Stay hydrated and cool this summer in the California heat! While this hot spell won't let up anytime soon, that doesn’t mean CNC has slowed down at all. We’ve hit the ground running this July by continuing with our COVID-19 vaccination outreach efforts, having our voices heard at local city council meetings and hearings, and educating about the upcoming recall election on September 14th! Here’s what you might have missed while we were away:

Last week we held an incredible virtual COVID-19 Youth Vaccination Forum moderated by CBS 47’s Nathalie Vera. The forum featured parents and caretakers throughout California sharing their experiences and having an honest discussion about parental trust, perceptions, and doubts surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. To discuss the importance of vaccinating our youth and other reopening information, our forum was joined by Monica Morales, MPA, from the California Department of Public Health, and the Merced County Health Officer, Salvador Sandoval MD, MPH. Representatives from elected officials throughout the Central and Coachella Valleys were also present to listen to the concerns of residents and answer any additional questions. You can watch the full forum on our Facebook page. Don’t forget to get the kids in your life vaccinated! You can register anyone aged 12+ for their appointment here.

Here’s what some of our participants had to say at the forum:

Merced resident and mother of two, Erica Cabrera has followed all the protocols and government recommendations since the beginning of the pandemic. Erica shared how difficult it's been for her family to stay home because they love to travel together. It's been over a year since they've been able to explore, but now that the vaccine is available to kids, their family is getting ready to hit the road again!

Irene Parra Serrano knows exactly how important it is to get vaccinated, especially in Fresno, where vaccination rates are not at the community immunity level. Of the vaccine, she said, "I was at first unsure about getting the vaccine but once I saw that the potential side effects outweighed what could happen if I don't get the vaccine, I decided to get it."

Watch us on Facebook! Exclusively on Univision Noticias 21’s Facebook page, we are sharing our stories of hope and survival throughout this pandemic. Here, Luis Loya shares how this pandemic escalated obstacles on his path as a young professional. From not having an in-person graduation to losing a job, he had to overcome feelings of isolation throughout the pandemic. Getting vaccinated offered him a fresh start, and now his mental health has drastically improved and he's flourishing in a new role as a public health professional. Be like Luis and get vaccinated! 

Teamwork makes the dream work! Or rather, organizing our neighbors together to advocate for meaningful change makes our futures shine so much brighter. CNC’s Fresno organizers have been working hard to safely put together a series of community meetings to discuss our concerns and hopes for the future of Fresno. The latest meeting focused on discussing the city’s parks budget hearing and the needs for all of our neighborhood parks. Big things are on the way! If you live in Fresno and want to join CNC in making a positive impact on our neighborhoods, click here.