The Women in Power Spaces (WiPS) Initiative advances social justice and gender equity by addressing the systemic and persistent barriers that female-identifying people face.

Welcome to the inaugural issue of the WiPS newsletter, a monthly compilation of resources that covers all things related to gender equity and feminist education. I hope this newsletter also serves as an opportunity to make new connections with each other.

The Women in Power Spaces (WiPS) Initiative was launched in 2025 by the North Orange County Community College District to foster a safe learning, research, and leadership community which leverages intersectional power spaces to advance gender equity and social justice at the local, state, and national levels. In under a year, our program has grown threefold, connecting people across California with inspiring, like-minded women warriors.

According to the World Economic Forum, it will take 123 years to achieve global parity in economic participation, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.

Women are still fighting for every inch of progress!

Please save the date for the 2nd Annual WiPS Convening to be held Thursday, September 17, 2026 in Fullerton, CA. The theme this year is “Mind the Gaps."

We’ll be examining how women can bridge the gaps between where we are and where we want to be. Topics will include:

More information will be released soon on our website.

Sincerely,
Kai Stearns Davis, Leadership Committee Chair

We are seeking partnerships for the annual convening event this fall!

The Stronger California Advocates Network, a coalition of 70 nonprofit and advocacy organizations chaired by Equal Rights Advocates, announced its 2026 legislative agenda responding to federal civil rights attacks and addressing the most pressing needs of California women, workers, and families.

As part of his 2026-27 budget proposal, Governor Gavin Newsom today released a budget trailer bill proposal to support the inclusion of expanded perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal health care in the state.

This bill would authorize an employer to seek a workplace violence restraining order on behalf of a reasonably identifiable group or class of employees if a credible threat of violence is generally directed at the employer’s workplace or at the employer’s employees

Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 106 by Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), granting $90 million in one-time emergency funds for Planned Parenthood and other clinics providing reproductive health care services.

The Global Gender Gap Index annually benchmarks the current state and evolution of gender parity across four key dimensions (subindexes): Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment. Since launching in 2006, it is the longest-standing index tracking the progress of numerous countries’ efforts towards closing these gaps over time.

Data within this report provides essential context regarding who the women and girls are within Orange County (OC) and offers meaningful insight into their lived experiences. Drawing from publicly available and reliable data sources, the report presents data that can be utilized to explore the condition and well-being of women and girls across the county. 

We would love to feature your experiences and social media on the next newsletter.

Send in your letter to publicaffairs@nocccd.edu to share your story with other women and allies in the WiPS community.