At that time in the U.S., Italians had replaced the Irish as the “Asians” who didn’t deserve to be here. Even the other Italians looked down on the Sicilians. After establishing his family in Chicago, Francesco saved his money and bought a 20 acre apricot ranch in Palo Alto. He worked tirelessly on the orchard and put his 3 sons through Stanford. Nonetheless, even though he was doing better than many “Americans,” it was not enough to prove himself worthy to be here.

His insecurity was validated in 1941 when the U.S. government started detaining or displacing thousands of Italian-born Americans, as state enemies. When the Japanese Americans were more aggressively rounded up and interned in 1942, it only increased his fears. The government backed off the campaign against Italians after a year, when it was realized they were needed for the invasion of Italy. But it was still clear to my grandfather that strangers who knew nothing about him other than his ethnicity, could declare him to be a threat and take everything he had worked so hard to acquire.

As any father would, he passed on to his children information they needed to be safe – the importance of being accepted by America. All 3 of his sons served in the military during the war, but after defending American values in Europe, they did not defend them when they returned home. They did not stand up for Asians and Latinos when they were shunned, bullied, robbed and even murdered only for their ethnicities. They accepted the legacy of cruelty and greed, possibly feeling safer to no longer be the primary targets. They were not secure enough within the “American caste system” to challenge injustice.

I was a little girl in the early 1950’s when a young Chinese couple bought a house on the corner of our street in Mt. View. We lived in a new neighborhood – only 12 houses in what had recently been a prune orchard. It was the American dream in post-WWII to buy a house, and the couple probably shared that dream. Our neighborhood was quite friendly, but they kept to themselves. I think that generally, people assumed it was a Chinese cultural thing. After a few years, the husband died and his wife, Nancy, lived there alone until recently. I never saw any visitors. Every day I would see her walking alone, in a long trench coat and large floppy hat, no matter what the weather. I was unaware of my possible connection to Nancy’s self-imposed isolation.

About 10 years ago, we were forming a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) for disaster preparedness in our neighborhood. One of the goals was to identify the potentially vulnerable people, so that someone would be sure to check on them if there was an emergency. We identified 3 elderly ladies who lived alone, and set out to explain the neighborhood plan. We were offering to have someone look in on them if there was any reason to think they might need help.

I spoke with Nancy and she wanted nothing to do with it. I was surprised at how adamant she was. I imagined that if I were over 80 years old and living alone, I would find it comforting to have someone checking in on me. I thought I must have unwittingly done or said something to offend her. Later, when I commented on her response to my mother and she shared information that gave me a whole new perspective.

My father was an unsuccessful Real Estate Broker at the time Nancy and her husband bought the house. He had circulated a petition around the neighborhood to protest the purchase, on the basis that everyone’s property would lose value due to this demographic change.

My mother said she had been really angry and tried to stop him, but my father insisted that it was just business and there was nothing racist about it. As a Real Estate professional, it was his duty to let the neighbors know that everyone’s property was being devalued by the presence of the Chinese couple. Mother didn’t think that anyone had signed his letter, and in any event, the deal had closed. They moved in, having zero effect on property values.

Of course it made sense! Nancy and her husband must have known about the petition. I could imagine the sadness and disappointment experienced by the young couple. They must have been happy to be purchasing a house (perhaps their first) in a new neighborhood, until they found out that before they even moved in, a stranger had invited all of the neighbors to resent them. For the 60+ years Nancy lived in that house, she never made friends or participated in any neighborhood gatherings. It must have seemed ironic when the daughter of the person who had been instrumental in her isolation tried to include her in the neighborhood disaster plan.

A couple of years ago, Nancy fell down and was unable to get to a phone. She laid on the floor for 4 days until her sister in Seattle got worried and had the police do a wellness check. She was almost dead from dehydration. When she got out of the hospital, she was moved to a rest home close to her sister. The house has been empty ever since.

This is just a small example of the insidious and lasting damage of the racism permeating our society. Had I not accidently discovered it, no one would have ever been aware of the 60 year old hate incident and how it altered the lives of 2 innocent people. I don’t know what Nancy was like, but she might not have chosen to be a recluse all those years if she had known that my father’s letter did not reflect the feelings of the neighborhood. It was just one alcoholic man with self-esteem issues and too much time on his hands. The neighborhood was denied the presence of the young Chinese couple who might have brought a welcome diverse energy to our block. Everybody lost something, but no one lost as much as the young couple, who felt the need to distance themselves from the people around them in the place where they lived.

I have since mentally apologized to Nancy and anyone else who was harmed by my father’s misguided attempts to achieve a sense of belonging. He would insist that he was not trying to hurt anyone, but the feelings of Nancy and her husband were never a consideration for him. If he was alive today, he would probably defend his actions, saying he was just doing what was best and besides, “no harm was done.”

Even though I didn’t agree with my father, I have benefited from the system he defended. For much of my life, I have recognized suffering and done what I could to help the victims, but I have not known how to stop the attacks. In some ways, I have been an unwitting silent partner in this indefensible situation, perpetuated across generations. I can’t expect those who are being attacked to be grateful for my first aid.

I am currently attending meetings for the development of an anti-hate crime effort in Santa Clara County. I have listened to stories about verbal or physical attacks and how they have impacted people in ways that have long been ignored. Some people still seem to feel entitled to act out their resentments, with no concern to the effects on the lives of others. These assaults are not going to improve the lives of the attackers. Their anxiety and frustrations are not the fault of the Asians or Muslims or whoever is the target of the moment.

These are difficult times for everyone. I can only imagine the additional stress that would come from knowing that some of the people around me wished me and my family harm, only for our ethnicity. If we did nothing to deserve it, how can we change it? It would only be worse if I asked for help and no one believed me.

The perpetrators of this current wave of hate crimes believe that they have been cheated and no one cares. Finally someone said he cared, but instead of addressing their problems, he told them to take back what was theirs by attacking immigrants. While they were distracted, he took even more from them. The attacks must be stopped, but punishment alone will only increase their sense of victimhood. And this misguided cruelty is a distraction from other real dangers, such as climate change, that we all must face.

My father often began sentences with “I’m not a racist, but…” Offering him an alternate perspective was not a rewarding experience. I could not understand his need to force my agreement with concepts that made no sense. But he was just trying to pass on the teachings that he had received from his father. I think he was concerned that if I didn’t accept his prejudices, I would not be safe. It was his way of showing love. Other people may have believed the messages from their fathers and might feel that renouncing the passed down prejudices would be an act of betrayal to their tribes. I understand, but I cannot accept a personal choice that threatens the well being of others. Racism is not a family tradition that must be honored. It’s a bad habit that needs to be broken.
In the last years of my father’s life, our conversations were carefully orchestrated to avoid certain minefields. The events of the past few years have made it clear that we can’t avoid the minefields created by our ancestors. We are living in them and devices planted decades ago are exploding all around us. It is impossible to ignore the injustice and the active or passive roles that we all play. I do not accept the guilt for what my father did, but I do accept responsibility for the outcome that I inhabit. I am breaking my ancestral chain of judgement and separation and working with others to secure safety, equity and respect for all involved.

Treating generational wounds requires patience and love, and is best done in community. I’m all in. I know that selfishness is not sustainable, even if it is legal.

Love will set us free.

Each of CADRE’s partners brings value to our group and in December we highlight the Asian American Center of SCC (AACSCC), as the perfect example of the power of collaboration. AACSCC is a relatively small non-profit that has been working with Sacred Heart and Destination Home, providing emergency assistance to SCC’s vulnerable Asian population. MyLinh Pham, the CEO, also hosts a live Vietnamese Radio Show on Tuesdays and Thursdays, where community issues are discussed and PSA’s can reach thousands of people in the Vietnamese Community.

Last week, CADRE received a request for assistance that demonstrates the beauty of partnership. A 78 year old Vietnamese couple both became ill with COVID-19 and were taken to the hospital. The wife recovered and returned to the home they had shared with their daughter and her 4 small children (youngest 3 months). The father grew weaker and after 31 days in the hospital he died alone, as so many must do in this pandemic. His last communication before he was intubated was a phone conversation with his daughter, asking her to bring him a vegetarian meal – a final wish that she was unable to fulfill.

After 5 days his body was still in the hospital, because the family did not have the money for cremation. The family did not even know where to get food, because the father had always picked it up at donation sites. The Vietnamese speaking mother was still frail, and the daughter was feeling depressed, alone and overwhelmed, not knowing how she would be able to take care of the needs of the family.

Minutes after the CADRE leadership team saw the request, offers of help started rolling in.

• MyLinh Pham of AACSCC offered to pay for the cremation.
• The City of San Jose reached out to Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County and asked for their support using CARES Act funding. They responded with a 2nd offer to pay for the cremation.
• The Bay Area Funeral Consumers Association offered free access to discounted services.
• Araceli Gonzalez of Catholic Charities immediately had a box of food delivered.
• Bruno Pillet of Second Harvest of Silicon Valley offered to arrange for a longer term plan.
• Sheri Burns of the Silicon Valley Independent Living Center sent information about low cost cremation and other funeral resources for low income families

MyLinh immediately called the family and spoke to the daughter, and has since talked with her every night, offering grief counseling, encouragement and guidance. The daughter was grateful, but shocked that a stranger would call and spend so much time listening to her concerns. She was also surprised to learn that the community was reaching out to her, and she wasn’t as alone as she thought. MyLinh’s team prepared and delivered a vegetarian meal for the family, so no one would have to cook.

After 3 days of conversation, MyLinh was surprised to learn that the couple had 6 children. The other 5 were scattered around the country, and had not been home in years. At MyLinh’s suggestion, the daughter called her siblings and all immediately said they would come home to see their father one more time before he was cremated. They arrived just before the latest shut down, when Santa Clara County moved back into the purple tier. We do not know if the family will be able to see their father under the new restrictions, but they are together.

Even though 2 organizations had offered to pay the cremation expenses, the elderly wife had been distraught, crying for hours every day. She believed that if the family accepted this help from the community, it would incur a debt for her deceased husband and prevent him from ever going to heaven. What a horrible dilemma for a grieving woman. Even with her understanding of the Vietnamese culture and language, MyLinh could not convince her that this was not a loan and there would be no debt. But when the family came together and learned the situation, the siblings decided to share the cost, and told Catholic Charities and AACSCC that they should use the $1000 for another family.

MyLinh is giving the family a few days to reconnect before she checks in to see what needs to happen next. She wants to assure that the mother, daughter and 4 small children are all connected to the service providers that can help them get vegetarian food, healthcare, childcare and longer term counseling.

Through one call to CADRE, many good things emerged from a very sad situation. A family has come together after years of separation. We can hope that after they return to their respective homes, the siblings will remember the things they have in common and stay in touch. An elderly widow can rest more easily, knowing that her family has taken care of their father and his spirit is free to leave for heaven. A young mother has a new understanding of the community she has been living in and how to look for help when she needs it. She is not as alone as she thought.

And CADRE partners gained new understanding of each other’s services through the spontaneous collaboration. In the next few months, we can expect to encounter this situation more frequently as the number of COVID-19 deaths grows daily. We are more aware of the needs of grieving families and the need to reach out and offer culturally sensitive assistance. Visit CADRESV.org to find links to emergency assistance, food, emotional and spiritual support, and multi-language information. These are difficult times, but everything is easier when we don’t have to do it alone.

This article is also posted in the November CADRE Newsletter.

This is the first time I have published a “Guest Blog” and I am happy to share the following helpful 1st hand information on the refugee experience that I will never have.

– authored by Senait Abraha

Moving to a new country and integrating to a new culture has always been challenging even under the best conditions. New Immigrants need to learn English quickly, so they can communicate, look for a job, housing, and to settle down. The need to master a tremendous range of skills from communication to building a support system from scratch, along with their confidence can be challenging, all while figuring out the norms and values of the US culture.

Rebuilding your life from scratch can be a lonely endeavor, one that may force new immigrants to make difficult decisions every day with limited information. While sorting through these challenges, eventually every new immigrant runs headfirst into a problem they haven’t encountered before; the kind that leaves them unsure of where to start.

Today, we can all agree we are not living our lives in the best of conditions. With an administration which is changing immigration laws these past few years, the world turning upside down with COVID spread and restrictions, with huge, angry, political discussions around us, riots, and talk and debate about racism. With so much going on it feels like someone pulled the rug out from under our feet, leaving us with a sense of uncertainty and chaos. These unprecedented times are particularly challenging for any immigrant.

For new immigrants trying to settle down, and to culturally integrate into US culture with a future that is more cloudy than clear, it is an ultimate test of resilience. The dynamics new immigrants face are magnified many times over. And if you are new to this country and you are reading this, I really empathize with you.

In my experience the best safety net is the wisdom of our community around us. For a few months now, I have witnessed different community leaders trying and continuing to navigate this crisis while supporting their communities. As with many others, I have also been working on navigating this crisis in relationship to my newborn baby, my work, my business, my nonprofit, my children’s school, my friendships, my family and my relatives abroad. I have learned a lot and continue to learn to surf this wave, which is why I decided to weave and put together these helpful guides to help new immigrants look past this cloudy uncertainty in order to focus on what is important.

1. Don’t take anything personally

Everyone in America is impacted by this crisis. In fact, the whole world is in chaos. Everyone is trying to figure out how to adjust their life to the uncertainty and when doing so, they might not be their own best self to support you, to be the rock that you need. You will see people complaining about their jobs, money, housing and everything else. This might discourage you from getting those things you need for yourself from scratch.

Since people are not in their best place, they might not realize how frightening the experience might be for you.  Just know if others were in their best place and if it wasn’t for everything that is going on in this world, they might have been mindful in their interaction with you. So, don’t take it personally. They are not trying to make you unwelcome, or undermine your problems. So, don’t be afraid to remind them.

2. Remind people you are new

Like I said, most people might be panicking over everything right now and might not even be present to your feelings and confusions. So, remind people that you are new. Ask questions when you don’t understand, ask how things were for them when they first moved to the US, how they felt and dealt with issues. This may help bring them out of the current panic and might put them in the path of compassion for your circumstances.

3. Reach out to multiple community centers

This crisis is new for everyone, including companies, community centers, and government offices. Try reaching out to your community center, and see if they can support you in getting a job, housing, or any services that you need. Don’t get discouraged if your community might not be able to help, or might be able to help only partially. Perhaps they can refer you. Know that everyone is trying to do their best in this time of trial. So, reach out to other community centers and organizations that are involved in helping newcomers. Use Google to help you find the organizations that can help you. Or ask someone to help you find those resources. There is nothing wrong in finding resources from different organizations to maximize your chance to settle faster, but rather, it is smart.

4. Learn the language

I know, I know. With everything that is going on in these trying times, learning the language may be the last thing on your mind. However, the situation isn’t going to stay the same, and what you learn right now is going to pay off in the near future. Besides, it will take your mind off the current situation and your circumstances, which sometimes feels like too much.

One good thing about COVID is that most classes are offered online. So, find an online English class and learn from the comfort of your home or wherever you may be staying. While you are at it, if you don’t know how to use a computer or internet, now would be a good time to invest in a good computer that you can find for a reasonable price, and ask someone to help you enroll in computer class as well.

The Immigrantinfo.org ESL Class Listing has a searchable database classes currently offered by Santa Clara County Community Colleges, Adult Education, Community and Faith Based Organizations, most of which are free. Some of them might be able to help out with a loan of a laptop or tablet, or free internet connection. The Virtual ESL Programs in Immigrantinfo Resource Database contains over 60 additional links to free ESL programs.

5. Benefit from Government Assistance

There are many types of government assistance, and benefits from them. I know that President Trump said something about receiving benefits would disqualify you from getting your citizenship and that I can imagine will be very scary. However, this crisis is a unique situation where so many people in the USA are receiving government assistance. Proactively look for what you qualify for, and take advantage of the benefits you qualify for to alleviate your circumstances.

In actuality, the Public Charge Rule, as it is known, has no effect on the majority of immigrants, and refugees and asylees are specifically excluded.  Also excluded are any COVID-19 related assistance or any other Disaster Relief in a declared emergency.  Not everyone is eligible for every benefit, but if you are eligible, you should not be afraid to accept what you need for you and your family.

6. Seek mental health services

You might resist this tip. You might even say, “What? I am not crazy! I don’t need to go to a mental health professional.” No, you are not crazy and this is what I have heard from every immigrant when I talk to them about mental health. And yes, I have said this myself when I first heard it when I moved to live in China more than a decade and half ago.

Being new here, you will at one point or another feel overwhelmed, anxious, angry, helpless, sad, fearful and all these feelings are so normal considering what you are going though in settling down in a new country. And to make matters worse, the crisis makes things more complicated and magnifies the situation. So seeking a mental health service is to your advantage. These professionals will help you gain skills that you will need to cope with your current situation. I know for a fact this could be the best gift you could give to yourself.

One blessing of the pandemic has been the formation the CADRE Spiritual and Emotional Support Team – a collaboration of community and faith based organizations that can provide an array of guidance and support. So many people have been suffering extreme stress for months. You will not be the first one to find that you are more resilient when you accept the resources that are available. You can access this team through the website www.CADRESV.org.

7. Stay away from negativity

It is so hard to stay positive when everything around is crumbling and you need to start building from scratch. It might even feel unfair. However, stay away from any negative thoughts that tell you, I can’t do it; I made a mistake coming here; Why do things like this always happen to me; My situation is helpless and it’s never going to get better. People entertain those thoughts when faced with challenging situations, however all those thoughts are simply not true.

Yes, your circumstances are difficult, no doubt about that, but nothing stays forever. Just keep working toward your goals, and before you know it things will fall into place.

While you are at it, stay away from people who always talk negatively about things, and who don’t usually seem to be happy.

Also, stay away from the media as much as possible. Its good to keep yourself informed. Just limit that to once a day, as the media can frighten any one with all the negative reports. Instead, go out in nature and relax when you get a chance, go visit new places you haven’t seen. I am sure finding new places to see wouldn’t be a problem for you since you are new here. Call a good friend that is willing to encourage you, watch a funny movie and have a good laugh, and pray to whatever God or higher power you believe in. All these activities will put you in a positive mind set. When you are positive, the hard work you are doing will not feel as daunting  and you are much more likely to succeed.

8. Voice your opinion

When you are new, it’s natural to stay quiet and keep everything to yourself in fear of making a mistake. However, I know it is hard to believe, but you are smarter than you think, wiser than you know, and braver than you imagine. I know this because it’s something we all go thorough in the beginning of adjusting to a new environment, in a new country.

So, speak about the crisis, the politics around you, all the things that bother you and how you think things should be. Hey, the reason US opens to immigrants is because we bring fresh, organic ideas to the table. Who knows? What you say and your ideas might solve a problem or two in our crisis. Don’t forget all great immigrant inventors have started where you are today. Don’t be afraid of making a mistake. Just voice your opinion. Recall that the US is a country of immigrants, so own it!!!  And as soon as you can, register to vote!

Just know, these 8 tools are to help you navigate the crisis, and are just a few ideas. There are many other ways for you to find your way. If you have found any tools that are helping you, please share below so others can benefit from them.

Together we can overcome anything! Remember nothing stays forever. There is a saying in the US: “There is always a rainbow after the rain” and I say it’s also true that you can see the rainbow while it is raining.

https://www.anchoringthenewyou.com/single-post/2020/09/08/Guide-for-Navigating-the-Current-Crisis-as-a-New-Immigrant-to-US

In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake, I am sharing my experience of that event as a Red Cross Disaster Volunteer. There are many things we can’t control in life, but with some preparation, we can have a positive effect on the experience we have. On the Disaster page (https://immigrantinfo.org/…), you can find links to multi-language information, apps and tools in many languages that can help you to consider your options in the event of the unexpected. 

I will always remember where I was at 5:04pm on October 17^th, 1989. I had just walked into the Red Cross building on Hedding Street in San Jose. I was teaching an Earthquake Preparedness class that night and I wanted to get there before everyone left at 5:00pm, to make sure that all the equipment was there and working.

The slide projector was on a table right inside the door and I had just turned it on and off, when the ground started shaking. I am happy to say that years of training paid off and I immediately ducked under the table and held on. The shaking went on for a very long time and I imagined the slide projector being slowly shaken towards the edge the table. I decided that if it fell off, I would stay where I was and not try to save it.

When the shaking finally stopped, those who were in the building stepped out into the hallway and wordlessly looked at each other. We were all “disaster people” (the Health and Safety staff had left at exactly 5:00). We didn’t know where the epicenter was, but this one felt different. Since I was going to teach that night, I had “earthquake response” in the front of my brain, and I asked if we had any water stored. We did not. I suggested that someone find some containers and fill them, in case we would be there for a while. We couldn’t be sure if we would have water or plumbing. The lights had gone out but it wasn’t dark yet.

The phone started ringing and Rex Painter, the Director of Disaster Services, told me to handle the phone calls. The first call I answered was from Scotland. A man had been watching the World Series baseball game on TV and had seen the earthquake in San Francisco.

“My Aunt Madeline lives in San Francisco and I can’t get a hold of her. Can you send someone over to check on her and call me back?” I explained to him that San Jose was 45 miles from SF and I had no way to check on his aunt right now. I told him that later the SF Red Cross chapter might be able to help with personal inquiries, but not for a few days at least.

After I hung up, I realized the significance of the call. I’m not a baseball fan, but apparently people all over the world were, and they had all just witnessed a California earthquake in real time. It also meant that it was big enough to look impressive all the way to San Francisco. Was this was the big one that we always talked about?.

The second call was from someone who wanted to know where they could donate used clothing for the earthquake victims. This was reminiscent of my first experience as a Red Cross Disaster Volunteer after the Alviso Flood in 1982. I realized that all over the country people who had been watching the game on TV were already heading for their closets to prepare donations of used clothing. As the night wore on, I received numerous calls with the same question. Fortunately, a few years before, we had established a collaboration of local service providers (VOAD) and I had several referral numbers to offer these good hearted people who were frantic to help.

All calls were coming through the after-hours phone, and as soon as I put it down it was ringing again. It was a while before I was able to phone my mother and tell her that I would not be coming home any time soon. She was also a Red Cross volunteer and she asked if she should try to get to the chapter. We did not know the condition of the roads – traffic lights, overpasses, etc.- and it was not a good idea for her to try to drive from Mt. View. In any event, only Mass Care and Communications were activating immediately. The generator had kicked in and the lights had come back on. We needed to know the scope of the event and whether and where we should be opening shelters.

Rex and a couple of the guys brought in a small antenna TV set and we set it up in the disaster office. Amazingly, we got decent reception and we began to see what was happening around us. The initial focus of the media was on the drama unfolding in San Francisco and the East Bay – the disrupted World Series game, freeway collapses, the Marina District burning.

While everyone was focused on the TV, someone came in from outside and said, “Your generator’s on fire.”

Without looking up, Bill, a long time volunteer, said “It just smokes a lot when it kicks in.”

A couple of minutes later someone else came in and said, “Do you know that your generator’s on fire?”

All eyes still glued to the screen, someone reassured the helpful neighbor, “It just smokes when it starts up.”

Being the only female present, I was reluctant to make suggestions regarding machinery or equipment (not an area where people normally sought my input). I couldn’t leave the phone, but when the third person came in and told us about the generator, I asked, “Shouldn’t someone at least go out and look at the generator?”

No one wanted to leave the TV, but finally someone went out and returned almost immediately, saying “The generator’s on fire.”

Just then the lights went out again. Everyone ran to the back and put the fire out with the buckets of water that had just been filled.

Fortunately, the electricity was restored a few minutes later. We never lost phone service, our water continued to run and toilets continued to flush. This was very fortunate, because we were not prepared. The Red Cross had not done any of the things that we had been teaching people to do for years.

I continued to answer the phone, while Rex made calls to other chapters, the local government emergency services, etc. Someone else was calling volunteers for availability and a few people started reporting in. A couple of hours later I was able to reach my husband and make sure he was home. He had been at a seminar in San Jose and he had just gotten into a car on the third floor of a multi-story cement parking lot when the shaking started. He sat helplessly as the car vibrated towards the outside ledge. He considered jumping out, but other cars were also moving around and that didn’t feel either. Thankfully, the shaking stopped and the exit ramps were still intact, so he was able to drive home. It took him over 3 hours to get from San Jose to Fremont, because traffic lights were out and the entire Bay Area was a giant gridlock.

Throughout the night people arrived at the chapter to see if we needed help, or to ask where they could leave the in-kind donations they had in their cars. We had no capability to use untrained volunteers, and told everyone that the Red Cross couldn’t accept in-kind donations. I had taped a note on the front door with the addresses of several alternative organizations that were set up to deal with unsolicited, random stuff, but people were understandably reluctant to do any more driving. There were general traffic reports on the radio, but the only way for the average person to know if a specific road was jammed up, was to go there and possibly get stuck for an indeterminate amount of time.

We worked all night and at around 6:00am, I realized that I was very tired. Fresh volunteers were arriving and I was anxious to get home. My mother had told me that her house was OK, but I was anxious to see my husband and cat in Fremont. Rex told me to get some rest and come back in a few hours. I had just enough energy to get home and I was hoping it wouldn’t take too long. I was the first person to leave the building.

When I walked around back to my car, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I could barely see my car (or any cars) under the piles of stuff. The entire parking lot was full of bags and boxes of “donations” left by frustrated people who had been turned away at the door. The old Red Cross chapter was a strange building with no windows in most of the rooms, so we had been unaware of the overnight activity in the parking lot. (To be fair, after a while, people probably saw the pile and assumed that was where they were supposed to leave things.)

Incredulously, I looked into some of the bags to see what they had been so eager to give us. I saw a case of nail polish, a bag of Halloween costumes, a box of comic books and board games. There was a bag with open bottles of shampoo, conditioner, mouth wash, and other personal hygiene items, as though someone had hurriedly grabbed everything out of their bathroom and brought it down to share with the earthquake victims. Something was leaking. Peeking in other bags, I could see Leggos, used underwear, high heeled shoes, romance novels, silly putty.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or scream. I started to clear a path to get my car out of the parking lot, but realized that I was just putting more stuff in the path of other cars. I went back inside and got help to clear an exit route from the parking lot. Since we had no place to put all these things, several random boxes ended up being loaded into my car and I took them home, just to get it out of there. Everyone who wanted to leave would just have to take their share.

I was so busy over the next month, I forgot about the boxes sitting in my garage. I was between jobs, so I agreed to be the Site Manager at the Redwood Estates Fire Station in the Santa Cruz mountains. No one had a map of the ancient water system that had been pieced together over decades. It had shattered and it would be weeks before all the leaks could be located and fixed. Concerned with sanitation and fire hazard, the Red Cross continued feeding operations for weeks, out of the Redwood Estates Community Center.

Because it was necessary to have Red Cross oversight, I sat at the Redwood Estates for 10 hours every day. People were already bogged down in the forms and applications, or waiting for inspections from FEMA and insurance agents. They would come in to pick up the hot meals that were delivered twice a day by the Red Cross ERV’s (Emergency Relief Vehicles), and also to hang out and exchange information. It was hard on everyone, but especially on the teens. They needed a project.

One day as I was leaving home, I remembered the boxes of impulsive gifts that had been offered on that first night. I saw that some of the random boxes I had brought home contained what looked like the stock from a beauty supply store. There was nail polish of every color, lipstick, spray cans of neon hair color, mascara, and costume jewelry – just the kind of stuff that teenagers liked. I loaded them back into my car and took them to the summit. I called the chapter and asked for a case of the plastic bags that we used for shelter comfort kits to be delivered with lunch. That day, as teens and kids showed up, I invited them to take what they liked and help pack gift bags for the teens in Watsonville, who were much worse off than they were. By the end of the day, The boxes were full of gift bags and everyone in the area under 20 years old was much more colorful than they had been that morning.

This assignment lasted far longer than I anticipated, and the Red Cross had wrapped up much of their initial emergency response. Most people were in the recovery phase and trying to figure out how to get their needs met through the maze of disconnected state and federal disaster relief programs. This was before the days of personal cell phones and many people still did not have phone lines connected. They would be forced to go down the hill to a service center if they needed help and this was not an easy trip. I had one of the original cell phones, which was the size of a shoe box and weighed several pounds. But it was a line of communication, so I offered to help some people try to make calls. That was when I learned that nothing was working the way we had been told it would.

What looked on paper like a seamless set of programs, designed to fill in the gaps, was actually a patchwork of uncoordinated bureaucracies that had no knowledge or understanding of anything outside of their own programs. Although there were several avenues of resources, each had their own application process and they did not work together. None wanted duplicate payments of the others, so no one wanted to be the first to pay. They each wanted to know exactly what would be received from other grants, loans or insurance and everything depended on site visits by inspectors who were in very short supply.

I learned a lot in the weeks and months after October 17^th, 1989. I learned that everyone involved in a disaster will be making life changing choices in unfamiliar territory, and nothing will ever be the same. I decided to learn how the relief system works and help people to understand their options and make the best choices in difficult situations. I am still a Red Cross Disaster Volunteer and I have been to major disasters all over the country. I have learned that a group of trained and dedicated people can begin to bring order out of chaos after much bigger events than the Loma Prieta Earthquake. But I have not learned how to convince a different group of dedicated people to find a way to contribute without delivering truckloads of amazingly random and mostly useless stuff to the scene of every disaster. To my knowledge, even after 30 years, no one has figured this out.

The SC County Refugee and Immigrant Forum is making plans to support the 2020 Census by letting people know that EVERYBODY who is in the U.S. on April 1st should be counted.

There has been plenty of seemingly orchestrated confusion over the purpose, confidentiality, and use of the U.S. Census information that will be gathered in 2020. By federal law, Census information cannot be shared with any other agency or used for anything other than statistics and planning. The Federal Census Office has guaranteed the confidentiality of submitted information.

The number and demographics of participants will directly impact our level of representation in the state and federal legislatures and the re-drawing of political districts for elections. In other words, it will influence who will make the laws and control spending and for the next 10 years. In particular, the numbers will determine the allocation of federal funding for public programs such as housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and safety net services.

Every person living in the U.S. on April 1st should be included, no matter where they came from, how they got here, or their current immigration status, After a long legal battle, it was determined by the Supreme Court that a question asking about citizenship status will not be on the form. However, 480,000 “test” Census forms were sent out across the country and half of them included the citizenship question. This will only add to the public’s confusion. The unfortunate timing and format of this “test” appears to be another conscious attempt to reduce the count of ethnic groups and non-citizens. People who are included in this early sampling may not understand that this is not the real Census form. Many may think they have completed the Census and spread mis-information that it includes the Citizenship question. They might not understand they still must complete it again in April in order to be counted in the actual Census.

Ethnic service providers, faith based organizations, and advocates can help by learning more about Census 2020, correcting misinformation, and encouraging their clients, members and friends to participate. Help can be requested from the San Jose City Census Office  and Santa Clara County Census Office  to answer questions, translate, or to fill out the forms. Staff from both offices will be happy to offer on-site presentations to address any any questions or issues.  People will also need to be warned about the scams that are sure to appear once the outreach gets underway. No one should ever be asked for bank account or credit card information, political affiliation, or to make a contribution for the census.

The United Way and Silicon Valley Community Foundation grant application periods are closed, but funding remains available for San Jose organizations that want to partner at some level with the Census effort. Email census2020@sanjoseca.gov to be notified when information is released. The Santa Clara County Census Office will also be offering funding for direct outreach. E-mail census@ceo.sccgov.org to indicate interest. There are still many temporary positions open for individual job seekers. (Spanish link)

Funding for the 2020 Census has been capped at the level of the 2010 Census (which was assessed to be at least 10% underfunded at the time). This was justified in part by the untested assumption that the ratio of internet responses will increase, thus reducing the need for in-person follow-up. (Those who do not respond to mail or internet outreach will be contacted by telephone or home visit.) Even if there is an increase in on-line participation, it will not be the same across all populations. Vulnerable populations such as elderly, low income, disabled, and limited English speaking are less likely to respond on-line. This is one more factor that will potentially contribute to an undercount of those most in need of funding for services.

Internet Self-Response and Census Questionnaire Assistance, will be available in 12 non-English languages, spoken by at least 60,000 limited-English-speaking households. In descending order, these include Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Tagalog, Polish, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Japanese.

The Census Bureau will also provide language guides, language glossaries, and a language identification card in 59 languages that were determined to have at least 2,000 speakers nationwide (including: Spanish, Haitian, Creole, Bengali, Romanian, Tamil, Tigrinya, Igbo, Chinese, Portuguese, Greek, Telugu, Navajo, Ilocano, Marathi, Vietnamese, Japanese, Amharic, Burmese, Hungarian, Dutch, Sinhala, Korean, Italian, Somali, Punjabi, Hebrew, Croatian, Slovak, Russian, Farsi, Thai, Lao, Malayalam, Bulgarian, American Sign Language, Arabic, German, Gjurati, Hmong, Swahili, Twi, Tagalog, Armenian, Khmer, Albanian, Yiddish, Lithuanian, Polish, Hindi, Nepali, Turkish, Indonesia, Yoruba, French, Ukrainian, Urdu, Bosnian Serbian and Czech).

Community and Faith Based Organizations, as well as ethnic clubs and social groups with members or clients needing assistance in these languages can request assistance from the San Jose City Census Office or the SCC Census Office.

Why should service providers support the 2020 Census effort?
It is estimated that each person who doesn’t participate will cost Santa Clara County $2,000 in funding each year for 10 years ($20,000 total per non-participant during this cycle). This includes children and babies (estimated undercount of 5% in 2010).

There has been a well-documented long term, coordinated campaign of fear directed at the non-citizen communities. It is understandable that under these conditions, people are reluctant to call any attention to themselves. Some of us might feel it would be insensitive to increase their anxiety by inviting people to share their personal information. Pressuring people to override well-founded concerns will not likely achieve a positive outcome. It could cause immigrant and refugee communities to feel even more isolated and misunderstood. However, conversations can still be invited, while acknowledging and respecting the justified reluctance. People might want to understand the full impact of the choice they are making.

If the Head of Household for a family of 4 decides not to participate in the Census because it is “better safe than sorry,” it will cost the community an estimated $80,000 in lost federal funding for services. A recent study by the Urban Institute projects an overall average undercount of between -0.98% (-380,000 people) and -1.98% (-792,000 people) for California.  This translates into an annual funding loss of between $762,000 and $1,584,000 every year for 10 years.  Broken down into ethnic groups, the numbers are even more dramatic,  For instance, the projected undercount for the Latinx population is between -2.18% and -3.65%.

Because of the uniquely high ratio of foreign born in SCC, our undercount ratio is likely to be higher than other counties. Transferring the CA estimates to the 2017 Census numbers for Santa Clara County, a 3.65% undercount for the Latinx population alone would result in an annual funding loss (rounded) of over $36,000,000.

Many undocumented immigrants have been here for years and have previously shared personal information to get medical care, cash a check, enroll a child in school, apply for a driver’s license, etc. While there may be additional concerns for mixed status households, for many, participation in the Census should not feel like an additional risk.  They may not be aware that their non-participation will result in a reduction of services and benefits for their families and community.

None of us are in a position to judge the choice that another person makes in such a difficult situation, but the stakes are high and people should have the necessary information to make an informed decision.Community leaders, service providers, advocates, and others who have already developed trusted relationships within ethnic communities, will be in the best position to address mis-information and clarify the impact of non-participation. It is in the best interest of these individuals and organizations, to have a proper understanding of the risks and benefits (for the entire community), associated with achieving an accurate Census count. The ideal of democracy is based on representation. All of our voices are weakened when any segment of the population is silenced.

Immigrantinfo.org will continue to post updates on opportunities, funding and events as they become available.

Resources:

U.S. Census Office Official Page inviting Community Partners

Santa Clara County Census Office

San Jose City Census Office (408) 535-5602

NPR Article – 2020 Census Could Lead To Worst Undercount Of Black, Latinx People In 30 Years

NPR Article – What You Need To Know About The 2020 Census

On February 23rd, 25 people from 13 different agencies attended a workshop at the American Red Cross in San Jose. Participants included Counselors, Social Workers, Teachers, and other Service Providers who work with immigrants, refugees, asylees and others living with chronic stress and anxiety. They learned about how trauma is passed on in communities, places of work, and families resulting in loss of energy and hope. They were able to practice several simple Energy Psychology Techniques including Trauma Tapping Technique. They experienced the capabilities that they and others have to release the accumulated tension they carried. They left with renewed enthusiasm and the knowledge that they would be able to do their jobs in a new way and share this information with their clients, patients and students. Other agencies are inquiring about how to bring this resource to their staff and clients. These techniques and more can be found at the Blog, Self Care in Difficult Times.