The latest that you need to know in California:
California’s Eviction Moratorium Expires:
Though the state’s eviction moratorium is expired on September 30, some places in California have local laws that will continue to prevent landlords from evicting tenants. Those include Fresno County, Alameda County, Solano County as well as the cities of Berkeley and Oakland – your town might have similar protections!
No matter where you live in California, CNC encourages residents to know their rights and seek rental and utility assistance from the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program or any of their local relief funds. 100% of past due rent and utilities can be covered going as far back as April 1. 2020 for applicants who qualify if renters have past due rent because of a COVID-19 hardship.
The Biden Administration adds worker protections to address extreme heat:
Workers of color have borne the brunt of the dangers of extreme heat: Since 2010, Hispanics have accounted for a third of all heat deaths, yet they represent a fraction — 17% — of the U.S. workforce. To combat this, the Biden Administration is adding worker protections to address extreme heat. Read more about it here.
California makes sending registered voters a mail-in ballot permanent:
California just permanently made voting more accessible. California has just signed into law a requirement that a vote-by-mail ballot is sent to every active registered voter for elections. The bill, AB 37 authored by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park), was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday. AB 37 makes the trend of sending voters a ballot by mail during the pandemic permanent, setting the standard for the entire nation. Read more about it here.
CNC Takes Action:
Organize like CNC: CNC Field Directors Samantha Valadez and Cassandra Gutierrez are experts and, if we’re being honest, pretty much rock stars when it comes to grassroots organizing. This year, we are so excited for Samantha and Cassandra to virtually present at the Netroots Nation conference with their session entitled, “Enhance Your Field Program.” This year's multi-issue progressive conference is virtual, so check #NN21 out online from anywhere you’re at. See what the hype is about: sign up today at netrootsnation.org!
Standing up for our neighborhoods throughout the redistricting process: Along with our partner organizations, we have called on Fresno County to increase language accessibility in the redistricting process. To establish a fair and equitable redistricting process, language accessibility and justice must be a priority, because the bare minimum is not enough for Fresno residents.
Language justice is critical in Fresno County where over 45% of the population speak a language other than English. Fresno residents have the right to be able to participate in every step of redistricting in the language that allows them the greatest opportunity to understand, interact and respond to the process that is shaping their futures. Language justice is imperative to ensuring a fair and equitable redistricting process in accordance with the California Constitution. Read the full statement here.
Learn more about redistricting here
Redistricting is here, and your future is being shaped RIGHT NOW! Do you know what’s happening in your neighborhood? CNC is keeping our neighbors informed on the government processes that impact us the most, which is why we care so much about redistricting. It’s critical to get involved and be informed on the redistricting process because it is literally going to shape our opportunities and representation for the next decade. In Fresno County, the next redistricting meeting will be on October 5th. Will you be there to stand up for your neighborhood? Follow CNC on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to learn more about redistricting and how YOU can make your voice heard!
‘Fresno Speaks 2021’ has spoken: CNC, along with UC Merced and partner organizations, recently concluded Fresno Speaks 2021, the largest random sample survey of Fresno registered voters in 2021. This research is critical to understand the reality, perception, and experiences of Fresno voters as to advocate for the policies that best serve our neighborhoods. This year, we learned that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be the biggest concern among households in the city, along with growing concerns about climate change, extreme heat, air pollution, and wildfires.
CNC celebrates National Hispanic American Heritage Month:
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, also known as Latinx Heritage Month, CNC is thrilled to highlight our Latinx neighbors from all walks of life, including those that are stepping out from the shadows.
Off the coast of the Central Valley, there's a community of migrant workers that make up the predominantly agricultural region, and if you look a little closer you'll find brave souls navigating the path of being transgendered in a world that isn't always the most welcoming.
In a broccoli packaging facility, a woman named Valery has chosen to live the life she's always dreamed of. And at the age of 18, Valery came to the United States to work and live authentically. Valery shares how difficult it is to be a transgender woman, facing moments of shame and wanting to retreat back into the shadows.
With much strength and perseverance, and with the help of organizations like California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA). CRLA helped Valery legally change her name on all her documents, and since then, Valery has been living authentically. “They changed my life,” Valery says. But it isn’t easy, she admits. “Every day is a battle to be trans in the Latino community.”
According to Juan Luis Guzman, a poet, English professor and adviser to the LGBT student association at Fresno City College, “The undocumented community … is one that lives in the shadows, that plugs away silently at daily life hoping not to bring any unnecessary attention to themselves. Couple that with a culture which does not easily accept or value an LGBTQ lifestyle … and you find a number of Latinos hiding or suppressing their sexual identity.” This yields, "layers of invisibility," adds Guzman.
Thankfully organizations like CRLA that specialize in legal assistance and civic engagement opportunities are standing alongside LGBTQ+ communities to help those, like Valery, step out of the shadows.
Read the original story by Jeffrey Hannan for NBC News here.
The best way to celebrate our Latinx heritage is to protect our families by getting vaccinated. COVID-19 is still spreading throughout California, and the delta variant is even more contagious so it’s better at finding those who aren’t vaccinated. Young or old, near or far, COVID-19 doesn’t hold back. In Central California, Hispanics and Latinos are the most uninsured racial-ethnic group, being twice as likely to lack coverage compared to our white counterparts. Don’t take any chances – getting vaccinated is the best tool we have to protect ourselves, our families, and our futures. Don’t wait for a second longer and schedule your vaccination appointment now at myturn.ca.gov. ¡Ponte la mascarilla y ve a vacunarte!
Can’t get enough CNC? Great, because we can’t get enough of you either! Take action towards creating a new California for all by attending one (or all!) of our upcoming meetings. Follow CNC on Facebook for more updates on ways to create change in your neighborhood by getting involved with us.