Anniversaries are a time to reflect and celebrate. On May 27, the ACSA Legislative Lunch Break marked its fifth anniversary as one of the most consistent and engaging live broadcasts in California public education.

Five years ago, ACSA members were two months into the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. School was happening online as “distance learning” and educators were grappling with how to best serve students.

“With COVID-19 shutting down schools, California public school educators needed current information from the state Capitol, from health officials and other stakeholders,” said ACSA Executive Director and Legislative Lunch Break co-host Dr. Edgar Zazueta. “The Legislative Lunch Break gave us a platform to deliver that information and connect educators in unique ways.”

From the beginning, the show set out to be more than just a news update. ACSA New Media Manager and show co-creator Michael Kelly wasn’t just looking to deliver information. He wanted to build community.

“We didn’t want another Zoom meeting or pre-packaged webinar,” Kelly said. “We wanted to be different. We wanted something live. Something interactive. Something that would make educators feel like they weren’t alone.”

That idea came to life in May 2020 with a live budget update following the governor’s May Revision, when thousands of new viewers tuned in.

“It was at that point that we realized we had tapped into something special,” Kelly said. “Two weeks later, we went live with the first episode of the ACSA Legislative Lunch Break.” Now, 180 episodes later, the ACSA Legislative Lunch Break continues to be a fixture in California’s education landscape, streaming on YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Creating a high-quality, live broadcast during lockdown wasn’t easy. The first episode was broadcast from two makeshift studios — Zazueta used his living room and co-host Naj Alikhan, ACSA’s Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, joined from his wife’s kindergarten classroom.

“We have this running joke on the show that the Internet is so bad where I live that I need to hold a metal hanger out of the window to get any connectivity, but it was really true,” Alikhan said. “My wife did maybe two days of distance learning from the house, and it was a connectivity disaster. She said she was going back to her classroom to teach. I followed her, and the rest is history.”

One of the show’s defining strengths is the natural connection between its co-hosts. Alikhan and Zazueta have appeared together in 152 of the show’s 180 total episodes. Their on-screen dynamic has become a key reason why viewers return week after week.

“Naj and Edgar have the one thing you can’t buy in broadcasting. And that’s chemistry,” Kelly said. “It’s a producer’s dream to have that kind of rapport between your two co-hosts. You can’t script it, and you definitely can’t fake it.”

Maintaining that connection each week requires a strong production team. As executive producer, Kelly oversees all aspects of the broadcast. Producer Gianna Miller plays a key role in content planning, guest coordination, audience interaction and social media engagement. Her work ensures that each episode remains relevant and responsive to ACSA’s statewide community.

“Gianna is instrumental in keeping us connected to our audience,” Kelly said. “She helps make sure the conversation doesn’t just happen on screen, but also in real time with the people watching.”

Legislative Lunch Break has welcomed dozens of high-profile guests and policymakers. One of the most impactful moments came in 2022 during an interview with State Sen. Dr. Richard Pan about vaccine mandates in schools. The senator had introduced legislation to require that students receive COVID-19 vaccinations to attend school, with no option to obtain a personal belief exemption. During the interview, ACSA members expressed concerns about access to vaccines and unfunded mandates.

“Our viewers pushed back on the senator in a way we didn’t anticipate,” Alikhan said. “I expected some unhappy viewers, but we had several district superintendents voice their frustration over the proposal.”

The next day, Pan pulled the bill from the Legislature.

Legislative Lunch Break has delivered many other memorable moments, such as when State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond pulled his car to the side of a highway to make his scheduled appearance. In another episode, two district leaders began solving each other’s staffing shortages in the comment section. Over time, the show’s audience has come to include viewers from inside the governor’s office.

Even after five years, the show continues to grow in reach and relevance, delivering timely information about the policies and the policymakers that shape public education.

“I look forward to each Legislative Lunch Break episode because it advocates for, supports and challenges members across the state to better serve students and families,” said Nery Paiz, an ACSA member and Lunch Break “super fan.” “The show consistently stays ahead of critical state and national issues affecting educators’ work and is a show that is always ready to stand up for members.”

A special fifth anniversary episode of the ACSA Legislative Lunch Break is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 25. Watch it live on ACSA YouTube at youtube.com/acsaorg.

“We have come a long way,” Alikhan said. “I hope, even after five years, we’re delivering what our members and viewers need.”