Shawn Chong

None of us is immune to the need for slumber—not even emergency workers. In 2024, the Red Cross used zDen—a light-blocking sleeping den—in their shelters. “I donated about 100 zDens to staff and volunteers last year during their Training Academy and when they supported those affected in North Carolina during the mudslides and flooding,” said Danielle Fujii, the inventor of zDen. “They purchased about 100 more from Amazon. “The purpose is to provide privacy and darkness,” she said.

A proposal for the first BS program in Alcohol and Drug Studies is currently in limbo in Santa Clara County. The meeting for the program’s proposal will be held on Thursday, Nov. 13. According to Mary Cook, professor and program lead of the ADS program at San Jose City College, the issue of drug and alcohol understanding is particularly important in the Silicon Valley region. “We’re still battling the opioid crisis, particularly with fentanyl,” she said.

In America, one in five people suffers a neurodevelopmental disability. That number is likely to be even higher in Silicon Valley. A Sunnyvale, woman-owned organization called Friendly Accessibility has a mission to help those with such special needs. “We specialize in digital accessibility and sensory-friendly spaces,” said Julie Steele, the organization’s founder. “Friendly Accessibility started in 2021 out of necessity,” Steele said. That necessity was highly personal.