20MM News Archive

Stronger Together: Advancing Equity Through Higher Education for Students Impacted by the Justice System

Stronger Together: Advancing Equity Through Higher Education for Justice-Impacted Students

By Miguel Leon

The Michelson 20MM Foundation proudly sponsored the 2025 Prison to University Conference. Mount San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) hosted the summit, which brought together nearly 300 practitioners, students, advocates, and allies. Attendees participated in a day of plenary discussions and break out sessions that highlighted the transformative power of higher education in the lives of individuals impacted by the criminal justice system.

President Martha Garcia, welcomed attendees and delivered a message of hope and inspiration. She underlined the importance of this community coming together to heal, share best practices, and advocate as one collective group, rooted in, and strengthened by the lived experience and wisdom of everyone in the room. Representatives of higher education in prison programs, as well as on campus reentry programs from throughout California, uplifted student-led efforts that have radically changed how all three of California’s higher education systems support this population. We are grateful for President Garcia, the California Community Colleges, Mt. SAC Rising Scholars, Underground Scholars, Project Rebound, and everyone else who created the space for this discussion.

The University of San Diego (USD), a Michelson 20MM Spark Grantee shared their Transfer Coalition Initiative (TCI). TCI focuses on increasing higher education retention and completion rates for individuals in prison and individuals being released from prison. Through the Spark Grant, USD created a streamlined regional network that includes over a dozen local higher educational institutions. They work together on an online regional toolkit that enhances integral resource and knowledge sharing among system-impacted students and all associated support staff. This effort has increased cross-collaboration, programming, and community-building events among schools and facilities in the region.

The Michelson 20MM Foundation proudly underwrote the participation of three student fellows, each representing one of California’s higher education systems, in the planning committee for the Prison to University Conference. Christian Black (University of California system), Albert Bui (California State University system) and Dani K. Silva (California Community College system) were integral to the success of this effort and we appreciate their leadership. In addition, we’d like to thank and congratulate all the attendees and allies who courageously share their stories and remind us that higher education has the power to change lives.

About the Michelson 20MM Foundation

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.

Innovating for Inclusion: 2025 Digital Equity Spark Grantees Tackle the Digital Divide

Building Digital Equity in California: Spotlight on the 2025 Spark Community Advisors

Ensuring everyone has access to affordable, reliable internet is key to unlocking educational, economic, and civic potential. The Michelson 20MM Foundation is committed to closing the digital divide, especially for underserved and historically marginalized communities. Through the 2025 Digital Equity Spark Grants cycle, we are proud to invest in innovative, systems-level strategies that have the power to create meaningful change at scale.

The 2025 Digital Equity Spark Grants support projects that advance policy advocacy, promote broadband as a civil right, and address digital equity as a social determinant of health. They help shape a future where all Californians can fully participate in society, democracy, and the economy.

Welcoming the 2025 Digital Equity Spark Grantees

BRITE

BRITE will bring DISCONNECTED, a feature documentary on the digital divide, to a broad public audience. The film tells the human stories behind digital discrimination and highlights the advocates working for change. By using empathy and storytelling, the filmmakers aim to turn policy into something personal and urgent. Through screenings, panels, and community engagement, DISCONNECTED will help spark national conversations around digital equity and inspire viewers to get involved.

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)

Building on their 2024 pilot internet service provider (ISP) project in Pico-Union, CHIRLA is launching a community-driven effort to close the digital divide. This project centers the voices of immigrant families by reaching over 2,000 residents to understand their internet access needs. CHIRLA staff and ambassadors will hold conversations at member retreats and through outreach that respects language and cultural context. Insights from these efforts will shape a pilot low-cost internet service designed with the community, for the community. The project also includes digital literacy education and free devices to ensure families can fully participate online.

UNITE-LA

UNITE-LA will advance community broadband pilots in Pacoima and the Antelope Valley. Their efforts target two of the most persistent barriers to digital equity: affordability and access. In partnership with local coalitions, UNITE-LA will support the launch of public broadband models rooted in community leadership and resident input. In the Antelope Valley, a new public broadband authority will begin implementing a shared network plan. In Pacoima, a task force will pilot strategies to reduce internet costs and improve service quality. This work models how place-based solutions can challenge digital redlining and shift broadband planning toward equity, transparency, and local control.

The Youth Law Center (YLC)

The YLC will help close digital equity gaps for foster and justice-involved youth. These young people face systemic barriers to internet and mobile access that stem from both restrictive institutional settings and the instability and disruptions caused by foster care experiences—barriers that can limit educational achievement, economic opportunity, and long-term well-being. YLC will assess all 58 California probation agencies for compliance with digital access laws, ensuring youth can pursue education and stay connected. The project combines legal strategy, public records research, and youth leadership to push enforcement where policy alone falls short. YLC will also advocate to expand Lifeline access, removing documentation and eligibility barriers for foster youth. This work redefines digital equity as a civil rights issue, grounded in justice and accountability.

Looking Ahead

We are inspired by the grantees’ visionary work and dedication to advancing digital equity across California. Their projects exemplify the innovative, community-centered approaches necessary to overcome systemic barriers and ensure everyone has meaningful access to the internet. As these initiatives take shape, we look forward to seeing the lasting impact they will have on public policy, community empowerment, and closing the digital divide for good.

About Michelson 20MM

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.

Applications Open Soon: 2025 California Student Parent Pooled Fund

Student parents deserve more than survival, they deserve systems that help them thrive. The Student Parent Pooled Fund is supporting bold ideas that do just that. The 2025 cycle opens July 28th with grants of up to $50,000 to support statewide change. Let’s build futures that work for student parents and their families!

About the Fund

The Student Parent Pooled Fund champions the needs of student parents. It lays the groundwork to connect student parent work across California while promoting equity and systemic change. Our goal is to support the whole family unit by investing in multi-generational solutions that advance education, economic opportunity, and family well-being.

2025 Fund Details

Grant Amounts: Up to $50,000
Grant Period: 12 – 18 months
Eligibility: U.S.-based nonprofits or educational institutions impacting post-secondary students in California
Funding Focus: Systemic change, not direct services
Approach: We welcome collaborative and multi-funded projects

Funding Priorities

The Student Parent Pooled Fund will prioritize efforts in five key areas:

1. Research and Practice

Informing improved data collection of student parents across California’s higher education systems.
Analyzing progress made across California’s higher education systems in supporting student parents as well as the efficacy of supports including but not limited to housing, childcare, food and nutrition, and workforce programs.
Advancing/scaling programmatic best practices and evidence based models in support of student parents.

2. Movement Building

Catalyzing and scaling
- Student Parent learning communities
- Student Parent communities of practice
- Student Parent coalitions
- Student Parent networks
- Student Parent clubs
- Peer to peer support models

3. Education, Awareness, and Narrative Change

Providing statewide technical assistance to organizations and institutions focused on increasing their servingness of student parents.
Increasing statewide public awareness campaigns that uplift the needs of student parents.
Convening student parents, student parent advocates, and practitioners from throughout California to learn and share best practices.

4. Policy Advocacy

Informing institutional and legislative leaders about the needs of student parents with the end goal of affecting systemic change.
Coalescing the student parent community in California to advance state level change for student parents.
Expanding benefits access for both parent and child

5. Evaluation and Impact

Evaluating the impact of the California Student Parent Pooled Fund and its collective and comprehensive approach to student parent work in California by analyzing
- The effectiveness of building a community of practice
- The pooled funds contribution in advancing systems change for student parents in california
- The impact of coalescing philanthropy around student parent work
- Grantees’ perspectives on the benefits of a pooled fund approach

How to Apply

We invite organizations to help lead change for student parents in California. Together, we can build lasting, inclusive solutions. To apply, submit applications through our grantmaking platform, Submittable during the application period.

Thank you to our funding partners: Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, ECMC Foundation, R&S Kayne Foundation, Stupski Foundation, and The Ichigo Foundation. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of student parents in California.

About the Michelson 20MM Foundation

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.

A Boost for OER Champions: LMU Is Creating Tools for Visibility and Recognition

A New Resource to Meet a Growing Need

Across California, faculty members are embracing Open Educational Resources (OER) to reduce students’ costs and increase their access. As OER gains prominence, many instructors face a familiar challenge: How to effectively communicate the value of OER to their students, colleagues, and institutions.

Faculty who run OER programs often create exciting programs with little support for sharing their work. They write, revise, and implement new materials, but lack the marketing tools to help others understand the impact. Loyola Marymount University (LMU) understands that without awareness and visibility, even the most transformative OER can remain underused.

The Toolkit Filling the Gap

With a 2025 Michelson Spark Grant, LMU is addressing that gap. They will develop an openly licensed OER for Social Justice Marketing and Advocacy Toolkit. The toolkit will offer ready-to-use, customizable materials that faculty, students, and staff can use to promote and sustain OER adoption.

These resources aren’t one-size-fits-all. They’re designed with California’s diverse institutions in mind. The toolkit includes:

A Faculty Promotion Kit to support faculty in advocating for their adoption, adaptation, and creation of OER
An Awareness and Engagement Kit to engage students and faculty in OER adoption through interactive and visually compelling materials.

Everything will be adaptable. Institutions can contextualize materials to reflect their mission, values, and student populations.

Co-Created with Students, Built for Community

What sets this project apart is its emphasis on collaboration. Students will play a key role in shaping the toolkit by supporting graphic design and video storytelling, among other roles. LMU’s approach shifts away from top-down advocacy models, instead centering student creativity and voice.

This hands-on, participatory model reflects the values at the heart of OER: access, agency, and shared ownership. “We’re not just promoting OER, we’re building infrastructure that supports it long-term,” said Cailyn Nagle, Senior Program Manager for OER at Michelson 20MM. “This toolkit will give faculty and students what they need to keep the movement going, together.”

Designed for Impact and Built to Last

The project will pilot with LMU’s existing OER faculty teams and then scale through partnerships with the Southern California Electronic Library Consortium (SCELC). Materials will be housed in the OER for Social Justice Handbook and made freely available for adaptation. At the same time, trainings and workshops across the state will help campus leaders use the toolkit in real time. LMU’s efforts will foster professional development, peer support, and new collaborations.

By investing in visibility, this project helps institutions recognize and reward OER work. It supports faculty who want to integrate OER into tenure conversations and gives students the tools to become advocates on their own campuses. Most importantly, it ensures that OER continues to grow not just as a set of resources, but as a movement rooted in equity, inclusion, and shared success.

About Michelson 20MM Foundation

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.

Addressing Housing Insecurity in Higher Education: Evidence from the CFRR Study

Understanding Efforts to Address College Student Homelessness: Findings from the Evaluation of the College Focused Rapid Rehousing Program

By Dr. Queena Hoang

Graduation rates have increased across California public colleges, yet racial disparities among students still persist. Structural inequities leave students of color and other marginalized groups more affected by basic needs insecurity. Studies, research, and practice have proven that college students do experience homelessness. Homelessness among students isn’t always visible, it is often experienced in hidden or unstable way. Defined as lacking fixed, regular, and adequate housing, homelessness affects 1:4 California Community College (CCC) students and 1:10 California University Students (CSU) students. Sadly, over 1.5 million students nationwide face this reality.

It’s really important to understand that students in college do experience homelessness, [and] it’s important to say that out loud… I think it’s still not clear to everyone that students are going to college and sometimes lack a fixed, regular and adequate place to stay… For many students, that does mean they’re living in spaces that are not meant for human habitation, or they’re moving from place to place. -Dr. Rashida Crutchfield, California State University, Long Beach, Center for Equitable Higher Education

Recently, Dr. Crutchfield and Jessica Wolin shared findings from a three-year evaluation of the College Focused Rapid Rehousing (CFRR) strategy. During Addressing Student Homelessness: Findings From the College Focused Rapid Rehousing Program, presenters emphasized the importance of addressing the housing crisis among California college students. Following the presentation, a panel of experts offered insights, recommendations, and best practices.

What Is College Focused Rapid Rehousing?

Jovenes Inc first developed the College focused Rapid Rehousing model in Southern California. Program leaders envision CFRR as a way to meet the needs of students experiencing homelessness. CFRR also helps students who are not well served by campus short term assistance and require longer term, holistic support.

The key to CFRR is that it is grounded in a campus community partnership. Wendy Rubio, Senior Director at Lutheran Social Services of Southern California, Long Beach shared, “The collaboration that we had between Cal State Long Beach and Lutheran Social Services of Southern California really demonstrated how valuable such partnerships can be, especially when there is a shared vision, when there’s open communication and there’s that mutual respect.” Such partnerships leverage the strengths of both the academic institution and a community housing organization that know how to effectively serve people experiencing homelessness. The goal of CFRR is that students will achieve positive outcomes in the areas of academics, housing stability, financial security, physical and emotional well being.

Impacts of CFRR

Between 2020 – 2024, the program housed 639 students. The three-year study had a number of notable impacts on students including:

CFRR participants enrolled at CSUs reported significantly higher probability of staying in school and graduating than students who received short term assistance.
Participation in the program mitigated strain and distraction due to housing insecurity. We saw that students had higher levels of confidence in their ability to manage work and their lives.
CFRR participants experienced significant improvements in their mental health. They reported a notable decrease in their overall stress and feeling more confident in being able to handle personal problems.
Students reported that they were better able to ensure that they received a nutritious diet and were able to cook for themselves more nutritious foods because they actually had a place to live.

By providing this holistic approach, coordinated efforts between the colleges and the community based organization not only provide the housing stability for the student, but also creates a supportive environment that helps the student to achieve their academic success, wellbeing, and ultimately addresses the students’ homelessness situation. -Wendy Rubio

To learn more about the impact of CFRR, visit the CFRR webpage and read the report.

About Michelson 20MM Foundation

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.

Student Leaders Driving Change: Introducing the 2025 Michelson 20MM Fellows

Student Leaders Driving Change: Introducing Our 2025 Michelson 20MM Fellows

Four students across each system of public education in California are joining the Michelson 20MM Foundation to hone their advocacy skills and advocate for a better future. Over the next 10 months, students will lead projects in our four program areas—Student Basic Needs, Smart Justice, Textbook Affordability, and Digital Equity—with the guidance from Michelson 20MM experts. Students play a pivotal role in advocating for education equity and a better future for all, we are excited to partner with them and continue building student power across California.

Please join us in welcoming this year’s group of change makers: the 2025 Michelson 20MM Student Fellowship Cohort!

Ria Babaria

Textbook Affordability Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles

Ria Babaria (she/her) is a second-year student at UCLA majoring in Public Affairs. From Riverside, California, Ria focuses on education policy that expands mental health, financial support, and civic participation for marginalized youth. Her work is grounded in the belief that education should be a right, not a privilege.

Ria’s journey into student leadership began with a fundamental belief that education should be a tool for liberation, not a gatekeeping structure that deepens inequality. In high school, she saw how access to education, mental health, and financial stability shaped the trajectories of her peers. What started as a passion quickly became purpose. Since then, Ria has written over five pieces of legislation and co-sponsored over 50 in the California State Legislature in line with her passions. At UCLA, Ria researches assistant school violence, exclusionary discipline, and restorative justice policies in Michigan.

In all settings Ria consistently focuses on access, dignity, and structural transformation. She views youth leadership not as a symbolic gesture, but as an essential mechanism for reimagining systems that were not built to serve everyone equally.

For Ria, textbook affordability is a critical yet often overlooked barrier to student success. She understands that after paying tuition, many low-income and first-generation students can’t afford required materials. In a state like California, where public higher education is meant to be a public good, we must remove cost barriers that block full student participation.

Through the fellowship, Ria hopes to connect with a network of student leaders committed to advancing equity and affordability in higher education. She is particularly interested in collaborating on textbook policy reform throughout California, including eliminating automatic textbook charges, advocating for campus stipends, and revising UC-wide policies that affect affordability.

Ria plans to pursue a J.D. or Master’s in Public Policy to continue her work at the intersection of legal advocacy and education reform. Her long-term goal is to transform how schools respond to gender-based violence, mental health crises, and systemic inequality. She hopes to create accessible legal and policy training for youth impacted by violence and institutional neglect. This will ensure that those most affected by broken systems are not only heard, but equipped to lead change.

Andrea Lara Jara

Student Basic Needs Fellow; Cal Poly Humboldt and Moreno Valley College

Andrea Lara Jara (she/her) is a social work student at Cal Poly Humboldt, where she focuses on decolonizing social work practices to better support historically marginalized communities. She is passionate about storytelling and the many ways it can advocate, heal, compel, and liberate people.

Andrea started as a peer facilitator for the student-parent support group and worked in the CalWORKs office at Moreno Valley College. She aimed to build a parenting student community through weekly discussions, live events, and virtual presentations. As she connected with fellow students, it sparked a deeper question: Were parenting students included in shaping the systems meant to help them? That curiosity led her to Project SPARC (Student Parents Are Reimagining CalWORKs). As a SPARC Leader, she collaborated with peers to meet with campus leadership and policy makers on bureaucratic barriers. It was through this work that she realized meaningful solutions must be developed with, not for, communities.

Andrea believes student basic needs are a key measure of current policy effectiveness. When students struggle to meet basic needs, it reflects policy failures rather than personal shortcomings. As the Basic Needs Student Fellow, Andrea hopes to uplift the lived experiences of students and contribute to building systems that reflect their realities. She is particularly interested in supporting policy conversations by staying grounded in the experiences of those navigating these systems firsthand.

Andrea plans to pursue a dual Master of Social Work (MSW) and Juris Doctor (JD) degree to continue supporting policies that center dignity and care. By amplifying lived experiences, she hopes to advance equity one story at a time.

Chloe Serrano

Smart Justice Fellow; University of California, Los Angeles

Chloe is a rising senior at the University of California, Los Angeles, studying Asian American Studies and Public Affairs. She was born and raised in Buena Park, CA, and is a proud, unapologetic Korean Filipina. Chloe benefited from grants, aid, and community college; now, she works to preserve those resources for future students.

Chloe is passionate about workers’ rights, reproductive justice, and incarceration reform. She recalls a radicalizing moment in junior high school when she began fearing gun violence while going to school. That fear drove her to organize her community against state-sanctioned violence. Since then, she has been involved in her community as a community development grant commissioner to make sure her city supports marginalized communities’ financial needs. Chloe served as a student trustee for her community college district, and advocated for policy change on a local and state level through several fellowship programs.

She sees education, employment, housing, and civic participation as essential for long-term stability and equity for justice-impacted individuals. With the fellowship, she hopes to sharpen her advocacy skills, better understand the needs of the justice impacted community, and create an outsized impact.

Chloe aspires to pursue a career in law and policy. In that vein, she will pursue a Juris Degree post graduation. Chloe believes in “Isang Bagsak,” which means “one down” in Filipino, and plans to dedicate her career to uplifting her community.

Yvonne Su

Digital Equity Fellow; Coastline Community College

Yvonne Su (she/her/hers) is a second-year student at Coastline College, where she is studying math and data analytics. Born in Taiwan, Yvonne moved to the U.S. with her family at the age of 10 and grew up in Irvine, California. She earned her Global Studies degree from UCLA, taught in K-12 public schools, then returned to school to transition into data/technology.

Yvonne’s journey as a student leader began at Coastline College, where she serves as treasurer of associated student government. She is passionate about supporting non-traditional students in community college, such as parents, seniors, English learners, and dually enrolled high school students. Yvonne helped the student government build a student-centered budget and revise scholarship criteria to reflect more diverse demographics. Outside of school, she is also interested in AAPI advocacy and civic engagement.

Yvonne has been a beneficiary of digital equity programs and recognizes that many students have the same needs to fill the digital equity gap in their lives. She believes programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program help meet those needs. In the future, Yvonne aspires to build coalitions with schools, government agencies, and organizations who are working on digital equity to amplify the importance and assess the functionality of these programs. Her goal is to work in civic technology, making government services easier to use for everyone. She also hopes to study applied math/computer science in graduate school.

As these four remarkable students begin their fellowships, they bring not only deep personal insight but also a shared commitment to advancing equity in higher education. Their lived experiences and bold ideas will shape meaningful change across California’s public education systems. We’re honored to help them challenge inequities, reimagine what’s possible, and build a more just and inclusive future for all.

About Michelson 20MM

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.

Irvine Valley College: Investigating a More Student Centric Approach to ZTC

Irvine Valley College (IVC) wants to improve how students find, navigate, and complete Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) Degrees through a Michelson Spark Grant. IVC is investigating the best way to design a system centered on the student experience. The goal is to make ZTC pathways user-friendly, easy to identify, accessible, and practical.

Centering Students in ZTC Innovation

IVC is asking: How are students being directed to these resources? Are the instructions clear, and can a student realistically navigate and access what the institution claims to offer?

“Everyone wants ZTC degrees to benefit students, but learning how to maximize those benefits is going to take research and hard work,” said Cailyn Nagle, OER Senior Program Manager at Michelson 20MM. “This project will offer insights for colleges statewide that are building ZTC Degrees.” The study will identify what students need to access and complete ZTC pathways. It will also analyze how ZTC options are presented online and which tools students find most helpful.

The Role of Students in the Research

IVC will engage students as research partners throughout the project. Using a tiered model, students will lead focus groups, administer survey collection, analyze data, co-author findings, and present results at statewide conferences. The project offers participation options ranging from one-time involvement to full-semester engagement.

Delivering Actionable Research and Resources

The research will produce a detailed report with student-driven findings and recommendations. It will include a preliminary plan to build a student-friendly ZTC Degree interface. Additionally, the project will develop materials that can be shared widely. These outputs will guide IVC’s future ZTC planning and support similar efforts at other colleges.

Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

IVC serves a diverse student body, including many first-generation and working students. The project reflects their commitment to equity by embedding student perspectives throughout the research process. It encourages ZTC pathways that are clear, current, and centered on what students actually need.

Looking Ahead: A Scalable Model for ZTC Degrees

The Michelson Spark Grant will support research during the academic year. After that, IVC will share its findings broadly across California’s community college system. The project aims to document what works in ZTC implementation and why. IVC hopes to help shape a future where all students earn degrees without costly textbooks. Ultimately, they will influence how colleges design, communicate, and operationalize ZTC pathways to benefit.

About the Michelson 20MM Foundation

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.

Building Digital Equity in California: Spotlight on the 2025 Spark Community Advisors

California’s digital divide continues to harm historically underserved communities. In 2025, we’re sharpening our Spark Grants focus to support community-driven efforts that advance digital equity across the state. The following focus areas reflect this commitment and guide our work.

2025 Digital Equity Focus Area

Policy Advocacy and Civic Engagement to Achieve Broadband for All: Efforts that increase civic participation in digital equity policy-making and regulatory processes at the local, regional, or state-level.
Digital Equity as a Social Determinant of Health: Efforts that address digital inequity through its impact as a social determinant of health. Specifically, we are seeking projects that are scalable across the state.
Internet Access as a Civil Right: Eliminating digital discrimination efforts that help address the impact that low-quality and/or unaffordable Internet has in areas that may superficially appear to have Internet access. The projects should provide tools to combat digital discrimination and to promote equitable access to broadband throughout California. By focusing on the role of race in the historical causes of digital inequity, we seek to grow awareness and uplift the voices and needs of underserved communities that have been deliberately excluded from connectivity by systematic redlining and disinvestment.

Meet the Spark Community Advisors

To help shape our approach, we’ve partnered with leaders who bring deep experience in digital equity, policy, and advocacy. The 2025 Spark Community Advisors represent diverse voices from across California. Their work reflects the very goals we seek to promote: systems change, community engagement, and equitable access for all.

Natalie González

Deputy Director Digital Equity Initiative, California Community Foundation

Natalie Gonzalez is the Deputy Director of the California Community Foundation’s (CCF’s) Digital Equity Initiative. The Initiative is a multi-year project that will seed a digital equity movement in Los Angeles County with the power and capacity to successfully advocate for fast, reliable, and affordable broadband for all. Prior to working in the digital equity space, Gonzalez worked within the Public Policy and Civic Engagement department at CCF, supporting strategic partnerships, advocacy, local, and state initiatives, and the COVID-19 Community Health Project.

With over eight years in the nonprofit sector, Gonzalez served as Director of Engagement at Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley (BGCGCV). In that role, she provided support to youth development programs and services throughout Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Gonzalez helped establish nationally recognized programs that promote youth empowerment, civic engagement, and leadership among under-resourced communities. Recently, she supported a county-wide initiative to mobilize young voters and increase voter turnout through grassroots organizing and social media activations. Gonzalez received her B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Merced.

Arturo Juarez

Policy Advisor, NextGen Policy

Arturo Juarez oversees the on-the-ground implementation of NextGen’s Connect Corps pilot program and helps lead their broadband and digital equity policy portfolio. His work includes program design and set up, the training and management of digital navigators, and leading a broadband policy portfolio focused on universal access, affordability, equity, and literacy and navigation.

Arturo started his career in the private sector. He worked for a multinational investment and financial services company, where he managed a $500 million investment portfolio. In the nonprofit sector, he has held roles in advocacy, fundraising, and partnership development. Prior to joining the NextGen Policy team, Arturo worked for the Biden/Harris Presidential Campaign as a Regional Director helping to get out the vote in several battleground states during the 2020 election.

Miguel Angel Segura

Director of External Relations, Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE)

Miguel Ángel Segura (MÁS) holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Political Science and Chicano/a Studies at California State University, Northridge, and Masters in Education from Loyola Marymount. After supporting the presidential campaigns for 2020, he joined the staff of US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on a special effort to assess the impacts of COVID-19 on schools, colleges, and universities. Miguel then served as an Advance Associate for the Office of the Vice President Kamala Harris.

Prior to his national focus, Miguel taught in Pico-Union and South Los Angeles. He also supported the LAUSD Board of Education. His focus on advocacy began early in his career when Miguel worked for a parent advocacy organization to support parents of English-learners, students with disabilities, and immigrant families. He also worked for the State Assembly and Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign

As California continues to close the digital divide, community guidance, insight, and wisdom will remain central to our approach. The 2025 focus areas and Spark Community Advisors reflect our shared commitment to advancing broadband as a civil right, a health need, and a tool for civic power. Together, we will continue to challenge systemic barriers and build lasting equity in every region of the state.

The Digital Equity Spark Grants funding cycle is currently open and will close on June 10, 2025. To learn more and submit a proposal, visit our website.

About Michelson 20MM

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.

Inside the ZTC Summit: Building Affordable Pathways in CCCs

By Cailyn Nagle and Marissa Martinez

Earlier this month, the Michelson 20MM Foundation joined faculty, administrators and researchers at the Zero-Textbook Cost (ZTC) Degree summit hosted by College of the Canyons. Over a hundred ZTC and OER practitioners gathered to learn about efforts to lower course material costs in California Community Colleges (CCC).

A Statewide Commitment to Affordability

In 2021, Governor Newsom allocated $115 million to fund the current ZTC Degree program, the largest single investment in course material affordability nationally. “ZTC Degrees” are degree programs composed entirely of courses that eliminate textbook costs by using high-quality, no-cost content, with an emphasis on OER. The program builds on a 2016 pilot that created 33 ZTC Degrees and Career Technical Education certificates at 23 CCCs, saving students $7 for every $1 invested.

Celebrating Progress and Looking Ahead

The morning kicked off with welcoming remarks from Hildegarde B. Aguinaldo, president of the CCC Board of Governors, and David Andrus, interim president of the College of the Canyons.

Following the welcome, the Office of the Chancellor’s update provided a lot of news worth celebrating! They shared that the program has successfully allocated the majority of their funding and that 379 ZTC pathways will be available across the system by this fall’s term. The positive impact this has on accessibility across the system will be immediately felt by students. These programs will launch this fall, with even more ZTC degrees under development. After hearing such inspiring progress, the event split into breakout sessions on topics like AI in OER, ZTC and general education, and OER and ZTC Advocacy.

Left to right: Chad Funk, Cailyn Nagle, Marissa Martinez, and James Glapa-Grossklag at the ZTC Summit

“Effective Approaches to Engaging Students in OER/ZTC Efforts,” a session led by Marissa, was filled with campus faculty, librarians, and administrators. They were eager to learn more about how they could best engage students to support OER and ZTC advocacy. The presentation encouraged participants to use an advocacy framework when thinking about ways to partner with students for their OER projects.

Each session group discussed their project goals, strategies, and tactics to understand where students can most effectively support their OER and ZTC efforts. Participants learned about some of the tactics student-leadership can use to further the goals of their campaigns like writing resolutions or hosting on-campus events. By the end of the sessions, attendees were left with a campus-specific OER/ZTC advocacy strategy, a strategic understanding of the role students play as partners in the work, and the tactics students can use to push the needle forward on OER adoption and ZTC degree implementation.

Faculty Leadership and Systemwide Momentum

Michelle Pilati, Psychology Professor at RioHondo College and Project Director of the Academic Senate’s Open Educational Resource Initiative (OERI), led the keynote session. She outlined the fantastic work faculty have done across the state, from curating OER collections to supporting OER liaisons across colleges. OERI plans to continue supporting OER development, cross-discipline sessions, and provide professional development opportunities for CCC educators. They will also continue to advocate for and support the implementation of open course materials across the system for at least another decade.

Innovative Tools and Local Success Stories

The day wrapped up with individual colleges digging into their local success stories, projects, and research, including Michelson 20MM Spark Grant recipients from Chabot College. Colleges like Coalinga, Diablo Valley, Leemore, and Mira Costa Colleges shared more about the strategies they have taken locally to build successful ZTC programs. This includes focusing on full-time faculty outreach as a point of programmatic sustainability to evaluating the negative impacts high textbook costs have on students.

Chabot College gave an in-depth preview of the interactive data dashboard built over the last year. Nine colleges are currently piloting the dashboard, which helps ZTC programs to identify gaps in their pathways, track impacts on students, and more. The room was buzzing with excitement as Dr. Alexander Karan, who played a large role in building the system, gave a tour of the program. It’s rare to get “oohs and aahs” from an audience looking at graphs, but the Chabot team certainly earned and received them.

A Call to Keep Building

It is not easy to build something as large, interconnected, and visionary as Zero Textbook Cost Degrees, but educators across California are doing just that. Librarians, administrators, instructors, researchers and others will continue the hard work of lowering costs for students and increasing access to course materials. The State of California must rally behind those who are rolling up their sleeves to support students throughout this system and beyond. We must support those who are building a higher education system that reflects the equity and opportunity our state deserves.

About the Michelson 20MM Foundation

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.

Hungry for Help: How Food Insecurity Affects College Students’ Mental Health

By Dr. Queena Hoang

May marks Mental Health Awareness Month and CalFresh Awareness Month. It is a chance to examine how food insecurity and mental well-being are intertwined, especially for college students.

College brings growth and opportunity, but also significant financial and emotional stress for many students. Tuition, housing, books, and other costs leave students without enough money for food. Financial stress harms academic performance, as noted in the Trellis Strategies Student Financial Wellness Survey, and student mental health. Dr. Sara Abelson, Assistant Professor in the Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine and Senior Director of Education and Training at The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs, shares: “Mental health and mental health care are basic needs that should be a right, not a privilege for all students. Mental health is also deeply impacted by secure access to other basic needs such as food. The Hope Center is dedicated to helping colleges, states, and decision-makers shift from focusing exclusively on strategies to ‘fix’ or treat students and instead transform systems to meet their needs and prevent mental health problems from developing in the first place.”

A recent study of 91 colleges and thousands of students by the Hope Center found:

Over 40% of college students reported experiencing food insecurity.
44% of students had clinically significant symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.
Among students experiencing anxiety or depression, 71% were also experiencing basic needs insecurity related to food and/or housing.
57% who had previously stopped out (stopped attending college without completing a credential and subsequently re-enrolled) did so because of mental health issues.

Hunger is more than skipping meals. It’s about the constant mental strain of wondering where your next meal will come.

The Emotional Weight of Hunger

Without reliable access to nutritious food, student mental health declines. Food insecurity increases rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts in students. Hunger and financial instability make it harder to focus, retain information, or feel engaged on campus. “Food insecurity is a silent mental health crisis on college campuses,” says Dr. Zainab Okolo, Senior Vice President of Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations at The Jed Foundation. “When students are worrying about where their next meal is coming from, it’s nearly impossible for them to focus, feel safe, or thrive academically. Addressing basic needs like food is not only foundational to supporting student mental health, it is a clear and measurable retention strategy.”

Students juggling school, jobs, and social pressures often feel overwhelmed. Hunger or the guilt of asking for help can push students to a breaking point. Many suffer in silence, unaware that hunger is causing their mental fog, irritability, and burnout.

The Stigma Barrier

Stigma keeps many students from using the resources that exist. Students often feel ashamed or fear judgment for using food assistance programs. Some don’t know they qualify for programs like CalFresh, California’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

CalFresh provides monthly grocery money to eligible students—including those who work, receive work-study, are enrolled in certain programs, or meet income guidelines. Awareness and participation, however, remain low among college populations. Nationally, the Hope Center found that 51% of students with basic needs insecurity did not receive public benefits. In 2019, only 26% of eligible community college students used CalFresh, according to the California Policy Lab. That is compared to 22% of UC undergraduate students and 27% of UC graduate students. Consequently, approximately 100,600 students received CalFresh benefits, while an estimated 297,400 eligible students missed out on benefits, based on the California Policy Lab’s research.

Breaking the Cycle

Fixing food insecurity on campus is more than a hunger issue—it’s a mental health imperative. Access to food improves emotional regulation, academic performance, and overall well-being. Campuses should promote CalFresh, expand food pantries, and normalize conversations about basic needs.

During this month of awareness, let’s acknowledge that you can’t study well if you’re hungry. You also can’t feel mentally well if your basic needs aren’t met. Students should know that seeking help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a step toward thriving.

If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. Reach out to your campus health center, basic needs office, or student support services to learn more about resources. Mental health and nutrition go hand in hand, and you deserve support for both.

About the Michelson 20MM Foundation

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.