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September 2026 Community Events and Involvement

I am honored and humbled to have been inducted into the Bellarmine College Preparatory 2026 Hall of Fame, a recognition of my public service career. I am deeply grateful to Bellarmine, my Alma mater, for the education, friendships, values, and sense of purpose that helped shape the person and public servant I am today. Go Bells!

What a joyful achievement to have my bill, SB 1392 (Leno’s Law) signed by Governor Newsom in Jay Leno’s Garage! Jay Leno’s Law helps keep car culture alive by giving qualifying classic cars from model years 1976 through 1985 a new path forward under state smog rules. I am proud to see it signed! Thank you to the bill’s sponsors, Jay Leno and the Special Equipment Market Association, and to my co-author Senator Shannon Grove, for your support in bringing this bipartisan effort to the finish line.

It was a pleasure meeting with PACT: People Acting in Community Together for an important community discussion on housing and immigration. Investing in affordable housing and ensuring safety from immigrant detention facilities remain top priorities. Thank you PACT for bringing continued attention to these critical issues!

I enjoyed touring the new On Lok PACE Center in South San José. Thank you to the On Lok team and CEO Grace Li for your continued commitment to providing comprehensive care for older adults in our community.

What a privilege to visit the College of Adaptive Arts, a long-time community partner working to make higher education accessible to adults with disabilities! In 2023, I secured a $2.2 million state investment for the institution, and it is remarkable to see how far they’ve come! Thank you to founders, DeAnna Pursai and Pamela Lindsay, and to the entire CAA team for welcoming me.

Pattie and I were truly inspired by our visit to Bridle Up Hope San José, supported by the Rachel Covey Foundation. Thank you to Executive Director Rose Rubelcava-Stokes and the Bridle Up team, for your commitment to empowering women and girls through equestrian activities. Your work is building confidence and resilience for young women across our community!

What a pleasure to speak at the San Jose Behavioral Health 10th Anniversary Celebration! Congratulations to CEO Steve Vanderpoel and the entire SJBH team on a decade of delivering essential psychiatric services in the face of growing behavioral and interventional needs.

I had the pleasure of speaking at the San Jose State University Votes Festival on National Voter Registration Day, encouraging students to make their voices heard and helping grow the youth vote in upcoming elections. Thank you to SJSU President Cynthia Teniente Matson, Dr. Mary Currin-Percival, Director of SJSU’s Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, and the entire SJSU Votes team for hosting this important event. My team was proud to table and connect with students throughout the day!

I was proud to deliver remarks at the annual Champions for Change Gala, hosted by Working Partnerships USA! Congratulations to this year’s champions: the Santa Clara Rapid Response Network, SEIU United Service Workers West President David Huerta, and Representative Ro Khanna, on working tirelessly to ensure the future of Santa Clara County is shaped by working people! I was joined by WPUSA Executive Director Maria Noel Fernandez and Supervisor Betty Duong.

I had a blast at the South Bay Labor Council Annual Labor Day Weekend BBQ! Thank you to Executive Officer Jean Cohen, the Labor Council, and the South Bay labor community for your continued partnership and celebration of working people. I was joined by the Santa Clara and San Benito Counties Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Director, David Bini, and East Side Union High School District Trustees, Lorena Chavez and Pattie Cortese!

I had a great time stepping up to the plate for the Bi-Partisan Legislative All-Star Softball Game at Sutter Health Park, where NorCal defeated SoCal 11–2! Beyond the friendly rivalry, it was a great opportunity to come together with colleagues from across California for a fun tradition and a good cause raising $106,000 for charities. Thank you to San Jose Assemblyman Ash Kalra for managing our winning team. Always proud to represent Northern California!

I had the privilege of attending Lick Observatory’s 150th Anniversary celebration at San Jose City Hall. Owned by UC Santa Cruz, Lick Observatory is an iconic landmark of San Jose and our county! Since 1876, UC Observatories has been a hub for astronomical research, education, and exploration. What an honor to also meet Astronaut Victor Glover, who just piloted the Artemis II around the Moon!

My, how time flies! Congratulations to the Rose Garden Branch of the San Jose Public Library on its 20th Anniversary Celebration, hosted by the San Jose Public Library Foundation! Having overseen the expansion of the branch library system as a San Jose City Councilmember, this celebration was especially rewarding. I spoke alongside Ken Yeager, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, Councilmember Michael Mulcahy, Rep. Sam Liccardo, Asm. Ash Kalra, and City Librarian Jill Bourne.

I enjoyed speaking at the 2026 California State Conference for the Plasterers & Cement Masons at Hayes Mansion. Thank you to OPCMIA Local 300 for the opportunity!

It was a pleasure speaking with community members at the City of San Jose District 10 Leadership Coalition meeting. Thank you for the opportunity to connect, share updates, and hear directly from residents about the issues that matter most to Almaden and South San José.

It was a pleasure to join the Morgan Hill Unified School District for its inaugural Farm Dinner at FarmTECH, hosted by the district’s Student Nutrition Department and led by Director Michael Jochner. Thank you to Superintendent Carmen Garcia and to all the students, educators, and community partners working to ensure our students have access to nutritious, locally grown, and healthy meals!

I marched in procession with the San José Fire Department to memorialize Patriot Day and the 25th Anniversary of September 11th. Let us honor the 2,977 lives lost and remember the heroes who answered the call in the spirit of service and sacrifice. I was joined by Assemblymember Ash Kalra, Councilmember Bien Doan, San Jose Fire Fighters, IAFF Local 230, the California Professional Firefighters, San Jose Police Department, the San Jose Fire Museum, and the San Jose Police Officers' Association.

I had the opportunity to sponsor the Multifaith Peace Picnic & Prayer Service, hosted by the American Muslim Voice Foundation, to honor the victims of 9/11, their families, and first responders ahead of the 25th Anniversary of September 11th. May we strive to transform this tragic day into one of peace & community building. My District Representative, Zach Contini, attended and presented a Certificate of Recognition on my behalf.

My District Representative, Mariam Ghallab, was honored to join Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park for its annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony, marking 25 years since September 11, 2001. The ceremony provided an opportunity for our community to come together in remembrance of those we lost and to keep their loved ones in our hearts.

My wife Pattie Cortese and my District 15 Team marched in this year’s 51st annual Silicon Valley PRIDE Parade alongside friends, neighbors, and volunteers, while I was in session in Sacramento. This occasion was an opportunity to honor those who paved the way, celebrate how far we’ve come, and remain committed to protecting LGBTQ+ rights and building a California where everyone can live and love freely.

What a joy for my staff to attend the 22nd Ethiopian New Year Celebration, Enkutatash! Thank you to the Ethiopian Community Services of San Jose for hosting this festival and for your continued service of the Ethiopian community in San José. My District Representative, Meghan Bedi, attended and presented Certificates of Recognition on my behalf.

Happy 45th Anniversary to the Kaisahan of San Jose Dance Company! It was a great moment for my office to celebrate this incredible milestone and the organization’s decades-long dedication to sharing Filipino culture and traditions through dance. My District Representative, Mariam Ghallab, attended and presented a Certificate of Recognition on my behalf.

It was an honor for my District Representative, Phuong Nguyen, to join our community in remembrance of American Prisoners of War (POWs) and those Missing in Action (MIAs) at their Commemoration Ceremony, hosted by the Vietnam Veterans of America and the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 201. In advance of National POW/MIA Recognition Day on September 18th, may we honor their sacrifice and the families who continue to await answers.

It was a joy for my District Representative, Zach Contini, to speak on my behalf at the Evergreen Valley High School PTSA “Meet the City Night.” Having helped bring Evergreen Valley High School to life during my time on the East Side Union High School District school board, it was especially meaningful to have my office represented at this event. My staff was joined by Santa Clara County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas and San Jose City Councilmember Domingo Candelas. I was sorry to miss the event due to a bill si

We had the opportunity to join Opening Doors Silicon Valley for their annual Salsa Fest . Thank you for bringing our community together through music, dance, food, and culture. Events like these make Senate District 15 such a vibrant place to call home! My District Representative, Meghan Bedi, attended on my behalf.

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