From March 15 to 17, UNITE-LA's Ajay Lucas and Ashley Álvarez attended ACCESS D.C., hosted by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. This annual fly-in convenes business and civic leaders from the Los Angeles region to engage with federal policymakers to promote policies that will drive job creation and cultivate a thriving regional economy for all.

Álvarez also attended the California Early Care and Education Federal Advocacy Trip, hosted by our partners at the Child Care Resource Center (CCRC), an annual event that brings together early care and education providers and advocates from California for coordinated congressional engagement in Washington, D.C. Additionally, we joined the Caregiving Summit, an event focused on strengthening support systems for working families.

Across the three events attended, UNITE-LA elevated federal priorities with five federal congressional offices; six staff members at the U.S. Department of Education; and dozens of civic and business partners. UNITE-LA staff uplifted critical investments and policies across our cradle-through-career priorities, including early care and K-12 education, higher education, immigration and workforce development.

A highlight of the advocacy trip was sharing a letter UNITE-LA, along with 25 business organizations, directed to Sen. Alex Padilla and Sen. Adam Schiff, that showcased how UNITE-LA serves as a trusted intermediary between business and systems leaders. The letter urged lawmakers to reconsider funding to the Department of Homeland Security for immigration enforcement activities included in the still-debated appropriations bill.