What a great Episode #25! In this wonderful episode, Nancy and Jose are joined in studio by one of California's and San Diego's leaders, Toni Atkins, the President pro tempore of the California State Senate. We learn so much about Toni in this episode, including her humble beginnings in southwestern Virginia, the daughter of a miner and a seamstress, living in a home without running water but overflowing with love and a passion for reading. To hear her share that one of her most prized possessions is her Mom's library card tells us all we need to know about her deeply rooted connection to books, reading, libraries and the value of a public education. Quite an incredible story from Toni.

We also learn that her leadership on issues is very much about her lived experiences and why she fights so hard on poverty, health care, childcare, affordable housing and libraries, to name a few of her purposeful legislative initiatives. Listeners also hear about an amazing new program from California - the catalyst being the one and only Dolly Parton - called Imagination Library! This $68 million program will send a book monthly to 2.3 million students from ages 0-5! Talk about a smart investment into our collective futures!

Here are some other amazing takeaways from the interview with Toni:

- Affordable housing was 30 years in the making and it is going to take time to dig out
- Affordable housing isn't just a humanitarian issue, it is an economic issue for every
business
- Libraries are not just about books, but essential access points for broadband, computers,
and community centers
- Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program has distributed over 183 million books!
- The answers to the Rapid Fire questions!

A truly great conversation from a wonderful gap minder. Thank you, Toni Atkins, for being passionate about literacy, gaps, your willingness to serve, and for joining us for the 25th episode of The Gap Minders!

Enjoy this episode and be sure to subscribe to the show.

If you have any questions or want to contact Nancy or Jose, please send an email to podcast@uwsd.org. Thank you for listening.

To learn more about the two social impact organizations making The Gap Minders possible, please visit www.TheGapMinders.org.