Archives: Resources

Archive – Marshawn Lynch, Dr. Fauci discuss vaccine hesitancy in Black, Hispanic communities

4/16/21 During Marshawn Lynch’s 12 NFL seasons he earned a reputation for his fearless style on the field, while remaining one of the league’s most reclusive figures off the field. Now the retired running back is lending his voice to try to help members of Black and Hispanic communities make more informed decisions about receiving COVID-19 vaccines. And he’s enlisted the assistance of the nation’s top infectious disease specialist to do it.
Lynch released a 30-minute interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci on his YouTube channel Friday, becoming the latest prominent athlete to sit down with the nation’s leading infectious disease expert to discuss the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines as the U.S. continues to combat the pandemic.

Bridging Divides, Creating Community: Arts, Culture, and Immigration

10/20 A creative placemaking field scan written by John C. Arroyo, Ph.D., AICP, in partnership with ArtPlace America. This field scan seeks to illuminate key priorities within the immigration sector and provide a framework for understanding the ways that arts and culture contribute to local, place-based immigration related outcomes. It is intended for artists and other arts and cultural stakeholders seeking to better understand and collaborate with a particular community development sector, as well as community development practitioners, policymakers, and funders who are interested in how arts and culture partners might further their work.

Statement by United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights

4/21/21 Discrimination in the Americas – Challenges and good practices – This past year has changed our lives in ways we still struggle to understand.
But in the midst of so many uncertainties, one thing comes clear: rarely have we seen such a powerful demonstration of the value of human rights.
COVID-19 and its impacts have been feeding off and exacerbating gaps in human rights protection; fault lines built on profound, intersecting and structural discrimination and inequalities.
The pandemic took the whole world by storm, but the tempest hit hardest in the Americas.

What Kids Can Do: Paying Attention to Children’s Capacities in the Pandemic

2/25/21 Opening up opportunities for children to get involved can make a tremendous difference to their recovery by increasing feelings of solidarity, empowerment, and interconnection. Still, the knowledge, creativity, energy, enthusiasm, and social networks that children have to offer could be better used.
We have consistently found that during times of crisis, children want to help. When they are given the opportunity, there are many things that they can do to support adults, other children, and themselves. We are now seeing evidence of this in the Covid-19 pandemic as well, although there has been little public discussion of it.

Bridging Differences Playbook

According to Dr. Allport, “Only the type of contact that leads people to do things together is likely to
result in changed attitudes”1
. Intergroup contact is especially likely to decrease prejudice between
groups when it occurs under specific conditions.
Activities that incorporate these conditions are known as “intergroup bridging” activities. Intergroup
contact theory2
proposes that the following conditions should be met to allow for successful intergroup
bridging to occur:
Members of the different groups must have equal status. One group cannot be treated as
“less than” or “lower status” than any other, e.g. instructor/student relationship.
Members of the different groups must hold a common goal they wish to achieve.
Members of the different groups must agree to work together cooperatively to ensure that
groups are not competing against one another.
There must be i

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.

Disability Access in Vaccine Distribution

4/12/21 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are Federal laws that protect qualified persons with disabilities from discrimination based on disability in programs and activities that receive Federal financial assistance.
HHS is available to assist covered entities in ensuring equitable vaccine distribution. OCR is available to provide technical assistance on Federal civil rights requirements and also investigates complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of disability with regard to access to vaccines. OCR has issued guidance on Federal Legal Standards Prohibiting Disability Discrimination in COVID Vaccination Programs as well as guidance about civil rights protections prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin and ensuring the civil rights of persons with limited English proficiency during COVID-19.

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.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

1990 Recognizing that the United Nations has, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the International Covenants on Human Rights, proclaimed and agreed that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status,
Recalling that, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations has proclaimed that childhood is entitled to special care and assistance,

Archive – USCIS Announces Return to Deference Policy

4/28/21 Deference is back! USCIS announced that, effective immediately, it will reinstate its 2004 policy of deferring to prior determinations of eligibility.
Rescinded by the Trump administration, this policy directed officers to “generally defer to prior determinations of eligibility when adjudicating petition extensions involving the same parties and facts as the initial petition.” This means that prior determinations made by USCIS will receive deference unless “there was a material error, material change in circumstances or in eligibility, or new material information” that would have an adverse impact on eligibility.

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.

California’s reopening plan includes no equity benchmarks for hard-hit communities

4/11/21 California began a 10-week countdown to a full reopening last week, with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s bold proposal to lift nearly all coronavirus restrictions by June 15. But the ambitious plan contains no specific protections for vulnerable populations, sparking fears the state is about to repeat mistakes that devastated the Latino community last year.
The omission was surprising, considering that Newsom’s announcement was triggered by the delivery of 4 million vaccine doses to disadvantaged neighborhoods, a key goal that the state had set to address inequalities in the state’s inoculation efforts. In recent weeks, Newsom and other state officials have referred to equity as the “north star” of the pandemic response.

Equal Justice Works

Facilitating Fellowships for public interest lawyers and law students to serve at legal services organizations across the nation to increase equal access to justice for communities in need.
Educating law students and lawyers about options to manage their student debt and advocating for loan repayment assistance programs (LRAPs) and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Update

FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.  The COVID-19 incident period ended on May 11, 2023. FEMA will continue to provide funeral assistance until Sept. 30, 2025, to those who have lost loved ones due to this pandemic.

The death must have occurred in the US, including the US territories, and the District of Columbia.
The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19. The applicant must be a US citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after 1/20/20.  There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a US citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.

There is no on line application.  Once you have phoned in, supporting documentation can be emailed, faxed or mailed.  ***COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number 844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585 ***
FEMA Funeral Application Video   
FAQ   Multi-language:  Spanish |  Chinese |  Vietnamese |  Portuguese |  Creole |  Bengali   Russian     Arabic  

Key Words: Pandemic

Cancer CAREpoint

Cancer CAREpoint provides personalized Counseling, Assistance, Resources & Education to all Silicon Valley cancer patients, survivors, families & caregivers at no cost. Multi-language: Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Italian, Portuguese, Hindi

Latino Business Foundation Silicon Valley

BUSINESS ACADEMY – One of the main causes for new small business operations to close is due to lack of knowledge in business planning and operations. Latino Business Foundation Silicon Valley has created a Small Business Academy Program aimed to provide small business owners with the training, education and coaching to plan, organize, direct, execute and control their resources in order to obtain maximum benefit and achieve sustainable positive results.
Latino Business Foundation Silicon Valley recognizes the common obstacles women owned businesses often face and has developed workshops designed to assist the participants to overcome these struggles.

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Alum Rock Counseling Center

Our programs entail working with parents of infants & teens, keeping at-risk youth in a drug and violence-free school environment as well as on-site crisis counseling. We proudly serve all of Santa Clara County. info@alumrockcc.org Multi-language: Spanish

Veggielution Community Farm

Veggielution Community Farm was created in 2008 to help people make healthy food choices and provide opportunities for connecting with the natural world. We are fostering a sustainable food system through our urban farm that engages the community by providing access to organic and local food, creates youth leadership opportunities, and develops creative solutions to environmental and social justice issues. Veggielution partners with GFS and 3 other local agencies in the Sí Se Puede! Collective. Multi-language: Spanish

Santa Clara County To Launch Mobile COVID Vaccination Unit After Receiving $200K Donation

3/29/21 SCC officials and the chief executive of San Jose-based Bloom Energy on Monday announced a $199,000 donation to the Valley Medical Center Foundation to cover the purchase cost of a mobile COVID-19 vaccine unit.
The vaccination unit will target residents who are homebound, elderly and disabled as well as residents that live in the county’s underserved areas that have been hardest hit by the pandemic. Key Words: Disaster

Amid anti-Asian violence, San Jose’s Vietnamese residents embrace COVID-19 vaccines

4/2/21 Despite a fear of anti-Asian violence hanging over their heads, some Vietnamese residents lined up as early as 4 a.m. to get a COVID-19 vaccine at a new mobile clinic this week ” a chance to defend themselves against a virus that’s disproportionately infecting them.
“We initially expected around 700 people but now there’s about 1,000” said Asian American Center of Santa Clara County CEO MyLinh Pham. She organized a mass vaccination event in the heart of the city’s Vietnamese community within the span of a few days after getting 475 doses – but had to find a few hundred more after running out in the early afternoon.

South Bay Vietnamese Americans wrestle with COVID-19, lack of information

12/15/20 San Jose alone is home to more than 100,000 Vietnamese American residents as of 2010 and has the largest population of Vietnamese Americans of any city outside of Vietnam. Santa Clara County as a whole has roughly 140,000 residents of Vietnamese ancestry. Yet, little is known about how COVID-19 has affected the Vietnamese American community in Santa Clara County.
The county has not published specific information about the community. Its data portal, which provides information on coronavirus case and death rates for different racial groups, does not include a breakdown of different Asian American subgroups, a category that includes Chinese Americans, Indian Americans and Filipino Americans.

Our Post-Covid Lives Shouldn’t Go Back to ‘Normal’ – They Should Go Back Better

4/2/21 Op-Ed By Susan Ellenberg
Covid-19 stripped down our support structures and shone an unforgiving light on the pre-existing gaps in services for our county’s families, specifically as they relate to health, food and internet access.
Those gaps are holding our community back and it is our collective responsibility to not only bridge those gaps but take us further together.
Key Words: COVID-19, Pandemic, Equity

Report an Antisemitic, Bias or Discriminatory Incident

Report an Antisemitic, Bias or Discriminatory Incident
ADL believes people should not be targeted or treated unfairly because of their religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or level of ability. If you have experienced or witnessed an incident of bias, bigotry, hate, antisemitism or extremism, please fill out our incident intake form below. We will do our best to investigate your situation and respond to you quickly. In an emergency, please dial 911.

Right to Be (previously Hollaback!) Bystander Intervention Training to Stop Anti-Asian American and Xenophobic Harassment

In response to the rise in Anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment, we at Hollaback! partnered with Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC to adapt our free bystander intervention training as well as offering a de-escalation training to meet this moment.
Key Words: COVID-19, Pandemic

Violence and hate against Asian Americans is a health and safety crisis for everyone

3/17/21 Public outings carry extra danger for Asian people, with a spate of recent attacks targeted against Asian elders that have resulted in racial trauma, injury, and death. Asian elders are perceived as vulnerable. Volunteer escorts, private guards and air horns aren’t enough. We need government support and commitment. Key Words: Hate Crime, AAPI

2021 Cyberhate – Online Hate and Harrassment.pdf

According to the latest results from ADL’s annual survey of hate and harassment on social media, despite the seeming blitz of self-regulation from technology companies, the level of online hate and harassment reported by users barely shifted when compared to reports from a year ago.
This is the third consecutive year ADL has conducted its nationally representative survey. Forty-one percent of Americans said they had experienced online harassment over the past year, comparable to the 44% reported in last year’s “Online Hate and Harassment” report. Severe online harassment comprising sexual harassment, stalking, physical threats, swatting, doxing and sustained harassment also remained relatively constant compared to the prior year, experienced by 27% of respondents, not a significant change from the 28% reported in the previous survey.

SCC Senior Parcel Tax Exemption Applications

23 of 32 school districts in Santa Clara County offer parcel tax exemptions for seniors and/or homeowners with disabilities, but they are often not publicized well and taxpayers may not know they are eligible for an exemption.
Most exemption applications are around a page long and consist of proof of ownership, proof of residence, and proof of birthdate. For SSI applicants a copy of your Benefits Verification Letter is required. It can be difficult to find information about parcel tax exemptions so we have compiled a list of school district names, phone numbers and links to applying for a parcel tax exemption below.

Agricultural Workers Complete Vaccinations through Partnership with County of Santa Clara, Monterey Mushrooms, United Farm Workers and UFW Foundation

3/31/21 Frontline agricultural workers received second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on César Chavez Day. Approximately 1,000 workers completed their COVID-19 vaccination on Sunday, March 28 and at the César Chavez Day event on March 31.
The vaccination drive is a partnership between the County of Santa Clara, United Farm Workers, Monterey Mushrooms, and the UFW Foundation. There have been numerous vaccination events for farm workers at Monterey Mushrooms and other farms in the area.
Key Words: Pandemic, Coronavirus, undocumented

The safety of health care for ethnic minority patients: a systematic review

7/8/20 A multitude of factors contribute to health inequity amongst ethnic minority populations including limited social support, lower health literacy, lower socio-economic status, greater incidence of ill health and a sense of disempowerment [1,2,3,4]. Access to care and language barriers have been the predominant focus of research, with evidence of failure to provide qualified interpreting services to people with limited English proficiency (LEP) as a key contributor to poor care outcomes

For immigrants, IDs prove to be a barrier to a dose of protection

4/11/21 The life-or-death race to get as many people vaccinated as possible before the coronavirus spawns more viral mutations, like the one that emerged in Brazil, started slowly but has accelerated as many of those crossing the finish line possess the wherewithal and inclination to navigate a mazelike system. As the nation nears the point where supply soon outpaces demand, the unvaccinated will increasingly be people who are reluctant or who are rebuffed by barriers blocking their way. Key Words: COVID-19, Pandemic

Mortgage help from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

There is free foreclosure help. If anyone tries to charge you in advance for help or guarantees that they can stop your foreclosure, they’re not legitimate.
If you’re behind on your mortgage, or having a hard time making payments, we want to get you in touch with a HUD-approved housing counselor”they’ve been sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Your counselor can develop a tailored plan of action for your situation and help you work with your mortgage company. They’re experienced in all of the available programs and a variety of financial situations. They can help you organize your finances, understand your mortgage options, and find a solution that works for you.

Their East San Jose neighbors were dying. So frustrated community leaders formed their own COVID task force

3/14/21 Magdalena Carrasco’s frustration was boiling over. More than a third of Santa Clara County’s first coronavirus deaths had swept through just four ZIP codes in the East San Jose community where she had grown up.
She wasn’t surprised by the outsized toll on the City Council district she represented: While office workers stayed home, traffic had hardly eased in East San Jose as residents went to their shifts as cooks, cleaners and grocery store employees.
Yet as of mid-May, the two testing sites in East San Jose were open only by appointment on weekdays, and many Spanish speakers still didn’t know what to do if they got sick on the job.
Key Words: Pandemic, Coronavirus

After months of pressure from advocates, detained immigrants in California now eligible for vaccine

3/16/21 California public health officials say that people in federal immigration detention in facilities located in the state will now be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, KQED reports. State health officials said in an announcement that individuals “who reside or work in a high risk congregate residential setting, such as an incarceration/detention facility” which would include people in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, would now be prioritized for the vaccine.

5 lessons COVID-19 has taught us for the next pandemic

3/16/21 The pandemic that launched the nation’s first and most ambitious experiment to slow the spread of COVID-19 ” stay-home orders for 7.6 million Bay Area residents ” is easing. It’s left behind shattered lives, economic upset and widened racial inequities, but also valuable lessons which could strengthen our future response to outbreaks of deadly contagion. “Despite these enormous hardships, we have so many reasons for hope and a better future now” said Dr. Dan Lowenstein, executive vice chancellor and provost of UC San Francisco.

Recording of Discussion on Accessibility of Red Cross Disaster Services

3/15/21 American Red Cross (ARC) provides disaster relief services all day, every day, where ever needed, so people can have clean water, safe shelter and hot meals when they need them the most. The purpose of ARC is to meet the immediate disaster-caused needs of individuals, families, and communities. This session addresses the mission and services of American Red Cross and how those service look amidst COVID a concurrent disaster. This session will also address inclusive practices, and discuss functional and access needs for individuals and families seeking supports and how ARC can accommodate.
This training is part of the first-ever Disaster Resilience Awareness by Disability Rights Texas.
Key Words: AFN, disabilities

Biden admin to end Trump policy that let DHS deport caregivers for migrant children

3/12/21 The Biden administration said Friday it will end a Trump-era policy that let U.S. border agents collect information about the immigration status of people who came forward to care for unaccompanied migrant children so it could potentially deport them.
The policy, which began in 2018, allowed the Department of Homeland Security to identify and deport those would-be caregivers who were in the country illegally. It meant that immigrant parents who came to the U.S. and then later sent for their children to cross the border faced possible deportation when they tried to pick up their children from Health and Human Services custody.

PG&E power shutoffs could become more frequent

3/23/21 SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) ” A federal judge overseeing Pacific Gas & Electric’s criminal probation said Tuesday that he is considering requiring the utility to be more aggressive about turning off its electricity lines near tall trees, a plan that could double the number of power outages for some Northern California counties over the next decade.
The proposal outlined during a two-hour court hearing is the latest effort to prevent the utility’s equipment from sparking more deadly wildfires by reducing the likelihood that trees could fall into the utility’s long-neglected electrical equipment.

Archive – What Santa Clara County renters, landlords should know about evictions

3/16/21 Renters affected by the pandemic likely took a sigh of relief when, early this year, California lawmakers extended the statewide ban on evictions for those facing financial hardships until the end of June. The law also created a rental assistance program to help lift lower-income renters out of rental debt. The program started taking applications this week.
The application does not ask for or require proof of citizenship. Multi-language: Spanish ***
List of Organizations Helping Renters with Applications
Key Words: Undocumented

Asian Americans face attacks during pandemic

3/15/21 Stop AAPI Hate began tracking violence and harassment against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders on March 19 last year.
From then through the end of 2020, Stop AAPI Hate received a total of 3,292 complaints from all 50 states and Washington, DC, according to a Stop AAPI Hate news release. The coalition, which had previously reported a lower number of complaints for 2020, said some incidents that took place in 2020 were not reported until earlier this year.

How the Bay Area failed Latino residents during the COVID crisis

3/14/21 Case rates for Latino residents are nearly four times higher than for White residents, analysis shows. Why?
Public health leaders’ centerpiece strategy, the nation’s first and strictest stay-at-home orders instituted one year ago, proved ill-suited for a population whose members often live in crowded housing and have no alternative to working outside the home. And local and state governments were slow to muster the focus and resources that might have made a real difference, even as community advocates pleaded for more action.
Key Words: Pandemic, Coronavirus

United Peace Collaborative

We focus on making the maximum positive effort for our community. Our members and volunteers provide the momentum that helps us affect change. Using data driven models, we provide solutions that make a long-lasting difference. Build a stronger Chinese/Asian Community in SF & elsewhere. Assist seniors, women, children, and the disabled. Tasks: Educate Asians about basic rights as Americans, inform people what are reportable crimes, give info and resources to people who have needs.

Archive – Oakland clinic offers Mayan interpreter for COVID-19 vaccinations

3/19/21 This month, La Clinica de La Raza began offering the community-targeted vaccination service at 32 locations across the Bay Area, including ASCEND Elementary School on East 12th Street, where Latinos who speak Mam, K’iche ‘and Q’eqchi’ can get translation help from appointment to inoculation on Thursdays.
There are over 22 different Mam dialects spoken primarily by people of Guatemalan and Mexican descent. According to a recent UC San Francisco study, Mayan people with Guatemalan roots are the fastest-growing ethnic group in Oakland.

Right to Be (previously Hollaback!) Anti-Harrassment Training and Tool Kits

Right to Be is a global, people-powered movement to end harassment ” in all its forms. We believe that we all deserve to be who we are, wherever we are.
We believe we all have a role to play in disrupting harassment and building a culture where it is no longer seen as “just the price you have to pay” for being a woman, LGBTQ+, a person of color, or any other marginalized identity. We teach people to take action, and to reach across their own identities to ally with others and establish a united front against harassment each time we witness it. Key Words: Free Bystander Intervention Intervention Training, Hate Crime

Expand Ability

Expandability’s mission is to provide support and services that aim to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities by supporting and developing their abilities through advocacy and meaningful employment. Services currently provided virtually due to COVID-19. A program of Goodwill of Silicon Valley
Key Words: AFN, job search, disability

New Stanford research: Why Zoom can wipe you out

2/23/21 COVID-19 pandemic has moved our lives into a virtual space. Why is that so exhausting?
The tiredness doesn’t feel earned. We’re not flying an airplane, teaching toddlers or rescuing people trapped in burning buildings. Still, by the end of the day, the feeling is so universal that it has its own name: Zoom Fatigue.
Stanford researchers find four causes for ‘Zoom fatigue’ and propose simple fixes

Biden rolls back Trump’s tougher citizenship test

2/22/21 The Biden administration will offer the option for applicants to select the 2008 civics examination. Announced in a Policy Alert on Monday, the civics examination requirement implemented in December 2020 will switch to an earlier version implemented in 2008. The 2020 civic exam featured 128 possible questions on the exam. With Biden’s new order, it will switch to the 100 possible questions seen in the 2008 version.
Some content will be altered as well. The policy alert did not specify what these changes would be.

Social Stigma associated with COVID-19

A guide to preventing and addressing social stigma –
Target audience: Government, media and local organisations working on the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The current COVID-19 outbreak has provoked social stigma and discriminatory behaviours against people of certain ethnic backgrounds as well as anyone perceived to have been in contact with the virus.

Archive – A Comcast Employee Was Told to Upsell Internet to Low-Income People. So He Quit.

1/29/21 I didn’t like how Xfinity/Comcast were positioning themselves as caring and helping and doing everything they can. When I was like, that’s not what you’re doing. It’s business as usual……
Xfinity/Comcast got rid of data limits for the first two months of the pandemic. Then, I don’t know why, they just got reinstated. The pandemic didn’t end and school didn’t reopen, but they said, now we’re charging everybody again

Expedited Licensure Process for Refugees, Asylees, and Holders of Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs)

Beginning January 1, 2021, individuals in with refugee, asylee, or special immigrant visa status, who apply for licensure by the Board of Registered Nursing may seek an expedited licensure process. In order to receive the expedited licensure process, individuals must provide evidence of their refugee, asylee, or special immigrant visa status when submitting their application package.

Executive Order on Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans

2/2/21 …Consistent with our character as a Nation of opportunity and of welcome, it is essential to ensure that our laws and policies encourage full participation by immigrants, including refugees, in our civic life; that immigration processes and other benefits are delivered effectively and efficiently; and that the Federal Government eliminates sources of fear and other barriers that prevent immigrants from accessing government services available to them.

SCC OIR Newsletter: February 2021

Including OIR’s Statement of Solidarity with Our Asian Community Members *** Immigration Update – Biden Administration Actions & Announcements *** Remembering Three Prominent Community Leaders who Passed Away, Their Legacy Lives On. Karita Hummer, Father Bill Leininger and Fred Hirsch ***
Announcements: Public Health orders allow essential volunteers helping nonprofits distribute food necessities. Sign up here to support our community! #SiliconValleyStrong *** Santa Clara County COVID-19 Vaccination: Please visit the Santa Clara County Public Health website to learn more about vaccination distribution in our communities.
Key Words: Pandemic

Archive – San Jose – Digital Inclusion Partnership

12/31/23 Website gone

2/21 The CA Emerging Technology (CETF) has been funded to work with communities throughout San José to close the digital divide through expanding device access, digital adoption and literacy skills. Digital Inclusion Partnership in collaboration with the CETF is a non-profit organization that provides statewide leadership to accelerate the deployment and adoption of broadband to unserved and underserved communities and populations in California. Key Words: DIGITAL LITERACY

Effects of Anti-Asian Racism During the Pandemic

CAN/DID: Standing Against Racism and Injustice is an ongoing multimedia series that builds on the knowledge and experience of De Anza College students, faculty and classified professionals
An exploration of equity and social justice issues – including lessons we can all learn from the struggles of many different groups and individuals Key Words: Diversity, Chinese, COVID-19

Give an Hour®

GAH exists for those who don’t have access to compassionate mental health care. Licensed mental health providers have joined Give an Hour® to change the direction of mental health and volunteer to provide direct services.
Nationally we support: Those currently serving in the military, veterans (regardless of discharge status, deployment status, or era of service), and their families *** Those affected by natural disasters or man-made traumas
Provides free mental health services to those in need by reaching out to partner organizations to identify groups in need as well as partnering with California based mental health associations to offer the opportunity to providers across the state to join us in this effort. Multi-language: Spanish

How to master the vaccine-appointment website- A guide for everyone

2/10/21 Scheduling coronavirus vaccine shots online is causing panic for eligible Americans and the children and grandchildren helping them. That includes me and my parents, hunting for scraps of information on supply and pressing reload at all hours on poorly designed websites. By the time you type in all the required information, available appointments have vanished.
An estimated 42 percent of Americans over the age of 65 don’t even have a wired broadband Internet connection at home, according to a new report. Online vaccine appointment systems are particularly under-serving minority and low-income communities.
2021 has made being a computer whiz a matter of life and death. Shame on America for asking seniors to beta test bad vaccine logistics software.Key Words: Pandemic, COVID-19, Vaccination

As COVID-19 relief vote nears, undocumented immigrants struggle with no aid

3/4/21 There are approximately 7 million undocumented immigrants working in the United States, making up 4.4% of the workforce, according to a 2020 Center for American Progress report. Because of their immigration status, they do not qualify for unemployment benefits if they lose their job.
But it’s not just undocumented immigrants themselves who have faced difficulty receiving aid. There are around 16.7 million people in America who have at least one undocumented family member living with them, according to the Center For American Progress. People in these mixed-status families, such as when some are citizens and some are DACA recipients but file taxes with a family member who doesn’t have a Social Security number, also have struggled to receive benefits.

USCIS – Public Charge Update

3/12/21 USCIS is no longer applying the August 2019 Public Charge Final Rule. As a consequence, among other changes, USCIS will apply the public charge inadmissibility statute consistent with the 1999 Interim Field Guidance. In other words, USCIS is not considering an applicant’s receipt of Medicaid (except for long-term institutionalization at the government’s expense), public housing, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as part of the public charge inadmissibility determination. Multi-language: Spanish

Asian, Inc.

We empower diversity by creating opportunities in business development, housing and financial education, targeting low- to moderate-income communities of all races.

Heart of the Valley Services for Seniors

We can offer friendly phone calls to keep connected, no contact gardening and Household Hazardous Waste Pickup for seniors over 65 years old who live in: Santa Clara, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Los Gatos, Campbell, and the West San Jose zip codes 95117, 95125, 95126, 95128, 95129, 95130.
Call (408) 241-1571</strong >
Service Eligibility We serve adults 65 years of age or older who reside in West Santa Clara County, depending on your zip code. Let’s see if we can help you! There are no waiting lists, or lengthy registration process. If you qualify, you become our client and can begin requesting services at least 7 business days in advance of your need.
See if you are eligible Key Words: Trnsportation

What AB 60 License Holders Need to Know About Real ID

10/2/20 Report from CA Immigration Policy Center (CIPC) – REAL ID is one type of identification that can also function as a driver’s license. The REAL ID Act was a law passed by Congress in 2005. It created a new standard for state-issued driver’s licenses and identity cards to meet federal requirements. REAL ID driver’s licenses and identity cards can be used as ID to board domestic flights within the United States or to enter some federal facilities like federal courthouses and military bases. If you, or someone you know, is an AB60 license holder, this is what you need to know.

Archive – BUILDING IMMIGRANT POWER FROM CALIFORNIA TO NEW YORK

2/21 CIPC Blueprint for the Nation includes a vision along with concrete policy priorities for five issue areas in New York and California that are critical to immigrant communities: Creating Healthy Communities; Building Political Power and Guaranteed Civil Rights; Ending State Support for Detention, Deportation and Mass Incarceration; Ensuring Economic Justice and Good Jobs; and Quality Education. Key Words: Demographics, legal,

How California’s Law Enforcement Agencies Continue Working with ICE

10-8-20 TWO YEARS AFTER THE SIGNING OF
THE CALIFORNIA VALUES ACT – Following the 2016 presidential election, California passed SB 54 (2017), the California Values Act, (“the Values Act”)”the strongest anti-deportation law in the country. The previous year, California passed AB 2792 (2016), the Transparent Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds Act (“the TRUTH Act”), ensuring that immigrants in local law enforcement custody know their rights and provide consent before being subject to an interview with an ICE officer. Key Words: RRN, KYR

South Bay Mutual Aid

8/3/21 COVID-19 Update
Due to an overwhelming number of requests we are temporarily closing the request form to allow our volunteers to catch up, we will reopen this form in September, thank you for all your support!
We are a coalition of students, workers, and community members organizing mutual aid in the South Bay (Santa Clara County) Monterey and San Benito County. Assistance with groceries, medical and cleaninig supplies, facemasks, transportation to medical appointments, Key Words: COVID-19, Pandemic Multi-language: Spanish

SCC OIR Newsletter: November 2020

Post Election Statement – In the Santa Clara County Office of Immigrant Relations, we are committed to the following Equity values:
Justice for all.
The pursuit of peace and happiness.
Hard work and reaching our fullest potential by building a system free from domination, oppression, and exploitation.
EVERYONE has the right to exist free from fear, trauma, pain, and suffering.
Immigrants enrich our communities and we should decolonize our views of world regions they come from.
We must move forward, TOGETHER.
The time to do the right things is always now.
We WILL NOT stay silent in the face of injustice.

SCC OIR Newsletter – December 2020

Santa Clara County Office of Immigrant Relations Holiday message in English, Spanish and Tagalog – OIR sends our gratitude and extends solidarity to all who have been supporting emergency response efforts over the last nine months and everyone who has worked tirelessly to support our most vulnerable Black and Brown families in the greatest time of need.
And despite the hardships, we are hopeful that we will continue to reimagine a more just, equitable and humane world. We write to you today with a message of love. We will get through this, together.

San Jose scrambles to respond to attacks on elderly Asian Americans

2/20/21 San Jose lawmakers took steps this week to deter hate crimes and protect would-be victims after a string of seemingly xenophobic attacks targeting Asian American elders around the Bay Area hit close to home just before Lunar New Year. ….
The committee unanimously approved Peralez’s plan, which directs city leaders to host community listening sessions, plan safety workshops and partner with the District Attorney’s Office on efforts to address hate crimes.

SCC Commission on the Status of Women Mini-Grant Application

The CSW supports programs, events, and causes throughout the year collaboratively and financially through mini grants. Grants are made for up to $1,500 to non-profits for programs and one-time events, or to an individual or group raising funds that support women and girls in Santa Clara County. Requests will be considered for programs, events, or causes that promote women and girls in leadership roles, promote ending of violence against women and girls, support the health needs of women and girls. Applicants must submit the completed Mini-Grant Application with Checklist form via email to:
CSW@ceo.sccgov.org

SCC OIR Newsletter: September 2020

In celebration of Welcoming Week 2020, the Santa Clara County Office of Immigrant Relations partnered with Factr’s Footprints Guild to celebrate immigrant artists. Visit the newly created virtual art gallery focused on Creating Home Together.
The Footprints Guild brings together artists and artisans from around the world and helps them in entrepreneurship at the community scale. This micro-enterprise project allows the artists to present their work in the marketplace to encourage self-sufficiency and realization. It showcases the diversity of the community and enhances the cultural education of the greater community.

New Hope Chinese Cancer Foundation

Free assistance for Chinese cancer patients in Santa Clara County. New Hope Milpitas office will be open on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning from 10-12 pm. Please call ahead before visiting. Face covering and keeping social distance is required. Patient services, transportation, survivorship classes, and support groups will be conducted online. For inquiries, please contact info@newhopecancer.org or 408-609-3338 Multi-language: Chinese Key Words: AFN

Archive – A statement from Asian American Community Organizations and Allies Demanding Action and Solidarity Against Violence

2/12/21 As community-based organizations and foundations committed to racial equity and justice for Asian and Pacific Islander, Black, Indigenous, and Latino communities of color, we come together to send a clear, unified message of solidarity opposing xenophobia, discrimination, and violence. We denounce the recent violent crimes perpetrated against the elderly Asian American community within the Bay Area and nationally. We stand in solidarity with the victims, their families, and all who have been affected by these horrific acts. Key Words: Hate Crimes, SCC, Santa Clara County, pandemic, COVID-19

‘I Will Not Stand Silent.’ 10 Asian Americans Reflect on Racism During the Pandemic and the Need for Equality

6/25/20 Today, as the U.S. struggles to combat a global pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 120,000 Americans and put millions out of work, President Donald Trump, who has referred to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus” and more recently the “kung flu” has helped normalize anti-Asian xenophobia, stoking public hysteria and racist attacks. And now, as in the past, it’s not just Chinese Americans receiving the hatred. Racist aggressors don’t distinguish between different ethnic subgroups”anyone who is Asian or perceived to be Asian at all can be a victim. Even wearing a face mask, an act associated with Asians before it was recommended in the U.S., could be enough to provoke an attack. Key Words: Hate Crimes

Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

Based in Santa Clara, CA, CAIR-SFBA is America’s largest Islamic civil liberties group, with regional offices nationwide.
Our mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. The CAIR-SFBA office is now offering low-cost or pro bono legal assistance for citizenship, adjustment of status, family petitions, asylum, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), T-Visas, U-Visas, and Violence against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitions, Asylum, Afghan SIV
Request Legal Assistance |
Report an Incident of racial or religious discrimination or Request Legal Services
Key Words: KYR, Hate Crime, Muslim,

ACEs Aware in CA Training

The Becoming ACEs Aware in California Training is a free, two-hour training to learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), toxic stress, screening, risk assessment, and evidence-based care to effectively intervene on toxic stress.
The training is available to any provider, but it is particularly geared towards primary care clinicians who serve Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program) beneficiaries.
ACEs Aware Stress Management Resource List

Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office

Services Provided ***Information relating to unattended, unusual, violent, or accidental deaths ***Autopsy reports relating to unattended, unusual, violent, or accidental deaths ***Private autopsies (cost associated), when requested by the legal next-of-kin and approved by the on-call Medical Examiner ***Community education classes and presentations ***Decedent identification and notification of next-of-kin
Request for Indigent Internment
Key Words: Cremation, Funeral

The Impact of the Coronavirus on Food Insecurity in 2020

Update: October 2020 – Feeding America analysis of how food insecurity may increase in 2020 due to COVID-19 for the overall population and children at the national, state, county, and congressional district levels.
In 2020, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
threatens the lives and livelihoods of people
throughout the world. Decisions are being made that
weigh economic cost against the lives of people in the
United States, and no matter the outcome, the most
vulnerable members of society are in position to fare
the worst. Key Words: Report

Valley Connection Call Center (Testing & Vaccination Appointments)

2/4/21 The County’s website
provides information and links for making vaccine appointments with providers across the county.
In addition, SCC residents without internet access or who need additional assistance can make appointments for the County Health System vaccine sites through the Valley Connection Call Center at 408-970-2000. The Call Center is open Monday through Friday from 7am to 9pm and Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 4:30pm. Multi-language: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages .Key Words: Pandemic, COVID-19

Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC )

LSPC organizes communities impacted by the criminal justice system and advocates to release incarcerated people, to restore human and civil rights, and to reunify families and communities. We build public awareness of structural racism in policing, the courts, and the prison system, and we advance racial and gender justice in all our work. We do not provide direct services or take on individual legal cases. However, we are able to provide informational manuals and referrals to other legal services.
Love Without Borders: An International & Interstate Family Law Manual (2018) (also in Spanish)

Immigration Policy Tracking Project

2/21 This “TrumpTracker” Immigration Policy Tracking Project catalogues every known Trump-era immigration policy from January 2017 through the end of the administration.
Entries describing Trump policies contain the official source documents, are catalogued by date under “view all policies,” and are searchable by subject area, agency affected, type of action, and other categories.
Biden administration actions that affect or rescind Trump-era policies are prominently noted under the individual policy entries. An overview of Biden announcements appears on the summaries page.

Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the US

2/11/21 Key Statistics on Immigrants in the US ted in One Useful Resource
The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) today published the latest version of its perennially popular resource, Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States, which features a wealth of data about the U.S. immigrant population as well as current and historic migration to the United States. Key Words: Disaster