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:
For grassroots leaders and community organizations that work to create places where families and communities are healthy, safe as is possible within our current systems. Health includes more than physical conditions; health has social, cultural and economic impacts on the well-being of communities. Health is also determined by racial, gender and economic circumstances, with direct ties to the history of anti-Blackness and oppression in our country.
Ashley De La Rosa
Education Policy Director, Dolores Huerta Foundation
Donna Tang
Education Equity Coordinator
Dannie Cesena
LGBTQ Program Manager
Kimberly Gudino
Advisor and College Ambassador
Lucy Ngo
Program Coordinator
For grassroots leaders and community organizations that work to address the harmful and oppressive impacts that the criminal justice system has on the lives of Californians, especially those impacted by racial and gender injustice.
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Liz Krobot
California Program Manager
April Grayson
Policy Associate
Katrina Baptiste
Policy Analyst/Community Liaison
Mayra Lira
Supervising Staff Attorney
For grassroots leaders and community organizations that work or support programs that focus on the economic security of individuals impacted by systemic gender-based discrimination. This includes organizing low-wage and informal workers, advocating for better implementation of safety net programs, local workforce development, and the promotion of small business ownership.
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Stacy Villalobos
Acting Director/Attorney, Racial Economic Justice
Karin Umfrey
Staff Attorney
Sam Lew
Senior Communications Manager
Jocelyn Lopez
California Lead Organizer
For grassroots leaders and community organizations that work to support programs that expand and protect the rights of all people to make informed decisions about and exercise control over their sexual and reproductive lives.
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Nishara Gunasekara
Senior Policy Advocate
Jeanine Erikat
Policy Associate
Lania Watkins
Wellness Services Director
Esther Priscilla Ebuehi
Birth Equity Analyst
Janae Sargent
Prevention Education Manager
For grassroots leaders and community organizations that work to reduce the negative impacts that violence and harassment, which is often gender-based, has on the lives of Californians.
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Pallavi Garg
Staff Attorney, Criminal Justice Program Coordinator
Christine Smith
Public Policy Coordinator
Suzanne Dershowitz
Housing Policy Attorney
Lidia Ruelo-Salazar
Co-Executive Director