Dear Friends,

We are thrilled to announce that Araceli Ruano has joined the Center for American Progress as Senior Vice President and Director for the California office. Araceli will broaden American Progress’s policy development by drawing on ideas from California, a state often at the cutting edge of progressive policy. She will also take advantage of California's role as gateway to the Pacific and Latin America to develop international partnerships and practice areas. And she will continue her previous work related to the environment, education, Latin America, health, and the arts.

President Obama’s signature on a comprehensive health reform law on March 23, 2010 marked a victory for the American people and our nation’s future prosperity. CAP President and CEO John Podesta called it “a day to celebrate a more healthy, more wealthy America.” The new bill also includes provisions to ensure that small businesses can offer heath care benefits while keeping current employees and attracting and taking on new ones. View our infographic on how health for a step-by-step look at how health reform covers everyone while saving us money.

Last month, CAP launched American Clean Energy Competitiveness Week, a series of events and other products highlighting America’s standing in the global clean energy race and how we can take the lead. The conference featured Apollo Alliance Chairman and former California State Treasurer Phil Angelides.

Please join CAP, The Opportunity Agenda, and other event partners on May 3 as we gather a panel of actors, producers, writers, and industry leaders for Immigrants in America: A Hollywood Perspective, a thought-provoking dialogue on the media's impact on immigration. Panelists include Bruce Evans, senior vice president of current programming at NBC; Nick Schenk, the screenwriter for “Gran Torino” and others. For more information and to RSVP, click here.  

Warmest,

Araceli, Nina, and Shana

Interactive Map: Analysis of State Employment Growth

More states are seeing employment levels rise and unemployment rates decline compared to a year ago, but there is still a long way to go. Read more.

Interactive Map: States Lose When They Push Aside Health Reform

36 state legislatures have taken steps to undermine key aspects of health care legislation. If these efforts were to be enacted, these states would be left out of federal programs that would help them expand coverage for more of their residents. Read more.

Has America Lost Its Mojo?

Many of us are experiencing the hardest times of our lives, but America should step back from the ledge because the future is looking up. Here are 10 things to remember about America and decline.
Read more.