Solís Policy Institute – State
The Dr. Beatriz María Solís Policy Institute (SPI) State is a policy advocacy and leadership training fellowship for advocates and activists who work in non-profit or grassroots organizations.
We accept applications from genderqueer and non-binary people, cisgender and transgender women, and transgender men, especially BIPOC folks, who want to build their skills, on behalf of their organizations, to influence public policymaking at the state level.
At its core, SPI-State affirms that the people closest to the problems and harm should be centered and shaping the solutions to address them. SPI-State seeks to diversify the policy arena by building the leadership of people impacted by gender-based oppression, violence, and discrimination. Each year the WFC chooses specific intersectional issue areas for SPI fellows to advance. Check out our past policy wins.
SPI-State Issue Areas:
The Women’s Foundation California’s Solís Policy Institute (SPI) focuses on shaping just policies that will positively impact the lives of non-binary and genderqueer people, cisgender and transgender women, and transgender men in California. This year, SPI-State aims to feature teams working to address racism, anti-Blackness, and cis-hetero-patriarchy through the following specific areas:
SB 498 – County Detention: Commissary
Author: Senator Josh Becker
Poverty should not be punitive. Right now, people in county jails and juvenile detention centers have to pay for basic hygiene products, often taking on debt to afford necessities. SB 498 establishes a uniform indigence threshold, ensuring that no one is denied basic hygiene because they can’t afford it.
Titilayọ Rasaki
Policy & Campaign Strategist, La Defensa
Simelia Rogers
Program Coordinator, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Chantille Tran
RESTOR Program Manager, RYSE
Elias Vasquez
Legal Case Manager, Miss Major Alexander Lee TGIJP Black Trans Cultural Center
Aidee Zuno
Assistant Director, Rising Communities
AB 969 – CalWORKs: Family Violence Option and Gender-Based Violence Information
Author: Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez
Survivors of gender-based violence often face an impossible choice: safety or economic stability. AB 969 fixes that by making it easier to access CalWORKs benefits, ensuring survivors can support themselves and their families without unnecessary barriers.
Beatriz Hernandez
Senior Statewide Organizing Fellow, California Immigrant Policy Center
Celine Lopez
Program Coordinator, Community Economic Empowerment San Joaquin Community Foundation
Maria Moreno
Senior Campaign Coordinator, Workers' Rights Jobs with Justice San Francisco
Kel O’Hara
Senior Attorney, Policy & Education Equity Equal Rights Advocates
Tracee Porter
Self-employed Lived-Experience Expert, The Social Impact Center
SB 418 – Health Care Coverage: Nondiscrimination
Author: Senator Caroline Menjivar
Health care discrimination is often invisible—until it happens to you. SB 418 explicitly bans discrimination in health insurance coverage based on race, gender identity, pregnancy status, and more, ensuring no one is denied care because of who they are.
Ace Anaya
Campaign Coordinator, Gender Justice LA
Monica Acevedo Guerrero
Program Manager, Lead Coach All Children Thrive, Public Health Advocates
Sofia Bastida
Civic Engagement Organizer, PODER SF
Guadalupe Rojas
Community Organizer, Transportation Justice, Mid-City Community Advocacy Network
Astin Williams
Program Coordinator, CA LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network
AB 878 – Victims of Abuse or Violence: Reasonable Accommodations
Author: Assemblymember Ash Kalra
Housing isn’t just about shelter—it’s about safety. AB 878 ensures that survivors of violence can get the accommodations they need without risking eviction or retaliation from landlords.
Halona Alexander
Public Policy Educator, Strong Hearted Native Women's Coalition, Inc.
TK Cross
Self-employed
Lila Gitesatani
Staff Attorney National Housing Law Project
Sadia Khan
Policy Advocate, Family Violence Law Center
Khloè Rios-Wyatt
CEO, Alianza Translatinx