February is a short month where we manage to squeeze in celebrations of history, leadership, and love.

This year, as we honor Black History Month, I am so proud to have Kamala Harris serving as our Vice President of the United States, and for the first time ever, we are honoring a Black woman on our nation's currency. For me, Vice President Harris and the glorious Maya Angelou have often been sources of inspiration and hope, and I know that will continue to be true for millions of others as well, now and in the future.

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As our state continues to navigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still many  lingering financial impacts weighing heavily on California families. Last year, my colleagues and I worked to pass legislation that provided rental relief for both tenants and landlords.

I am grateful we are able to continue to maximize federal funds, with $1 billion being made available to California to homeowners who may have been impacted as a result of the pandemic. The new California Mortgage Relief Program is now accepting applications. Homeowners who have fallen behind on their house payments due to the pandemic may be eligible for this financial assistance, with a maximum of $80,000 per home. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

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My District Office team and I take great care in reading the emails from District 39 constituents. So we thought one way great way to help share information about some of the more common questions would be to include some in this newsletter on occasion. Here, I'll share some of the questions I have received, with important updates on topics that may affect you and our community.

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February is the month we officially celebrate Black History Month – a time to pause, honor and recognize leaders and organizations that lift up and make a difference in our communities.

As I prepared to speak on the Senate floor last month in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, I thought about his work and the causes he lived for, the people he served, and the justice and equity he dreamt of for our nation, and the momentum we, as Californians, have right now – from building an equitable budget to legislation that advances criminal justice reform, civil rights, housing, child care, and health care. California took the bold step to enact AB 3121, legislation by former Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber, which created a reparations task force The task force has been hard at work for a year, and I look forward to their first report, which is due this summer.

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(Members of the Legislative Women's Caucus host a press briefing on the steps of the State Capitol on Jan. 20.)

This year marks the 49th anniversary of the landmark United States Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade, and also a year that may be a pivotal one in our nation's history.

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that a pregnant person's right to choose to have a safe and legal abortion was protected by their right to privacy under the 14^th amendment of the Constitution. Now, despite recent polls continually showing that a majority of Americans support this ruling, their rights are in jeopardy. Other states are enacting measures that restrict access to abortion care and a woman's ability to terminate a pregnancy without fear of legal retaliation or financial hardship. These draconian policies will not only disproportionately impact women living in rural areas, lower-income women and women of color, but they imperil our critical reproductive rights and have put the matter back in front of the Supreme Court.

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Nominate a Woman of the District!

Every March, the California Legislature honors some of the outstanding women who live and work in our communities. This year, in Senate District 39, we're trying something new and asking our community to share with us potential candidates to be honored as our Women of the Year. Please use this link to share your nominations. All we ask is that the nominees have a strong connection to the district, and a good track record of involvement in the community. Of course, we are also looking for nominees that help reflect the amazing diversity here in the 39th District as well of the wide array of business, education, non-profit, and community organizations we are proud to have here. Thanks—and I can't wait to read about all the amazing women you'll be sending our way!

Update on Rescued Sea Lion from 94 Highway

Many of us saw the news reports of the wayward sea lion that wandered onto the 94 highway in January and was rescued by the team from SeaWorld San Diego. I appreciate their swift work to help this adventuring animal, and asked if the team could update us on how the sea lion is doing.  Here's their report:

"The sea lion was spotted in the median on the 94 East highway in San Diego in early January. After receiving calls from CHP and freeway drivers, the SeaWorld San Diego Rescue Team deployed to the scene, rescued the animal and took it back to the SeaWorld San Diego Rescue Center for assessment. Exactly how he ended up on the highway is still unclear. The SeaWorld team rescued this sea lion before back in November along Harbor Island Drive near the San Diego Airport. After a week of care, the animal was healthy and was returned to the wild, however, this specific sea lion continued to appear in odd locations including on the Navy Base in Point Loma. The animal is still at our rescue facility and is active, eating well, and exhibiting normal behavior. The sea lion is eating about 12 pounds of fish a day and weighed in at a little under 200 lbs. SeaWorld veterinarians will continue to rehabilitate the sea lion and work with National Marine Fisheries Services."

Should a member of our local community ever need to report an animal in distress, contact the SeaWorld San Diego Rescue team at 1-800-541- SEAL (7325).

Celebrating North Park's New Mini Park

I was thrilled to help cut the ribbon and celebrate the opening of the new North Park Mini Park on January 16, alongside members of the community and elected leaders. This new public space was a vision the community had for nearly two decades, dating back to when I was on the City Council. The work that we did then on the historic theater and the neighboring parking garage was done with an overall hope to add public space and give it an urban feel. I'm grateful to the community leaders, including Angela Landsberg, executive director of the North Park Main Street business association, and City of San Diego staff who kept that vision going all these years.