BERKELEY

State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, has introduced new legislation to ensure that Californians will have access to free menstrual products in the workplace and in public buildings.

Under SB 59 — “Equity, Period” — all state-owned buildings and those that administer state services, along with state-funded hospitals, would provide free menstrual products in the buildings. The products would be available in women’s and all-gender restrooms and in at least one men’s restroom per building.

“We expect restrooms in public spaces to provide basic essentials for health and sanitation, but this expectation fails to recognize that more than half of our state’s population needs more than toilet paper and hand washing supplies,” said Skinner, who chairs the California Legislative Women’s Caucus. “The simple act of ensuring access to menstrual products respects an essential bodily function that has been shrouded in shame. Toilet paper is expected to be free and accessible to everyone in our public restrooms. Menstrual products should be treated the same.”

Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters and vice chair of the women’s caucus, is a principal co-author of SB 59. California has enacted budget and legislative policies to increase access to menstrual products, including ending the tax on these products and requiring that they be provided free of charge in the state Capitol building, at public schools serving grades six through 12, community colleges and the California State University system. In addition, the 2021 state budget allocated $2 million to support a free menstrual product-distribution pilot program in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.

— state Sen. Skinner’s office

SAN PABLO

Cultural arts academy wins award, will receive $50,000

Officials with the Lewis Prize for Music — a philanthropic music arts organization — are thrilled to announce that San Pablo’s own Los Cenzontles Cultural Arts Academy has been named one of organization’s 2023 Catalyst awardees and will receive $50,000 to further their work in empowering youth and their communities through music.

Founded in 2018 by philanthropist Daniel R. Lewis, the annual awards are part of the Lewis Prize for Music’s $20 million commitment over five years for creative youth development organizations across the country who are creating positive change through youth music programs.

By supporting these phenomenal organizations across the country, the organization hopes to inspire more partners to work together to ensure every young person can access transformative learning and creative experiences that empower them to thrive. For more details, visit loscenzontles.com and thelewisprize.org online.

— Lewis Prize for Music

ALBANY

Council reorganizes, names city’s new mayor, vice mayor

The Albany City Council reorganized itself during a special meeting Dec. 12. The council chose Aaron Tiedemann as the city’s mayor and John Anthony Miki as its vice mayor. The council’s regular meetings are at 7 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month. For more information, visit albanyca.org/government/city-council.

— city of Albany

BERKELEY

Help build community center for local unhoused youth

Sustainable Housing at California (SHAC) is an interdisciplinary team of UC Berkeley students working with Youth Spirit Artworks (YSA), a Berkeley-based nonprofit that provides art jobs and job training programs to unhoused youth to be an environmentally sustainable part of the solution to the Bay Area’s housing crisis.

SHAC is designing and building the Sustainability, Education and Arts Development (SEAD) Center that will anchor the expansion of YSA’s existing Tiny Home Empowerment Village for unhoused youth to house 20 to 30 additional local youth. Based on desires voiced by current Tiny Home Empowerment Village residents and input from industry experts, the SEAD Center will provide a venue for youth to study, socialize and receive professional development services while incorporating sustainable technologies and practices to reduce its environmental impact.

SHAC needs the public’s help to build the next Tiny House Empowerment Village and SEAD Center. Please support this project by donating or sharing SHAC’s GoFundMe campaign (gofund.me/7e838641) to help cover construction and material costs to bring critical housing and recreational space to unhoused youth in Oakland.

— SHAC

EL CERRITO

City’s minimum wage rising to $17.35 an hour on Jan. 1

Starting Jan. 1, the city’s minimum wage will increase from $16.37 per hour to $17.35 per hour. The city minimum wage standards require all employers to pay their employees no less than the minimum wage for all hours worked in the city of El Cerrito, regardless of where the business is headquartered (employees who work less than two hours a week within El Cerrito are exempt).

Each year, the wage will increase based on changes in the local Consumer Price Index. Employers and workers with questions about the El Cerrito minimum wage
ordinance can visit el-cerrito.org/wages or email wages@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us.

— city of El Cerrito

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