California Health Professional Student Alliance (CaHPSA) is the student arm of the California Physicians Alliance (CaPA). CaHPSA is dedicated to developing students' leadership and advocacy skills, empowering them to drive meaningful change in the healthcare system. Through grassroots advocacy efforts, educational initiatives, and community volunteering, CaHPSA champions the cause of ensuring comprehensive, high-quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare for all Californians. CaHPSA has been active at Berkeley for approximately 7 years and currently has around 85 active members. Our recruitment process includes an application, but we are open to accepting all students who demonstrate a strong commitment to our mission to increase healthcare accessibility. Our primary funding comes from the ASUC and fundraising efforts.

We are fundraising for Legislative Leadership Day (LLD), a CaHPSA organization-wide event in the Spring where CaHPSA chapters from across California travel to the capitol in Sacramento to lobby for healthcare-related bills in the legislative cycle. Each participating member works on preparing talking points and pamphlets throughout the year to support their lobbying efforts, and they will each interact with and discuss ideas with legislators at the capitol on the day of the event. The experience is a great way for members to practice their advocacy skills, network with legislators, and learn about the current state of California healthcare, all while making a tangible impact in improving and making healthcare more accessible for all.

This fundraiser will directly benefit the about 20 CaHPSA at Berkeley members that will attend the event, and will indirectly benefit the members from other CaHPSA chapters that also travel to Sacramento from across the state. By receiving funding through the travel grant, CaHPSA members will be able to directly talk to legislators at the capitol and push for healthcare legislation that will benefit countless Californians for years to come, a goal that is much more difficult to achieve without interacting with legislators in person.

Legislative Leadership Day promotes civic engagement, leadership, and collaboration. We thank you for your consideration in supporting our mission.

Best,

Jennifer Boulad and Sabeeka Qureshi

Co-Presidents, CaHPSA at Berkeley