Nishi Nair (she/her/hers)
Research Associate
Nishi Nair, Research Associate, conducts research on various topics, including justice system reform, gender equity, and economic security. Her work aims to understand how public programs can serve the needs of their communities more efficiently, identify gaps in their objectives, and propose solutions to strengthen them.
Before joining the Budget Center in 2024, Nishi received bachelor’s degrees in sociology and economics from the University of California, Davis, with a focus on social work and public policy. During her time there, she also completed an Honors Research Thesis where she analyzed the budgetary shifts in the supplemental income program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), over a 20-year period.
In her free time, Nishi enjoys watching documentaries about sports, wildlife, food, and true crime. She also spends her free time baking, reading, playing tennis, and going to stand up comedy shows!
Recent posts by Nishi Nair
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Issue Brief
Republican-Proposed CalFresh Cuts Put Millions of Californians at Risk of Hunger
key takeaway Republican-proposed federal cuts to CalFresh would put millions of Californians at risk of hunger by shifting billions in food assistance costs to the state. These cost-shift proposals could force California to reduce already too-low CalFresh benefits or take assistance away from over a million participants, disproportionately harming children, seniors, veterans, and people with …Federal PolicyHealth & Safety Net -
Report
Strengthening the Child Tax Credit to Support Families and Reduce Poverty
key takeaway Expanding the Child Tax Credit would help millions of children thrive by reducing poverty, addressing racial inequities, and ensuring families with the lowest incomes receive the full support they need. All children deserve to grow up with the resources needed to be healthy and thrive. Yet millions of families across California struggle to …Health & Safety Net -
Fact Sheet
CalFresh Provides Essential Support for Californians Struggling with Poverty
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — known as CalFresh in California — is the state’s most powerful tool to fight hunger. CalFresh provides modest monthly assistance to over 5 million Californians with low incomes to purchase food. While CalFresh participation varies across the state, in nearly three-quarters of congressional districts, over 1 in 10 …Federal PolicyHealth & Safety Net -
Fact Sheet
Is California a Donor State? Here’s How Much It Pays to the Feds vs. What It Gets Back
California residents and businesses contribute $83 billion more than the state receives in federal spending. Why is there a gap? On the spending side: On the revenue side: These points help to illustrate why the $83 billion gap exists in California. However, with devastating funding cuts on the policy agenda in Washington, DC, it’s worth …California BudgetFederal Policy -
Issue Brief
Higher Wages for Early Care and Education Workers Builds a Stronger System
key takeaway Higher wages for early care and education workers in California are essential to expanding affordable child care, supporting families’ economic security, and addressing long-standing workforce inequities rooted in racial and gender disparities. Access to affordable, nurturing early care and education (ECE) is critical for families’ economic security and positive child development. California’s ECE …Child Care & Preschool
