On February 10, Chancellor Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson represented the Peralta Community College District at the California Higher Education Basic Needs Alliance (CHEBNA) Summit in Sacramento. This vital intersegmental convening, held in partnership between California Community Colleges and the CSU and UC systems, brought together over 800 leaders, practitioners, and students to focus on transforming how colleges address food & housing insecurity, mental health, and financial stability. The discussions centered on the "braiding" of holistic supports and the implementation of key legislation like the GAINS for Student Parents Act, all aimed at removing the structural barriers that disproportionately impact underserved students. Chancellor Gilkerson stated, "This summit reaffirmed that meeting basic needs is not just a secondary service, but a fundamental pillar of student success, ensuring that every student across our four colleges has the stability required to thrive academically and persist toward their degree."
Chancellor Gilkerson was also joined by a strong Peralta cohort, including Basic Needs Coordinators Izzie Villanueva, Katrina Santos, and Jeremy Simmons, and student leaders from BCC and Laney. Special shoutout to Izzie and the BCC student leaders on their presentation, “Going Viral: Publicizing and Destigmatizing Basic Needs via Social Media.”