October 15 marks the conclusion of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Over the past 30 days, DGS has taken time to celebrate the rich history of those of Hispanic heritage, and to recognize their many contributions to the State of California.

As a Chicana, I was both proud and humbled to see DGS celebrate something that is so deeply personal for me. I want to give a special thank you to our division of Enterprise Planning and InClusiveness (EPIC) for spearheading all the efforts surrounding this month.

With dreams of a brighter future, my parents immigrated from northern Mexico to California in the mid-1960s. They settled in Los Angeles, raised four children and started a small business that helped them invest in our education and create a solid foundation for the family. The strong bonds to culture and family reverberate in my generation and the next. I am proud to celebrate my Mexican roots, Chicana/o experience and personally recognize the important role that small business owners play in making our California economy thrive.

From the Mission system, to Mexican immigration to California, to farmworkers' labor struggles, to the Chicano Civil Rights movement, to the explosion of art and culture, California's history is inseparable from Hispanic heritage. I look forward to building on this year's success and making Hispanic Heritage Month an even greater success in fall of 2025.

DGS is proud to recognize Disability Employment Awareness Month this October, a time to uplift the many contributions by people with disabilities – visible and not visible – to our workplaces, economy, and communities. More than 7 million adults with disabilities call California home, and our state understands the important role they play in our prosperity and vibrancy.

Earlier this month, Governor Newsom proclaimed Disability Employment Awareness Month highlighting this year’s theme, “Access to Good Jobs for All,” which spotlights a commitment to providing all Californians with disabilities access to competitive, integrated employment opportunities. California has enacted laws to help state agencies identify, hire, and promote employees with disabilities to reach parity with the working age population; facilitate reasonable accommodations for state employees with disabilities; and end subminimum wages for workers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Employees with disabilities enrich their workplaces with their talents and perspectives. 

In honor of Disability Employment Awareness Month, we invite you to join DGS' California Commission on Disability Access and the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia for our Driving Progress – The ADA and the Evolution of Inclusion webinar that features a screening of the documentary "Inclusion: The Story of the Americans with Disabilities Act", followed by a live panel discussion with a few panelists from the film.

More information can be found in the Registration Link.

Sustainability Spotlight

Located in the Sacramento River District, the May Lee State Office Complex has achieved numerous innovative sustainability features and achieved LEED Gold certification. It is named after former DGS employee May Lee, the longest-serving state employee in California state history.

The May Lee State Office Complex leads the way in sustainability as one of the largest zero-net carbon facilities and boasts the most extensive all-electric kitchen in the country. The building has on-site and structured above-grade parking that hosts 90 EV charging stations with the capacity for more. Water from sinks and showers is recycled on-site, saving 5 million gallons of water annually (equivalent to nine Olympic-sized swimming pools).

DGS celebrated the grand opening of this new office complex April 2024.

The State Allocation Board is responsible for determining the allocation of state resources used for the construction, modernization and maintenance of local public school facilities.

Date: Wednesday Oct. 23, 2024 at 3 p.m. Meeting details will be posted in advance of the meeting and can be found on the Office of Public School Construction website.

To promote disability access in California through dialogue and collaboration with stakeholders including the disability and business community and all levels of government.

Full Commission Meeting Date: Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024

The meeting notice and agenda can also be found on the California Commission on Disability Access website. 

The California Building Standards Commission produces sensible and usable state building standards and administrative regulations that implement or enforce those standards. 

Date: Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024
The agenda and meeting details are forthcoming and can be found on the Building Standards Commission website.