Service Categories: Ethnic

Ethnic / Cultural

SCC Cultural Communities Wellness Program (CCWP)

A Family Outreach and Engagement Program (formerly known as ECCAC or Ethnic and Cultural Communities Advisory Committee) providing linguistic and culturally competent outreach, education, advocacy and peer support to ethnic communities. The goals are to reduce the stigma and increase understanding of behavioral health issues, increase willingness to seek help, and access to services. CCWP staff is multicultural and multilingual, representing at least 10 cultural communities, and speaking at least 12 languages. There are 7 CCWP teams:
African Heritage Community |
African Immigrant Community (Eritrean, Ethiopian, and Somali) |
Chinese Community |
Filipino Community |
Latino Community |
Native Family Community | and
Vietnamese Community |
Formerly ECCAC
Multi-language:
Language Assistance Services

FBI: Hate crime reports at highest level in 12 years

10/26/21 Increase comes even as fewer agencies reported hate crime incidents in their jurisdictions to FBI than in previous years.
More than 10,000 people reported to law enforcement last year that they were the victim of a hate crime because of their race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, religion or disability ” a number that has been on the rise in recent years, according to the
FBI’s annual hate crime statistics report

Multi-Lingual Counseling Center

In recognizing the need for cultural and language specific mental health services in the Bay Area and lack of multi-lingual speaking counselors, we created Multi-lingual Counseling Center to serve the needs of growing multi-lingual community. Our mission is to provide mental health services and treatment to individuals suffering from different mental health symptoms such as depression, PTSD, Bipolar, anxiety, ADHD and all other mental health
Diagnosis. Multi-language: Dari, Farsi.

More than 10 million US citizens live with an undocumented immigrant

9/10/21 Analysis: – More than 10 million U.S. citizens share a household with an undocumented immigrant, according to a new analysis of Census Bureau data by immigration advocacy group FWD.us. Nearly half of those U.S. citizens, 4.9 million, are children who have at least one undocumented parent.
The report shows the extent to which undocumented immigrants are integrated in their communities, with 22 million people living in mixed status households.

Suicide Prevention Muslim Community Action Guide

Muslims are not immune to mental illness. Even though suicide is disallowed in strong language in the Qur’an (see 4:29; 2:195), it does not diminish the fact that countless Muslims struggle every day with suicidal thoughts.
While you may not be trained as a mental health
professional, this guide is meant to equip you with the
knowledge and tools to better prevent, intervene, and
address suicide in your community and help save lives.

Archive – Funding Bill Will Help Afghans Resettle, Integrate

9/30/21 WASHINGTON, D.C. ” Congress today passed legislation that includes funding and additional benefits for Afghans resettling in the U.S.
The continuing resolution passed today includes $6.3 billion in supplemental funding for Afghan resettlement, as well as benefits for Afghan parolees who were admitted to the U.S. under humanitarian parole and are not technically deemed “refugees.” Key Words: Refugees, Evacuees

Across Parties, Americans Support People Seeking Refuge

9/22/21 WASHINGTON, D.C. ” Strong majorities of Republicans, Independents and Democrats agree that the U.S. should have a legal, secure way to welcome people from oppressed or war-torn countries.
In a new poll of 1,200 adults, including 1,000 registered voters, 65% of Americans ” including 61% of Republicans, 63% of Independents and 75% of Democrats ” agreed “that the United States should have a legal, secure process in place to take in people from oppressed or war-torn countries, such as Afghanistan.” The nationwide, online survey was fielded Thursday through Sunday. Key Words: Refugees, Asylum

FREE Bilingual Children’s Picture Dictionary – Clothes

Learn types of clothing with this bilingual children’s picture dictionary. Free download in:
English/Afrikaans, English/Albanian, English/Amharic, English/Arabic Egyptian, English/Arabic Formal, English/Arabic Gulf, English/Arabic Levantine, English/Arabic Maghrebi, English/Armenian, English/Azerbaijani, English/Basque, English/Belarusian, English/Bengali, English/Bosnian, English/Bulgarian, English/Burmese (Myanmar),
English/Catalan, English/Chinese Mandarin, Traditional, English/Chinese Simplified Mandarin, English/Chinese Traditional Cantonese, English/Chinese Traditional Mandarin (Taiwan), English/Croatian, English/Czech, English/Danish, English/Dari, English/Dutch,English/Estonian, English/Finnish, English/Flemish (Belgian), English/French, English/French Canadian, English/Georgian, English/German, English/Greek, English/Gujarati, English/Haitian Creole, English/Hebrew, English/Hindi, English/Hungarian, English/Icelandic, English/Indonesian, English/Irish Gaelic, English/Italian, English/Japanese, English/Kannada, English/Kazakh, English/Khmer, (Cambodian), English/Korean, English/Kurdish, English/Lao (Laotian), English/Latvian, English/Lithuanian, English/Macedonian, English/Malay, English/Malayalam, English/Maltese, English/Marathi, English/Mongolian, English/Nepali
English/Norwegian, English/Pashto, English/Persian (Farsi), English/Polish, English/Portuguese (Brazil)
English/Portuguese (Portugal), English/Punjabi
English/Romanian, English/Russian, English/Serbian Cyrillic, English/Serbian Latin, English/Slovak, English/Slovenian (Slovene), English/Shanghainese
English/Sinhala, English/Somali, English/Spanish (Castilian), English/Spanish (Latin America), English/Swahili, English/Swedish, English/Swiss, French, English/Swiss German, English/Swiss Italian,
English/Tagalog, English/Thai, English/Tamil,
English/Telugu, English/Tigrinya, English/Turkish,
English/Ukrainian, English/Urdu, English/Uzbek,
English/Vietnamese, English/Welsh, English/Xhosa, English/Yoruba, English/Zulu

Muslim American Society-Social Services Foundation (MAS-SSF)

10/21 The (MAS-SSF) offers peer mental health and social support services in five languages: English, Dari/Farsi, Pashto, Arabic, and Urdu. Support Services in-person, on the phone, and over the internet include: * A completely confidential and HIPAA-compliant peer mental health service that gives you the ability to interact with a dedicated peer specialist from virtually anywhere. Call 916 486-8626, Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm * Email MAS-SSF at counseling@mas-ssf.org

CDC Guidance for Refugees Upon Arrival in the United States

2021 Refugees come from diverse regions of the world, and professionals working with them need to understand the health risks, including the risk of COVID-19, in the countries from which they are departing. One resource is CDC’s Travel Health Notices, which are resources for travelers, including refugees, to help understand the risk of COVID-19 in destinations around the world. Learn how CDC determines the level of a destination’s COVID-19 Travel Health Notice. Multi-language: :Welcome Booklet for Refugees Amharic, Arabic Burmese, Dari, Farsi, French, Haitian, Karen, Kinyarwanda, Nepali, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tigrinya Ukrainian

STAND TOGETHER: Welcoming Muslim Refugees in Challenging Times

2016 This guide was created for advocates, service providers, and supporters like yourself as a tool to address
this backlash toward refugees and Muslim Americans, and to help you proactively engage with community leaders and neighbors. Through the messages, sample conversations, story ideas, and worksheets in this toolkit, we will help you develop straightforward yet persuasive language to use in the spoken or written communications you use in your work to support the needs of your whole community,

Asian American lawmakers urge DOJ to give updates about hate crimes law

9/22/21 President Joe Biden signed the legislation, co-sponsored by Hirono and Meng, on May 20 after it win bipartisan support in Congress. It directed the Justice Department to expedite the review of Covid-19-related hate crimes that were reported to law enforcement agencies to help them create ways to report such incidents online and to conduct public outreach.

Pathways to Citizenship for Undocumented Immigrants

2021 According to FWD.us estimates, undocumented immigrants belong to groups the U.S. public overwhelmingly supports being granted U.S. citizenship. With undocumented immigrants already filling substantial shares of critical occupations, America’s workforce will need undocumented immigrants to gain U.S. citizenship for a strong, post COVID-19 economy. Congress has no time to waste in building America back better.

Muslim Americans Experience a Wave of Islamophobic Attacks Following 20th Anniversary of 9/11

9-16-21 On what should have been a day of reflection and solidarity marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorism attacks on our nation, some Americans once again decided it was more important to turn to hate by harassing and attacking their fellow man.
NBC News’ Sakshi Venkatraman has reported that “as the 20th anniversary of 9/11 passed Saturday, Muslim Americans braced for what community leaders said happens every year around this time: a wave of hate and overt Islamophobia.”

Where Afghan refugees are expected to be resettled, by state

9/16/21 The Biden administration this week notified state authorities of the number of Afghan evacuees each state could receive in the coming weeks as part of the first phase of a massive resettlement operation that is slated to place nearly 37,000 refugees from Afghanistan in U.S. communities.
California is expected to receive 5,225 Afghan evacuees, the most of any state. Texas is set to receive 4,481 Afghans, followed by Oklahoma, which is expected to host 1,800 evacuees. Washington state and Arizona are each slated to receive more than 1,600 evacuees.

Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants (CERI)

9/15/21 Hiring Dari/Pashto speaking Therapist to serve arriving Afghan Refugees. Founded in 2005 by a group of bilingual/bicultural mental health professionals, CERI provides culturally-relevant mental health and other social services. We are dedicated to transforming the lives of refugees and immigrants and their families, many of whom suffer from weakening intergenerational relationships, layers of complex needs, and exposure to violence and trauma both in their current environments and in their native countries.

STRUCTURAL COMPETENCY

Clinical training often restricts the scope of cultural competency training to the beliefs and behaviors of individual patients. Structural competency aims to develop a language and set of interventions to reduce health inequalities at the level of neighborhoods, institutions and policies.

Racial Equity Institute

AN ALLIANCE OF TRAINERS, ORGANIZERS, AND INSTITUTIONAL LEADERS WHO HAVE DEVOTED OURSELVES TO THE WORK OF CREATING RACIALLY EQUITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND SYSTEMS. WE HELP INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS DEVELOP TOOLS TO CHALLENGE PATTERNS OF POWER AND GROW EQUITY.

Welcoming San Jose 2021 – 24 Plan

With recent changes in the national landscape that
allow for greater forward movement for immigrant
communities, building an inclusive and cohesive
San José is work that requires a deliberate investment from all sectors. A bold local strategy and
infrastructure to support immigrant inclusion is
critical to a successful city for all, regardless of national origin or immigration status. The Welcoming
San José Plan: 2021-2024 is another step towards
building and implementing this local strategy, in
collaboration with our many community partners.

The Invisible Wall: Title 42 and its Impact on Haitian Migrants

4/21 As of the release of this paper, over 1,200 people
have been expelled to Haiti since February 1, 2021, including hundreds of children, and dozens of Haitians, possibly hundreds, more have been expelled to Mexico.5
Almost all of these expulsions are occurring under what is referred to as the “Title 42” policy enacted
by the Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”), which authorizes the expulsion of noncitizens without
any procedural protections guaranteed by Congress, such as the right to seek asylum and other related
forms of humanitarian protection. The Trump Administration’s justification for adopting this policy
that violates U.S. immigration statutes and its international obligations of non-refoulement was to protect Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) officers from COVID-19 and to minimize the number of
persons in congregate settings, such as immigration detention centers.6

American Red Cross (ARC) Statement on Violence Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

3/9/21 As the nation’s most trusted humanitarian organization, it is our honor and responsibility to alleviate suffering to people without regard to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class, sexual orientation, or political opinions.
The ARC abhors intolerance, hate, racism and violence of any kind. We are disturbed by the reported 150% increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans in major US cities in 2020 and commit to remain vigilant as we deliver our mission in communities across the country.

Archive – Volunteer Legal Support for Afghans

12/31/23 Update – no longer accepting volunteers – This form is for volunteer legal workers interested in assisting with Afghan humanitarian parole applications. Volunteers will provide pro se support to Afghans and their sponsors, but will not formally represent applicants.
For more information about how to file for humanitarian parole for Afghan evacuees, see our training video and step-by-step guide

Since 9/11, US Muslims Have Gained Unprecedented Political, Cultural Influence

8/1/21 As the 20th anniversary of September 11 approaches, the recent rise of many Muslim Americans to positions of power and influence”in Washington and in statehouses, on big screens and small ones, across playing fields and news desks”is a development that few in the U.S. would have predicted two decades ago, Muslims included. In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks by the radical Islamic sect Al-Qaeda, anti-Muslim hate crimes exploded and the ensuing global “war on terror” to root out jihadists created a “climate of discrimination, fear and intolerance,” as one think tank described it, that surrounded people.

Afghan resettlement raises the question- Who is coming to the U.S.?

9/5/21 With tens of thousands of Afghans arriving at the end of America’s longest war, such comments from witnesses and government officials have left a question looming over the coming weeks, one that is already dividing host communities from Missoula, Mont., to Jacksonville, Fla.: Who is coming to the United States?
The emerging picture is more complicated than President Biden’s depiction of the airlift that whisked planeloads of Afghans to safety as a moral imperative to save people who helped Americans during a difficult conflict despite the risk. “We got thousands of Afghan translators and interpreters, and others who supported the United States, out” he said recently. Key Words: Refugees, Asylum

Afghan Coalition

Formed in 1996, Afghan Coalition is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization. We are dedicated to strengthening Afghan families, improving their access to social services, and building a strong and united Afghan American community. Located at the Family Resource Center in Fremont, CA, the Afghan Coalition is the largest Afghan-American organization in the US. Serving over 1,000 community members per year, particularly immigrant women and children, bilingual/bicultural advocates bridge the language and cultural gaps between community members and financial and social services.
Little Kabul
Key Words: Refugee

Archive – Free Legal Services for Afghan Refugees in CA

CA DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES IMMIGRATION SERVICES FUNDING FOR AFGHAN POPULATIONS – The CDSS funds qualified nonprofits to provide immigration legal services free of charge. The nonprofits on this list provide services to the Afghan population. For more information on service availability and additional service locations, please contact the organization directly. Multi-language: Pashto, Dari, Farsi

Afghan Immigrants in the United States

9/7/21 The dramatic aftermath of the U.S. military departure from Afghanistan after 20 years of war and rapid rise of the Taliban prompted a chaotic evacuation of Afghan allies and others to the United States and other countries. The U.S. government has said it expects that at least 50,000 Afghans will eventually be brought to the United States, as part of one of the largest airlifts of its kind in U.S. history. As of September 3, nearly 34,000 U.S.-bound Afghans were being housed at U.S. and NATO bases in the Middle East and Europe; another nearly 26,000 evacuees were at eight military facilities in the United States.

Archive – Will the Taliban’s Takeover Lead to a New Refugee Crisis from Afghanistan?

9/2/21 The decision to withdraw U.S. and NATO troops from Afghanistan and the subsequent abrupt takeover by the Taliban have triggered profound concerns among Afghans, who fear for the future under the Taliban’s rule. Internationally, one key concern is that a major refugee crisis may be imminent, which could swell the numbers of Afghans previously displaced within and beyond the country’s borders during prior decades of war. Already this year, more than 558,000 Afghans have been displaced internally. Under a worst-case scenario, an estimated 515,000 refugees could be forced out of the country by the end of this year. Future flight would add to the existing 2.8 million Afghan refugees and asylum seekers around the world, who have long been among the planet’s largest humanitarian populations.

Welcome to the United States: A Guidebook for Refugees

2012 The Welcome set is comprised of two COR Center resources: Welcome to the US: A Guidebook for Refugees and its complementary DVD, Welcome to the United States: Refugee Guide to Resettlement. These resources, developed at the request of the Department of State, Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), are designed to support overseas Cultural Orientation, as well as for use in initial domestic orientation or by refugees directly. Multi-language: English, Arabic, Burmese, Farsi, Karen, Kinyarwanda, Nepali, Somali, Swahili

Steps to Protect Your Online Identity from the Taliban: Digital History and Evading Biometrics Abuses

8/17/21 We understand that the Taliban is now likely to have access to various biometric databases and equipment in Afghanistan, including some left behind by coalition military forces. This technology is likely to include access to a database with fingerprints and iris scans, and include facial recognition technology.
Overall, it is very difficult to avoid recognition based on biometric data, but the following fact sheet outlines some things you can do, and some you shouldn’t.
Multi-language: English, Dari, Pashto Key Words: Refugee, SIV,
Evading the Misuse of Biometric Data |
Evading the Misuse of Biometric Data-Pashto |
Evading the Misuse of Biometric Data-Dari |
IInternet Shutdowns and Blockages – English |
Internet Shutdowns and Blockages-Dari |
Thwarting Digital Surveillance-English |
Thwarting Digital Surveillance-Dari |
How to Delete Your Digital History-English |
How to Delete Your Digital History-Dari |
How to Delete Your Digital History-Pashto |

FAQs: Protection From Digital Identification Methods By the Taliban |

Archive – Pathways to Protection for Afghans at Risk

9/1/21 from NILC (Nat Immigration Law Center)
On August 31, President Biden announced the full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the conclusion of “the largest airlift in U.S. history” a 17-day evacuation of approximately 120,000 people from Hamid Karzai airport in Kabul. In addition to U.S. citizens and citizens of other allied nations, among those evacuated were at-risk Afghans who assisted the U.S. military effort or who were otherwise under threat. The U.S. has announced three different immigration pathways that are being used to evacuate and resettle vulnerable Afghans: Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) status, the Priority 2 (P2) Refugee Program, and Humanitarian Parole.

Switchboard (for Refugee Service Providers)

Switchboard is a one-stop resource hub for refugee service providers in the US. Funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Switchboard offers a library of learning resources, an online evidence database, a range of self-paced e-learning courses, regular live learning opportunities, and on-demand technical assistance for ORR-funded organizations. Switchboard is implemented by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). IRC has partnered with Lutheran Immigrant Refugee Service (LIRS) to provide employment-related training and technical assistance.

Responding to Questions and Concerns about the COVID-19 Vaccine, Including During Ramadan

4/15/21 Refugee service providers are increasingly being asked questions about the vaccine. They may struggle not only with what their responses should be, but also with what their role should be in the vaccine conversation and where to find helpful resources for clients. Key Words: misinformation, Muslim, Islam, vaccination

DCARA ASL Interpreting

DCARA Interpreting is a deaf managed non profit providing interpreting services which allows for on site and video communication between hearing people and deaf people in Bay Area, California. request@dcara.org 510-722-7004 Multi-language: ASL Key Words: SCC Language Access

Archive – California Democrats tell Biden to send Afghan refugees to Golden State

8/27/21 A cadre of California members of Congress, including several from the Bay Area, have told President Biden the Golden State is ready and willing to serve as a “safe harbor” for Afghan refugees and special immigrant visa applicants fleeing their home country that’s now under Taliban rule.
In a letter to Biden delivered Friday, East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell, along with Southern California Reps. Ted Lieu and Adam Schiff, wrote the U.S. is “indebted to our Afghan partners, many of whom aided the U.S. military and diplomatic efforts” and risked their lives during a 20-year conflict.

Muslim American mental health experts are developing their own resources

8/26/21 Muslim American adults are twice as likely to report a history of attempted suicide than Americans belonging to other religious traditions or no religion, according to a new study. It’s a rate even higher than experts feared, one that includes both local tragedies that families may be reluctant to report and high-profile cases, like the shocking murder-suicide in Allen, Texas, that left an entire family dead in April and sent shockwaves through Muslim communities around the country.

CITY OF SAN JOSÉ APPOINTS DIRECTOR TO NEW OFFICE OF RACIAL EQUITY

10/20/20 Zulma Maciel to helm new Office responsible for advancing citywide equity framework to address systemic racism. This Office is responsible for advancing systems change through a citywide racial equity framework that will examine and improve San José’s internal policies, programs, and practices to eradicate any structural and/or institutional racism in the City of San José. This includes a focus on enabling the organization, at all levels and in all departments, to identify ways to improve outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Key Words: Ethnic

Generocity – RACIAL EQUITY GLOSSARY

Since a shared vocabulary is the necessary first step for discussing racial equity, Generocity has put together a glossary of terms you might find useful.

Bay Area’s rising Asian and Hispanic populations are driving region’s growth, census reveals

8/12/21 The percentage of White residents fell in every county while the share of Latino residents grew in all but Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.
That’s a trend now being mirrored across the country, where the population of White residents shrank over the past decade for the first time while the number of Asian and Latino Americans rose.

Special Needs – Glossary of Spanish Translations

This 2nd edition of the OSEP Glossary of Spanish Translations of Common IDEA Terms includes over 400 terms related to IDEA Parts B and C (the parts of IDEA that cover special education and early intervention services, respectively). The terms were selected by experienced translators from Parent Centers who have worked with families with children with disabilities representing the majority of Spanish-speaking cultures in Latin America and Spain. Multi-language: Spanish

Trabajos del Campo

7/21 Trabajosdelcampo.com: is an anonymous Job Review Platform for migrant and seasonal farmworkers in North America. The goal is to improve the working and living conditions of farmworkers across the US and Canada by providing a platform to communicate freely about farm job working conditions(think Glassdoor for farmworkers).
The Anonymous Job Review Website Concept has already brought transparency and accountability to the workplace across numerous industries. Trabajosdelcampo.com will bring the concept to those who need it most, our Nations’ Farmworkers.

La Cooperativa Campesina de California

A 501 c (3) corporation, is the statewide association of agencies implementing and administering farm worker service programs including employment training, advocacy and disaster relief. Members: California Human Development Corporation (CHDC) | Center for Employment Training (CET) | Central Valley Opportunity Center (CVOC) | Employers’ Training Resource (ETR) | Proteus, Inc. | Multi-language: Spanish

Proteus, Inc.

Complementing its employment training and placement services, Proteus provides childcare and youth educational programming, safety training, and energy assistance. In addition to service centers, Proteus, Inc operates mobile service units to increase availability and impact on rural areas. Multi-language: Spanish
Counties Served: Fresno, Kings, Kern, Tulare and Los Angeles Member of
La Cooperativa Campesina

California Human Development (CHD)

bilingual programs in 13 counties to 15,000 individuals annually. CHD’s offerings include job training and placement assistance for rural laborers as well as tutoring, mentorship, and career advising for farmworker youth. CHD also provides affordable housing and energy services, criminal justice services, citizenship and immigration aid, and healthcare and disability services.
Multi-language: Spanish
Counties Served: Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Yolo, San Joaquin, Sacramento, Sutter, Yuba, Contra Costa, Butte, and Colusa. Member of
La Cooperativa Campesina

Keep Your Benefits – Final Public Charge Rule & MediCal Update

FINAL PUBLIC CHARGE RULE:  The rule clarifies that immigrants will not be penalized for receiving most health care, food, and social programs.  Rules about public benefit programs and immigrants are confusing. But benefits can help your family stay healthy and thrive. Get the facts about public charge & immigration. Fill in the National Public Charge Test Guide to see if public benefits could affect different immigration options.   Spanish |   Chinese |  CA Specific Public Charge Test Guide

5/1/23 MediCal Update

For U.S. Latinos, COVID-19 Has Taken a Personal and Financial Toll

7/15/21 More than a year into the pandemic, Latinos in the United States say COVID-19 has harmed them and their loved ones in many ways. About half say a family member or close friend has been hospitalized or died from the coronavirus, and a similar share say they or someone in their household has lost a job or taken a pay cut during the pandemic. Yet amid these hardships, Latinos are upbeat about the future. Nearly two-thirds say the worst of the coronavirus outbreak is behind the country, and a majority say they expect their financial situation and that of their family to improve over the next year.

Dignity Not Detention

The Dignity Not Detention Act, passed in 2017 in California, is the first law in the country to halt immigration
detention growth and create more transparency and accountability in the U.S. immigration detention system. This is huge because California detains a quarter of all people in U.S. immigration detention each year. What
California does has a dramatic effect on the immigration detention
The bills that were signed into law in California are not perfect, but they are a huge step forward. Essentially, the
bills place a moratorium on immigration detention growth in the state of CA.

SCC OIR Newsletter: June 2021

This month we celebrate our LGBTQ+ community by recognizing trailblazers that have fought for our rights to exist fully and authentically and we uplift Immigrant Heritage Month as we acknowledge the contributions of our essential workers, contributions to our economy ,and honor the sacrifices made for a better life! We continue to fight against anti-Asian hate and push for more immigration relief efforts. Additionally, we reflect on the long history of Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th in remembrance of the day all people living in the United States, including formerly enslaved, were granted freedom. This year, President Biden signed a bill acknowledging Juneteenth as a national holiday.

Solidarity in Isolation? Social Cohesion at a Time of Physical Distance

7/21 Report from Migration Policy – In addition to its widespread public-health and economic impacts, the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged social cohesion in many countries by forcing changes in how people interact. Physical connection, the most human response to collective adversity, has been largely out of reach during long periods of lockdown, social distancing, and remote work and learning. The temporary closure of public spaces such as libraries and schools has also limited the spontaneous, casual encounters that can build bridges between disparate groups.

San Jose’s Vietnamese community struggles with its political voice

7/9/21 In a city with the largest Vietnamese population in the nation, Vietnamese Americans are still struggling to find their voices in politics.
The lack”and loss”of Vietnamese representation in San Jose politics is the result of a number of factors, community leaders say, including an inherited distrust in politics and a generational and ideological division in the community.

From fields to the frontlines- Chava Bustamante inspires next generation

7/16/21 Bustamante came to the US from Mexico in 1968 and worked in the fields for the next 12 years. He came into contact with the United Farm Workers union in Salinas, and participated in his first strike that year. He formally joined the union in 1975.
The labor organizer, who recently stepped down as executive director of Latinos United for a New America (LUNA), was striking with the United Farm Workers in Salinas. He was sentenced to three months in Monterey County Jail for the strike, and upon release he took a long walk back home and started thinking about his future.

After Hurricane Maria Comic

Throughout 2017 and 2018 I investigated how low-income families in Puerto Rico recovered from Hurricane Maria, which devastated the Caribbean island in September 2017. Alongside the brilliant illustrator John Cei Douglas, I turned this ethnographic research into a comic, FREE to download in English and in Spanish. Although the comic tells the story of a fictional family, “After Maria” is based on the experiences that tie together all of the families I spoke to.
Spanish

Supreme Court Denies Bond Hearings to People Pursuing Protection Claims Who Have Prior Removal Orders

6/30/21 The Supreme Court issued a decision on June 29 in the Johnson v. Guzman Chavez case. The majority of the justices determined that people with prior removal orders are subject to mandatory detention, even while they pursue proceedings to stop their deportation to a country where they established they have a reasonable fear of persecution or torture.
Without the opportunity to be released on bond, these individuals face months and even years in detention as they pursue protection in what are known as withholding-only proceedings. Withholding of removal is a form of protection that prohibits the U.S. government from deporting someone to a country where they will be persecuted or tortured.

Why a Santa Clara County judge is having people sign a U.S. flag

5/28/21 Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Johnny Gogo has been taking a U.S. flag with 48 stars around the Bay Area ” and the country ” in a campaign to remember the survivors of one of the darkest periods of our nation’s history, the forced internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
Gogo, a former Santa Clara County prosecutor, was inspired after Judge Roberta Hayashi reached out to him to get more involved in Fred Korematsu Day events. He came up with a plan to get a 48-star flag ” that’s how many states there were in the 1940s ” and find internment survivors sign it. But he had no idea just how important it would become.

Bay Area has become more segregated over decades, report says

6/21/21 The Bay Area has become more racially segregated since 1990, mirroring a long-running national trend of cities and neighborhoods dividing more starkly along ethnic lines, according to a new study by UC Berkeley researchers.
Oakland, Fremont, San Francisco and San Jose are all among cities ranked as “highly segregated” by the university’s Othering & Belonging Institute.
Although the Bay Area has one of the country’s most diverse populations, researchers say ethnic groups have settled into homogenous neighborhoods, often hindering economic advancement in segregated communities of color. But the Bay Area is not alone ” more than 8 in 10 metro areas have become more exclusionary in recent decades.

Where To Find Scholarships For Latino And Hispanic Students

6/18/21 prior to Covid-19, Hispanic and Latino students were enrolling in college at record numbers. From 2000 to 2016, Latino 18- to 24-year-olds’ college enrollment rate grew from 22% to 39%, according to a 2019 report from UnidosUS, an advocacy group.
Latino families were disproportionately affected by job losses and illness, the number of first-year Hispanic and Latino college students dropped by 20%, IN THE fALL OF 2020, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
If your finances have been affected and you’re worried about how to pay for college, there are many scholarships for Hispanics and Latinos available to help offset the cost.

Bad to horrific’: Racial discrimination and wealth inequality grew under COVID-19

6/23/21 Inequality in Silicon Valley has gone from “bad to horrific” over the pandemic, as indicators such as hunger, homelessness, income inequality and the wealth gap have all increased since last June, new research shows.
“While our community was shocked at the incredibly high levels of racial discrimination and income and wealth inequality detailed in the 2020 (report), the 2021 Silicon Valley Pain Index shows how the level of inequality during this pandemic has gone from bad to horrific” the report said.
The Silicon Valley Pain Index, conducted by the San Jose State University Human Rights Institute, is an annual report focusing on racial discrimination and income inequality in the region. The report was inspired by an index compiled about New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Biden Will Admit Asylum Seekers Ordered Deported Under Trump’s Migrant Protection Protocols

6/23/21 Asylum seekers who were ordered deported for missing their U.S. court hearings under the Trump administration’s so-called Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP)”informally known as the “Remain in Mexico” program”will be allowed to restart their proceedings in the United States. Thousands of others whose cases were terminated because of procedural errors before they had a chance to seek asylum will also be allowed to restart the process.

SJ Language Access Policy

11/10/16 The purpose of this policy is to ensure that San Jose City employees make reasonable efforts to minimize
barriers to accessing City programs or services for customers with limited English proficiency and ensure equal access regardless of language proficiency and cultural background.
The City will make reasonable efforts to notify the public about its limited English proficiency policies for department programs and services and how to access language assistance services through departmental websites, translated documents, and community-focused outreach.
Multi-language I Speak Cards
Key Words: Cultural Competence, Disaster, LEP, SCC Language Bank

Older undocumented immigrants to get Medi-Cal health care in CA

6/30/21 California plans to extend Medi-Cal health coverage to some 235,000 low-income undocumented immigrants over the age of 50 – offering the most expansive health coverage in the nation to people without legal residency.
The state already offers Medi-Cal health care to immigrant children and young adults under the age of 26. This latest expansion, once it receives final approval, will mean that many undocumented immigrants, except those who are 26 to 50, will be eligible.

As laws tackle anti-Asian attacks, advocates push focus to the hate behind the crime

6/13/21 Rather than wait for new crimes against Asian Americans, community leaders push for more actions and policies to address root causes of racial animus

As anti-Asian assaults and harassment continue to surge across the country, community leaders are trying to redirect the unprecedented political and legislative attention on hate crimes against Asian Americans toward policies aimed at addressing the underlying racism fueling these attacks.

The Rising Tide of Violence and Discrimination Against Asian American and Pacific Islander Women and Girls

6/1/21 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)
women and girls are prime targets of hate and
discrimination against the AAPI community. The
recent shootings across several Atlanta spas that
claimed the lives of eight people, including six Asian American women, came on the heels of a staggering increase in hate incidents targeting the AAPI community. Key Words: Hate Crimes, Chinese

Stop AAPI Hate- Inside the California organization tracking anti-Asian hate incidents

6/7/21 Stop AAPI Hate has recorded nearly 7,000 hate incidents involving Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders nationwide
Volunteers review each report submitted by community members to the Stop AAPI Hate website; more than 2,800 came in during March alone. Women reported more than two thirds of all incidents in the coalition’s most recent national report. About 44% involved Chinese Americans.
While about 12% of survivors said they experienced some form of physical assault, more than two-thirds reported verbal harassment. Others reported civil rights violations, such as workplace discrimination, or online attacks.

One Nation 2020 Report – AAPIs Rising to Fight Dual Pandemics Covid-19 and Racism

10/20 The One Nation Commission Report II, edited by author and journalist Helen Zia, with contributions by Viet Nguyen and AAPI researchers, provides the facts, data, new research, curated stories, and imagery that prove and bring to life the impact on AAPIs of COVID-19 and the compounding effects of the simultaneous rise in anti-Asian hate.
Undertesting, racism, and a lack of disaggregated data Have led to misunderstanding the impact of COVID-19 on the AAPI community.

Not Just a Latino Issue: Undocumented Asians in America

3/21 Of all migrants to the U.S., 40% come from Asia, and out of 18 million Asian Americans in the country, 1.7 million are undocumented. Undocumented status in the U.S. is a civil, not criminal, violation. Comprising nearly 6% of the total population, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are the fastest growing racial group in America. At the same time, Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders are deported at a rate of three times more than that of immigrants as a whole.

Non-profit Racial Equity Pledge

The disparate health and economic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on Silicon Valley communities of color are a profound illustration of the devastating cost of systemic racism
130 nonprofit leaders, recognize these inequities and commit to action for racial justice. They pledge to take anti-racist stances in our community, and to incorporate core values of racial equity, inclusion, and diversity in their organizations. Key Words: SVCN

Congress passes bill to fight hate crimes vs. Asian Americans

5/19/21 Congress approved legislation Tuesday intended to curtail a striking rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, sending President Joe Biden a bipartisan denunciation of the spate of brutal attacks that have proliferated during coronavirus pandemic.
The bill, which the House passed on a 364-62 vote, will expedite the review of hate crimes at the Justice Department and make grants available to help local law enforcement agencies improve their investigation, identification and reporting of incidents driven by bias, which often go underreported. It previously passed the Senate 94-1 in April after lawmakers reached a compromise. Biden has said he will sign it.

My Undocumented Life

Our mission is to provide up-to-date information and resources to undocumented students, their families, and allies (including educators, counselors, and administrators). We post scholarship opportunities that are open to undocumented students, strategies for navigating the educational system while undocumented, information on how to apply for DACA, key upcoming immigration-related events, news on immigration policies, and much more. Most importantly, we want to provide a sense of community to our diverse group of readers. Multi-language: Key Words: Financial Aid

Overwhelming majority of California’s Asian Americans fear physical violence, poll says

5/7/21 In the wake of a rash of alarming hate crimes nationwide, more Californians are acknowledging that Asian Americans experience discrimination, and an overwhelming majority of Asian Americans report that they fear becoming victims of hate-based violence, a new survey says.
The California Community Poll, which surveys Californians about politics, race and current events in conjunction with the Los Angeles Times, found that 70% of Californians agree that Asians are “frequently or sometimes” discriminated against.

Subtle Asian Mental Health Facebook Group

Please acknowledge that while we would like to be inclusive, this space is primarily a place for Asians and those of Asian descent.
Our hope for this group is to reach as many Asians struggling with mental health, cultural issues, inter-generational trauma, and associated problems as possible. We want Asians to realize they are not alone in their struggles and experiences and that there are others who are here to provide support.

SJ Japantown Foot Patrol Aims to Halt Anti-Asian Crimes Trend

5/5/21 The patrols come amid an apparent rise in crimes against Asian American residents across the U.S. At least two elderly Asian men were killed this year in the Bay Area by strangers on the street. In the tunnel beneath Diridon Station in San Jose, a man attacked a woman, yelling “F*ck you, Asians” as she screamed.
Japantown residents have stepped up to protect seniors and businesses from violence and petty crimes. Last month, retired San Jose police officer Rich Saito created Japantown Prepared, an informal group of volunteers who don red vests and walk the neighborhood’s busiest boulevards, including Empire, Jackson and Taylor streets.

SCC OIR Newsletter: May 2021

The Office of Immigrant Relations is excited to launch “WE BELONG: Our Voice, Our Story, and Our Solution!” a project of the New American Fellowship Cohort V. DACA recipients will participate in a 10-week fellowship where they will receive mentorship from distinguished Santa Clara County leaders, learn from and uplift some of the County’s most impactful grassroots leaders and community-based organizations, and shape and execute a community-based research project.

Unauthorized Immigrant Population Profiles

Learn about the estimated 11 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States. Where do they live? When did they arrive in the United States, and from which origin countries? What are their levels of education, top industries of employment, incomes, parental and marital status, health care coverage, and more? Using a unique MPI methodology to assign legal status in the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2014-18 American Community Survey data, this data tool provides detailed sociodemographic profiles for the United States, 41 states (plus the District of Columbia), and the 127 counties with the largest unauthorized populations.

Unauthorized Immigrant Populations by Country and Region, Top States and Counties of Residence, 2018

This interactive map, based on Migration Policy Institute (MPI) estimates, shows the top states and counties of residence for unauthorized immigrants in the United States as of 2018, based on their country or region of origin. Select a country or region from the dropdown menu to learn where immigrants from that geography settle primarily. Hover over a state to get state population estimates.

Hindu American Foundation

HAF focuses on educating the public about Hindus and Hinduism and advocating for policies and practices that ensure the well-being of all people and the planet.
HAF is not affiliated with any religious or political organizations or entities. HAF seeks to serve Hindu Americans across all sampradaya (Hindu religious traditions) regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, gender, sexual orientation, age and/or disability. Key Words: India

Jewish Community Relations Council

For decades, JCRC has led the Bay Area Jewish community to create and strengthen coalitions, and to build bridges with other ethnic, civic and faith groups to advance a civil and just society. In recent years, we have worked in coalition on immigration, economic and racial justice, human trafficking, poverty and other policy matters. Offices in San Mateo and San Francisco

Refugees arriving in US unlikely to exceed cap set by Trump

5/16/21 President Joe Biden, under political pressure, agreed to admit four times as many refugees this budget year as his predecessor did, but resettlement agencies concede the number actually allowed into the U.S. will be closer to the record-low cap of 15,000 set by former President Donald Trump.
Refugee advocates say they are grateful for the increase because it’s symbolically important to show the world the United States is back as a humanitarian leader at a time when the number of refugees worldwide is the highest since World War II. But they’re frustrated, too, because more refugees could have been admitted if Biden hadn’t dragged his feet.

Taste of Belonging Cookbook

Welcoming America created this cookbook as a tool for meaningful connection across differences.
We paired recipes from diverse cultures with activities that connect people around a shared table and get them working together on a common goal. The three featured models apply the principles of intergroup contact theory, which we review in the next section. Each model has been tested in several regions of the United States, with people of various racial, ethnic, religious, and political identities and affiliations, and in all kinds of localities,
from small to large cities and in urban, rural, and suburban settings. At the end of the cookbook, you will find an overview of additional promising community building models.

Best Practice Highlights – Latino/as and Hispanics

Latinos are a diverse community. There are many misconceptions and stereotypes about who Latinos are and about the history and presence of Latinos in the United States, including the difference between Latinos and Hispanics.
Latino culture is known for its collectivist- family orientation, the importance of personalismo (personal connectedness in interactions) and respect for authority. Conversely, an increase in rates of psychiatric disorders and suicide is seen with increasing acculturation or assimilation into American culture. Being bicultural and bilingual is actually protective for youth both academically and for mental health.

US COVID-19-Related Update on Travel to the US from India

4/30/21 Beginning Tuesday, May 4, 2021, the United States may well restrict travel from India due to the unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19 cases in India.
If an individual has a valid U.S. visa, they should plan to return to the United States before May 4, 2021. As a reminder, all air passengers two years of age and over who are entering the US (including U.S.?citizens and Legal Permanent Residents) must present a negative COVID-19 test, taken within 3 calendar days of departure, or proof of recovery from the virus within the last 90 days.
As of today, visa appointments through May 13, 2021, have been cancelled by U.S. consulates in India. If emergency travel to the United States is required and an individual does not have a valid visa, some consulates may be accepting emergency appointments on a limited basis.