With basic needs still unmet for many native communities, access to clean water and electricity are top of mind for Bidtah Becker, CalEPA Deputy Secretary for Environmental Justice, Tribal Affairs and Border Relations.
Recently nominated for the position, Becker sat down with SVLG’s Vice President of Environmental Policy, Mary Holing, sharing insights about the CalEPA’s environmental justice goals on energy and climate policy. In one of her first appearances since stepping into the role, she candidly discussed key issues that impact Native American tribes in California including safe drinking water, access to the power grid, land management, language preservation, education and air quality.
Becker fielded questions from SVLG members representing educational institutions, the solar industry, and more, elucidating native communities’ needs and highlighting opportunities for collaboration. As she tackled each issue, Becker emphasized the uniqueness of each tribe.
Smart, savvy policy experts gathered together at SVLG’s roundtable titled Politics Inside the Lines: Redistricting 2022 on February 24 to offer meaningful insights about how an independent redistricting commission has shaken up California politics, in their opinion for the better.
Looking to buy a home in the Bay Area? You’ll need a household income of about $235,000 to afford the median home price of $1.2 million — and that’s if you can find a seller who will take your money. Whether it’s the climate, the innovative atmosphere, or the world-class tech ecosystem, people want to be here, and Bay Area housing prices continue to skyrocket.
With many left out of the market or enduring long commutes to less expensive areas as a result, local leaders are working together to increase the housing supply and make the Bay Area more affordable for all.
The League of California Cities Peninsula Division, city officials, and business leaders from the Silicon Valley Leadership Group came together to discuss the future of housing in the Bay Area at Housing in Your City, an online SVLG event on January 26.
SAN JOSE, CA (January 20, 2022) — A new coalition of more than 25 business associations throughout California have collectively engaged with federal legislators to reveal how a slate of proposed antitrust bills in Congress would harm consumers, small businesses and entrepreneurs.
SAN JOSÉ, CA (January 10, 2022) —Ahmad Thomas, CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, issued the following statement today in response to the release of Governor Newsom’s proposed budget for FY 2022-23:“As California enters the third year of an unprecedented global pandemic, we thank Governor Newsom for proposing a budget designed to tackle existing challenges and provide a strong framework for growth and renewal.Silicon Valley remains the best place on Earth for innovation, yet our region’s value proposition is vulnerable to the challenges of the pandemic, shifting dynamics tied to a remote or hybrid workforce, climate impacts, and the ever-rising cost of living.Our record-breaking budget surplus makes this an ideal time to fuel growth by investing in our state and enacting policies that safeguard our innovation infrastructure, providing an opportunity to create shared value for all Californians.It remains vital that we focus on ensuring our state remains a competitive place to do business. We strongly support the Governor’s proposal to restore the critical business tax credits and net operating loss deductions that were previously suspended and capped under AB 85 (2020).Much work remains to be done as the problems that face our state are complex and solutions must be ambitious. SVLG’s outstanding budget and policy priorities go to the heart of improving the economic and quality of life of not just our region, but all of California. To this end, SVLG and its world-leading member companies are poised to work with the Governor in order to lay a strong foundation for the future, one that increases equity and earnestly addresses the challenges that face our state.”
WASHINGTON, DC (Dec. 2, 2021)—UNCF – the nation’s most effective minority education organization – and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) – California’s most dynamic business association, representing more than 350 leading companies in Silicon Valley – today announced a partnership and initiative that will connect HBCU students to internship and career opportunities within the Silicon Valley tech companies, and address longstanding tech-workforce diversity issues.
SAN JOSÉ, CA (December 1, 2021) — Federal officials from the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services will join an important conversation around mental health challenges among the nation’s youth stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation comes on the heels of a recent report issued by SVLG examining how Bay Area schools are addressing the underlying stressors and concerns facing local youth during the pandemic. The summit will also include an important announcement around establishing new career pathways between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Silicon Valley’s innovation ecosystem.
San Jose, CA (Nov. 30, 2021) — The Silicon Valley Leadership Group today unveiled its new Launch Circuit Initiative, a startup support network in which a dynamic and diverse selection of founders will gain access to training, networks, events, access to capital, and mentoring curated to propel them toward success. SVLG CEO Ahmad Thomas emphasized the importance of supporting entrepreneurs in a highly competitive business environment.
As we near the end of 2021, we are celebrating a year of legislative wins for our members and our region. Our policy work on behalf of our members embodies the overarching values and principles of our community, which include accountability, equity, inclusion, and environmental stewardship. We are working hard to reinvest in our community and its livability, to ensure that we continue to attract and retain the world’s best tech talent. As part of our efforts to foster business competitiveness and create shared value together, we engaged on a significant number of bills during the 2021 Legislative Session in Sacramento. We supported many measures that were ultimately signed by the Governor, and we helped to shape policy discussions around proposed legislation that could have curtailed innovation. Here are some examples of our work on behalf of our members in 2021.
SAN JOSÉ, CA (November 19, 2021) — Leading diverse chief executives Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President of Ariel Investments, and Enrique Lores, President and CEO of HP Inc., today urged their peers in Silicon Valley to establish clear, measurable and accountable business goals to drive the overdue progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Their comments were offered earlier today during the Innovating Equity Summit, hosted by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and sponsored by Genentech, the San Francisco 49ers and Blue Shield of California.
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