Page 35 - CALIFORNIA WOMAN - SPRING EDITION 2024 - PDF Format

She started the Museum when her grandson Domini Hoskins had to do a paper for Black
History Month and said that he knew everything about Martin Luther King, Jr. and wanted to
know if there were other Black people who had done things. Hoskins favorite part of the muse-
um is the inventors’ area which had displays on what Blacks have invented including gas
masks, cash registers, refrigerators, fountain pens and many other things. She started running
out of space in her museum and needed funds for storage. One day California State Senator
Josh Becker called her and said he had a donation/grant for her. She thought he said $2,000,
but he corrected her and said the grant was for $2 million that he and Governor Newsom had
acquired for the museum. She was able to move the museum into a 22,000 square feet build-
ing across from the Redwood City Hall. There are more than 200 exhibits in the museum.

The Public Policy Conference started at 1:30 P.M. on
February 23rd and ended at 3:00 P.M. on February
24th. Public Policy Co-Chairs Rosemary Enzer and
Sally McMahon chaired the meeting.

Rosemary Enzer
Sally McMahon

Rachel Gonzalez Slides with participants on side
The first speaker was Rachel Gonzalez, Organizing Manager of the Brady Campaign to
Prevent Gun Violence, on Zoom. She said that 97 percent of American wanted expanded back-
ground checks on people purchasing guns. Gun violence costs the American economy $229 bil-
lion. In 76 percent of school shootings the guns are brought from home. After the assault ban
was allowed to lapse, there was an increase of 200 percent in gun deaths. She presented other
statistics, proposed bills and cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Gun deaths in California are
down due to the passage of 100 bills having to do with guns, who can have guns and gun stor-
age.

Elaine Sierra, BPW California North District Public Policy Chair, reported on CFBPW’s
participation in the California Work and Family Coalition. CFBPW was represented in their Lobby
Day and also worked to pass some bills including SB 616, which increased leave days from
three to five days, and SB 951, which increased wage replacement rates for lower wage earn-
ers under the state Paid Family Leave program (PFL) and State Disability Insurance (SDI) pro-
grams. Public Policy Co-Chair Rosemary talked about the work of Dr. Claudia Goldman, who
won the Nobel Prize in Economics solo. Goldman’s studies were on the pay gap – why women
earn less than men and women of color earn even less. Following this the Conference updated
a couple of policies having to do with endorsement of people running for County and City offic-
es. The only people CFBPW will endorse are those who support CFBPW’s Public Policy State-

ment.