There’s no better time than right now to create meaningful change in our neighborhoods, and that is exactly what CNC is doing! Take a peek at the impact CNC has made this week as we honor Immigrant Heritage Month while making tv cameos, attend budget hearings, and continue our COVID-19 outreach:
CNC speaks at Fresno City Hall: Throughout this week, CNC organizers and volunteers have been hard at work making public comments during the annual budget hearings, advocating for the people of Fresno. Our team has made public comments on the need for funding for our neighborhood parks, responsibly allocating our tax dollars to community programs, and discussing the lack of affordable housing in Fresno. Here is what some of our volunteers had to say:
Mario Manganiello spoke at the Budget Hearing, saying, “For too long we’ve believed the narrative that in order to achieve a safe neighborhood, we need more police, but that is untrue. The safest neighborhoods are those with the most resources.” He went on to urge the city to be proactive by investing in public programs, like after-school programs. He concluded, “Our communities, especially our youth, deserve an opportunity to thrive.” Thank you for speaking up, Mario!
Sean Felten echoed Mario’s sentiments. At the Budget Committee, he testified, “We the people should not have to have to pay for our brown and black community members to be shot or incarcerated at staggeringly high rates … More police is not the solution.” Sean cited data from CNC’s research, the 2020 Fresno Speaks Survey, as our local polling showed that Fresno residents want solutions that go beyond policing. He concluded that we must invest less in police and more in our neighborhoods and youth.
Regarding the housing crisis in Fresno, CNC volunteers Imelda Cruz, Maria Madrid, and Clara Serrato made their public comments at a housing hearing via Zoom. They discussed the lack of affordable housing in Fresno, how throughout the pandemic families have been forced into dangerous, multi-family living situations, and how the rent is increasing at alarming rates. Thank you for advocating for Fresno’s working-class families!
GOALS! In preparation for Fresno’s Budget Hearings, Organizer Pedro Navarro Cruz held an amazing community outreach event. He held a pick-up soccer game in a Downtown Fresno park, where he got his neighborhood active and educated about the importance of these hearings. He recruited and encouraged new volunteers to stand up for their neighborhoods by advocating for the resources they need.
Summer is here and schools are returning to in-person learning. We’re hosting our upcoming COVID-19 Youth Vaccination Forum on Tuesday, June 29th at 6:30 pm. Moderated by CBS 47’s Nathalie Vera, we will be discussing parental trust, perceptions, and doubts regarding the vaccine. Don’t miss it! Remember – the vaccine is free and available for anyone 12 years old and up. Click here to sign up!
Turn your Facebook notifications on, because we are sharing our stories of hope and survival throughout this pandemic exclusively on the Facebook page of Univision Noticias 21! CNC has partnered with Univision to share local impact stories that will help get our neighborhoods vaccinated. This week, Israel Piza Guerrero, a migrant farmworker and community leader, shared with Lupita Lomeli the extreme hardships to keep his family healthy during this pandemic and encouraged everyone to get vaccinated. You can hear Israel's full story on CNC’s YouTube channel.
Have you spotted CNC on TV yet? One of our incredible Merced Organizers, Rosa Inguanzo, discusses COVID-19 myths and misinformation on Univision’s Despierta Valle Central. You can watch her full interview on CNC’s Facebook page.
In honor of Immigrant Heritage Month, CNC has been celebrating our collective immigrant roots by highlighting the stories of our relatives who came to this country to build a better life. These stories are remarkable, and range across the spectrum of perseverance and war, to love and success, and demonstrate how immigrants have shaped California. You can read about what it’s like living between two homes and being an immigrant in America, by our very own Communications Director, Karina Martinez. You can also hear our Social Media Manager, Sarah Martinez Pena, discuss how love triumphed over the language barrier between her and her grandmother. Check out CNC’s Instagram for even more of our heritage stories!
Congrats Class of 2021! Students also honor their immigrant heritage: This week, our grad highlight goes to Savannah Delgadillo, who graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a Bachelor of Arts in History. Her grad cap was beautifully decorated with photos of her grandmother in honor of her immigrant heritage. The cap translates to, “I am the wildest dreams of my grandmothers.” Congratulations on your accomplishments, Savannah!