Golden State Today

California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, in collaboration with the California Partners Project, hosted a Gender Equity Summit focused on women's health and safety. The event gathered thought leaders, advocates, and experts to discuss systemic changes and foster collaboration on issues affecting women's well-being.

Jennifer Siebel Newsom stated, "When women are safe and supported, we thrive—and so do our families and communities. Today’s Summit was about working collaboratively to create and uplift systems to ensure women’s health and safety. By bringing together diverse voices, we have the opportunity to catalyze meaningful action to create a more equitable future for women and their families."

Mental health was highlighted as a critical aspect of overall health. Discussions emphasized that investing in women's health and safety benefits families and communities significantly.

Participants explored topics such as trafficking, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women as a public health issue, Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence, toxic stress, intergenerational trauma, and involving male allies in preventing sexual assault and intimate partner violence.

Speakers at the summit included:

- Dr. Nicole Bush from the University of California San Francisco

- Debbie Chang from Blue Shield of California Foundation

- Molly Dickens from Maternal Stress Project

- Rachelle Ditmore from City of Refuge Sacramento

- Ashley Faison from Diamond Collective

- Maya Hardigan from Mae

- Virginia Hedrick from California Consortium for Urban Indian Health

- Eve Rodsky from Fair Play Policy Institute

- Cynthia A. Stuenkel from University of California San Diego

- Angie Wilson from Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center

The first Gender Equity Summit took place in 2023 with a focus on women's wealth, power, and opportunity.

Through initiatives like California for ALL Women, Siebel Newsom prioritizes addressing women's needs by advancing economic equity and representation while promoting a family-first agenda. Additionally, through California for ALL Kids, she supports policies that enhance children's mental and physical health.