TOGETHER SOCIALLY
FAIR FAIRLY OFTEN, AND SHE
ALWAYS BRINGS UP NOT ONLY THIS,
COMMITTEE, BUT ESPECIALLY WITHIN
THE CONTEXT OF PARKS, WHICH I
KNOW IS SO IMPORTANT TO HER, OUR
NEXT PANELIST IS JULIE ROSS,
CO-FOUNDER OF CIVIC WELLBEING
PARTNERS AND FORMER CHIEF
WELL-BEING OFFICER FOR THE CITY
OF SANTA MONICA, MISS RUSK,
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE. AND I'M
REALLY IMPRESSED THAT YOU'RE
DOING THIS COMMITTEE, WHICH I
THINK IS DOING REALLY FORWARD
LEANING WORK AND IS, THERE'LL BE
A TIME WHEN PEOPLE WILL LOOK
BACK AND SAY, NO DUH, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS REALLY ABOUT, I THINK,
THE FIRST PRINCIPLE OF
GOVERNANCE, WHICH IS REALLY
ABOUT LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE
PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND
WELL-BEING. AND I KNOW THERE'S
SOME LANGUAGE THAT WE CAN TALK
ABOUT. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO GO
THROUGH REALLY QUICKLY TODAY,
AND I KNOW THAT DISCUSSION IS
PROBABLY THE SORT OF RICHEST
PART OF THE THIS KIND OF
ENGAGEMENT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU
ABOUT, A COUPLE OF THINGS. I'LL
START WITH USING A CHAPTER THAT,
JUST WAS PUBLISHED ABOUT SANTA
MONICA'S WORK, BECAUSE I THINK
THAT PROVIDES A NICE PLACE BASED
EXAMPLE OF WORKING, ON WELCOME,
OF WORKING ON THIS TOPIC THAT
YOU'RE, THAT YOU'RE TACKLING. SO
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
SANTA MONICA'S WORK THEN I'M
GOING TO LIFT UP A PARTICULAR
PROGRAMMATIC EXAMPLE, WHICH IS
OUR WELL-BEING MICRO-GRANTS,
WHICH REALLY GETS INTO CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT. AND THEN FINALLY,
I'M GOING TO WRAP WITH A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING MORE
BROADLY. SO THE NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. I'M NOT SURE WHERE THIS
SLIDE. THANK YOU. SO I LEFT A
COUPLE OF COPIES OF THIS CHAPTER
FROM A RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOK,
ON URBAN INEQUALITIES. AND,
GRAZIELLA TONON FROM ARGENTINA
HAD ASKED US TO WRITE A CHAPTER
ABOUT SANTA MONICA'S WORK, WHERE
ONE OF THE FEW CITIES IN THE US
THAT HAS REALLY TRIED TO TACKLE
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO TAKE A
FRAMING OF WELL-BEING AND REALLY
USE THAT WITHIN A LOCAL
GOVERNMENT CONTEXT? SO THE NEXT
SLIDE, I'M GOING TO START TO
TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THAT, AND THE WAY WE I'D LIKE TO
SORT OF START BY AGAIN, REALLY
BRIEFLY TELLING YOU ABOUT OUR
WORK IS, LOOKING AT THIS
FRAMEWORK THAT WE CREATED IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RAND
CORPORATION, THE NEW ECONOMICS
FOUNDATION. WE STARTED THE WORK
AFTER A GOVERNMENT INNOVATION
PRIZE THAT SANTA MONICA RECEIVED
FROM BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES
ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO. AND PART OF
WHAT WE SET OUT TO DO WAS
CONVENE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN
WORKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND
REALLY THE WORLD ON THIS CONCEPT
OF WELL-BEING AND WHAT IT MEANS
AND HOW IT CAN REALLY INFORM
GOVERNMENT AND REALLY BE A
UNIFIER AND HELP US THINK BEYOND
WHAT I'LL CALL THE OPERATIONS
AND TRANS TRANSACTIONS OF
GOVERNMENT. BUT MORE TO THE
PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT AND WHAT
YOU'LL SEE IN THIS FRAMEWORK IS
WE BASICALLY SET, SET OUT TO
ORGANIZE OUR THINKING ABOUT THIS
IN SIX DIMENSIONS, WHICH THE
RESEARCH AND SCIENCE SHOWED WERE
ALL REALLY IMPORTANT. THE SORT
OF TOP YELLOW BAND IS LOOKING AT
OUTLOOK, WHICH IS REALLY WHERE
YOU MIGHT MEASURE THE SORT OF
SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING AND
BEHAVIORS OF INDIVIDUALS. AND
THEN IN THE VERTICALS, THE
ORANGE TALKS ABOUT COMMUNITY,
THEN PLACE AND PLANET LEARNING,
WHICH IS REALLY LIFELONG
LEARNING, STARTING REALLY AT THE
VERY BEGINNING. AND FOLLOWING US
ALL THROUGH OUR LIFE. AND WE
KNOW THAT LEARNING IS REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR OUR WELL-BEING,
HEALTH, WHICH IS PHYSICAL AND
MENTAL HEALTH AND THEN THE
ECONOMY. AND PART OF WHAT WE
LOOK AT WITH THE ECONOMY IS BOTH
THE PERCEPTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE
ABOUT THE ECONOMY, BUT THE
ECONOMIC SORT OF ECOSYSTEM THAT
PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN. AND
THERE'S MUCH TO LEARN IN ALL OF
THESE AREAS. SO THESE SIX
DIMENSIONS WERE WHAT WE USED AS
A WAY OF ORGANIZING DATA AND THE
KINDS OF DATA THAT WE REALLY
PULLED TOGETHER WAS BOTH BOTH
TRADITIONAL SOURCES OF DATA,
SORT OF ADMINISTRATIVE DATA,
OBJECTIVE DATA, EVERYTHING FROM
TREE CANOPY WITHIN PLACE AND
PLANET TO CRIME RATES TO
TRADITIONAL HEALTH DATA. AND
THEN WE KIND OF MERGE THAT AND
OVERLAID THAT WITH THE MORE
SUBJECTIVE DATA, WHICH WAS NEWER
TO US IN GOVERNMENT TO REALLY
USE AS A PART OF UNDERSTANDING
HOW GOVERNMENT CAN BE EFFECTIVE.
ANOTHER THING THAT BECAME VERY
IMPORTANT IN THE SANTA MONICA
EXPERIENCE WAS REALLY LOOKING AT
GOVERNANCE. SO THIS WAS REALLY
BECAME TIED TO OUR PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT, OUR COMMUNICATION,
AND SOME OF THE FUNCTIONS OF
GOVERNMENT. SO I COULD BE HAPPY
TO ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE FRAMEWORK AND THE DATA THAT
WE COLLECTED. SO THE NEXT SLIDE
PLEASE. AND THESE, SLIDES ARE
JUST A COUPLE OF STAND INS FOR
SOME OF THE KINDS OF LEARNINGS
WE HAD ABOUT HOW PEOPLE FELT
ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO INFLUENCE
GOVERNMENT, THEIR, THEIR HEALTH,
THEIR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. I
MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS WE
LEARNED, FOR INSTANCE, WAS THAT
CLOSE TO 70% OF PEOPLE IN SANTA
MONICA REALLY DIDN'T FEEL THAT
THEIR KIDS WOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE
IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT WAS A
REAL THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
A LOT OF THIS KIND OF REINFORCES
SOME OF OUR COMMON SENSE NOTION.
BUT TO START TO HAVE DATA ABOUT
THIS WAS REALLY HELPFUL. WE KNEW
THAT WELL OVER A THIRD OF PEOPLE
WERE CONCERNED ABOUT PAYING RENT
OR MORTGAGE. AND, YOU KNOW,
AGAIN, THIS REALLY SPEAKS TO THE
KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE
HAPPENING IN COMMUNITIES AROUND
THE COUNTRY. SO I THINK THE
QUESTION THEN BECOMES SORT OF,
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THIS? AND SO
AGAIN, THIS THESE SLIDES REALLY
JUST PULL A FEW, A FEW OF THE
THINGS THAT WE LEARNED. AND
BEFORE I GET INTO THE MICRO
GRANTS, I'M GOING TO SHARE A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DID IN
CITY GOVERNMENT WITH THE 2015,
2017 AND 2019, WHICH WERE THE
THREE INDICES THAT WE FIELDED IN
SANTA MONICA WITH THE RAND
CORPORATION. SO YOU'LL NOTE THAT
WAS BEFORE COVID. SO POST COVID
INFORMATION AND DATA IS PART OF
WHAT WE'VE BEGUN TO COLLECT
THROUGH OUR MICRO GRANT PROGRAM.
BUT WE DID EVERYTHING FROM
LOOKING AT HOW OUR LAND USE AND
ZONING POLICIES REALLY NEEDED TO
BE INFORMED BY WHAT WE KNEW
ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS. SO A
DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY PLAN, IN
2017, REALLY USED OUR WELL-BEING
DATA. WE DID A NEIGHBORHOOD
BASED PROJECT THAT WAS REALLY IN
ONE OF THE PICO NEIGHBORHOOD IN
SANTA MONICA, WHICH WAS REALLY
FACING GENTRIFICATION, LIKE MANY
OF OUR COMMUNITIES ARE, AND WE
REALLY USED THE DATA AND THE
FRAMING IN THOSE PROJECTS. THE
THERE'S A PROJECT THAT YOU MAY
BE FAMILIAR WITH THE GOVERNMENT
ALLIANCE ON RACE AND EQUITY,
WHICH REALLY BECAME A SORT OF
HAND AND GLOVE PARTNERING
PROGRAM WITH OUR WELL-BEING WORK,
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
DISAGGREGATING DATA AND
UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S HAPPENING
BY RACE, BY GENDER, ETHNICITY,
ZIP CODE, REALLY MATTERS. IT'S
NOT JUST ABOUT A TOP LINE FEEL
GOOD STORY, BUT IT'S ABOUT
REALLY UNDERSTANDING HOW PEOPLE
ARE DOING. SO WE DID A NUMBER OF
THINGS LIKE THAT. WE TIED TO OUR
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT. SO GOING
ON AGAIN, I REALIZED TIME IS
SHORT. I WANT TO TELL YOU A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE
WELL-BEING MICRO GRANTS. SO THIS
WAS REALLY SOMETHING AS WE GOT
INTO COVID, PART OF WHAT WE DID
WAS WE TOOK SOME OF THE WORK
THAT WAS HAPPENING INSIDE OF
CITY HALL WHEN WE WERE ALL IN
LOCKDOWN, AND ONE OF THE LOCAL
ORGANIZATIONS IN SANTA MONICA,
THE SANTA MONICA BAY HUMAN
RELATIONS COUNCIL, REALLY
UNDERSTOOD THAT. REALLY DOUBLING
DOWN DURING COVID WAS PART OF
WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO. SO THEY
KEPT THIS WELL-BEING PROGRAM
GOING, WHICH HAS ESSENTIALLY
RESULTED IN 100 COMMUNITY
LEADERS DOING WELL OVER 80
DIFFERENT PROJECTS OVER THE LAST
NUMBER OF YEARS TO REALLY
ADDRESS SOCIAL COHESION,
BELONGING, PARTNERSHIP,
ENGAGEMENT, SMALL SCALE MICRO
MICRO BUSINESSES. WE'VE ACTUALLY
STARTED UP A NUMBER OF
BUSINESSES. THE NEXT SLIDE
PLEASE. AND PART OF WHAT WE'VE
LEARNED IS THAT, IF WE PAIR A
CALL FOR CREATIVE IDEAS FROM THE
COMMUNITY. SO THESE ARE COMING
FROM A CROSS SECTION OF OUR
COMMUNITY WITH COLLECTING A
LITTLE BIT OF DATA. SO PRE AND
POST, WE REALLY LOOKED AT
PEOPLE'S SENSE OF HOPE. THEIR
FEELING ABOUT THAT. THEY COULD
MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND WE'VE,
WE'VE WORKED WITH SOMEONE AT THE
BROOKINGS INSTITUTE, CAROL
GRAHAM WHO'S AN ECONOMIST WHO'S
WHO IS MEASURING HOPE IN
PARTICULAR. AND WE'VE GOT SOME
REALLY INTERESTING PRE AND POST
DATA AND I Ó WE HAVE CAROL
GRAHAM, ONE OF HER BOOKS HERE BY
MY COLLEAGUE WHO'S GOING TO BE
SPEAKING WITH YOU NEXT. SO WE'VE
LEARNED A LOT. THESE ARE THESE
100 PEOPLE ARE, SOME OF THEM ARE
UNDER THE AGE OF 24. ABOUT A
THIRD OF THEM ARE YOUNG PEOPLE.
ABOUT A THIRD OF THEM ARE MIDDLE
AGED FOLKS, AND ABOUT A THIRD
ARE PEOPLE, OVER THE AGE OF 50,
WE ARE REALLY PROUD THAT WE'VE
REALLY REACHED OUT TO PEOPLE
THAT ARE IN ALL RACIAL AND
ETHNIC GROUPS. WE'VE REALLY,
FEEL THAT THIS IS A PIPELINE FOR
LEADERSHIP. AND I THINK THIS IS
SOMETHING WE COULD TALK A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT HOW PIPELINES TO
LEADERSHIP AND CIVIC ACTION
REALLY DO TIE TO WELL-BEING. SO
THEN MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
WHERE WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE CONTEXT. I BROUGHT A
COUPLE OF BOOKS THAT I THINK ARE
REALLY, IMPORTANT FROM THE
ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION,
ONE ON ADVANCING HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING, AND A SECOND ONE
THAT CAME OUT IN 2020 THAT
REALLY LOOKS AT EXPANDING THE
DEFINITION OF PROGRESS. ROBERT
WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION, WHICH
SORT OF IS LEANED INTO SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, WHICH IS
ESSENTIALLY ANOTHER WAY OF
FRAMING WELL-BEING, UNDERSTANDS
THAT HEALTH IS ABOUT MORE THAN
THE ABSENCE OF DISEASE. AND WE
MUST REALLY LOOK HOLISTICALLY.
AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT
WELL-BEING DOES. THERE'S FOLKS
IN THE NEW ECONOMY MOVEMENT, AND
I'M SORT OF SHOW YOU A LITTLE
SLIDE THERE OF SOME FOLKS THAT
CAME TOGETHER, A GROUP IN
CALIFORNIA, HERE IN SACRAMENTO.
SACRAMENTO IN APRIL, AND THEN A
TEAM OF SIX STATE
REPRESENTATIVE, STATE
REPRESENTATIVE, COALITIONS CAME
TOGETHER. JUST AFTER THAT TO
REALLY SHARE SOME OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING. AND THERE'S QUITE A
BIT GOING ON AND THEN ON TO THE
NEXT SLIDE, I'LL TELL YOU A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT A PROJECT THAT
I WAS INVOLVED WITH, WITH SOME
FOLKS FROM MADISON, WISCONSIN,
WHICH AGAIN, WE DID THIS WORK
FOR THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON
FOUNDATION AND WE CALLED IT
MAPPING COLLECTIVE WELL-BEING.
AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE DID WAS
WE INTERVIEWED, OVER 80 FOLKS,
AND I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU
TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE WEBSITE.
IT'S A TREASURE TROVE OF
INFORMATION WHICH REALLY CREATED
A POINT IN TIME UNDERSTANDING OF
WHAT PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN
THE NEW ECONOMY MOVEMENT AND
PUBLIC HEALTH IN EDUCATION, IN
IN GOVERNMENT. WE'RE REALLY
TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEY THINK
ABOUT THIS CONCEPT OF WELL-BEING
AND HOW IT CAN REALLY BE ABOUT
CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION. AND I
DO WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT
REALLY CLEAR THAT I THINK THIS
IS MORE THAN JUST SORT OF AN
OVERLAY OF SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS
GOOD AND OBVIOUS, BUT IT'S
REALLY ABOUT HOW DO WE REALLY
HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO
WHAT THE PURPOSE OF OUR SYSTEMS
REALLY ARE, SO ONTO THE NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE, AND I WILL WRAP
HERE WITH SOME, SOME LESSONS
LEARNED. AND AGAIN, WE COULD WE
COULD SPEND THE AFTERNOON ON ALL
THE LESSONS THAT WE ALL LEARN ON
THIS, THIS KIND OF
TRANSFORMATIVE WORK. BUT I WILL
SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IN MY
EXPERIENCE, WORKING ON
WELL-BEING INSIDE CITY
GOVERNMENT AND THEN ALSO WORKING
ON THIS IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR
AND THE AND THE WORK WE DID
INTERVIEWING PEOPLE, THIS IS
REALLY ABOUT BREAKING DOWN
SILOS. THIS IS REALLY ABOUT
UNDERSTANDING THAT IF WE JUST
SORT OF STAY WITHIN OUR OWN LANE
AND DON'T THINK ABOUT THE REAL
EXPERIENCES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
HOW OUR LIVES ARE. I MEAN, YOU
WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS EARLIER
WITH JOINT USE AGREEMENTS, JOINT
USE AGREEMENTS ARE JUST A FANCY
BUREAUCRATIC WAY OF SAYING,
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE OUR SCHOOLS
AND OUR PARKS COMING TOGETHER
AND OUR COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE
IT'S CRAZY TO HAVE THINGS
CHAINED UP ON THE WEEKENDS AND
EVENINGS WHEN KIDS NEED A PLACE
TO PLAY AND THIS CAN BE DONE AND
WE CAN DO IT. AND I THINK
THERE'S GOOD MODELS FOR THAT. SO
REALLY BREAKING DOWN SILOS AND
REALIZING THAT AT ITS CORE, TO
ME, THIS IS REALLY
TRANSFORMATIVE WORK. AND I
REALLY WANT TO SORT OF EMPHASIZE
THAT DATA IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT. WE'RE SWIMMING IN
DATA. WE HAVE LOTS OF DATA. I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY THIS
WORK IS ABOUT MORE THAN A DATA
PROJECT. IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHAT
WE DO WITH DATA, HOW WE
UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, AND GOING
BACK TO SOMETHING THAT THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION
TALKED ABOUT, THAT I THINK WE'RE
MANY OF US ARE REALLY THINKING
ANEW ABOUT IS JOY AND IS LIVING
THE LIVES THAT WE ALL WANT TO
LIVE. AND HOW IS HOW DO WE MAKE
THAT POSSIBLE IN OUR COMMUNITY?
HOW DO WE LIFT UP THE STRENGTHS
AND THE ASSETS IN OUR COMMUNITY,
NOT SIMPLY FOCUS ON THE, THE,
THE, THE PROBLEMS AND THE
DISPARITIES AND THE
INEQUALITIES? AND THIS IS NOT
ABOUT PAPERING THOSE OVER, BUT
IT IS ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THAT
THERE ARE SOLUTIONS TO BE FOUND
IN OUR STRENGTHS AND OUR ASSETS.
SO I THINK WITH THAT, I'LL END,
AGAIN, MANY MORE THINGS I COULD
LEAVE WITH YOU AND I'D BE HAPPY
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. AND I'M
REALLY HONORED TO BE HERE WITH
YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
THANK YOU. WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE
YOU HERE. I, I'M GOING TO GET TO
OUR NEXT PANELIST, MR. GARCIA
FROM COACHELLA IS HERE. I TOLD
MISS WALDEN EARLIER I DIDN'T
WANT TO PUT HER ON THE SPOT. TO
GIVE OPENING REMARKS, BUT I
RATHER LIKE PUTTING YOU ON THE
SPOT, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY OPENING
REMARKS. NO, NO, NO, LONG
WINDED, OPENING REMARKS. JUST
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US
TOGETHER. HAPPY TO HEAR THE REST
OF THE PRESENTERS AND THE
INFORMATION THAT WILL COME FROM
THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT MR.
GARCIA IS A CHAMPION FOR PARKS
IN OUR STATE, AUTHOR OF, I
BELIEVE, TWO, TWO PARKS BONDS,
AND RESOURCES BONDS IN OUR
STATE. SO THANKS FOR YOUR WORK
IN THAT SPACE, TYPICALLY A HAPPY
GUY, TYPICALLY HAPPY NINE TIMES
OUT OF TEN. YEAH, LOOK OUT FOR
THAT ONE OUT OF TEN, THOUGH, OUR
NEXT PANELIST IS STEPHANIE
HARRISON, FOUNDER AND CREATOR OF
THE NEW, HAPPIER, SCIENCE BASED
APPROACH TO THINKING ABOUT
HAPPINESS. MISS HARRISON HAS
JOINED US REMOTELY THIS MORNING.
MISS HARRISON, THANK YOU FOR
BEING FOR BEING HERE OR THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. CAN YOU ALL
HEAR ME? OKAY. I'M OKAY. YEAH I
CAN OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE, BEING
ABLE TO DIAL IN REMOTELY, AND
I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THE
HEARING TODAY, SO I'VE SPENT THE
LAST TEN YEARS DEVELOPING A NEW
PHILOSOPHY OF HAPPINESS, AND NOW
I TEACH THAT TO MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE THROUGH MY COMPANY, WHICH
IS CALLED THE NEW HAPPY AND AS
PART OF THAT, I ALSO RUN ONE OF
THE LARGEST COMMUNITIES OF
HAPPINESS SEEKERS IN THE WORLD
AND HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK WITH AT THIS POINT,
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
ABOUT THEIR PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
AND WHAT'S STANDING IN THEIR
WAY. AND I THINK ONE OF THE MOST
INTERESTING FINDINGS AND
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES THAT I'VE
HAD IS THAT WHAT WE BELIEVE TO
BE THESE UNIQUE PERSONAL
EXPERIENCES ARE ACTUALLY QUITE
UNIVERSAL. AND IT'S THESE
INSIGHTS THAT HAVE FED INTO THIS
PHILOSOPHY OF HAPPINESS, JULIE
MENTIONED THE DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE AND THE RIGHT TO
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND
WHAT I WANT TO START WITH IS THE
IDEA THAT JEFFERSON HAD WHEN HE
WROTE THAT, AND HE HAD A VERY
SPECIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF
HAPPINESS IN MIND. HE THOUGHT
THAT HAPPINESS WAS THE RESULT OF
DEVELOPING YOUR INDIVIDUAL SELF
AND THEN USING IT TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THE COMMON GOOD, BASED ON THE
RECOGNITION THAT WE ARE ALL
CONNECTED TO, AND THEREFORE
DEPENDENT UPON ONE ANOTHER. AND
THESE WORDS HAVE OBVIOUSLY
BECOME A MAJOR PART OF THE
AMERICAN DNA, AND HAVE
ENCOURAGED SO MANY PEOPLE TO GO
OUT AND PURSUE HAPPINESS. BUT MY
WORK ARGUES THAT THE HAPPINESS
THAT WE'RE PURSUING TODAY IS A
VERY FAR CRY FROM THE WAY THAT
THEY WERE WRITTEN IN THAT
DOCUMENT. MODERN CULTURE HAS
CONDITIONED US TO BELIEVE THAT
HAPPINESS IS SOMETHING THAT WE
ACHIEVE THROUGH PURSUITS LIKE
PERSONAL SUCCESS OR WEALTH AND
INDIVIDUAL GRATIFICATION. THIS
IS A BELIEF SYSTEM THAT I CALL
OLD HAPPY, WHICH HAS BEEN DRIVEN
BY OUR CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS OF
INDIVIDUALISM, MATERIALISM AND
DOMINATION THAT HAVE BEEN A PART
OF OUR WORLD FOR MANY, MANY
YEARS. AND WE CAN SEE THE
CONSEQUENCES OF OLD HAPPY IN THE
DATA, MANY OF WHICH MY FELLOW
PANELISTS HAVE SHARED. IN MARCH,
AMERICA FELL OUT OF THE TOP 20
HAPPIEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.
1 IN 4 AMERICANS ARE STRUGGLING
WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND
PERHAPS MOST STUNNINGLY TO ME,
AND REALLY ALIGNED WITH SO MUCH
OF WHAT WE'VE HEARD ALREADY. 50%
OF AMERICANS SAY THAT THEY ARE
LONELY, AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS
IS BECAUSE OLD, HAPPY HAS LED US
TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE SEPARATE
FROM ONE ANOTHER, AND THAT
HAPPINESS IS THIS PERSONAL
ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE CAN SECURE
FOR OURSELVES BY OURSELVES, BY
ELEVATING OURSELVES ABOVE OTHERS.
AND WHEN WE SEE HAPPINESS AS AN
INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT, THEN IT ALSO
MEANS THAT IF YOU'RE NOT HAPPY,
THEN THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S
WRONG WITH YOU. BUT YEARS OF
RESEARCH HAVE TAUGHT US
OTHERWISE. THE UK HAS A THINK
TANK CALLED THE WHAT WORKS FOR
WELL-BEING THINK TANK THAT LISTS
28 FACTORS THAT AFFECT HAPPINESS
AND NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THOSE IS
UNINFLUENCED BY SYSTEMIC
CONDITIONS. AND THE VAST
MAJORITY OF THOSE FACTORS ARE
PRINCIPALLY DRIVEN BY THEM. I
BELIEVE THAT HAPPINESS FOR
CALIFORNIANS BEGINS WITH
RECOGNIZING THAT TRUE HAPPINESS
IS COLLECTIVE. IT'S ABOUT BEING
CONNECTED TO OTHER PEOPLE, ABOUT
PARTICIPATING IN RELATIONSHIPS,
OF MUTUALITY, OF RECOGNIZING OUR
DEPENDANCE UPON ONE ANOTHER. I
USUALLY LIKE TO SUM IT UP BY
SAYING THAT IF YOU WANT TO BE
HAPPY, THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT
IS TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE TO BE
HAPPY AND NOT ONLY DOES THIS
PERSPECTIVE TRANSFORM OUR
INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS,
BUT IT ALSO INFLUENCES OUR
SOCIETY AND OUR CULTURE. WE ALL
KNOW FROM THE RESEARCH THAT
SOCIETIES THAT FACILITATE SOCIAL
EQUITY, BELONGING, STRONG
RELATIONSHIPS, A SENSE OF
COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY CREATE
HAPPIER CITIZENS AND THOSE
CITIZENS THEN ARE DRIVEN AND
INFLUENCED AND MOTIVATED TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THOSE CONDITIONS,
THUS CREATING A POSITIVE UPWARD
SPIRAL OF WELL-BEING. SO I BRING
THREE QUESTIONS TODAY THAT I
PERSONALLY BELIEVE NEED TO BE
ADDRESSED IN ORDER FOR US TO
CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR
HAPPINESS FOR EVERYONE IN
CALIFORNIA, THE FIRST IS WHAT IS
HAPPINESS? I BELIEVE THAT WE
REALLY NEED TO TEACH THIS
INFORMATION TO EVERYONE, AND I
HAVE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THAT
PEOPLE ARE THEY'RE HUNGRY TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT LEADS TO
WELL-BEING BECAUSE THEY WANT TO
BE HAPPY. VERY MUCH SO. THE NEW
HAPPY MY COMPANY, OUR WORK HAS
BEEN FEATURED IN PRISONS IN
ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOLS,
UNIVERSITIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS,
THERAPISTS OFFICE, INSTITUTIONS
ALL OVER THE WORLD AND BEEN USED
TO HELP PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND
WHILE BEING AND GIVE THEM THE
TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT THEY
NEED. I THINK THAT THIS REALLY
SPEAKS TO THIS DEEP DESIRE. AND
AS MANY HAVE NOTED, WE HAVE THE
INSIGHTS AND THE RESEARCH, AND
NOW IT'S MORE ABOUT PUTTING IT
INTO PRACTICE AND TURNING IT
INTO REAL, ACTIONABLE
INTERVENTIONS THAT MEANINGFULLY
IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVES. THE
SECOND QUESTION IS WHERE IS
HAPPINESS BEING THWARTED? WE DO
NEED TO LOOK TO THOSE SYSTEMIC
CONDITIONS OF HAPPINESS BECAUSE
WE NEED TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO
PEOPLE THAT NO ONE CAN BE HAPPY
ALONE. AND IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING
WITH YOUR HAPPINESS, IT DOESN'T
NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT'S YOUR
FAULT. THERE ARE FACTORS THAT
NEED TO BE ADDRESSED FROM
ECONOMIC INSTABILITY,
DISCRIMINATION, AND INJUSTICE,
ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, GREEN
SPACES, THE CREATION OF SAFE
SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO CREATE
POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS. SO MUCH
OF WHAT MY FELLOW PANELISTS HAVE
COVERED IS PRACTICAL
INTERVENTIONS. AND THEN THE
THIRD IS ASKING, WHERE CAN
HAPPINESS BE BUILT? WE MUST HELP
PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY WHERE THEY
CAN USE THEIR UNIQUE GIFTS TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMON GOOD.
FROM AN EARLY AGE, I BELIEVE
THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE INVITED TO
DISCOVER THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES
AND THEIR STRENGTHS, AND THEN
FIND A WAY TO DEVELOP THEM BY
WORKING TOWARDS THE VERY REAL
PROBLEMS THAT OUR SOCIETY FACES.
FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW THAT SOME OF
THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ARE
EXPERIENCING HERE INCLUDE
CLIMATE CHANGE, THE CONDITIONS
THAT LEAD TO PEOPLE BECOMING
UNHOUSED, ACCESS TO EDUCATION,
REFORMING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM. HOW MIGHT WE INVITE AND
INVOLVE PEOPLE AT EVERY STAGE OF
THEIR LIVES TO CONTRIBUTE TO
THOSE PROBLEMS IN THEIR OWN
UNIQUE WAYS? AND THEN THE BEAUTY
OF THIS APPROACH IS THAT
HAPPINESS CAN BE BUILT BY
ADDRESSING WHERE HAPPINESS IS
BEING THWARTED. THIS IS WHAT
WILL ALLOW US TO CREATE A TRUE
ENVIRONMENT OF WELL-BEING FOR
EVERYONE. AND I PERSONALLY LIKE
TO IMAGINE THAT EVERY RESIDENT
OF THIS STATE FELT A SENSE OF
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE HAPPINESS
OF THEIR FELLOW CALIFORNIANS,
AND THEN WAS GIVEN THE CHANCE TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THAT. AND
ULTIMATELY BELIEVE THAT THIS
WOULD BE A PROFOUND WAY TO HONOR
THE SPIRIT OF THOSE WORDS AND
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,
A VISION OF HAPPINESS THAT DOES
NOT SEPARATE US FROM ONE
ANOTHER, BUT THAT CONNECTS US
TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GREAT. THANK YOU, MISS HARRISON.
OUR FINAL PANELIST IS DOCTOR TED
LASHER, PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC
POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION AT CAL
STATE SACRAMENTO. PROFESSOR,
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY,
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND THANK
THE PANEL. I REALLY APPRECIATE
THIS TOPIC, WHICH IS VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT, I HAVE SOME
BACKGROUND IN THE HANDOUTS I
GAVE. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ME, MY,
THIS, I BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH
ON ON HAPPINESS AND LIFE
SATISFACTION. REALLY GREW OUT OF
HALLWAY CONVERSATIONS WITH
COLLEAGUES ABOUT, THOSE SORTS OF
THINGS. AND MY WORK HAS TENDED
TO BE, WITH LARGE DATA SETS
COMPARING PEOPLE IN TERMS OF
VARIOUS FACTORS, THAT, THAT
INFLUENCE WHETHER PEOPLE ARE
HAPPY OR NOT. GIVEN THE SHORT
TIME HERE, I WANT TO FOCUS ON
ONE PART OF THE RESEARCH THAT
I'VE DONE THAT REALLY RELATES TO
THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN A SENSE
OF SECURITY, LIFE SATISFACTION
AND HEALTH INSURANCE. THAT'S
WHERE I'M GOING TO PARTICULARLY
FOCUS. I'VE DONE OTHER SORTS OF
RESEARCH, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANT
TO CONCENTRATE ON TODAY AND GIVE
APPROPRIATE CREDIT. THIS REALLY
GROWS OUT OF A REALLY EXCELLENT
MASTER'S THESIS THAT WAS DONE AT
SAC STATE BY NON TRAN. AND THEN
WE COLLABORATED ON THIS,
TOGETHER. AT THE RISK OF BEING A
LITTLE BIT OF A DOWNER, GIVEN
SOME OF THE OTHER DISCUSSIONS
HERE. THERE ARE THINGS THAT
OTHER PANELISTS HAVE TALKED
ABOUT THAT WOULD CAN INCREASE
HAPPINESS FOR EVERYBODY. HOWEVER
THE RESEARCH IS VERY CLEAR THAT
OVERALL POVERTY IS A MAJOR
SOURCE OF DISSATISFACTION. YEAH
AND IT'S AND THAT'S ONE OF THE
KEY POINTS I NEED TO STRESS
TODAY THAT, AND IT'S NOT JUST IN
THE WAYS THAT WE MIGHT FIRST
THINK THAT ACCESS TO GOOD FOOD
AND BEING ABLE TO GET SOME
HEALTH CARE AND THINGS, THINGS
OF THAT SORT, BUT A LOT OF IT IS
EVEN PSYCHOLOGICAL, MY, MY
COLLEAGUE MENTIONED CAROL
GRAHAM'S WORK AND SHE'S DONE A
LOT OF WORK, WORK ON THIS. ONE
OF THE KEY, THE ANOTHER KEY KEY
RELATED POINTS IS THAT, A SENSE
OF INSECURITY AND NOT KNOWING
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE TO
IN THE FUTURE IS VERY, VERY
DEBILITATING TO PEOPLE. AND THAT
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPINESS
RESEARCH SAYS THAT WE CAN
ACCOMMODATE A LOT OF BAD THINGS,
WE ACTUALLY CAN, BUT WE HAVE A
LOT OF TROUBLE ACCOMMODATING
GREAT UNCERTAINTY ABOUT PERSONAL
CIRCUMSTANCES. WE HAVE A AND
THAT'S THINGS LIKE, IF YOU'RE
GOING TO BE EVICTED OR THINGS OF
THAT, THAT SORT, TO BE REALLY
SPECIFIC, THE RESEARCH THAT I,
THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND I DID
THAT GREW OUT OF NAN'S THESIS,
BASED ON STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF
VERY LARGE DATA OF A LARGE DATA
SET, SHOWS THAT JUST HAVING
HEALTH INSURANCE IS STRONGLY
ASSOCIATED WITH, WITH, WITH
WHETHER PEOPLE ARE HAPPIER OR
NOT. AND, AND THE HANDOUT I GAVE
YOU AND MAYBE KATIE, IF YOU
SHOWED THAT, I YOU CAN SEE A
GRAPH THAT SHOWS THE SORT OF THE,
THE BIVARIATE, THE JUST TWO
VARIABLES COMPARING LOOKING AT
HEALTH, SATISFACTION AND LIFE
AND, AND WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE
HAVE HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE. AND
YOU SEE BIG DIFFERENCES JUST ON
THAT BASIS. BUT THE IMPORTANT
THING TO NOTE IS THAT WE WENT
FURTHER. AND SO EVEN IF YOU
CONTROL STATISTICALLY, MEANING
ESSENTIALLY YOU'RE LOOKING AT
PEOPLE WHO ARE SIMILAR IN TERMS
OF WHETHER THEY'RE MARRIED OR
NOT AND THEIR INCOME AND THEIR
EDUCATION AND ALL THOSE THINGS
THAT WE KNOW THAT AFFECT. AND
THEY SIMPLY DO OR DO NOT HAVE
HEALTH INSURANCE. HAVING HEALTH
INSURANCE MAKES A, MAKES A
SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE
LIKELIHOOD OF EXPRESSING LIFE
SATISFACTION. AND ONE OF THE
IMPLICATIONS, AND THIS IS A
TANGIBLE POLICY IMPLICATION THAT
I THINK THE COMMITTEE IS
INTERESTED IN IS THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATURE'S RECENT EFFORTS TO
EXPAND HEALTH INSURANCE, VERY
LIKELY HAS INCREASED OVERALL
HEALTH, OVERALL LIFE
SATISFACTION IN THE STATE, THAT
AGAIN, THE, THE LEGISLATURE HAS,
HAS EXPANDED, MEDICAID, MEDI-CAL
ACCESS AND DONE VARIOUS OTHER
THINGS. AND THE EVIDENCE FROM
BIG, LARGE NATIONAL DATA SETS
SUGGESTS THAT THAT SIMPLY DOING
THAT SHOULD RAISE AND KEEPING
DOING THOSE SORTS OF THINGS
SHOULD RAISE, AGGREGATE HEALTH
HEALTH INSURANCE, LIFE
SATISFACTION IN THIS STATE. I'D
ALSO NOTE THAT IN ADDITION TO
THAT, IN THE IN AN ARTICLE THAT
WAS PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL
THAT I EDIT, CALIFORNIA JOURNAL
OF POLITICS AND POLICY SHOWED
THAT WHEN YOU COMPARE CALIFORNIA
TO A NUMBER OF OTHER STATES THAT
DID NOT, DID NOT EXPAND MEDICAID
UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT,
THOSE THAT CALIFORNIA THE CHANGE
IN, IN, IN MENTAL HEALTH AND,
PERSONAL HEALTH AND THINGS HAS
BEEN STRONGER FOR LOW INCOME
PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA THAN IN
STATES THAT DID NOT, DID NOT,
EXPAND MEDICAID UNDER THE ACA.
SO THOSE ARE SOME Kò. AGAIN, I
KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT LOTS OF
THINGS I CAN TALK ABOUT. OTHER
RESEARCH. I'VE DONE ON, ON
POLITICS AND ECONOMICS AND, LIFE
SATISFACTION. AND I CAN TALK TO
YOU MORE ABOUT THE DATA AND HOW
WE GOT IT AND WHAT IT
REPRESENTS. AND THAT KIND OF
THING. BUT I THINK I WILL LEAVE
IT RIGHT THERE. THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE IT. AND I BELIEVE
YOU'RE OUR SECOND, PANELIST THIS
YEAR FROM SACRAMENTO STATE. SO
IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT, THE
INSTITUTION'S COMMITMENT TO
THIS, TO THIS TOPIC, I'M GOING
TO DEFER FIRST TO MY COLLEAGUES
TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR OUR THREE.
PANELISTS MISS WALDRON'S NODDING
HER HEAD. SURE, IT'S JUST THE
TESTIMONIES BRING UP A LOT OF
IDEAS AND ACTUALLY, I HADN'T
EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT THIS UNTIL I
SAW THIS FRAMEWORK FOR COMMUNITY
WELL-BEING SPARKED. A MEMORY OF
SOMETHING THAT WAS COMPLETELY,
NOT PLANNED FOR IN A WAY, I
SERVED ON THE CITY COUNCIL FOR
14 YEARS, IN ESCONDIDO, WHICH IS
AN OLDER CITY. IT WAS
INCORPORATED IN 1888, AND IT
ACTUALLY HAS SOME OF THE LOWEST
CENSUS, INCOME CENSUS TRACKS IN
THE NATION AND, HIGH IMMIGRANT
POPULATION AND LOTS OF OLDER,
SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY WHERE
INFRASTRUCTURE IS, IS
DEBILITATING OR NONEXISTENT. NO
SIDEWALKS, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO
THE CITY DECIDED IT WAS GOING TO
USE CDBG FUNDS. THE COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS TO
GO INTO SOME OF THESE AREAS AND
PUT IN SIDEWALKS SO KIDS COULD
WALK TO SCHOOL AND, YOU KNOW,
FEEL SAFER, MAYBE PUT A STOP
SIGN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT WAS LIGHTING CURBS,
SIDEWALKS, AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS
THE WAY THE CITY DID IT IN A
COORDINATED EFFORT SPARKED THE
NEIGHBORHOODS TO START TO KIND
OF COME TO LIFE. SO THESE AREAS
THAT WERE DARK WERE AREAS OF,
YOU KNOW, DRUG DEALING AND ALL
OF THOSE ISSUES, WHEN THE CITY
STARTED TO GO IN AND MEET WITH
THE RESIDENTS AND TALK ABOUT
WHAT THEIR NEEDS WERE, AND THEN
ACTUALLY THE PROJECT STARTED TO
EVOLVE. SOMETHING HAPPENED
NATURALLY THAT THE CITY NEVER
EXPECTED TO HAPPEN. THE
COMMUNITY ITSELF, EVEN IF IT WAS
JUST THIS LITTLE POCKET AREA
WITH A STREET OR TWO THAT THEY
WERE WORKING ON, A LEADER WOULD
EMERGE FROM THAT AREA, OTHER
PEOPLE WHO LIVED THERE GOT
TOGETHER AND THEY STARTED TO
MEET WITH THE CITY AND SAID WHAT
THEIR VISION WOULD BE. AND THE
CITY MET WITH THEM. AND I USED
TO GO TO THOSE MEETINGS BECAUSE
IT WAS SUCH A POSITIVE THING. I
THOUGHT, AND, AND OVER TIME, AS
THE PROJECT DEVELOPED AND THEN
FINALLY GOT DONE, WE WOULD DO
ONE PROJECT AFTER THE OTHER. WE
CALL THESE THE NEIGHBORHOOD
GROUPS BECAUSE THEY IT NATURALLY
EVOLVED ON ITS OWN. IT'S NOT
ANYTHING THE CITY CREATED, THESE
GROUPS AND, BY PUTTING IN A
SIDEWALK AND LIGHTS, WE DIDN'T
REALIZE THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN,
ALL THOSE HOUSES, THE PEOPLE
WOULD PAINT THEIR HOUSE, THEY'D
PLANT FLOWERS, THEY WOULD MAKE
IT A REALLY POSITIVE PLACE TO
LIVE AGAIN. AND WE STARTED GOING
AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO THEIR
LITTLE MEETINGS. AND HERE YOU'D
HAVE WOMEN WHO HAD THESE BIG
POTS WERE COMING IN, THESE FOOD
SIMMERING ON THE STOVE OR I USED
TO SAY, DAYS JUST EXCELLENT, YOU
KNOW, ETHNIC FOODS OR VARIETY OF
FOODS. AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
WOULD GET TOGETHER AND LONG
AFTER FOR YEARS. AND IT'S
PROBABLY STILL GOING ON WHEN
THOSE SIDEWALKS AND LIGHTS WENT
IN, THE COMMUNITY STILL KEPT
MEETING AND IT JUST TOOK ON A
LIFE OF ITS OWN. SO IT WAS SUCH
A POSITIVE AND HAPPY THING. DONE
WITHOUT US EVEN THINKING THAT IT
WOULD HAPPEN. IT JUST DIDN'T
NATURALLY EVOLVE THING IN THESE
LITTLE AREAS. I THINK WE ENDED
UP WITH ABOUT 18 NEIGHBORHOOD
GROUPS IN ESCONDIDO, SO THAT
REALLY SPARKED BECAUSE I THINK
IT HIT ALMOST ALL OF THOSE
TOPICS. AND THERE JUST SOMETHING
THE CITY DID AND COULD DO, THE
OTHER THING I WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT WAS, ABOUT THE HEALTH
INSURANCE AND, PEOPLE, NOT
INSECURITY ABOUT THEIR FUTURE.
I'VE BEEN AS AS THE CHAIRMAN.
ALSO, WE'RE TERMING OUT THIS
YEAR, 12 YEARS I'VE WORKED ON
PEOPLE IN THE CARCERAL SPACES.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WE LOOK AT
WOMEN WHO ARE INCARCERATED AND
WHEN YOU SEE LIKE, SAY, WOMEN IN
THE LA COUNTY JAIL SYSTEM, WHEN
I'VE WATCHED DOCUMENTARIES OR
INTERVIEWED PEOPLE AND GONE TO
VISIT, WE'VE DONE THAT AS THE
WOMEN'S CAUCUS SEVERAL TIMES,
GOING INTO WOMEN'S PRISONS AND
JAILS. WHEN YOU INTERVIEW THE
PEOPLE THERE, THEY DON'T HAVE A
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. AND YOU ASK
THEM, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU
BEEN HERE? AND IT'S BEEN TEN
TIMES, 11 TIMES, 15, 18 TIMES
INCARCERATED. AND WHEN YOU TALK
TO THE WARDENS IN THE PRISON AND
THE WOMEN'S PRISON AND THEY SAY,
WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT AS
VIOLENT AS THE MEN THAT WE GIVE
THEM A LITTLE MORE LEEWAY. BUT
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT DO
WE DO IN OUR JAIL? WE
IMMEDIATELY SEPARATE THE WOMEN
FROM THE CHILDREN WE IMMEDIATELY
SEPARATE INCARCERATED PEOPLE
FROM THEIR FAMILIES. THE
BUILDINGS THAT ARE DILAPIDATED,
THE AIR CONDITIONING DOESN'T
WORK. EVERYTHING IS HOPELESS.
AND YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT SOME OF
THE THINGS WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS
HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE OUT OF THIS
CYCLE? BUT IF WE'RE SEPARATING
MOMS FROM THEIR CHILDREN
AUTOMATICALLY, WE'RE CONTINUING
A CYCLE OF INCARCERATION. SO I
THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE
THROUGH AND INCARCERATED SYSTEM
IN OUR STATE, IT'S A BIG PART OF
OUR COMMUNITY. AND IF THERE'S
SOMETHING WE COULD DO TO WORK
ON, AND I KNOW WE'VE TRIED, BUT
EVERYTHING COSTS MONEY. IT'S
REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT ON
CREATING HOPE FOR PEOPLE WHO
HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED, WHO GO A
LONG WAY TO HELPING WITH A
FEELING OF WELL-BEING AND A HOPE
FOR THE FUTURE. THAT'S WHAT I
SEE. THANK YOU, MISS WALDEN.
JUST CURIOUS IF ANY OF OUR THREE
PANELISTS HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON
ON THOSE ASTUTE OBSERVATIONS. I
JUST WANT TO SAY, I THINK
INFRASTRUCTURE CAN BE A REAL
CATALYST. I THINK THAT WAS JUST
SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE, AND I ALSO
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT IN SEEING
THAT FRAMEWORK, YOU REALLY JUST
SAW THE WORK OF GOOD LOCAL
GOVERNMENT, REALLY, BECAUSE I
THINK THAT IS WHAT WE TRIED TO
CONVEY IN THAT IT'S REALLY ABOUT
WORKING TOGETHER. SO I JUST LOVE
THAT EXAMPLE. THANK YOU. YEAH.
AND I'D JUST ADD THAT SOME OF
THE RESEARCH THAT SAYS THAT
LITERALLY ONE OF THE BIG
DIFFERENCES ACROSS SOME SOCIO
ECONOMIC GROUPS IS HOPE FOR THE
FUTURE, LITERALLY THAT VERY
QUESTION, THANK YOU SARAH.
ANYTHING TO ADD. SORRY MR.
GARCIA, DO YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS. NO QUESTIONS. JUST,
YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS
ON WELL FIRST, I APPRECIATE THE
EXPERTISE THAT HAVE COME BEFORE
US AND REALLY CONNECTED THE DOTS
AS IT RELATES TO THE
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PEOPLE FACE
AND KIND OF ULTIMATELY WHAT IT
IS THAT THEY PROJECT AS, YOU
KNOW, ENERGY, YOU KNOW, MINDSET,
CONTRIBUTE IN THE ECONOMIES AND
WHENEVER WE CAN MAKE THAT
CONNECTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING
ON THE GROUND AND THE ISSUES AS
THEY WERE OUTLINED HERE IN TERMS
OF POVERTY, THE INSECURITY AS IT
RELATES TO THE LACK OF
INSURANCE. I MEAN, THOSE ARE
THOSE ARE POLICY ISSUES,
QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE,
DELIBERATING, DEBATING HERE
CONSISTENTLY FULL CIRCLE. IT
REALLY DETERMINES, THE STATE OF
MIND OF INDIVIDUALS AND HOW,
ACTIVE, ENGAGED THEY WILL BECOME.
SO I'M FASCINATED BY BY THE
LEVEL OF RESEARCH AND DETAIL
THAT IS BEING COVERED. ALL TO
ENCOMPASS, YOU KNOW, THE STATE
OF MIND OF PEOPLE FEELING GOOD
ABOUT THEMSELVES AND GOOD ABOUT
THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, CASE IN
POINT, THE NAME OF THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE. SO I JUST WANTED TO
THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA.
APPRECIATE IT. I HAVE SOME
QUESTIONS FOR THE PANELISTS,
AGAIN, TRYING TO MAKE THIS AS,
AS, TANGIBLE AS AS POSSIBLE, FOR
MISS RUSK, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
SANTA MONICA AND THE COLLECTIVE
WELL-BEING, ARE THERE THE SAME
QUESTION? I ASKED ABOUT UC
IRVINE? ARE THERE SPECIFIC,
ACTIVITIES THAT WERE MORE
HELPFUL, LESS HELPFUL? WELL, I
YOU KNOW, I DO THINK IN TERMS OF
THE WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT
APPROACH, REALLY TRYING TO HELP
PEOPLE SEE WHATEVER IT IS THAT
THEY WERE DOING IN GOVERNMENT AS
PART OF A LARGER, SET OF GOALS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW,
THE FOLKS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW,
PICKING UP OUR TRASH AND KEEPING
STREETS PAVED ARE REALLY ABOUT
SORT OF MOBILITY AND ACCESS. AND
THAT INFRASTRUCTURE REALLY DOES
MATTER. AND SO THERE WAS
SOMETHING I THINK THAT WAS VERY
COMPELLING ABOUT SORT OF THE
SORT OF KNITTING TOGETHER THE
WHOLE. SO I GUESS THAT'S SORT OF
ONE OVERALL COMMENT I'D MAKE. I
THINK THE OTHER THING FROM SORT
OF A WHOLE OTHER PERSPECTIVE, IS
ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY AND
HELPING TO SORT OF LIFT UP THE
STORIES AND THE SKILLS AND THE
EXPERTISE THAT IS IN EVERY ONE
OF OUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE
STATE AND THE COUNTRY. AND I
THINK WE OFTEN IGNORE THAT. SO
THE REASON I WANTED TO LIFT UP
THIS MICRO GRANT PROGRAM AS AN
EXAMPLE IS THESE ARE SHORT TERM
PROJECTS THAT GET SELECTED AFTER
A CALL FOR IDEAS. AND WE'VE
GOTTEN ALL KINDS OF REALLY
WONDERFUL IDEAS. PEOPLE BECOME
PART OF A COHORT, SO THEY'RE
LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER. AND I
THINK TO THE POINT ABOUT PURPOSE
AND BELONGING AND THE
INTERCONNECTIONS OF COMMUNITY
AND HELPING TO SORT OF LIFT THAT
UP AND CELEBRATE WHAT PEOPLE ARE,
ARE WANTING TO DO USING CREATIVE
APPROACHES. AND THEN HELPING
PEOPLE SEE THAT THIS IS PART OF
THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT,
BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE ALL REALLY
STRUGGLE WITH FROM WHEREVER WE
ARE IN GOVERNMENT SETTINGS, IS
THE SORT OF DISCONNECTION AND
ALIENATION AND PART OF OUR WORK,
I THINK, REALLY DOES NEED TO BE
ABOUT MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS
TO THE POINT THAT STEPHANIE WAS
MAKING THAT THAT WE'RE ALL
MAKING. AND I KNOW PREVIOUS
PANELISTS HAVE MADE THIS POINT
AS WELL. WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE
NOT ISLANDS HERE. AND SO I THINK
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE IS
WORDS LIKE HAPPINESS AND
WELL-BEING, FOR THAT MATTER,
WELLNESS. THESE THINGS GET
CONFLATED. PEOPLE THINK THAT
THEY'RE VERY SINGULAR AND
INDIVIDUAL, WHEN IN FACT, THE
POLICIES THAT GOVERNMENT EXISTS
TO ENACT AND WHETHER IT'S HOW WE
TIE TOGETHER USE OF, OUR
PROGRAMS TO GIVE PEOPLE ACCESS
TO FOOD. WE HAVE FARMERS MARKETS
ALL OVER THIS STATE. I MEAN, ONE
OF THE THINGS WE FOUND IN OUR
SMALL COMMUNITY, FIVE, FIVE DAYS
A WEEK, THERE'S FARMER'S MARKETS
AND YET PEOPLE NOT ABLE TO
ACCESS FRESH FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES. SO WE REALLY DOUBLED
DOWN ON THE MARKET MATCH PROGRAM
WHERE PEOPLE CAN USE EBT AND GET
DOUBLE THE, THE VALUE AND DID A
NUMBER OF COOKING CLASSES AND
DEMONSTRATIONS AND BROUGHT
PEOPLE IN TO THE FARMERS
MARKETS. I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE NOW
DOING THIS, I THINK, ALL OVER
THE STATE, BUT THESE ARE VERY
IMPORTANT ACCESS POINTS TO HELP
PEOPLE REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT WE
IT REALLY DOES MATTER. IT
MATTERS FOR ALL OF US. SO I ALSO
THINK THAT ONE OTHER THING I'LL
SAY IS DATA HAS GOT TO BE
DISAGGREGATED. AND I THINK THIS
IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND WAS
ONE OF THE BIG LESSONS OUT OF
THE WORK WE DID IN SANTA MONICA.
I MEAN, PARENTS SAID, I DON'T
WANT TO JUST HEAR THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT DATA ABOUT ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT. OVERALL I WANT TO
KNOW KIDS LIKE MY KIDS. I WANT
TO UNDERSTAND THIRD GRADE
READING AND THEN HOW IT TIES TO
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. SO
REALLY BEING SMART ABOUT HOW WE
DISAGGREGATE AND TELL STORIES
FROM THE INFORMATION WE HAVE, I
THINK IS ALSO IMPORTANT. SO I
DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS GIVING YOU
VERY MUCH. SO QUICK ANSWERS AND
THANK YOU. THE LAST POINT ABOUT
DATA IS, YEAH, GOOD FOR US TO
KEEP IN MIND AS WELL, PROFESSOR
LASHER, I HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU.
I'M TRYING NOT TO PREJUDICE THIS
QUESTION WITH MY OWN POLITICAL
VIEWS. BUT YOU TALK ABOUT HEALTH
INSURANCE, YOU TALK ABOUT,
EXPECTATIONS. STABILITIES THE
LAST COUPLE OF DECADES, WE'VE
SEEN THAT THE COUNTRIES THAT
TEND TO, RATE HIGHEST IN TERMS
OF HAPPINESS TEND TO BE
COUNTRIES WITH STRONG SAFETY,
SOCIAL SAFETY NETS, PLACES IN
SCANDINAVIA, ETC, WHAT TYPES OF
THINGS DO YOU THINK WE COULD BE
DOING AS LEGISLATORS THAT MIGHT,
INCREASE HAPPINESS AND IS THAT
IS THAT ACCURATE? IS IT IS IT TO
A LARGE EXTENT ABOUT SOCIAL
SAFETY NETS? WELL, YEAH. I MEAN,
IT'S DIFFICULT TO UNPACK WHEN
YOU'VE GOT SO MANY THINGS
COMPARING COUNTRIES. BUT YOU ARE
CORRECT, MOST OF THE COUNTRIES
THAT HAVE TENDED TO RATE THE
HIGHEST, WORLD, OUR COUNTRIES
LIKE FINLAND AND NORWAY AND
SWEDEN THAT DO HAVE STRONG
SOCIAL SAFETY NETS, AND IT'S
MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T,
AREN'T WORRIED ABOUT, AM I GOING
TO AM I, AM I GOING TO BE ABLE
TO SEND MY KID TO GET THEM TO A
DOCTOR IF THEY DEVELOP WHATEVER
IS THOSE SORTS OF QUESTIONS
LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT TAKING
DIRECTLY ADDRESSING THINGS THAT
WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE TEND TO
WORRY ABOUT A LOT, AND GIVING
THEM SOME REASSURANCE MAKES,
MAKES A BIG MAKES A BIG
DIFFERENCE. AND IT IS YOU KNOW,
IT IS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE
THE DIFFERENCE. YOU KNOW,
THEY'RE NOT HUGE. AND THERE ARE
LOTS OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON.
BUT BUT TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN STATES THAT DIDN'T
EXPAND MEDICAID AND THOSE THAT
DID IN TERMS OF VARIOUS YOU
KNOW, THESE ARE PEOPLE'S
SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR
HEALTH, THEIR MENTAL HEALTH,
ETC, YOU KNOW, YEAH, THOSE WERE
THE DATA POINTS THAT
SPECIFICALLY MADE ME THINK ABOUT
OTHER COUNTRIES. THANK YOU FOR
THAT, MISS HARRISON, I, A BIG
CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD, A BIG
TOPIC OF CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD
DURING THIS, FIVE MONTHS. WE'VE
BEEN DOING THIS. KATIE. IT'S
BEEN AROUND SOCIAL MEDIA AND
TECHNOLOGY, AND I KNOW THAT,
MUCH OF YOUR WORK IS IN SOCIAL
CONNECTION. A BIG PART OF YOUR
PLATFORM IS ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA.
DO YOU SEE SOCIAL MEDIA AS A
HELP? DO YOU SEE IT AS A
HINDRANCE, WHEN IT COMES TO
FOSTERING SOCIAL CONNECTIONS, I
THINK THAT, I THE WAY I USUALLY
LIKE TO THINK ABOUT IT IS THAT
SOCIAL MEDIA IS A TOOL, LIKE ANY
OTHER, AND THE INTENTION BEHIND
THE TOOL, THE WAY THAT IT'S USED
AND THE WAY THAT WE, YOU KNOW,
KIND OF CREATE CULTURES AROUND
USING THE TOOL ENDS UP HAVING A
MUCH BIGGER IMPACT. AND SO I
THINK IT CAN BE BOTH, SOMETHING
THAT CREATES WELL-BEING AND ALSO
SOMETHING THAT DETRACTS FROM IT.
I HAVE TRIED TO TURN IT INTO A
FORCE FOR GOOD, FOR EDUCATION,
FOR REACHING PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE
ISOLATED, WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE
SOCIAL SUPPORT, WHO MIGHT NOT
FEEL SUPPORTED BY PEOPLE IN
THEIR LIVES TO BE THEIR
AUTHENTIC SELVES, AND TO BE ABLE
TO DISSEMINATE AT A VERY LARGE
SCALE A LOT OF THIS SCIENTIFIC
INFORMATION, AND THE WAYS IN
WHICH I'VE TRIED TO DO THAT ARE
REALLY WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING
IT ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE. AND SO
JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, I HAVE SPENT
A LOT OF TIME TEACHING PEOPLE
ABOUT WORKING WITH THEIR
EMOTIONS, WHICH IS SOMETHING
THAT, YOU KNOW, MANY SOCIAL
EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMS
COVER IN GRADE SCHOOL. BUT FOR
THOSE OF US WHO ARE ADULTS AND
WHO DIDN'T GET THE BENEFIT OF
THAT CURRICULUM, WE WERE WE WERE
NOT TAUGHT HOW TO DO MANY OF
THOSE THINGS. AND I HAVE BEEN
AMAZED TO SEE JUST HOW MUCH
PEOPLE WANT TO LEARN THESE TOOLS
AND TECHNIQUES TO HELP THEM WITH
THEIR WELL-BEING AND HOW THEY
HAVE GRABBED ON TO THESE
TEACHINGS AND THESE LESSONS, AND
THEN USE THEM IN THEIR OWN LIVES
AND PASS IT ON TO OTHERS, THEIR
CHILDREN, THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS,
WHOMEVER, SO I THINK THAT WE
HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO BE REALLY
MINDFUL ABOUT HOW SOCIAL MEDIA
IS USED AND THE MINDSET WITH
WHICH WE'RE APPROACHING IT. SO,
YOU KNOW, IN MANY WAYS, OLD
HAPPY IN THE CULTURE OF, YOU
KNOW, THE WHAT I WAS DESCRIBING
ABOUT HAPPINESS TENDS TO
INCENTIVIZE USING SOCIAL MEDIA
AS A WAY TO ELEVATE YOURSELF
ABOVE OTHERS TO SHOW OFF YOUR
SUCCESSES AND YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS,
AND TO KIND OF PORTRAY THAT
EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE IS
PERFECT AND GOOD, AND THOSE ARE
PRACTICES THAT WILL NOT HELP YOU
WITH YOUR WELL-BEING. AND THAT
ALSO, OF COURSE, END UP RIPPLING
OUT AND NEGATIVELY AFFECTING
OTHERS AS WELL. AND SO I THINK
THAT WE HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF
WORK TO DO IN TERMS OF TEACHING
PEOPLE HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA
EFFECTIVELY, AS WELL AS
POTENTIALLY INTRODUCING
REGULATIONS THAT MAKE IT A SAFE
PLACE FOR EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY
THOSE WHO ARE YOUNGER OR WHO
MIGHT NEED MORE SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. THANKS SO MUCH. ANY MORE
QUESTIONS FROM OUR MY
COLLEAGUES? YOU GOOD? BOTH.
GOOD. GREAT. THIS CONCLUDES OUR
FINAL PANEL. I WANT TO THANK
ALL, ALL OF OUR PANELISTS FOR
THEIR INSIGHTFUL PRESENTATIONS.
I KNOW WE ALL ENJOYED HEARING
THE, WIDE RANGE OF IDEAS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS. I KNOW THEY'RE
GOING TO BE HELPFUL. ON THIS
ISSUE MOVING FORWARD. SO THANKS
A LOT. SO I WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUES, MISS WALDRON, BEEN A
GREAT, GREAT MEMBER OF THIS
COMMITTEE. I KNOW MR. MR. CHAN,
MR. BRIAN ATTENDED SEVERAL
MEETINGS. MR. GARCIA, FOR HIS
WORK AND PARTICULARLY HAVING MR.
GARCIA HERE TODAY ON THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT PARKS, GIVEN
ALL THE CHAMPION OF PARKS THAT
HE'S BEEN AS HELPFUL AS WELL,
THIS ISN'T IN MY TALKING POINTS,
WHICH PROVES HOW, HOW WHAT A
GREAT STAFFER SHE IS. BUT KATIE
TALBOT HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB,
THROUGHOUT. I WANT TO I THINK
I'M READY TO GO BACK TO
ACADEMIA. I KEEP WANTING CALLING
THIS. I KEEP WANTING TO CALL
THIS THE SEMESTER, THIS IS THIS
ISN'T THIS SEMESTER. THIS IS THE
YEAR. BUT KATIE HAS DONE A
PHENOMENAL JOB. ALL SEMESTER
YEAR, IN TERMS OF STAFFING ME.
SO THANK YOU, KATIE, I
APPRECIATE THAT, WE'LL NOW MOVE
TO PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR
HEARING. FOR THOSE IN THE
AUDIENCE, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE
MICROPHONE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO
PROVIDE COMMENT. EACH PERSON HAS
TWO MINUTES. PLEASE BE SURE TO
SHARE YOUR NAME AND YOUR
AFFILIATION, IF ANY. THAT WAS
EASY. NO TAKERS? GREAT THANK
YOU, THIS CONCLUDES OUR FINAL
HEARING OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE
ON HAPPINESS AND PUBLIC POLICY
OUTCOMES FOR THIS LEGISLATIVE
SESSION. THANK YOU ALL FOR
JOINING US. THANKS FOR RECORDING
AND COMING OUT.