Service Categories: Ethnic

Ethnic / Cultural

Lead Filipino

L.E.A.D Filipino stands for leadership, education, activism, and dialogue. LGBTZ Filipinx Summit, Lola Scholarship Fund,

YOUTH IN THE SILICON VALLEY – Together We Raise

Dec 2016 Report – Immigrant youth make up a significant portion of both the population and the workforce in the Silicon Valley. An area famous for its economic wealth, the SV stands out for its deep disparities when it comes to the lives of undocumented immigrants. The report explores the obstacles young immigrants face when trying to access fair wages, housing and higher education. Key Words: DACA, Dreamers

Archive – 2014 Voices of Change Report – Nuestro Futuro Initiative

2014. The findings from over 6 months of community surveys and focus groups carried out by the Hispanic Foundation across San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. More than 2,200 individuals participated. The majority of participants were immigrants, women, and low-income individuals with less than a high school education. In addition, most of the respondents had never been asked to give their input on quality of life issues before the survey. Key Words: Spanish, Latino, Latinx

Archive – 2018 San Jose Vietnamese Leadership Academy

7/6/18 In 2018 the San Jose Office of Immigrant Affairs partnered with VietUnity and Sacred Heart to pilot two Civic Leaders Academies, one for the Latino (in Spanish) and another for the Vietnamese community. The programs were designed to encourage leadership and civic engagement in the ethnic communities.
VietUnity produced this video of the Vietnamese American Civic Leaders Academy. Participants graduated after 7 weeks of learning, bonding, and building leadership. Key Words:

Silicon Valley Pain Index Annual Reports

Since 2020, the purposes of the annual Silicon Valley Pain Index [SVPI] reports are to: (1) Provide an efficient, easily digestible, statistical overview of structured inequalities to inform policy and practice in “Silicon Valley.” (2) Serve to measure Santa Clara County’s performance as a “human rights county,” which it declared in 2018.  They show that the wealth gap between White households and Black and Latino communities is widening at an unprecedented rate, and the trends shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

14 steps to America for Afghans

8/25/21 Afghans fleeing Kabul aren’t supposed to reach America’s shores until they’ve passed a multi-step vetting process ” 14 steps, in the case of some interpreters and others who helped the U.S military.
Where it stands: The U.S. has helped evacuate more than 70,000 Afghans since Aug. 14. Only a fraction are believed to have entered the U.S. ” though exactly how many isn’t clear.
The number was estimated last week at roughly 2,000, with 800 coming soon. Neither the White House nor the Department of Homeland Security could share updated numbers Tuesday evening.

MALDEF

MALDEF’s mission is to foster sound public policies, laws and programs to safeguard the civil rights of the 40 million Latinos living in the US and to empower the Latino community to fully participate in our society.

Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County

Food, Health Care, Mental Health, Foster Care, Rental Assistance, Immigration Legal services,  refugee resettlement,  Disaster Casework., other free and sliding scale social programs for children, adults and seniors. provided in English, Spanish and Vietnamese, at offices in San Jose and Gilroy.   Member of the SCC Citizenship Collaboration and CADRE.  https://www.facebook.com/WorkingToEndPoverty/?ref=ts Key Words: RIF, CADRE, Disaster

HANDA California

Audio recordings in Mexican Indigenous languages. There’s a recording for Preparing for Disaster Safety Tips in Mixteco, Zapoteco, Triqui, Chatino, Tlapaneco, Purepecha, and MAM. Key Words: Language Access, Translation, Spanish

Archive – FEMA Diversity Awareness Course IS-0020.22:

2022 This course recognizes the benefits of diversity in our workforce and FEMA’s commitment to valuing the diversity of its employees and customers. By the end of this course, you will be able to:
**Define what is meant by diversity.**Describe how diversity benefits us individually and collectively.**State FEMA’s Vision of Diversity.**Describe the agency’s commitment to diversity as stated in FEMA’s Diversity and Inclusion Plan.**Describe how culture influences our interactions with others.**Describe the actions you can take to optimize diversity.3 Employees Looking at Computer Monitor Clock
This course should take approximately 60 minutes to complete.

VIISTA – Villanova Interdisciplinary Immigration Studies Training for Advocates

VIISTA is one of the first university-based online certificate program to train immigrant advocates. Designed by an interdisciplinary team of leading faculty, lawyers, and NGOs, VIISTA revolutionizes education about the law by educating legal advocates (akin to nurse practitioners in health care). Students who complete the program will be eligible, under existing regulations, to apply to become Department of Justice “accredited representatives,” authorized to provide low-cost legal representation to migrant and refugee families when they work for DOJ “recognized organizations.”

Indigenous Language Justice in California

In 2017-18, the Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP), Frente Indígena de
Organizaciones Binacionales (FIOB), California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (CRLA), and the Binational
Center for the Development of Oaxacan Indigenous Communities (CBDIO) worked with a UC Davis
graduate researcher, Alena Uliasz, to conduct a community-based participatory research project.
Here, we share our recommendations to promote language justice for speakers of Latin American Indigenous languages in California. Multi-language: Mixteco, Spanish Key Words: Language Access

Silicon Valley DeBug

Silicon Valley De-Bug is a community organizing, advocacy, and a multimedia storytelling organization based out of San José, California. Since its’ inception in 2001, De-Bug has been a platform for Silicon Valley’s diverse communities to impact the political, cultural, and social landscape of the region, while also becoming a nationally recognized model for community-based justice work.

THE LONG TAIL OF AFGHAN RELOCATION AND RESETTLEMENT: Achievements, Obstacles, and Opportunities

4/22 REPORT TO THE OPERATION ALLIES WELCOME UNIFIED COORDINATION GROUP – Short-sightedness in identifying preferred relocation and resettlement solutions has come at the expense of devising sustainable, long-term strategies. Every step of the
way, Afghans in the US have been met by agencies trying to address their needs while dealing with staffing and funding shortfalls and already full case loads. In addition to strains on the resettlement program, the crisis has also put an enormous strain on legal service providers, who are necessary to implement long-term strategies.

Santa Clara County leaders want office to track hate crimes

6/5/22 The Board of Supervisors recently directed county workers to come up with a plan for implementing dozens of recommendations for addressing hate crimes. This would include developing a reporting system for hate-based incidents and making data about these incidents more transparent to the public. The board also asked for more details about the creation of a new county office that would receive and track reports of hate incidents and crimes. The San Jose Police Department reported 116 hate crimes in 2021, compared to 89 in 2020 and 33 in 2019. This is part of a broader pattern in California where the overall number of hate crimes increased from 1,015 in 2019 to 1,330 in 2020.

Cultural Quick Reference Guides

These two-page Cultural Quick Reference Guides support the provider-client relationship by giving country-specific information on cultural norms, health practices, and courtesies to observe to enhance communication. Languages and literacy, personal greetings, naming conventions, and non-verbal signals are included to support optimal provider-client interaction. Facts about TB in country with details on stigma, traditional remedies, and beliefs, will aid providers in better understanding patient expectations regarding treatment. From the SE National Center for Tuberculosis (SNTC) Available for: Afghanistan, China, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Mexico and Ukraine.

2021 Report on International Religious Freedom

6/2/22 The annual Report to Congress on International Religious Freedom”the International Religious Freedom Report”describes the status of religious freedom in every country. The report covers government policies violating religious belief and practices of groups, religious denominations and individuals, and U.S. policies to promote religious freedom around the world. The U.S. Department of State submits the reports in accordance with the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

Binational Center for the Development of Oaxacan Indigenous Communities

Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueno – Serving the indigenous migrant communities from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico that reside in CA. (CBDIO) works to increase the participation of indigenous women in the life of the migrant community by providing training and promotion of gender equality, so that they may exercise self-determination in their civic lives.
CBDIO also promotes health education on prevention and treatment of different illnesses.
Located in Fresno, Greenfield, and Madera, but offer translation services for the following indigenous languages: Mixteco, Triqui, Tlapaneco, Zapoteco, Punjabi translations. COVID-19 audio recordings for some Indigenous languages that are not written. Key Words: Language Access, Interpreter

Biden signs bill to create commission studying AAPI museum

6/13/22 President Joe Biden on Monday signed “H.R. 3525″or the “Commission To Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture Act” into law, telling those assembled at the East Room of the White House that generations of AAPI individuals “have literally shaped the history and the contours of this country.”

40% of AAPI LGBTQ youths have considered suicide in last year

4/20/22 The survey from the Trevor Project found that 40 percent of LGBTQ youths who are Asian American or Pacific Islander, or AAPI, have seriously considered suicide in the past year. Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian youths experienced the highest rate, at 49 percent, followed by Korean American youths, at 47 percent, and Filipino American youths, at 41 percent.
The report also includes responses from Indian, Vietnamese and Chinese American LGBTQ youths.

CIELO Indigenous Interpreters

The fundamental piece of CIELO’s work is to create new leadership and nurture the growth of leaders through the National Indigenous Interpreters conference and the continuous CIELO’s workshops that are held all year long.
Multi-language: Indigenous, Spanish Key Words: Translation, Mixteco, Language Access

Maya Interpreters

INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION AGENCY
Our interpretation agency is here to help you. Request an interpreter for legal, medical, social, immigration, court and business purposes. Multi-language: Maya Key Words: Indigenous, Language Access

Mixteco Indigenous Language Services

Since launching in 2010, the Indigenous Language Services program has seen an immense increase in the need for indigenous interpreters and we are now serving clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We continue our collaboration at large with school districts, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and social services agencies. We are actively contracting with regional agencies at a statewide and national level. Key Words: Language Access Multi-language: Mixteco

REFUGEE PROCESSING CENTER (RPC)

The Refugee Processing Center (RPC) is operated by the U.S Department of State (DOS) Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) in the Rosslyn section of Arlington, Virginia USA.
At the RPC and at Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs), an interactive computer system called the Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System (WRAPS) is used to process and track the movement of refugees from various countries around the world to the U.S. for resettlement under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).

Esperanza United Language access plan template

This Language access template is designed to help your program create or enhance your language access plan. The template includes sample language that is relevant for working with survivors with limited English proficiency. The template is offered as a PDF document that is editable with Adobe Acrobat, and options for sample language that you can adapt to fit your organizational and community realities.

San Jose Bridge Communities (SJBC)

SJBC is a grass roots organization with the philosophy of service that facilitates opportunities to form cross cultural and cross class friendships. Programs include: Parenting Classes, Language Exchange Classes, Food Distribution, Tutoring, Getting Ahead Class, Hands and Voices (focus on equipping students with the tools to express themselves through painting, drawing, Film, photography and more), Arte y cafe (an art class design for destressing and self care) . Multi-language: Spanish

San Jose African America Community Services Agency (AACSA)

The AAACSA, founded in 1978, is one of the only African American cultural centers in the Silicon Valley. Our mission: providing quality educational, cultural, social and recreational programs, services and activities in order to perpetuate and strengthen African American identity, culture, values, traditions, knowledge and family life, is at the heart of all programs. AACSA’s membership is open to everyone, regardless of race, religion, age or disability. The Agency’s diverse activities and services offer a natural gateway to African American life.  Key Words: SCC

JAPANTOWN PREPARED!

Japantown Prepared is an all-volunteer CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) group. It formed in 2011 after the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami disaster. Our mission is to prepare San Jose Japantown for any major disasters. The businesses, organizations, churches, and residents of Japantown work together to help each other out. We train, communicate, and collaborate to prepare for disasters of all kinds. We serve our community to minimize loss of life, injuries, and property damage.

Archive – 2022 Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

In 1978, a joint congressional resolution established Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian/Pacific American history: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843) and contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad completed May 10, 1869. In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a monthlong celebration that is now known as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Addressing Learning Loss in Disadvantaged Kids

4/8/22 Students with disabilities, those learning English and students who live in rural communities learn at the same rate during the academic year – and often faster – than their peers who are not disadvantaged, but they lose much more ground over the summer, according to new research from the nonprofit education policy and assessment organization NWEA.

The finding bolsters calls by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona for state education officials and school leaders to offer intensive summer learning programs for students who have incurred the steepest academic losses due to chronic interruptions to learning during the pandemic.

Path to Permanent Residency for TPS Beneficiaries Restored

On March 21, 2022 USCIS agreed to restore a path to permanent residency for Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries. Because of this settlement, TPS beneficiaries impacted by then-Acting Director Cuccinelli’s policy will be able to reopen and dismiss their removal orders and apply to adjust their status to become permanent residents”eliminating the threat of deportation if their TPS protections are revoked in the future.
Multi-language: Spanish

Understanding the Impact of Extreme Heat Events

3/28/22 The Los Angeles Times recently published an article detailing the impact of heat-related deaths in California and found that extreme heat caused approximately 3,900 deaths in California over the past decade”that is six times more than the state’s official count. Even so, extreme heat receives substantially less awareness than other disasters, despite killing more Americans each year than wildfires, hurricanes, and floods.

Board Resolution Declaring Racism a Public Health Crisis

6/23/21 Our County’s Division of Equity and Social Justice was created to address social inequities that exist within County services including racial and ethnic disparities. The coronavirus outbreak laid bare the disproportionate number of people of color getting COVID-19 in our County, including our Latino population countywide and our Latino, African American and Asian American communities in East San Jose.
Other communities across the Country have declared racism a public health crisis including the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Madison County, Cook County, the City of Pittsburgh, the City of Boston, Kansas City and the State of Arizona.

County creates New Office to Address Systemic Inequities that Negatively Impact Historically Marginalized Communities

1/10/22 The new Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer will collaborate and partner with County departments to integrate values of diversity, equity, and belonging into their operations and to build organizational capacity to address systemic inequities that contribute to poor outcomes for historically marginalized communities. Dr. Analilia García, who is trained in public health and has built a career championing social justice, started today as Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, and will lead the newly created Office of Equity, Diversity and Belonging.

UndocuBlack: The Cruelty Behind Title 42 and Its Impact on Black Migrants

3/19/22 The official reason for the enaction of the policy by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is to protect Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and the public health from COVID-19, public health emergencies. And to curtail the swarm of people in congregate settings such as that in immigration detention centers. But as all harmful policies, this policy, specifically and disproportionately, affects the Black and brown immigrants who are making the treacherous journey to the U.S. seeking safety from violence, civil unrest, murder and natural disasters.

CA has new benefits for undocumented immigrants. They’re not enough, workers say

4/3/22 Introduced last month by Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, a Democrat from Coachella, and currently under review in the legislature, AB 2847 would create the Excluded Workers Pilot Program, a two-year program that would provide funds to undocumented workers who lose their job or have their hours reduced during the calendar year 2023. The proposal, estimated at $597 million, plus administrative costs, would allow qualifying, unemployed individuals to receive up to $300 a week for 20 weeks.

SAVE Fact Sheet – Information for SAVE Users: Afghan Arrival Categories, Documentation, and SAVE Responses

4/3/22 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is leading and coordinating ongoing efforts across the federal government to support vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked alongside us in Afghanistan for the past two decades, as they safely resettle in the United States. These Afghan arrivals generally fall within one of four categories that are eligible for resettlement assistance, entitlement programs, and other benefits available to refugees admitted under section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Trauma-informed instruction for immigrant students

More and more educators across the country are learning about the impacts of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on students. Researchers estimate that half of the U.S. student population has experienced or is still experiencing some type of trauma, violence, or chronic stress
For immigrant students, the sources of trauma may be complex and may be related to:
***the reasons the family left their home country (such as war or wide-spread violence)
***difficult conditions, violence, sexual assault, or casualties during the journey to this country
***forced separation from a parent or sibling on the journey
***Experiences related to immigration enforcement
trauma and anxiety can impact students’ behavior and the importance of getting a complete picture of the source of the issue before taking steps that can have long-term consequences for the student.

San Jose mandala ceremony offers universal lesson in change

4/6/22 As chanting filled the main hall of a local Buddhist temple Sunday afternoon, San Jose resident Trang Huynh joined with about 50 people in praying and celebrating a sand mandala dissolution ceremony.
The monks, assigned by the Dalai Lama, spent more than three days meticulously pouring sand by hand onto a blueprint to create the mandala. The holy ceremony ends with the breaking of the sand circle, as colorful grains of sand are swirled together into a gray pile. This symbolizes a core lesson of impermanence: Everything is bound to change and nothing lasts forever.

Will the U.S. receive Ukrainian refugees?

3/11/22 The Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered the swiftest refugee displacement crisis in Europe since World War II, prompting more than 2.5 million people to flee the country during the conflict’s first two weeks.
While President Biden said Friday that the U.S. should welcome them “with open arms,” the U.S. will likely not receive large numbers of Ukrainian refugees in the immediate future, immigration policy experts said.
As of March 11, most Ukrainian refugees have fled to neighboring countries, 1.5 million of them to Poland, 225,000 to Hungary and 176,000 to Slovakia. Tens of thousands have also crossed into Russia, Romania and Moldova. Another 282,000 have left for other European countries, including Germany.

Housing for Ukrainian Refugees

3/10/22 UkraineTakeShelter.com is an independent platform connecting Ukrainian refugees with potential hosts and housing.
This website is a public bulletin. We encourage everyone with spare space to post a listing and to mark their listing as filled once they have successfully taken in refugees.
For refugees, UkraineTakeShelter.com asks for your nearest city to display the closest listings. We do not track your precise location. Hosts are only required to provide minimal information, such as their city and contact information. Multi-language: English, Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, German, French, Dutch, Slovakian, Spanish and more.
For more information: ukrainetakeshelter@gmail.com.

2023 HHS Language Access Plan Update

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating effectively in English, you may need an interpreter or document translation in order to have meaningful access to programs funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires recipients of Federal financial assistance to take reasonable steps to make their programs, services, and activities accessible by eligible persons with limited English proficiency. Read the Press Release   Lea el comunicado de prensa en español   阅读中文新闻稿 (Chinese – Simplified)     閱讀中文新聞稿 (Chinese – Traditional)     Read the Report – PDF   Leer el informe (Spanish) – PDF   阅读报告 (Chinese – Simplified) – PDF*   閱讀報告 (Chinese – Traditional) – PDF*  Key Words: LEP, Language Access, equitable 

The Black-White Wealth Gap Left Black Families More Vulnerable

12/20/20 The COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted devastating effects on the U.S. economy, with job losses especially concentrated among women, minorities, and low-wage workers. Economists have described the uneven and unequal economic recovery from the COVID-19 recession as a “K-shaped” recovery, characterized by divergent recovery trajectories for the affluent relative to those of less means. While considerable attention has been devoted to examining the preexisting disparities in labor market outcomes that left some households more vulnerable than others to the COVID-19 recession, less attention has been paid to the role of wealth in determining a household’s ability to buffer the pandemic’s economic shocks. Key Words: Equity

Economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on South Asians in the U.S.

10/10/20 Economic and social impacts of the current pandemic that are based on immigration status, employment opportunities, and healthcare access are major issues for South Asians in the U.S. There is wide income inequality with nearly 10% of South Asians in the U.S. living in poverty. Many have low paid and temporary jobs, including in the informal sector, and little to no savings. The pandemic disproportionately impacts these communities but there has been little media coverage. To highlight this gap, we present selected research from our forthcoming manuscript to be published later this month, which are complemented by community-based findings from the recent SAALT report on the disparate impact of COVID-19 across South Asian communities.

The importance of race, gender, and religion in naturalization adjudication in the US

3/1/22 This study examines group disparities in naturalization approvals by race/ethnicity, gender, and religion. We find that all else being equal, non-White applicants and Hispanic applicants are less likely to be approved than non-Hispanic White applicants, male applicants are less likely to be approved than female applicants, and applicants from Muslim-majority countries are less likely to be approved than applicants from other countries. In addition, we find that race/ethnicity, gender, and religion combine to produce a certain group hierarchy in terms of approval probabilities. For example, Blacks from Muslim-majority countries are much less likely to be approved than Whites from other countries. These findings underscore the continuing importance of race, gender, and religion in the making of US citizens.

Cyberattack on International Committee of the Red Cross

2/4/22 Recently, a sophisticated cyberattack was detected against computer servers hosting information held by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The attack compromised personal data and confidential ICRC information of more than 515,000 vulnerable people, including those separated from their families due to conflict, migration and disaster, missing persons and their families, and people in detention.
The attack impacted the ICRC system that the American Red Cross uses to conduct the Restoring Family Links program. The ICRC, along with the wider Red Cross and Red Crescent network, jointly runs Restoring Family Links, which seeks to reunite family members separated by conflict, disaster or migration.

Improving Access to Public Websites and Digital Services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Persons

12/21 Many entities – government agencies, nonprofits, and businesses – use websites and digital services to provide information and services to the public, to accept applications, and to manage accounts. Individuals with Limited English proficiency (LEP) access these websites and digital services.
Digital services involve the electronic delivery of information, including data and content, across
multiple platforms or devices, such as text, audio, video, mobile applications, and graphics that are transmitted for viewing over the internet. This includes social media (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc.), websites, and applications that enable users to create and share information and content or to participate in social networking. Vital information displayed on these platforms or devices should be accessible to persons with LEP in frequently encountered languages.

Multilingual COVID-19 Resources

This FDA toolkit is designed to help community, health and social service organizations, lay health advisors (promotoras), YMCAs/YWCAs, fraternities, school organizations (e.g., PTAs/PTOs), senior centers, faith-based organizations, and others to share accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines in their social media networks and educational channels using FDA official COVID-19 messages to fight misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. In this toolkit, you will find Twitter, Facebook and Instagram messages and images about the most common myths about the COVID-19 vaccines. Multilingual COVID-19 Vaccines Myths Social Media Toolkit in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Korean Tagalog, Vietnamese

Ukraine Community Resources

3/11/22 The City of San José is closely monitoring the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and proudly stands in solidarity with Ukraine and our Ukrainian community in this extraordinarily challenging time. We are ready to support our community now and long into the future.
We will continue to share resources and information as it becomes available both on this page and on our social media pages: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
SJ Ukranian Resources
Bay Area Ukrainian Resources
Keu Words: TPS, Temporary Protected Status

Stanford Law School Immigrants’ Rights Clinic

Students in the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic have full responsibility for defending clients against deportation in San Francisco Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the federal courts of appeals. As part of that work, students write complex legal briefs, argue cases, conduct fact investigation, interview witnesses and clients, and represent clients in mini-trials. Students also engage in cutting-edge litigation and advocacy in partnership with local and national immigrants’ rights organizations.

South Asian Therapists

Directory of South Asian therapists, including therapists of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Afghanistani, and Nepali heritage. Multi-language

2022 SF LANGUAGE ACCESSCOMPLIANCE SUMMARY REPORT

2/22 This year’s LAO report features direct feedback from community members via a comprehensive Language Access Community Survey conducted in 11 languages from June-September 2021 by OCEIA, in partnership with the IRC and the Language Access Network of San Francisco (LANSF). Survey results from over 2,000 City residents demonstrate that even with a clear commitment, a strong local language access law, and extraordinary efforts by emergency, public health and other City departments, not everyone was able to access the same information and services at the same time during a major public health crisis.

Overtime Pay: Why Are Farmworkers Excluded?

2/10/22 Last week, the New York State Wage Board passed three resolutions that will finally provide overtime for farmworkers working for more than 40 hours a week. The resolutions also delineate a ten-year phase-in to ratchet down from the current 60-hour-a-week threshold to 40 hours. Immediately after the announcement, the New York Farm Bureau and other farmer-aligned organizations began rallying Governor Hochul for a reversal.
Until last week, farmworkers were part of a very slim subsection of workers in New York State who lack overtime pay after 40 hours. No other industry as large as agriculture has maintained the restriction of such a basic worker right.

LatinXCEL Fund

Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) created this fund in partnership with the Castellano Family Foundation. This initiative calls for vastly increased funding for Silicon Valley’s Latinx community leaders and Latinx-led nonprofits through targeted, long-term investments.
The LatinXCEL Fund is founded on the belief that investing in Latinx-led organizations will, in turn, build the power and self-determination of Latinx people most impacted by structural racism. The ultimate aim is to transform our region into one that is more inclusive and just, where all Latinx community members can thrive.
Key Words: Ethnic, grants

Archive – Vice President Kamala Harris Swears In President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders

2/3/22 Vice President Kamala Harris swore in 23 members of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (PACAANHPI) The PACAANHPI was created in May 2021, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to advise the President on ways to advance equity, justice and opportunity for the AAPI and Native Hawaiian communities.

Vietnamese – American Service Center (VASC)

4/10/22 All Health Services now Open
offer a wide range of culturally competent services including resources will eventually include primary care, dental care, social services, on-site child supervision, and an array of community programs to promote wellness. Language capacity at the center will include, at minimum, English, Vietnamese, and Spanish, reflecting the communities and populations that will be served at the Center, located at 2410 Senter Road in East San José.
call (408) 828-4981 or email VASC@ceo.sccgov.org. Multi-language: Vietnamese and Spanish

Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA)

A majority of our rapidly growing community is comprised of graduate students, and early career rising leaders. We are a proud member of the Council of National Psychology Associations for the Advancement of Ethnic Minority Interests (CNPAAEMI) Leadership Development Institute.
Committed to advancing and promoting, learning and teaching, mentoring and networking about mental health in the AAPI communities! Scholarships, awards, online forums, mentorship programs, leadership development program, and annual conventions.
COVID related Mental Health Resources for Asian Americans

Health Equity Considerations & Racial & Ethnic Minority Groups

Health equity is when all members of society enjoy a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Public health policies and programs centered around the specific needs of communities can promote health equity.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought social and racial injustice and inequity to the forefront of public health. It has highlighted that health equity is still not a reality as COVID-19 has unequally affected many racial and ethnic minority groups, putting them more at risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19. Multi-language: Spanish |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Korean |
Social determinants of health (SDOH)

Census Bureau Releases 2021 Determinations for Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act

12/8/21 The U.S. Census Bureau has released a list of 331 jurisdictions (counties and minor civil divisions) across the nation and three states that are required under the Voting Rights Act to provide language assistance during elections for citizens who are unable to speak or understand English adequately enough to participate in the electoral process.
The list, published in the Federal Register, identifies the jurisdictions that are covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act and must provide language assistance for “persons who are American Indian, Asian American, Alaska Natives, or of Spanish heritage.”

Archive – Joint Statement – URGENT POLICY ACTION NEEDED BY WHITE HOUSE TO SUPPORT THE AFGHAN PEOPLE

1/11/22 As detailed in a joint statement issued by the nine humanitarian organizations, more than half the country’s population of 23 million people are facing acute food insecurity, including 9 million who are on the brink of famine. According to the United Nations, if no action is taken, more than 100,000 children could die of starvation. While prices skyrocket, Afghan families cannot access cash to pay for food, medicine, or other items.
The 9 global charities include:InterAction
Alliance for Peacebuilding, |
CARE USA |
Catholic Relief Services |
International Rescue Committee |
Norwegian Refugee Council USA |
Save the Children US |
War Child USA | and
World Vision U.S

A Limiting Lens: How Vaccine Misinformation Has Influenced Hispanic Conversations Online

12/8/21 It isn’t possible to tell a single story about how this vaccination gap came to be. A history of medical exploitation and discrimination may play one role [4][5]. Data shows that language barriers, as well as concerns about immigration status, childcare and work schedules may also impede access to care [6][7].
All of these factors create a foundation of doubt and mistrust that allows misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines to flourish on social media.

Transgender Law Center

Transgender Law Center (TLC) is the largest national trans-led organization advocating for a world in which all people are free to define themselves and their futures. Grounded in legal expertise and committed to racial justice, TLC employs a variety of community-driven strategies to keep transgender and gender nonconforming people alive, thriving, and fighting for liberation.

DiversityInc Job Board

Apply to work at companies that “get it.” In 2020, DiversityInc’s job board included more than 166,000 job listings hiring diverse applicants. Our job board is a useful tool both for recruiters working to hire qualified talent and job seekers looking to work at organizations that value diversity, inclusion, equity and innovation. Free to job seekers.

Assyrian American Association of San Jose (AAASJ)

Promoting the Assyrian language, heritage, and culture among all Assyrians and to assist Assyrian charitable, cultural, and educational organizations.
COVID-19 RAPID RESPONSE INITIATIVE – Santa Clara County & Surrounding Bay Area HOTLINE: 408-800-2799
*Delivering meals to the hungry and elderly who are home-bound.
*Providing health counseling for local community members in crisis.
*Supplying financial guidance for basic needs and vital social services to those affected by COVID-19
*Alleviating social isolation by ensuring that seniors receive regular phone calls, support and the services they require.
*Promoting location businesses that depend on daily transaction to remain viable.

Archive – Six men arrested in connection with 70 crimes targeting Bay Area Asian women, police say

12/15/21 Six men have been arrested in connection to a string of robberies allegedly targeting Asian women in the Bay Area, concluding a yearlong investigation, according to authorities.
Ethnic slurs were allegedly used against some of the women by the three men and officials said the suspects followed the women to their cars in parking lots and waited until they were inside before opening the door or breaking a window to snatch a purse from their passenger seat.
Key Words: Hate Crimes

Archive – $165 million California fund to battle anti-Asian hate could come this year

11/16/21 Community groups will get the bulk of money to battle tide of bigotry and violence.
Community groups fighting against the rise of hate crimes and related actions directed at Asians could start seeing some of a new $165.5 million state fund by the end of this year, state and local leaders said Monday, Nov. 15, during a news conference in Garden Grove.
Most of the California API Equity Fund, roughly $110 million, is expected to be awarded over the next three years to organizations with deep ties in the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities that they serve. Such groups were the first to respond to the rise in hate crimes and hate incidents faulting Asian Americans for the coronavirus pandemic.

San Jose expands community use at Viet Heritage Garden, after years of dispute

12/30/21 After sitting empty for 6 years due to a lack of funding, a garden honoring San Jose’s vast Vietnamese community sprouts signs of life.
San Jose is expanding a community garden program at the Viet Heritage Garden located at 1499 Roberts Ave.
The Viet Heritage Garden, which spans 4 acres will include 45 plots where people can farm their own vegetables and herbs.
The community garden in District 7 will be the newest addition to a list of 20 community gardens across the city, some of which have provided a place for residents to grow vegetables since 1977. Key Words: Food

Archive – White House Establishes New AAPI Visibility Task Force

1/4/21 With Business Leaders and Actor Daniel Dae Kim
The group will be tasked with advising President Biden and other D.C. lawmakers on issues important to the AAPI community, including initiatives like adding more language options in federal programs, disaggregating AAPI data to improve policy changes and rehabilitating small businesses crippled by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Key Words: Asian

US curtails refugee admissions to focus on resettling Afghan evacuees

11/16/21 The U.S. government is curtailing admissions of refugees to focus on the massive effort to process and resettle tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees, the State Department said Monday.
Through January 11, the U.S. will stop booking travel for refugees who don’t qualify for certain exceptions. Refugees who need to reunite with family in the U.S., who are travel-ready, who have “urgent cases” or whose medical and security screenings are set to expire soon will continue to be resettled, the State Department said.

U.S. waives work permit and green card application fees for Afghan evacuees

11/8/21 Afghans brought to the U.S. after July 30 under a humanitarian immigration process known as parole will qualify for a fee exemption on their applications for work authorization. The U.S. will also waive permanent residency petition fees for Afghans who are requesting Special Immigrant Visas due to their work with U.S. military forces.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) typically requires work permit applicants to pay $495 in application and biometric collection fees. The agency can charge up to $1,225 in fees to adjudicate petitions for permanent residency, which is also known as green card status.

Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index

Every community must prepare for and respond to hazardous events, whether a natural disaster like a tornado or a disease outbreak, or a human-made event such as a harmful chemical spill. Several factors, including poverty, lack of access to transportation, and crowded housing may weaken a community’s ability to prevent human suffering and financial loss in a disaster. These factors are known as social vulnerability. Using U.S. Census data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the first version of the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) in 2011 to enable emergency response planners and public health officials to identify, map, and plan support for communities that will most likely need support before, during, and after a public health emergency.

Archive – US considering returning some evacuees who don’t pass vetting process to Afghanistan

11/18/21 The Biden administration is considering sending some of the Afghan evacuees at a US military base in Kosovo back to Afghanistan if they cannot clear the intense vetting process to come to the United States, according to three US officials familiar with the matter.
A return to Afghanistan is only one option on the table — and comes with complicated legal questions — but it is being studied as US officials have yet to develop an overall plan for how to handle the challenge of where to resettle Afghans if they do not clear the US security clearance process.

Special Immigrant Juveniles

If you are in the United States and need the protection of a juvenile court because you have been abused, abandoned or neglected by a parent, you may be eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification. If SIJ classification is granted, you may qualify for lawful permanent residency (also known as getting a Green Card).
Multi-language: Spanish

Minority Health Resource Center

The OMHRC Knowledge Center Online Catalog provides access to the nation’s largest repository of information dedicated to the health of minority populations within the United States and its territories. The collection includes over 70,000 documents, books, journal articles, reports, and media related to the health status of racial and ethnic minority populations. In addition, users can access consumer health materials in more than 40 languages. The database identifies print and digital content leading to article, document, journal, and organizational records.

The Complex Motivations and Costs of Central American Migration

11/21 Conducted in Spring 2021 amid the economic instability and changing migration policies brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, these surveys capture a snapshot of migration decision-making during a particularly dynamic period and point to important opportunities for regional collaboration. The report is the result of collaboration between MPI, the UN World Food Programme, and the Civic Data Design Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

MPI Language Portal

A Translation and Interpretation Digital Library
search the database to find resources used to provide services to Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals. The database gives you thousands of state and local agency documents used to provide services to LEP clients, including contracts, planning reports, and translated material. Key Words: Language Access

Culturally and Linguistically Competent Nursing Care – Free Online Course

From Think Cultural Health – As healthcare disparities among cultural minority groups persist in our country, culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) are increasingly recognized as an important strategy for improving quality of care to diverse populations. This e-learning program will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to provide the best care for all patients, regardless of cultural or linguistic background. This e-learning program is grounded in the HHS Office of Minority Health’s National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care.

El Tecolote

12/21 Longest-running bilingual newspaper in California. Serving the SF Bay Latino community since 1970. #eltecolote #eltecolotesf #accionlatinasf Key Words: Media

Archive – Red Cross Volunteers See Hope in Work with Afghan Children

11/1/21 Since the Afghan evacuation began in August, nearly 800 Red Cross volunteers worked on military installations around the globe providing evacuees with more than 1.9 million relief items. On Rhine Ordnance Barracks and Ramstein bases, Ellsworth and Hwang rolled up their sleeves and chipped in where needed, handing out comfort kits, towels, diapers and other critical care items.

Archive – Newly arrived Afghans test a refugee resettlement system that’s rebuilding on the fly

10/7/21 Resettlement organizations are rebuilding on the fly after deep cuts during the Trump administration. Last year, the U.S. accepted the lowest number of refugees since the modern resettlement program began.
Now Congress has authorized more than $6 billion to support Afghan resettlement. The roughly 200 field offices that do this work are scrambling to prepare. They’re trying to find more affordable housing, and hiring as fast as they can.
The numbers are daunting.
Roughly 53,000 Afghans are living on military bases in the U.S., and 14,000 more will soon be on their way from military bases overseas. The vast majority are not technically refugees; they’re entering the U.S. under what’s known as “humanitarian parole.” And they have lots of questions about how it works.