Sonoma Community Action Network (Sonoma CAN)

(Baja para la versión en espa?ol!) On March 10th, Rohnert Park's very own Councilmember Samantha Rodriguez was honored on the Assembly floor as Assembly District 12’s Woman of the Year for 2025! ???? Assemblymember Damon Connolly recognized Samantha for her unwavering commitment to community, education, and advocacy—values that define Rohnert Park. Since joining the Rohnert Park City Council in 2022, and making history as our youngest-ever and first Latina Mayor in 2023, Samantha has championed affordable housing, climate action, and civic engagement. “I am deeply honored to be recognized by Assemblymember Connolly as one of 80 women in the State as the 2025 Woman of the Year,’” said Samantha Rodriguez. “This acknowledgment not only celebrates my individual efforts but also highlights the collective work of the incredible women who inspire and support me. I am grateful for this opportunity to represent the City of Rohnert Park and AD12, but more importantly to continue empowering others and making a lasting impact in our community.” As we celebrate Women’s History Month, this honor is even more meaningful. Councilmember Rodriguez's leadership and passion continue to inspire not just Rohnert Park, but communities across California. She stands on the shoulders of the incredible women who paved the way before her—and she is lifting the next generation along with her. ____________________________________________________________________________ El 10 de marzo, Samantha Rodríguez, concejala de Rohnert Park, fue nombrada Mujer del A?o del Distrito 12 de la Asamblea en 2025. ???? El asambleísta Damon Connolly reconoció a Samantha por su inquebrantable compromiso con la comunidad, la educación y la defensa, valores que definen a Rohnert Park. Desde que se unió al Consejo de la Ciudad de Rohnert Park en 2022, y haciendo historia como nuestra alcaldesa más joven y primera latina en 2023, Samantha ha defendido la vivienda asequible, la acción climática y el compromiso cívico.? ?Me siento profundamente honrada de ser reconocida por el asambleísta Connolly como una de las 80 mujeres del Estado como la Mujer del A?o 2025?, dijo Samantha Rodríguez. ?Este reconocimiento no solo celebra mis esfuerzos individuales, sino que también destaca el trabajo colectivo de las increíbles mujeres que me inspiran y me apoyan. Estoy agradecida por esta oportunidad de representar a la Ciudad de Rohnert Park y AD12, pero lo más importante es continuar empoderando a otros y haciendo un impacto duradero en nuestra comunidad.?? Al celebrar el Mes de la Historia de la Mujer, este honor es aún más significativo. El liderazgo y la pasión de la concejal Rodríguez siguen inspirando no sólo a Rohnert Park, sino a comunidades de toda California. Ella está de pie en los hombros de las mujeres increíbles que allanaron el camino antes que ella-y ella está levantando la próxima generación junto con ella.

Most of my interactions with other nonprofit leaders follow a pattern of reflexively asking how the other is doing, and then pausing to recognize how ridiculous that question is right now and shifting to something like, how are you getting by? how are you able to take care of yourself? how bad is it? It is not just fear of funding loss, it is employees' uncertainty as they wait to hear about furloughs, layoffs, or reductions. It is the knowledge that suffering is only going to go up while services get reduced, and our stressed-out employees will experience greater vicarious trauma and eventually burnout. It is to function as normally as possible while planning for 10 scenarios in the coming week and the coming year. We are living in day-to-day changes and constantly increasing chaos, and the hard truth is that we won't be missed or fully valued until too many of us are gone. These fears exist beyond the nonprofit world, but the safety net is invisible until it frays or breaks, and the ropes are doing both right now.

ECE teachers should not have to "pray that one day [they'll] be fairly compensated for [their] experience and education"! With Measure I potentially establishing a countywide revenue stream to support child care and children's health, my team at First 5 Sonoma County and I have been studying other community-level efforts to boost the wages of child care providers. DC's Pay Equity Fund is such a great model.

We could not be more delighted to share the final results of California's Project Roomkey Evaluation. Bottom line: - Cross-sector government and service provider collaboration, and political will, facilitated rapid deployment of temporary and non-congregate housing for 62,000 Californians. - People came inside, and stayed, in large part because they felt their safety, autonomy and needs were addressed. Most participants reported having a positive experience - When people were able to stay longer in PRK sites, they were more likely to transition to permanent housing. - Our systems underestimated how extremely medically vulnerable people were. We need to bring health care and social services to people, where they are. - Getting the data to evaluate health and housing outcomes for PRK participants was challenging. We need to be able to effectively share data across systems, within state government and within our communities, so that we can truly evaluate and scale what works. And lastly, - The PRK model was and continues to be a game changer for how California can provide emergency housing for people experiencing homelessness. Proud that the California Health Care Foundation and Conrad N. Hilton Foundation commissioned this study back in 2021 and grateful to Abt Associates for agreeing to do the work. Also grateful to California Department of Social Services for partnering so closely with us. Big thanks to Nichole Fiore, Lauren Dunton, Ciara Marie Collins and team for your incredible research skills and your tenacity in trying to get the data. And thank you to all of the thought leaders, innovators, and government partners who worked hard and quickly to stand up this remarkable program.