Hello GENup students and allies! For a full recap:?https://lnkd.in/gZqX-WBP Welcome to 2025! Thanks for riding along with us!!! Reflecting on 2024, we’re proud of GENup’s substantial impact on education policy. We helped pass 22 bills—eight authored by our student policy directors—addressing chronic absenteeism, AI in education, and student representation. Key legislative wins: SB-2771 – Boosting chronic absenteeism awareness SB-1288 – Establishing AI evaluation in schools AB 1939 – Strengthening student voice in attendance policies We also co-sponsored AB-2927 (financial literacy), SB-1318 (mental health), and SB-997 (opioid response in schools). In September, our Campaigns Team launched SignForNine, standing up for Title IX rights. While Title IX has existed since 1972, gender inequity in schools persists—girls face fewer opportunities, worse resources, and ignored harassment complaints. In partnership with the Women’s Sports Foundation, Representation Project, Girls4Sports, and Girls for Algorithmic Justice, we’re working to create change. In August, we hosted our third annual staff retreat in San Jose, where our executive team gathered to strategize for the future. We also met with Trustees Berta and Chon from the Santa Clara County Board to discuss key education issues. In May, GENup held its first in-person Lobby Day! 15 student lobbyists met with 30 Senate offices in Sacramento, advocating for SCA 2, which would allow 17-year-olds to vote in California elections—a major step toward youth civic participation. Another milestone: GENup was named a 2024 Open Educational Resources (OER) Spark Grantee! With campaigns at UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, and UCLA, we are mobilizing students to push for free, open-access educational resources. These efforts will reduce reliance on costly textbooks and aim to expand similar policies to CSU and community colleges. Thank you, Michelson 20MM, for supporting student-led OER advocacy! This year, we also prioritized civic engagement training. In March, we hosted two major workshops: March 11 – Former Chief Partnerships Officer Phillip Nguyen and former GENup leaders Fiona Lu and Bella Santos spoke at the California Conference for the Social Studies, equipping educators to empower student activism. March 14 – Maegha Ramanathan and Genavieve Koenigshofer led an Activism and Youth Voice workshop at the CCLL GRID Statewide Summit, training students in grassroots organizing. As we head into 2025, GENup remains committed to educational equity, student empowerment, and Title IX advocacy. We’re also training our communications team to publish op-eds, amplifying youth voices in policy discussions. Lastly, a huge shoutout to our new hires and graduates—your dedication fuels GENup’s mission! Thank you for being part of our journey. Here’s to another year of advocacy, impact, and student-driven change! In solidarity, Arpita, Sophene, Jivika, and Katareena GENup Communications Team
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