It has begun...

The 2010 Utah legislative session starts today...
the next 45 days are going to be exciting and crazy for me! I will be up at the Capitol almost everyday so if anyone has an issue they would like to address with their senator or representative let me know and I can arrange it!
Check out www.le.utah.gov for lots of good info and to track any bills you may be interested in.

ps - you can catch a glimpse of me on the news here
(don't blink or you'll miss me :)
and you can read about what our coalition has been working on here.

The seemingly never ending school saga...

the semester is over!

(only one more to go - hallelujah)

So....here is the -so close to graduation we can taste it- update:

Jess: I have completed all my BSW classes (hooray!) and will be officially starting my internship at Crossroads Urban Center on January 11th and ending April 28th. The internship requirement is 450 hours (which is roughly 30 hrs a week) along with a weekly seminar class (so the school can make sure we are behaving as interns) - and unfortunately at Crossroads there is no stipend. Bummer. However, I am super excited to be working with Linda Hilton and the CORC doing lots of advocacy and social justice work up at the Capitol during the legislative session which begins January 25th.

We are going to be pushing to stop a bill that has been introduced to increase Utah's sales tax on food. This bill would impact all Utahns, but it is most detrimental to those who are already in poverty and struggling in this economy - a higher tax on groceries should not have to be an extra worry. Anyway, I am a little intimidated and feel quite inadequate but I think it will be incredible to see how the legislative processes work and to be able to learn the elements of macro social work. Between the internship and my job I'm looking at about 60 hours a week away from home...I am hoping I can balance it all and not lose my sanity!

Nate: Nate only has two classes left and is thrilled about that. He is super busy with work and can't wait to put all his efforts into expanding the business without having to worry about classes. I just wish he could intern with me...Nate sure makes me happy.