hi everybody I grew up in a working-class immigrant family from the
working-class immigrant family from the
working-class immigrant family from the Philippines and when my parents brother
Philippines and when my parents brother
Philippines and when my parents brother and sister and I moved to the United
and sister and I moved to the United
and sister and I moved to the United States I was eight years old and when we
States I was eight years old and when we
States I was eight years old and when we first landed here in California I was so
first landed here in California I was so
first landed here in California I was so excited all I could think about was
excited all I could think about was
excited all I could think about was everything I knew from watching a TV
everything I knew from watching a TV
everything I knew from watching a TV show called Saved by the Bell so beaches
show called Saved by the Bell so beaches
show called Saved by the Bell so beaches and surfing at Disneyland and I have
and surfing at Disneyland and I have
and surfing at Disneyland and I have this crazy image in my mind of kids
this crazy image in my mind of kids
this crazy image in my mind of kids going to school and coming home to their
going to school and coming home to their
going to school and coming home to their parents making dinner and then talking
parents making dinner and then talking
parents making dinner and then talking about their day and it was really lovely
about their day and it was really lovely
about their day and it was really lovely and magical and nice not exactly what I
and magical and nice not exactly what I
and magical and nice not exactly what I grew up with but nice all the same my
grew up with but nice all the same my
grew up with but nice all the same my family eventually found a little
family eventually found a little
family eventually found a little one-bedroom apartment in a tiny town in
one-bedroom apartment in a tiny town in
one-bedroom apartment in a tiny town in Southern California and to make ends
Southern California and to make ends
Southern California and to make ends meet my parents worked multiple jobs two
meet my parents worked multiple jobs two
meet my parents worked multiple jobs two to three jobs at a time they’re super
to three jobs at a time they’re super
to three jobs at a time they’re super hard-working my mom was an
hard-working my mom was an
hard-working my mom was an administrative assistant at a hospital
administrative assistant at a hospital
administrative assistant at a hospital and on the nights she was studying to be
and on the nights she was studying to be
and on the nights she was studying to be a nurse and my dad he worked at Home
a nurse and my dad he worked at Home
a nurse and my dad he worked at Home Depot and on the side he would rebuild
Depot and on the side he would rebuild
Depot and on the side he would rebuild kitchens and remodel bathrooms and so my
kitchens and remodel bathrooms and so my
kitchens and remodel bathrooms and so my brother and I would spend our nights
brother and I would spend our nights
brother and I would spend our nights weekends and holidays remodeling
weekends and holidays remodeling
weekends and holidays remodeling kitchens and bathrooms with my dad so
kitchens and bathrooms with my dad so
kitchens and bathrooms with my dad so you imagine being a twelve year old kid
you imagine being a twelve year old kid
you imagine being a twelve year old kid and your dad’s like bossing you around
and your dad’s like bossing you around
and your dad’s like bossing you around saying go grout that tile or go install
saying go grout that tile or go install
saying go grout that tile or go install that kitchen cabinet while all your
that kitchen cabinet while all your
that kitchen cabinet while all your friends were playing a Nintendo or
friends were playing a Nintendo or
friends were playing a Nintendo or watching movies it was it was a little
watching movies it was it was a little
watching movies it was it was a little bit rough but I realized now that my
bit rough but I realized now that my
bit rough but I realized now that my parents were just doing the best they
parents were just doing the best they
parents were just doing the best they could to raise a family in a country
could to raise a family in a country
could to raise a family in a country that they barely barely knew and they it
that they barely barely knew and they it
that they barely barely knew and they it took all of their resourcefulness and
took all of their resourcefulness and
took all of their resourcefulness and creativity to solve this challenge of
creativity to solve this challenge of
creativity to solve this challenge of like how do you actually like raise a
like how do you actually like raise a
like how do you actually like raise a family in a brand new place and that’s
family in a brand new place and that’s
family in a brand new place and that’s how I learned to solve problems as well
how I learned to solve problems as well
how I learned to solve problems as well by using creativity and being
by using creativity and being
by using creativity and being resourceful one day I saw my parents
resourceful one day I saw my parents
resourceful one day I saw my parents couldn’t solve a problem it was a I was
couldn’t solve a problem it was a I was
couldn’t solve a problem it was a I was about 14 years old at the time and I
about 14 years old at the time and I
about 14 years old at the time and I remember it was a
remember it was a
remember it was a it was a pretty dark night and it was
it was a pretty dark night and it was
it was a pretty dark night and it was raining outside and I could sense that
raining outside and I could sense that
raining outside and I could sense that something was wrong when my parents
something was wrong when my parents
something was wrong when my parents walked into the front door of their
walked into the front door of their
walked into the front door of their house my mom was crying and she never
house my mom was crying and she never
house my mom was crying and she never cried and my dad he looked like he had
cried and my dad he looked like he had
cried and my dad he looked like he had just seen a ghost I could sense that
just seen a ghost I could sense that
just seen a ghost I could sense that something was something was up and so my
something was something was up and so my
something was something was up and so my parents sat me my brother and sister
parents sat me my brother and sister
parents sat me my brother and sister down at the kitchen table and they told
down at the kitchen table and they told
down at the kitchen table and they told us that somebody who had promised to
us that somebody who had promised to
us that somebody who had promised to help us with our immigration process ran
help us with our immigration process ran
help us with our immigration process ran off with our family’s life savings and
off with our family’s life savings and
off with our family’s life savings and worse yet he gave us fraudulent
worse yet he gave us fraudulent
worse yet he gave us fraudulent paperwork that set us back and put us at
paperwork that set us back and put us at
paperwork that set us back and put us at risk of deportation it was devastating
risk of deportation it was devastating
risk of deportation it was devastating this this guy was posing as a reputable
this this guy was posing as a reputable
this this guy was posing as a reputable immigration lawyer and he ran off with
immigration lawyer and he ran off with
immigration lawyer and he ran off with our hopes and dreams and we had no idea
our hopes and dreams and we had no idea
our hopes and dreams and we had no idea what to do we had we had no idea who we
what to do we had we had no idea who we
what to do we had we had no idea who we could trust we felt like we couldn’t
could trust we felt like we couldn’t
could trust we felt like we couldn’t trust anybody and we we had no one to
trust anybody and we we had no one to
trust anybody and we we had no one to turn to and really no one know where to
turn to and really no one know where to
turn to and really no one know where to go we didn’t know what to do and it was
go we didn’t know what to do and it was
go we didn’t know what to do and it was incredibly devastating for our family
incredibly devastating for our family
incredibly devastating for our family and so years later my family slowly
and so years later my family slowly
and so years later my family slowly recovered from that setback hundreds of
recovered from that setback hundreds of
recovered from that setback hundreds of kitchen cabinets installed later and
kitchen cabinets installed later and
kitchen cabinets installed later and fifteen years after that dark and scary
fifteen years after that dark and scary
fifteen years after that dark and scary traumatic event I finally became a
traumatic event I finally became a
traumatic event I finally became a United States citizen
thank you and after becoming a citizen I
thank you and after becoming a citizen I wanted I felt a sense of hope and I
wanted I felt a sense of hope and I
wanted I felt a sense of hope and I wanted to restore that sense of hope
wanted to restore that sense of hope
wanted to restore that sense of hope with my family as well and so I decided
with my family as well and so I decided
with my family as well and so I decided to become a hope giver to other folks as
to become a hope giver to other folks as
to become a hope giver to other folks as well I wanted to make sure that other
well I wanted to make sure that other
well I wanted to make sure that other kids and other families weren’t going
kids and other families weren’t going
kids and other families weren’t going through the same thing that my family
through the same thing that my family
through the same thing that my family went through the same trauma that my
went through the same trauma that my
went through the same trauma that my family went through so I decided to work
family went through so I decided to work
family went through so I decided to work at a nonprofit organization helping
at a nonprofit organization helping
at a nonprofit organization helping at-risk students graduate from high
at-risk students graduate from high
at-risk students graduate from high school and go off to college
school and go off to college
school and go off to college I loved this work it was amazing work
I loved this work it was amazing work
I loved this work it was amazing work and even though we were helping our
and even though we were helping our
and even though we were helping our students close the achievement gap what
students close the achievement gap what
students close the achievement gap what I was finding was that our students were
I was finding was that our students were
I was finding was that our students were still facing all sorts of poverty
still facing all sorts of poverty
still facing all sorts of poverty related issues everything from hunger
related issues everything from hunger
related issues everything from hunger and abuse and homelessness and we were
and abuse and homelessness and we were
and abuse and homelessness and we were always searching for for resources for
always searching for for resources for
always searching for for resources for our students actually one day one of my
our students actually one day one of my
our students actually one day one of my students Maria came up to me and told me
students Maria came up to me and told me
students Maria came up to me and told me that she and her family had become
that she and her family had become
that she and her family had become homeless you know being a young
homeless you know being a young
homeless you know being a young professional at the time I was I ran to
professional at the time I was I ran to
professional at the time I was I ran to the back of the office and I’ve found
the back of the office and I’ve found
the back of the office and I’ve found this dusty old paper binder filled with
this dusty old paper binder filled with
this dusty old paper binder filled with brochures and flyers of nonprofit
brochures and flyers of nonprofit
brochures and flyers of nonprofit organizations and I was trying to find
organizations and I was trying to find
organizations and I was trying to find her an emergency shelter for the night
her an emergency shelter for the night
her an emergency shelter for the night for her family so she’s gonna lay her
for her family so she’s gonna lay her
for her family so she’s gonna lay her head down to rest and all the phone
head down to rest and all the phone
head down to rest and all the phone numbers in this one in his binder are
numbers in this one in his binder are
numbers in this one in his binder are wrong all the addresses were wrong and
wrong all the addresses were wrong and
wrong all the addresses were wrong and this process of trying to find peace and
this process of trying to find peace and
this process of trying to find peace and hope for my student became this
hope for my student became this
hope for my student became this time-consuming nightmare and even though
time-consuming nightmare and even though
time-consuming nightmare and even though I had this list of a hundred
I had this list of a hundred
I had this list of a hundred organizations in front of me I had no
organizations in front of me I had no
organizations in front of me I had no idea which one of these organizations
idea which one of these organizations
idea which one of these organizations she could trust and then it hit me
the process had not changed since I was
the process had not changed since I was a kid it was still so difficult for us
a kid it was still so difficult for us
a kid it was still so difficult for us to find critical resources for our most
to find critical resources for our most
to find critical resources for our most vulnerable families the social safety
vulnerable families the social safety
vulnerable families the social safety net was broken and even though we have
net was broken and even though we have
net was broken and even though we have we have Google we have uber we have
we have Google we have uber we have
we have Google we have uber we have Facebook right here in our back yards we
Facebook right here in our back yards we
Facebook right here in our back yards we weren’t using any of that technology for
weren’t using any of that technology for
weren’t using any of that technology for most
most
most vulnerable families and serving our most
vulnerable families and serving our most
vulnerable families and serving our most vulnerable families was stuck in the
vulnerable families was stuck in the
vulnerable families was stuck in the technological dark ages our social
technological dark ages our social
technological dark ages our social services system is failing people but
services system is failing people but
services system is failing people but there is a technology solution out there
there is a technology solution out there
there is a technology solution out there if Yelp can make it easy for us to find
if Yelp can make it easy for us to find
if Yelp can make it easy for us to find and and find the best restaurant to go
and and find the best restaurant to go
and and find the best restaurant to go eat at for dinner tonight if I can buy a
eat at for dinner tonight if I can buy a
eat at for dinner tonight if I can buy a book on Amazon today without having to
book on Amazon today without having to
book on Amazon today without having to enter my address over and over again
enter my address over and over again
enter my address over and over again then we must be able to reinvent the way
then we must be able to reinvent the way
then we must be able to reinvent the way that families access social services in
that families access social services in
that families access social services in this day and age right yet in the social
this day and age right yet in the social
this day and age right yet in the social sector families on average are spending
sector families on average are spending
sector families on average are spending 20 hours a week researching and
20 hours a week researching and
20 hours a week researching and accessing social services they’re stuck
accessing social services they’re stuck
accessing social services they’re stuck in paper binders pages and pages of
in paper binders pages and pages of
in paper binders pages and pages of applications there’s no single source of
applications there’s no single source of
applications there’s no single source of truth
truth
truth there’s no ratings interviews we’re not
there’s no ratings interviews we’re not
there’s no ratings interviews we’re not using any of the efficiencies in our set
using any of the efficiencies in our set
using any of the efficiencies in our set in our world for our most vulnerable
in our world for our most vulnerable
in our world for our most vulnerable families and accessing something and
families and accessing something and
families and accessing something and like as simple as and vital as food
like as simple as and vital as food
like as simple as and vital as food stamps becomes demoralizing I knew that
stamps becomes demoralizing I knew that
stamps becomes demoralizing I knew that this had to change I knew that there was
this had to change I knew that there was
this had to change I knew that there was a creative and resourceful solution to
a creative and resourceful solution to
a creative and resourceful solution to this problem especially in our
this problem especially in our
this problem especially in our increasingly digital world what if what
increasingly digital world what if what
increasingly digital world what if what if we put the power in the hands of our
if we put the power in the hands of our
if we put the power in the hands of our vulnerable families so that they can
vulnerable families so that they can
vulnerable families so that they can access critical services in our
access critical services in our
access critical services in our community
community
community what if our safety net was responsive
what if our safety net was responsive
what if our safety net was responsive catching people before they fall deeper
catching people before they fall deeper
catching people before they fall deeper into poverty what if better yet what if
into poverty what if better yet what if
into poverty what if better yet what if our safety net was more like a
our safety net was more like a
our safety net was more like a trampoline so people could bounce up and
trampoline so people could bounce up and
trampoline so people could bounce up and out of poverty and create a trajectory
out of poverty and create a trajectory
out of poverty and create a trajectory out of poverty imagine using the data
out of poverty imagine using the data
out of poverty imagine using the data that we use every day in the in the
that we use every day in the in the
that we use every day in the in the for-profit sector the data like supply
for-profit sector the data like supply
for-profit sector the data like supply demand and utilization of services to
demand and utilization of services to
demand and utilization of services to create a more responsive social safety
create a more responsive social safety
create a more responsive social safety net
net
net one that actually brings dignity dignity
one that actually brings dignity dignity
one that actually brings dignity dignity to our safety net and social sector what
to our safety net and social sector what
to our safety net and social sector what if we created a safety net for the 21st
if we created a safety net for the 21st
if we created a safety net for the 21st century and so that’s what I’ve been
century and so that’s what I’ve been
century and so that’s what I’ve been working on five years ago I started an
working on five years ago I started an
working on five years ago I started an organization called one degree with a
organization called one degree with a
organization called one degree with a very simple model to make it easier for
very simple model to make it easier for
very simple model to make it easier for at-risk and low-income families to
at-risk and low-income families to
at-risk and low-income families to access social services and I started by
access social services and I started by
access social services and I started by learning a lot I walked a lot of the
learning a lot I walked a lot of the
learning a lot I walked a lot of the street to talk to different
street to talk to different
street to talk to different organizations collected spreadsheets and
organizations collected spreadsheets and
organizations collected spreadsheets and binders and started to build a database
binders and started to build a database
binders and started to build a database of all the different nonprofit
of all the different nonprofit
of all the different nonprofit organizations right here in our back
organizations right here in our back
organizations right here in our back yard in our community throughout the Bay
yard in our community throughout the Bay
yard in our community throughout the Bay Area and then I worked with two
Area and then I worked with two
Area and then I worked with two volunteers to create a really scrappy
volunteers to create a really scrappy
volunteers to create a really scrappy early stage prototype website that would
early stage prototype website that would
early stage prototype website that would make it easy to sort through this
make it easy to sort through this
make it easy to sort through this listing that I just created and you know
listing that I just created and you know
listing that I just created and you know I started small so I started telling
I started small so I started telling
I started small so I started telling people very slowly about it and in a
people very slowly about it and in a
people very slowly about it and in a very short 3-month pilot period five
very short 3-month pilot period five
very short 3-month pilot period five years ago over three thousand people
years ago over three thousand people
years ago over three thousand people used this scrappy prototype to find
used this scrappy prototype to find
used this scrappy prototype to find resources in our community and I was
resources in our community and I was
resources in our community and I was like whoa I must be onto something here
like whoa I must be onto something here
like whoa I must be onto something here and so I started building it up and I
and so I started building it up and I
and so I started building it up and I actually hired people with technology
actually hired people with technology
actually hired people with technology skills to actually build build upon this
skills to actually build build upon this
skills to actually build build upon this finding and since then now over
finding and since then now over
finding and since then now over thousands and thousands of people every
thousands and thousands of people every
thousands and thousands of people every month now rely on the one degree
month now rely on the one degree
month now rely on the one degree platform to find access services in our
platform to find access services in our
platform to find access services in our community rather than sorting through
community rather than sorting through
community rather than sorting through paper binders and gatekeepers in our
paper binders and gatekeepers in our
paper binders and gatekeepers in our community and so now we’re on now now
community and so now we’re on now now
community and so now we’re on now now we’re really onto something over the
we’re really onto something over the
we’re really onto something over the years we’ve continued to refine this
years we’ve continued to refine this
years we’ve continued to refine this platform so that we can make huge
platform so that we can make huge
platform so that we can make huge improvements in our safety net this fall
improvements in our safety net this fall
improvements in our safety net this fall we’re releasing a common application
we’re releasing a common application
we’re releasing a common application system that will make it easy for
system that will make it easy for
system that will make it easy for families to apply to multiple services
families to apply to multiple services
families to apply to multiple services and multiple benefits instead of like
and multiple benefits instead of like
and multiple benefits instead of like shuffling through pages and pages of
shuffling through pages and pages of
shuffling through pages and pages of applications with one click of a button
applications with one click of a button
applications with one click of a button you
you
you be able to apply to multiple benefits
be able to apply to multiple benefits
be able to apply to multiple benefits and services and save hours of time so
and services and save hours of time so
and services and save hours of time so you can take care of your family that’s
you can take care of your family that’s
you can take care of your family that’s thank you
[Applause]
[Applause] you want to help families break the
you want to help families break the
you want to help families break the cycle of poverty and give them their
cycle of poverty and give them their
cycle of poverty and give them their time back and their dignity back and I
time back and their dignity back and I
time back and their dignity back and I know that we are on to something really
know that we are on to something really
know that we are on to something really big over a quarter of a million people
big over a quarter of a million people
big over a quarter of a million people right here in the Bay Area have used our
right here in the Bay Area have used our
right here in the Bay Area have used our platform to find out access services in
platform to find out access services in
platform to find out access services in their community and we just launched in
their community and we just launched in
their community and we just launched in Los Angeles County the largest and most
Los Angeles County the largest and most
Los Angeles County the largest and most populous county in the country and every
populous county in the country and every
populous county in the country and every day we get calls from people from across
day we get calls from people from across
day we get calls from people from across the country from Massachusetts to Alaska
the country from Massachusetts to Alaska
the country from Massachusetts to Alaska Texas and Florida asking us when is the
Texas and Florida asking us when is the
Texas and Florida asking us when is the one degree platform coming to our
one degree platform coming to our
one degree platform coming to our community and we were working with local
community and we were working with local
community and we were working with local governments and foundations and
governments and foundations and
governments and foundations and community organizations and they know
community organizations and they know
community organizations and they know what we know that if we empower
what we know that if we empower
what we know that if we empower low-income families to access services
low-income families to access services
low-income families to access services there are huge benefits not just for
there are huge benefits not just for
there are huge benefits not just for their families but for society there’s
their families but for society there’s
their families but for society there’s cost savings for the education sector
cost savings for the education sector
cost savings for the education sector there’s cost savings for the health care
there’s cost savings for the health care
there’s cost savings for the health care sector there’s a lot that we can do we
sector there’s a lot that we can do we
sector there’s a lot that we can do we can bring dignity back we can bring
can bring dignity back we can bring
can bring dignity back we can bring dignity to our social sector we can
dignity to our social sector we can
dignity to our social sector we can bring trust and efficiency to our social
bring trust and efficiency to our social
bring trust and efficiency to our social sector and we can empower families to
sector and we can empower families to
sector and we can empower families to access these resources and reduce the
access these resources and reduce the
access these resources and reduce the barriers this is my vision for a safety
barriers this is my vision for a safety
barriers this is my vision for a safety net for the 21st century one where
net for the 21st century one where
net for the 21st century one where families are able to to be empowered and
families are able to to be empowered and
families are able to to be empowered and access the resources directly without
access the resources directly without
access the resources directly without having to like work through gatekeepers
having to like work through gatekeepers
having to like work through gatekeepers so you know the trauma that my family
so you know the trauma that my family
so you know the trauma that my family and I faced 20 years ago and the trauma
and I faced 20 years ago and the trauma
and I faced 20 years ago and the trauma that my student Maria’s family faced ten
that my student Maria’s family faced ten
that my student Maria’s family faced ten years ago does not have to happen to
years ago does not have to happen to
years ago does not have to happen to families today it just frankly just does
families today it just frankly just does
families today it just frankly just does not I believe we can create a better
not I believe we can create a better
not I believe we can create a better vision for our safety net what if we
vision for our safety net what if we
vision for our safety net what if we leverage technology to bring trust and
leverage technology to bring trust and
leverage technology to bring trust and efficiency to our sector what if we
efficiency to our sector what if we
efficiency to our sector what if we leverage technology like one degree to
leverage technology like one degree to
leverage technology like one degree to create that better safety net I believe
create that better safety net I believe
create that better safety net I believe that at the end of the day when we
that at the end of the day when we
that at the end of the day when we measure our social sector
measure our social sector
measure our social sector it’s not going to be by the costs of
it’s not going to be by the costs of
it’s not going to be by the costs of services or the number of services
services or the number of services
services or the number of services administered it’s going to be by the
administered it’s going to be by the
administered it’s going to be by the number of lives and people that are
number of lives and people that are
number of lives and people that are improved we have the ability and we have
improved we have the ability and we have
improved we have the ability and we have the creativity right here to use
the creativity right here to use
the creativity right here to use technology for our most vulnerable
technology for our most vulnerable
technology for our most vulnerable families I believe we can create a
families I believe we can create a
families I believe we can create a safety net that propels families to
safety net that propels families to
safety net that propels families to break the cycle of poverty thank you
break the cycle of poverty thank you
break the cycle of poverty thank you [Applause]
”
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