Here’s what the NextGen team is up to this February! 🏛️☑️
What’s Next: Here’s what the NextGen team is up to this February! 🏛️☑️
February 11th, 2026
February is upon us and the NextGen team is hard at work on our bill and budget priorities for the legislative session. This edition will focus on several topics including: Black History Month and the many celebratory events taking place throughout the state; our most recent blog post by NextGen’s Brian Weinberger, Senior Policy Advisor, breaking down the Governor’s January Budget proposal; an in-depth look by NextGen’s climate team and Northern California Grantmakers at the key climate policies passed last year; and several other items we’re excited to share with you.
Here’s a look at What’s Next at NextGen:
★ NextGen Celebrates Black History Month: This February marks the 100-year anniversary of Black History Month and its precursor Black History week! The month-long celebration presents an opportunity for each of us to honor the achievements, contributions, and lasting legacy made by African-American historical figures and current leaders on the social, cultural, scientific, and economic fabric of our nation. For far too long, the contributions of the African-American community were overlooked and undervalued. One hundred years ago, historian Carter G. Woodson chose the month of February to build on the celebrations surrounding the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (February 12th) and Frederick Douglass (February 14th) to start a week-long observance of Black history in 1926 that grew into the month-long celebration we know today. NextGen has put together a list of events taking place in California throughout Black History Month – find an event taking place in your community and join in the celebration.
★ Let’s Talk California’s State Budget: NextGen’s Brian Weinberger, Senior Policy Advisor, shares his insights from the release of the Governor’s 2026-27 budget proposal in early January. Learn what the Governor’s proposed investments mean for low-income communities, economic development, food insecurity, and health programs as well as NextGen’s policy and legislative advocacy work in the upcoming legislative session. If you haven’t yet, please sign up to get notified when new blog posts are live – these posts are written by NextGen team members and provide a more in-depth look about pressing policy and budget issues facing our state.
★ Breaking Down Recent California Climate Policy Actions: Interested in learning more about key California climate policy outcomes from last year? NextGen’s Chloe Ames, Policy Advisor, sat down with Northern California Grantmakers’ Kirin Kumar, Director for Climate and Disaster Resilience, to discuss their top climate takeaways from last year and highlight opportunities for funders to assist policymakers in advancing climate progress in the current year. Northern California Grantmakers is a nonprofit organization that mobilizes philanthropy to support various social, economic, and environmental causes such as climate justice. Get the full scoop from Northern California Grantmakers here.
This Valentine’s Day, show your love for California’s climate! Make climate-friendly choices throughout your day like recycling, reducing waste, choosing public transportation, and much more to help support a climate resilient future.
Join the Climate Action Counts movement and make a difference:
★ Did You Know? In case you missed it, NextGen recently shared an update on the success of their Opportunity Young Adult (OYA) Career Pathway program. As part of our team’s apprenticeship and workforce development initiatives, we’re proud to showcase how the OYA Career Pathway program has helped Sacramento justice impacted young adults find new career opportunities. Learn more about the OYA Career Pathway program’s success in our full statement.
★ Member Spotlight: For this issue of What’s Next, we’re shining a spotlight on Senator Angelique Ashby, who represents California’s 8th Senate District covering a portion of Sacramento County which includes the cities of Sacramento, Elk Grove, and several other communities. Senator Ashby is the first woman elected in over 20 years to represent Sacramento in the State Senate and, since taking office in 2022, she has been a champion for policies and programs that uplift California families, protect women and children, and support students pursuing a higher education.
NextGen is a proud co-sponsor of her 2026 CalFresh for Students Act bill, which will help California students access critical food assistance resources. We also congratulate her for being appointed by Pro Tem Limon as the new Senate Majority Leader! We look forward to our ongoing work in collaboration with Senator Ashby’s office – keep up with her work on Instagram!
★ Our Mission: NextGen California is a nonprofit advocacy organization that breaks down barriers and rebalances power in the State Capitol on behalf of all Californians.
Thank you for being a part of our journey toward a more equitable California. As we continue to push for progressive policy change, we invite you to make a difference by donating to support our organization. Your contribution will directly impact our efforts to address environmental, social, and economic inequities throughout the state.
Thank you,
NextGen California