California’s Small Businesses Need Certainty for Hollywood’s Future
California’s entertainment industry is about more than the movies and television shows audiences see on screen. It is also about the thousands of workers, entrepreneurs and small businesses that help bring those productions to life.
That is why the proposed Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery merger matters to California’s small-business community.
Paramount’s operations and productions already support more than 34,000 jobs across California, a majority in the greater Los Angeles region, spanning employees, production workers and the many third-party businesses and workers that support the company’s operations. That economic footprint demonstrates just how deeply entertainment is connected to California’s broader economy.
Furthermore, Paramount has already committed to releasing more than 30 theatrical films annually amidst the potential merger. Those films mean real jobs and opportunities for local workers across the state. A commitment of this scale means job stability and a strong film industry for California.
When film production grows, opportunity extends far beyond the studio lot. It reaches the transportation companies, caterers, vendors, production firms, creative professionals and other small businesses that provide the services and expertise that make productions possible.
Today, however, that economic ecosystem faces continued uncertainty.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 11 other state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit seeking to block the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger. An agreement reached in July prevents the companies from completing the transaction until June 1, 2027, or until a court rules on the states’ claims, whichever comes first.
For the workers and small businesses connected to Paramount’s operations, that delay is not an abstract legal matter. It means uncertainty about the future of investment, production and the economic activity that supports their livelihoods.
Notably, even the Directors Guild of America and IATSE recently warned that a prolonged litigation timeline and ongoing uncertainty about the future of Warner Bros. Discovery would harm their members.
California’s Asian American and Pacific Islander business community understands the importance of certainty and opportunity. Small businesses are essential to California’s economy, creating jobs and helping communities thrive. The entertainment industry is no different.
The Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery merger has the potential to create a stronger and more competitive American entertainment company, better positioned to invest in content and compete in a rapidly changing global marketplace.
A stronger company with the ability to sustain a robust content pipeline can mean more production, more work for vendors and more opportunities for the workers and entrepreneurs who depend on the entertainment economy. It can also help ensure California remains a global center for creativity, innovation and storytelling.
Attorney General Bonta should consider the real people and small businesses affected by continued uncertainty as the legal process moves forward. The question that needs to be asked is: what happens to small businesses, jobs and the economic ecosystem if we delay this merger?
California should pursue a path that provides greater certainty for workers and businesses and allows a strong, competitive entertainment industry to continue creating opportunities across the state.
Jasmine Ripoyla: Redefining Leadership Through the Catalyst Leadership Program
A transformational leadership experience empowers a young professional to lead with authenticity, confidence, and impact.
Impact Snapshot
Industry: Nonprofit/Community Leadership
Region: Sacramento, California
Support: Leadership development, mentorship, peer cohort learning
Program: Catalyst Leadership Program (Class XVIII)
Result: Increased leadership confidence, strengthened communication skills, and applied conflict resolution strategies
Overview
For Jasmine Ripoyla, leadership once meant following the example of those already in positions of authority. While she admired accomplished leaders in her community, she did not yet see herself reflected in them.
That perspective began to change when she joined the Catalyst Leadership Program, CalAsian Foundation’s leadership development initiative for emerging professionals in the Sacramento region. Through candid conversations with accomplished leaders and guided self-reflection, Jasmine discovered that leadership is not defined by titles or visibility—but by the courage to use your voice, values, and experiences to create impact.
The Challenge
Prior to Catalyst, Jasmine:
- Associated leadership primarily with visibility and authority
- Saw established leaders as “larger than life” figures with innate talent
- Questioned whether her quieter personality aligned with traditional leadership models
Like many emerging professionals, she admired leaders but did not yet see herself reflected in them.
CalAsian Foundation’s Support
Through Catalyst, Jasmine gained:
- Exposure to candid conversations with high-level regional leaders
- Insight into diverse leadership pathways
- Facilitation that encouraged self-reflection and growth
- A safe space to explore her own leadership identity
A particularly impactful session featured Donna Bland, CEO of Golden 1 Credit Union. Hearing about her full journey—not just her current title—helped Jasmine understand that leadership is shaped over time through experience, resilience, and intentional growth.
Learning about leaders like Paul Lau and President Luke Wood further reshaped her perspective. Some rose to leadership unexpectedly; others worked toward it deliberately. In both cases, what stood out was not innate talent—but purpose.
For Jasmine, that realization was transformative.
The Outcome
Through Catalyst, Jasmine:
- Redefined leadership as internal empowerment rather than external validation
- Built confidence in her own leadership potential
- Developed practical conflict resolution skills
- Learned to approach difficult conversations as bridges rather than barriers
- Began seeing herself as someone capable of meaningful community impact
Perhaps most importantly, she embraced the idea that leadership does not require being the loudest person in the room. With encouragement from facilitator Cassandra Pye, Jasmine recognized that while she may be quieter, her voice carries weight—and impact.
Why This Matters
Catalyst Leadership Program exemplifies CalAsian Foundation’s role in developing the next generation of leaders across Sacramento County.
By humanizing leadership and exposing participants to real journeys—not just polished success stories—the program expands who feels qualified to lead. For many emerging professionals, the barrier is not ability, it is belief. And Catalyst builds that belief.
Through intentional mentorship, reflective dialogue, and exposure to accomplished leaders, the program strengthens leadership pipelines that benefit businesses, nonprofits, and civic institutions across the region.
In Jasmine’s Words (Quotes Preserved Exactly)
“Being a leader is about so much more than just what others think of you; it's more about how you choose to wield the power you have within yourself.”
“Hearing their origin stories really helped humanize them for me. Because I am also a person who wants to make a difference, I can have the impact that they've had someday.”
“I learned how to effectively have hard conversations… and to see those conversations as a bridge instead of a closed door. I have it in me to be a leader, even if I'm on the quieter side.”
Lara Vu, Mila’s Keeper: Strengthening Voice, Confidence, and Growth Through Trailblazers
Strategic pitch coaching, community support, and visibility empower a woman founder to grow revenue, deepen partnerships, and lead with authenticity.
Impact Snapshot
Industry: Consumer Products/Parenting Solutions
Region: California
Support: Pitch coaching, mentorship, funding, and founder community
Program: Trailblazers: Women Innovators Pitch Competition (2023)
Result: $10,000 prize, increased revenue, new partnerships, and expanded brand visibility
Overview
About one year after launching Mila’s Keeper, founder Lara Vu had proven her concept and was beginning to see traction—but like many early-stage entrepreneurs, she was navigating the complexities of building a business alone.
Managing product development, operations, marketing, and strategy as a solo founder made it difficult to determine where to focus her energy for sustainable growth. In 2023, Lara joined CalAsian Chamber’s Trailblazers: Women Innovators Pitch Competition, where mentorship and storytelling coaching helped her strengthen her voice as a founder and scale her business with greater confidence.
The Challenge
When Lara applied to Trailblazers, she was:
- Managing every aspect of Mila’s Keeper independently
- Seeking clarity on how to prioritize growth
- Looking to refine her pitch and brand messaging
- Navigating entrepreneurship without a strong founder community
While she felt proud of the business she was building and confident in her identity as an Asian American entrepreneur, she wanted to connect with a community that celebrated and uplifted women founders like her.
CalAsian Chamber’s Support
Through Trailblazers, Lara received:
- Professional pitch coaching and storytelling refinement
- Mentorship and real-time feedback
- Exposure to business leaders and community supporters
- A network of women founders invested in each other’s success
The pitch coaching proved especially transformative. Although Lara had pitched Mila’s Keeper before—even earning recognition in its prototype stage—the Trailblazers experience encouraged her to go deeper.
She was guided to connect more personally to the “why” behind her business. Instead of leading with features and data alone, she began to center her lived experience and emotional connection to her mission, supporting moms and families.
The Outcome
Winning Trailblazers resulted in a $10,000 prize, providing critical capital at a meaningful growth stage. The funding helped Lara further invest in Mila’s Keeper while validating her business model and vision.
Since participating in the competition, Lara has:
- Experienced revenue growth
- Formed new partnerships
- Expanded her professional network
- Increased visibility for Mila’s Keeper
- Strengthened her confidence as both founder and leader
Beyond financial outcomes, the experience helped her reconnect with her purpose and see herself not just as a business owner, but as a leader in her space.
One defining moment came backstage before pitching. Nervous and anticipating competition, Lara instead found warmth and encouragement. What could have felt competitive instead felt collaborative—women cheering each other on, rooting for shared success.
That sense of camaraderie continues to shape her entrepreneurial journey.
Why This Matters
Lara’s story reflects the power of CalAsian Chamber’s Trailblazers program to do more than award prize money—it builds confidence, community, and leadership capacity among women entrepreneurs.
Trailblazers strengthens voice and visibility for founders who often build in isolation, equipping them with storytelling tools, strategic mentorship, and a network that continues long after the competition ends.
By investing in women innovators like Lara, CalAsian advances inclusive economic growth and ensures diverse founders are positioned not only to compete—but to lead.
In Lara’s Words (Quotes Preserved Exactly)
“The pitching and storytelling coach was phenomenal… She encouraged me to connect more personally to the ‘why’ behind the business, which completely changed how I approach pitching.”
“I now lead with emotion, authenticity, and lived experience, not just facts and features.”
“Trailblazers reminded me why I started in the first place.”
“Even though it was technically a competition, it didn’t feel like one—it felt like camaraderie.”
“Trailblazers was an empowering, community-driven experience that strengthened my voice, my confidence, and my belief in what I’m building.”
Jag Nagendra: From AAPI LIFT Participant to Civic Candidate
Representation-centered leadership development empowers an experienced community leader to step confidently into public life.
Impact Snapshot
Industry: Civic Leadership/Public Service
Region: Folsom, California
Support: Civic leadership training, representation-centered dialogue, policy and campaign insight
Program: AAPI LIFT
Result: Strengthened civic leadership confidence and candidacy for Folsom City Council
Overview
Jag Nagendra had spent years supporting his community through nonprofit leadership, mentorship, and public service roles. Yet despite his deep involvement in civic life, he often saw himself as someone working behind the scenes rather than stepping forward as a public leader.
Participating in AAPI LIFT, CalAsian Foundation’s civic leadership development program, helped shift that perspective. By exploring representation, identity, and pathways into public leadership, the program helped Jag recognize that his lived experiences and voice belonged in civic spaces.
Today, he is running for Folsom City Council, bringing decades of community leadership into the public arena.
The Challenge
Despite extensive community involvement, Jag faced an internal barrier common among many AAPI leaders:
- Seeing himself as a contributor rather than a front-facing leader
- Questioning whether his lived experience belonged in formal civic spaces
- Navigating cultural expectations and self-doubt
- Lacking clear insight into how electoral leadership pathways function
While committed to service, he had not fully embraced the idea that his voice deserved space in civic and political arenas.
CalAsian Foundation’s Support
Through AAPI LIFT, Jag gained:
- Deeper understanding of how government and campaigns function
- Insight into how advocacy connects to electoral leadership
- Exposure to the campaign experiences of successful Sacramento-area candidates
- A community of AAPI leaders navigating similar questions of identity and representation
- A safe space to discuss cultural expectations, leadership norms, and self-doubt
Conversations around representation and identity were especially impactful. Hearing other AAPI leaders speak openly about hesitation and belonging helped normalize his own internal questions.
The program helped make civic engagement feel concrete, accessible, and achievable.
The Outcome
While Jag’s decision to run for Folsom City Council was not a direct requirement or outcome of the program, AAPI LIFT influenced his confidence to step forward visibly.
Since participating, Jag has:
- Transitioned from supporter to candidate
- Applied campaign insights shared by regional leaders
- Strengthened his belief that authenticity is leadership
- Continued mentoring and building pathways for future leaders
The experience reinforced a core realization: representation is responsibility. For Jag, leadership is not about fitting a mold—it is about showing up authentically and creating space for others to follow.
Why This Matters
AAPI LIFT exemplifies CalAsian Foundation’s role in strengthening civic leadership pipelines. By centering AAPI voices and lived experiences, the program helps participants see themselves as leaders in spaces where representation has historically been limited.
For many AAPI professionals, the barrier is not capability—it is confidence, access, and exposure.
Programs like AAPI LIFT build all three.
By investing in civic leadership development, CalAsian Foundation advances inclusive representation, stronger public engagement, and long-term community impact across the region.
In Jag’s Words (Quotes Preserved Exactly)
“Hearing other AAPI leaders speak openly about self-doubt, cultural expectations, and navigating systems where our voices are often missing made civic engagement feel more accessible.”
“AAPI LIFT reminded me that I belong in civic spaces and that my voice adds value rather than disruption. It reinforced my belief that part of my role in public life is to open doors and create pathways for others.”
“Programs like AAPI LIFT are essential because they build confidence, community, and access. Civic engagement does not have to start with running for office… your voice matters, and there is room for you in public life, exactly as you are.”
Trailblazers: Women Innovators Pitch Competition Returns to Irvine, Elevating Women Entrepreneurs on a National Stage
IRVINE, CALIF. (July 2, 2026) — The California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (CalAsian Chamber), in partnership with the National Asian Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (National ACE), is proud to present the 2026 Trailblazers: Women Innovators Pitch Competition, taking place on Thursday, August 20, 2026, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at UCI Beall Applied Innovation @ The Cove.
Presented in collaboration with Empower and ACE NextGen, this free public event brings together investors, entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and community members to celebrate and support women innovators who are building impactful businesses and shaping the future across industries.
In its 5th year as a pitch competition, Trailblazers continues to build on its legacy, evolving into a national platform that champions inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship. The event will feature the Top 5 selected finalists, who will pitch their ventures live to a panel of judges and an audience of changemakers for the opportunity to gain funding, visibility, and valuable business connections.
In addition to the live pitch competition, attendees can expect an evening of networking, community engagement, and inspiration, connecting with Southern California’s vibrant ecosystem of founders, investors, and business leaders.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026
Time: 5:00 – 8:00 PM
Location: UCI Beall Applied Innovation @ The Cove
Free Admission — Advance Registration Required
Trailblazers is a powerful celebration of courage, creativity, and community. Members of the media, entrepreneurs, students, and supporters are encouraged to attend, connect, and be inspired by the next wave of women innovators.
Register to attend: https://trailblazersinnovate.com/