| Dear Friends,
It is my pleasure to update you on the work I have been doing to make Alameda County an even better place to call home.
In this edition you can read about my work on ALL IN Alameda County- the new war on poverty, the youth career fair I helped coordinate in the city of Alameda and my contribution to fund youth soccer in San Lorenzo.
You can also learn about my work to raise awareness about the importance of access to early childhood education, my commitment to help Alameda County residents regardless of their immigration status and much more.
It is an honor to serve you. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any comments, questions or concerns that you may have regarding the district or Alameda County.
Sincerely,
Wilma Chan
Supervisor, Third District
ALL IN Alameda County: New War on Poverty
Nearly one year ago, community leaders and advocates joined
me to begin a year-long planning process for ALL IN Alameda
County- the new war on poverty. During this time, the working group developed
strategies in the areas of Early Childhood Education, Food Security and
Economic Empowerment. I am confident
that these research-based strategies will make a tremendous impact in Alameda
County. With an incredible team of individuals, we have already launched the
ALL IN TO END HUNGER 2020 initiative, a sustained effort to solve hunger by
focusing on food system inefficiencies, public policy reform, economic
development, and community involvement.
Additionally, as an early childhood advocate, I am
particularly excited about the Birth to 8 year-old coalition that has emerged
during the past year. I was a strong proponent for ALL IN to fund the
transitions from Public Health home visiting to preschool and from preschool to
kindergarten. With ‘warm hand-offs’ and affordable child care, our children
will have the best opportunity to be kindergarten ready. The group is
also working hard to develop strategies that specifically address economic
development and I look forward to sharing those with you in the near future.
The shocking increase in poverty and inequality demands that we take action. It is fair and necessary that we work together to support our neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet. I would like to thank the ALL IN Advisory
Board and working group members who have been involved in these efforts. To
learn more about the work that ALL IN Alameda County: the new war on Poverty is
doing, click here.
Fighting Against Big Pharma
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, prescription
and over the counter (OTC) drugs, are (after marijuana and alcohol), the most
commonly abused substances by American youth ages 14 and older. In July 2011, I
voted, along with my Board of Supervisors colleagues on a County ordinance that
would require pharmaceutical companies to set up and pay for a program to
dispose of expired and otherwise unwanted drugs in the County. This ordinance,
authored by my colleague, Supervisor Nate Miley, aims to prevent prescription drug
misuse and keeps drugs out of our waterways.
Shortly after the Board of Supervisors voted on this
ordinance, the County was taken to court by the Pharmaceutical Research and
Manufacturers of America the Generic Pharmaceutical Association and the
Biotechnology Industry Organization. After losing at the U.S. District Court
and the U.S. Ninth Court of Appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to
consider the pharmaceutical industry’s challenge to the County ordinance.
On May 25, I joined Supervisor Nate Miley and other County
officials at a press conference to announce the Supreme Court’s decision.
Alameda is now the first County in the nation to require that drug companies pay part of the cost to set up collection points and dispose of expired
drugs. I am proud to support these efforts that will keep drugs away from our
youth and help secure our communities' safety. To learn more about the Safe Drug Disposal ordinance and where to find a prescription
drop-off site, click here.
Human Trafficking Awareness Month
Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar trade that
occurs in every industry, including the commercial sex trade, in the labor
market, such as domestic servitude, restaurant work and the construction
industry. Commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC) represent a growing
segment of the U.S. human trafficking population where victims experience
extreme forms of trauma, violence, manipulation and even death at the hands of
their traffickers. The average age for this population is 12-14 years old.
On January 13, I presented a Human Trafficking Awareness
Month proclamation to Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, County
Deputy District Attorney, Casey Bates, Executive Director of MISSSEY, Falilah
Aisha Bilah and other representatives from MISSSEY. Alameda County serves as
both a statewide and national leader in bringing together law enforcement,
prosecutors, health and human services, and community-based organizations to
create a victim-centered approach to human trafficking. Under the leadership of
the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, the Alameda County District Attorney’s
Office, the Alameda County Family Justice Center, local leaders and community partners,
the silence surrounding human trafficking has been broken and many incidents of
abuse and exploitation continue to be prevented. I am proud to support these necessary efforts that protect some of Alameda County’s most vulnerable populations.
Supporting the Women's Cancer Resource Center
In 2011, cancer was the leading cause of death for Hispanic,
American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian/Pacific Islander women in the United
States and the second leading cause of death for White and Black women. This
February, I was invited to present at the Women’s Cancer Resource Center’s 4th
Annual Gala where I spoke about the challenges that women face during their
journey with cancer.
In addition to caring for themselves, research shows that women are more likely to take on roles and responsibilities to care for family
members who are disabled, chronically ill, or elderly such as a parent, parent in-law or child. Approximately 80% of mothers are responsible for
selecting their child’s doctors, making appointments and follow up care. Additionally,
many women throughout the United States and in Alameda County report that they
do not have a usual place to go when they are sick or when they require health
advice. All of these barriers, in addition to dealing with cancer put women in
particular risk for death.
It is essential that we support organizations such as the
Women’s Cancer Resource Center. For almost 30 years, they have supported women throughout their journey with cancer and have continued to advocate for changes in the health care system that will help women. Additionally, WCRC helps women with cancer improve their quality of life through
education, supportive services and practical assistance. All of their program
services are free. When we ensure that women have access to services, we are supporting entire health care
systems for our families.
A Strong Start for Children
A strong start for children can lead them to having a
healthier, safer, and more prosperous life in later years. Yet, in the United
States we fall behind in providing the appropriate services that ensure success
in the future of our children. In May, I was asked to moderate a panel
discussion that followed the screening of Wounded
Places from The Raising of America Documentary series which tells the
stories of children shaken by violence. The powerful documentary travels to
Philadelphia and Oakland where children have been exposed to structural racism,
street violence and other adversities and who experience symptoms that are
similar to post-traumatic stress disorder.
The panel discussion included
Oakland residents Antonio Carter and Caheri Gutierrez whose stories were featured in
the film, Angela Louis Howard, the founder of Lotus Bloom in Oakland, Carla
Keener from First 5 Alameda County and Jeff Rackmill, Director for Children
System of Care at the County’s Behavioral Health Care Services. The panelists
spoke about the work they are currently doing with children and families who have been exposed to trauma and violence in Oakland and Alameda County.The screening was sponsored by UCSF Benioff Children’s
Hospital, First 5 Alameda County, the Alameda County Public Health Department
and Youth Uprising.
Over 55% of Alameda County students are not ready
for kindergarten. Much of this is due to a lack of access to early education and to the trauma that many children living in urban neighborhoods face every day. We must all work together to ensure that children have access to education and the resources they need to succeed in
school and beyond.
Reforming Immigration
Today, there are around 11.2 million undocumented immigrants
living in the United States. In Alameda
County, there are nearly 500,000 residents that were born outside the U.S. and
an estimated 124,000 of these immigrants are undocumented.
In February, Alameda’s League of Women Voters asked me to
present at their event “Reforming Immigration: Alameda County Perspectives.” The
forum served as a way to educate community members on the current state of
immigration in the County. At the forum, I spoke about Alameda County’s commitment
to the well-being of residents regardless of their immigration status. Through
the County’s HealthPAC program, we provide comprehensive health care services
that are similar to the Medi-Cal scope of services for low-income residents that lack a
pathway to coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
I was also joined by immigration lawyers from Centro Legal
de la Raza and Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach who spoke about the daily
issues surrounding undocumented residents that their respective organizations deal with. They also spoke about
undocumented residents who currently live in fear of deportation while attempting
to keep their families together, obtain work permits and gain access to health
care. Alameda County is considered one of the most diverse areas in the United
States with over 50 languages spoken by students throughout public schools.
Historically, immigrants have contributed greatly to the United States and I
believe we must support a plan that is fair and provides an affordable road to
citizenship.
International Women's Day
 Although women comprise of 50 percent of the world’s
population, they continue to be under-represented as voters, political leaders
and elected officials. Today, I am only the sixth woman to serve on the Alameda
County Board of Supervisors. In order to celebrate the many achievements of
local and international women, the Board of Supervisors recognized the month of
March as International Women’s Month and made a commitment to continue to work
towards removing the social, economic, and political barriers that women face
in reaching full equality. International Women’s Day is observed around the
world and provides an opportunity to recognize and reflect the progress made to
advance women’s equality and to celebrate the gains made by women in our
society.
I was joined by Executive Director of Emerge California,
Kimberly Ellis and Director of Programs of Ignite, Fatimah Simmons at our
January 22 Board of Supervisor meeting. Emerge California identifies, trains
and encourages women to run for office. Similarly, Ignite serves a younger
population that helps build young women’s political ambitions and trains them
to run for office. I would like to thank both organizations for their continued
work towards achieving equality. I am
committed to working with organization like Emerge and Ignite California to secure
the rights of women and to create lasting solutions to the barriers that they face every day.
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Re-investing in our Communities
The United States is the world’s leader in incarceration
with 2.2 million people in the nation’s prisons or jails, resulting in prison
overcrowding. In 2011, Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 109 to reduce the
number of state prisoners and transferred the responsibility of incarceration
and supervision of many low level inmates and parolees from the State to the
County level.
Since the implementation of Assembly Bill 109, the State of
California has allocated funding to Alameda County to assist with this
transition. In March, I met with the Ella Baker Center for Human
Rights who informed me about their campaign “Job not Jails” and urged that the
AB109 monies be spent on the families and communities impacted by the high
rates of incarceration in our County. At the March 19 Board of Supervisors meeting,
I was proud to support and voted to allocate 50 percent of public safety funds
to community-based organizations. The proposal passed 3-1 and will
approximately double the money spent on programs helping people coming out of
jail and prison. This significant investment in the community will help give
formerly incarcerated individuals a second chance to turn their lives around
and contribute to their communities.
Immigration Resource Fair
Access to services, particularly health care and legal assistance, is extremely difficult for undocumented communities. In April, I partnered with the Alameda Labor Council, public officials
and community-based organizations to co-sponsor an Immigration Resource Fair in
Oakland.
The fair was held on Saturday, April 4 in front of Oakland
City Hall. Over 200 individuals attended the immigration resource fair where
they were provided with free legal resources specializing in President Obama’s
executive DACA and DAPA programs, which grant a type of temporary permission to
stay in the United States called “Deferred Action.” Other resources included
one-on-one consultations with immigration lawyers, on-site health insurance
benefit intakes, information on how to apply for a driver’s license regardless
of immigration status, and free food.
With over 124,000 undocumented immigrants living in Alameda
County, it is crucial that we provide resources for all residents
regardless of their immigration status. This will strengthen the local economy,
workforce and public safety that affects all residents in Alameda County.
Youth Career Fair
 On May 6, I co-sponsored a Youth Career Pathways and Job
Fair at Encinal High School with the Alameda Unified School District (AUSD),
the City of Alameda, and the Alameda Collaborative for Children. The fair was
free to all public high school students in Alameda. During the event, high
school students had the opportunity to apply for summer jobs and paid
internships, talk to representatives from Peralta Colleges, and explore opportunities
in vocational education.
In order to make this event cost free for all students, I
contributed $3,000. The career and job fair supports the goals of my ALL-IN
Alameda County initiative, which I launched last year to help reduce poverty
and inequality in the region. We know that linking learning with academics and
career preparation results in higher graduation rates, increased college
enrollments, and higher earning potential. By partnering with the AUSD, local
employers can play a vital role in helping students achieve career success and
preventing our youth from falling into poverty.
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Funding Youth Soccer
 This Spring I donated $5,000 to support youth soccer in the unincorporated
part of Alameda County. The Deputy Sheriffs’ Activities League (DSAL) organizes the
youth soccer league which runs year round. This donation will allow more than
1,200 area youth between the ages of 5 and 17 years old to play in the DSAL’s
free summer soccer league. Nearly 60% of the youth participating in this year’s
league live in San Lorenzo.
Sports play a positive role in the development of youth by
helping improve academic performance and self-esteem. This donation will
ensure that youth in San Lorenzo and the greater unincorporated part of Alameda
County have access to positive after school and weekend activities.
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Keeping our Neighborhood Safe
 A few months ago, residents in unincorporated Hayward reached out to me to express their concerns over the intersection
at Royal Avenue and West Sunset Boulevard, near Royal Sunset High School. Residents
complained that due to speeding cars, students and families walking to nearby
schools and to the local corner store were put at risk for injury.
In order to address this issue, I worked with Alameda County
Public Works to make the intersection safer. Since then, five “School Warning”
signs have been installed to encourage drivers to slow down, and two flashing
light signs have been put in place and will alert drivers of pedestrians who are
waiting to cross at the intersection. This small but significant improvement
will help keep students and families safe in the neighborhood.
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National Nurse's Week
There are close to 3.1 million registered nurses in the
United who play an essential role in the safety and quality of care of
hospitalized patients. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors recognized May
6-12, 2015 as National Nurses’ Week and celebrated their accomplishments and
efforts to improve the health of Alameda County’s diverse communities.
On May 5, I presented the proclamation to Kinzi Richholtz,
the Chief Nurse Executive for the Alameda Health System and other nurses who
contribute to the wellbeing of Alameda County residents. It has become
increasingly clear that the role of nurses has become more critical given all
the funding cuts in health care and I was happy to honor the
nurses who maintain our communities’ health.
Diane Wydler, Mental Health Board Commisioner
 Diane Wydler is the newest member of the Alameda County
Mental Health Board. Diane is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who
received her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Santa Clara University. Before
retiring, she practiced at Family and Children Services, a non-profit agency in
San Jose where she worked with clients of all ages and cultures, including some
of the area’s most vulnerable populations.
Prior to her role as a therapist, Diane received her Bachelor
of Arts degree and California Teaching Credential from the University of
California, Berkeley and taught high school for ten years. Later, she received a certificate in Computer
Programming, which led her to a career in Information Technology for 20 years.
Diane also served on the Board of Directors of the San Lorenzo Village Homes
Association where she worked closely with my office. Diane is dedicated to
strengthening services that address emerging health needs and improving
community wellness. I am happy to welcome Diane to the County’s Mental Health
Commission and look forward to her sharing her expertise to make Alameda County
and District 3 a better place to live in.
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Supporting Urban Farming
This March, I joined Alameda County Sheriff Gregory J. Ahern
for the groundbreaking of the Dig Deep Farms Food Hub and Commissary Kitchen. The Food Hub will create jobs, support
entrepreneurs, and provide healthy food to our communities. Dig Deep Farms is
an urban farming and food service social enterprise of the Alameda County
Deputy Sheriffs’ Activities League (DSAL). This program is dedicated to
offering training and employment opportunities for local residents, along with
providing fresh, healthy food to our community. Dig Deep Farms has provided
jobs or internships for more than 40 people since it started in 2010 and
currently employs eight individuals.
With the building of the Food Hub and Commissary Kitchen-
located on Fairmont Drive in San Leandro, Dig Deep Farms expects to launch its
consumer packaged goods line, expand employment and assist in the development
of other local food entrepreneurs.
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Upcoming Events
Alameda
Transportation Commission
The Alameda Transportation Commission is launching the 2016 Countywide Transportation
Plan (CTP) update and is soliciting applications for projects and programs to
include in the plan.
The first two application workshops are happening on
Thursday, June 4 from 11AM-1PM at Alameda CTC’s office at 1111 Broadway, Suite
800 in Oakland. The second workshop will be held on July 9.
The application process will take place online and will
begin on June 1. Click
here to learn more.
Park Street Bridge
Closure
The Alameda County Public Works Agency began rehabilitation and bridge deck
repair work on Monday, May 11. This repair work
will require the Park Street Bridge to be CLOSED to vehicle traffic,
bicyclists, and pediatricians Sundays to Thursdays, from 8:30 p.m. to 5:00
p.m., through August 14.
For
more information on the High Street and Park Street Bridge Rehabilitation
Projects visit http://www.acgov.org/p…/updates/high-park_bridge_project.htm or contact the Construction Department
at (510) 670-5981.
ARTSFUND Grants
Program
The Alameda County Arts Commission has opened the application process for
the 2015 ARTSFUND Grants Program. The ARTSFUND
Grants Program supports all types of arts programming, including dance,
literature, media arts, and music. Information can be found at the Arts
Commission’s website, at www.acgov.org/arts.
Community Resources
Boards and Commissions
Are you
interested in serving Alameda County and District 3? There are currently
several openings to become a District 3 representative. Learn more at www.acgov.org/clerk/bcc.htm.
Applications, including a cover letter and resume, can be submitted to District3@acgov.org.
Healthy Homes
Lead poisoning, asthma triggers, and safety issues in the home are a
serious threat to our children’s health. The Alameda County Healthy Homes
Department has services to help low-income residents and property owners make
homes safer for young children. If you
own a home or apartment building built prior to 1978 in Alameda, Berkeley,
Emeryville, or Oakland, you are eligible for a free-in-home or phone
consultation to help you identify and reduce lead hazards. Other services
include free lead paint repair and free trainings. For more information or to
sign up for these services, call 510-567-8280 or visit www.achhd.org.
Project Leadership
Series
Are you a parent of a child with special health needs? Family
Voices of California is looking families who can be prepared and supported to
advocate for improved healthcare. Family Voices will offer a Project Leadership
training series, which will include a $250 stipend for participants who
complete all seven sessions. Free on-site childcare and lunch will be offered.
To apply to Project Leadership or for more information, contact Lilian Ansari
at 510-547-7322 ext. 122 or LilianA@FRNoakland.org, or visit www.familyvoicesofca.org.
AAA Senior Resource
Guide
Alameda County’s Area Agency on Aging website has elder
service tips, news, and resources. Click
here to visit the website and learn more about resources available to
all seniors in Alameda County.
Alameda County
Resource Guide
For
information and referrals on Alameda County programs, check out our resource
guide: http://www.acgov.org/government/documents/ACResourceDirectory.pdf.
Starting a Local Business
Do you want to open a business in Alameda County but don’t know where to
begin? Alameda County has two great guides that will help you get started:
-
Guide #1: Starting a
Business in Alameda County
-
Guide #2: Starting a
Business in Unincorporated Alameda County
- (Ashland, Castlewood, Castro Valley, Cherryland,
Fairview, Happy Valley, Hillcrest Knolls, San Lorenzo, and Sunol)
East Bay Connects
Are you connected? East Bay Connects provides access to low-cost broadband for
as little as $10 a month. New broadband subscribers can receive a free home
computer, free digital literacy training, a year of free tech support, and
access to many resources to learn how to use broadband. For more information,
call East Bay Connects at (886) 460-7439 or contact James Nixon at (510)
377-7224 or jamesshurdinixon@gmail.com. |
