Blue Shield of California Foundation

As we enter the new year, we’re honored to amplify the voice of one of our own, Carolina Morales, MSW, our breaking the cycle program officer. In California Health Report, Carolina bravely shares the power of healing and her personal journey as a queer Latina immigrant and survivor of domestic violence. Her story is one of resilience, courage and unwavering dedication to creating a future where survivors find healing—and those who’ve caused harm have the tools and support to truly change.    Carolina’s passion for restorative justice shines through as she connects this transformative strategy to the spirit of the holidays. She reminds us that accountability and healing can go hand in hand, which can foster opportunities for families to rebuild relationships and spend meaningful time together in ways that are safe and healthy. https://lnkd.in/gr6qQNrA

From "researching about communities" to "researching with communities." Community researchers bring a distinctive perspective to the work they do. They’re part of the communities they study, which means they can foster trust and openness in ways traditional researchers often can’t. We have some important key takeaways from our journey to support more community researchers, such as creating space to lead authentically, the value of mentorship and capacity building, and the importance of incorporating lived expertise in data collection. We're inspired to see many foundations and non-profits embrace community-driven research and we’re excited to continue to support this work and learn from others.  https://lnkd.in/gWXDh_U8

A wonderful message from our good friend Carolyn Wang Kong! Thank you for your leadership and all you have done to support the AANHPI community. We'll be cheering you on as you embark on your next chapter!

This year, we made a deliberate effort to understand more about our grantees' needs and how we can best support them beyond just grantmaking. Partnership has always been a core value at our foundation, and we're continuing to learn and discover how we can continue to live this value in a way that best supports our grantees. Apana Lei, Karen Ben-Moshe, and Lucia Corral Pena reflect on the key lessons we learned this year and what we'll carry forward in 2025 and beyond. https://lnkd.in/ggxvabkD

Congratulations to Raymond Baxter on his appointment as the new board chair for the CDC Foundation! With Ray's long, distinguished career in healthcare and public health, we know he'll serve as a great leader in this role.

Still have some last minute holiday shopping to do? You can shop with purpose this holiday season by supporting some of the amazing online shops run by our inspiring grantee partners. From handcrafted goods to meaningful merch, every purchase supports small businesses powered by passion. Check them out! Downtown Women's Center FreeFrom Homeboy Industries Small Business Majority

Are you working to support safe housing for survivors of domestic violence in California? The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence has launched a new tool to help you easily find resources and opportunities available. Join us on December 5 to learn how to make the most of this new resource! https://lnkd.in/gA5mnswm

During this holiday season, let's remember to appreciate those in our lives that we care for and those that care for us. Caregivers come in many forms. When paid care isn't an option, family members and friends step in, often providing thousands of hours of care at great personal cost—without any financial compensation. Despite this hardship, many family caregivers report that providing care gives them joy and purpose. Households with unpaid caregivers, whether on one or two incomes, often struggle with the rising cost of living. This has been the status quo for far too long, and it's time for change. We need to better support caregivers and those they care for. During National Family Caregiver Month, show some love for the family caregivers in your life. #NationalFamilyCaregiversMonth #Caregiver #CaregiverSupport

We were filled with joy on Sunday as we joined our grantee FreeFrom in Oakland to watch the premiere of their documentary SURVIVOR MADE. This new documentary follows the story of six strong women as they heal from domestic violence and pursue their business dreams. FreeFrom's Gifted market sells a variety of goods all made by survivors. In the film, we get to see inside Gifted and learn that it's so much more than a way to build economic security for survivors, but also a community, and a safe space filled with love and support. You can watch the documentary now at survivormadedoc.com.

I'm so thrilled I got to be a part of the Gender Equity Summit on Health and Safety, hosted by the Office of the First Partner and California Partners Project. Especially after the last few weeks, it was so moving to be together with a dedicated group of changemakers addressing gender equity issues in California. I appreciate the First Partner's leadership in this area and all the incredible speakers that brought vulnerability and strength with them yesterday. I'm happy I got to share a bit about Blue Shield of California Foundation's work to prevent domestic violence and I'm grateful for the space to connect with so many amazing leaders addressing gender equity from all angles. We've got our work to do, but I know we're all up for this challenge to continue to create a California where everyone is seen and can thrive. Thank you again to the First Partner and her team for having me, and to the many speakers throughout the day who inspired us all to keep moving this important work forward.