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I joined with Supervisors Chaffee and Nguyen for a successful gun buyback event to promote community safety. Held in Garden Grove in collaboration with the Garden Grove Police Department and several local law enforcement agencies, the event removed a total of 298 firearms, including 23 assault weapons, from OC neighborhoods.
This drive-up event allowed residents to voluntarily turn in unwanted guns and ammunition anonymously - no questions asked and receive gift cards in return. In addition to the 298 firearms voluntarily dropped off by the public, 122 gun locks were distributed through the OC Free Gun Lock program.
 Firearms are so common in our society that we often forget how inherently dangerous firearms are and how devastating to families and communities they can be when misused or mishandled. In 2024, our county suffered nearly 150 firearms deaths, and that is too many lives lost. Sadly, the largest share of these deaths, over 100, were suicides.
Whether it is from criminal misuse of firearms, accidental shootings from unsecured firearms, or personal harm from access to a weapon during a mental health crisis – there are steps we can take to reduce the number of these tragedies, including assisting individuals when we see signs of a mental health crisis, locking up guns in the home, and disposing of unwanted firearms in a safe and legal way.
Including the results from the previous two-gun buybacks held, 1055 firearms including 76 assault weapons have been collected overall. This gun buyback event in Orange County demonstrated an unprecedented level of collective action to promote community safety.
This event was an innovative approach that respects the rights of our community members and brings residents and law enforcement together to create safer communities. I was very happy that we were able to pool the resources from three of our districts to build on the success of last year’s gun buyback and provide this important opportunity for residents to voluntarily take gun safety into their own hands!
Our office has dedicated $30,000 in Second District funds to help address the growing need for food in our communities. These funds are supporting an expansion of services at the Friendly Center in Orange, allowing the food pantry to open an additional day each week and provide food for approximately 400 additional families in need.
The market-style pantry offers essential items such as milk, eggs, and chicken, helping families supplement their basic grocery needs. Residents can contact the Friendly Center directly to learn more or schedule an appointment for assistance. A big thank you to the wonderful team at the Friendly Center and to Grocery Outlet (in Orange) for their partnership!
 This additional support has become especially vital following delays in CalFresh benefits during November, which were caused by the Federal Government shutdown. The delay left many residents across our County and in our District with limited or no food budgets, heightening food insecurity for families already struggling to make ends meet.
To help meet the increased countywide demand, I voted for the CalOptima Health Board to allocate 2 million dollars in assistance to local food banks and successfully advocated for an additional million dollars.
These 3 million dollars in total funding will go to the two major food banks that supply hundreds of food pantries throughout Orange County. In response to the urgent need, both food banks have moved deliveries originally planned for December and January into the current month to ensure timely distribution.
Together with community partners, local organizations, and residents, we are working to ensure every family in Orange County has access to healthy, reliable food during this challenging time.
The recent energy summit was an excellent discussion and had lively audience participation as we discussed grid readiness and climate resiliency.
Held at Cal State University, Fullerton, and sponsored by Southern California Edison, the event was an opportunity to discuss the County’s Climate Action Plan and share what the opportunities for partnership between local jurisdictions, private industry, and climate advocates to increase our preparedness and ways that we can partner to strengthen the grid and assist vulnerable communities.
 I enjoyed joining the discussion on such an important topic and also shared the collaboration of a recent effort to assist residents in increasing their energy efficiency and reducing their energy costs. The County’s Waste and Recycling Team was honored with the 2025 U.S. Green Building Council of California’s Environmental Justice award for the pilot program conducting energy audits of mobile home communities.
The award brings additional funding to allow the County to visit more mobile home parks and hopefully assist with appliance retrofits, solar installation, battery storage capabilities, and other clean energy methods to assist residents with lowering their bills and improving indoor air quality.
The genesis of the project came from a mobile home community in Orange that was experiencing frequent power outages due to the age of the complex and lack of utility infrastructure. In lieu of adding more power lines, the County, along with a group of dedicated expert-volunteers, assessed the needs of the park owner as well as each family, evaluating utility bills to identify the largest users. Next steps will be to provide outreach to the residents about incentive and rebate options to replace appliances and lower their utility costs at the same time.
I recently joined OC’s Auditor Controller, Andrew Hamilton, in a press event to launch a news website designed to help residents recover unclaimed property. We were joined by local leaders as well as California’s State Controller for the announcement.
 OCUnclaimed.gov is an example of technology being used in a new way to benefit county residents, and though amounts can range from just a few dollars, it is only right that we do what we can to assist residents in recovering these funds.
OCUnclaimed.gov is free, secure, and easy to use, and most importantly, it’s designed to remove barriers. No complicated forms, no hidden fees, no middlemen. Just a straightforward way to search for your name and claim what belongs to you. People need to not only look at their current address, but anywhere they have ever lived. The right to request these funds doesn’t expire.
 In fact, the state is holding unclaimed property in the amount of 700 million dollars that belongs to people and businesses who have lived or are located in Orange County. For many, these can be small amounts in forgotten accounts or deposits left behind, but I hope all our residents take advantage of the new website - every dollar helps - especially when that dollar is yours.
The Board of Supervisors recognized National Disabilities Employment Awareness Month, and we were joined by community members as well as local advocates to celebrate this year's theme: “Celebrating Value and Talent,” which highlights the vital role that employees with disabilities play in driving innovation, productivity, and diversity across all sectors.
Here in Orange County, the 2024 HCA’s Population Overview Report shows there are nearly 279,000 people with disabilities, representing about 5.3% of residents under age 65. Yet individuals with disabilities are twice as likely to be unemployed and to live below the poverty threshold, reminding us of the continued need for inclusive hiring and advancement opportunities.
 Advocacy organizations like Disability Rights California and the Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy play an essential role in amplifying the voices of individuals with disabilities and ensuring their rights are upheld.
Locally, organizations such as the Department of Rehabilitation, Dayle McIntosh Center, Goodwill of Orange County, and the Regional Center of Orange County make a real difference. RCOC alone has supported 648 individuals in supported employment and helped 952 individuals secure competitive, integrated jobs, a testament to what’s possible when communities invest in inclusion.
Despite this progress, barriers such as discrimination, underfunding, and policy rollbacks continue to threaten hard-won gains. Inclusive workplaces are not only the right thing to pursue, they also strengthen innovation, morale, and productivity.
This month serves as a reminder to celebrate the invaluable contributions of individuals with disabilities in our workforce and to promote inclusive employment policies and practices that benefit both employees and employers.
Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead), is a celebration rooted in Latino culture and in family and community connection. Though it is a time of remembrance of those who have passed away, it is also a celebration of their lives and memories and the lasting impact they made on our lives and families.
 It was amazing to see so many friends at that year’s celebration and enjoy both the memories of the past and keeping of our loved ones in our hearts, but also feeling the joy of being in community and celebrating with food, music, and friends and family.
 The celebration in Downtown Santa Ana reminded us of the power of community and remembrance. My family set up a community altar to honor our loved ones and we invited the residents to join us and share tributes to their families. It was a beautiful evening.
More than 1,600 community members, religious leaders, elected officials, dignitaries, and supporters gathered at the Anaheim Marriott on Saturday, Oct. 18, for CAIR-LA’s 29th Annual Gala, themed “Speaking Truth in the Face of Injustice.”
The evening featured nationally renowned speakers and local leaders, including Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, one of the first Muslim women and the first Palestinian American woman to be elected to Congress; California Congresswoman Lateefah Simon, the first Muslim member of Congress from California.
 I was honored to have the opportunity to address the attendees and share my support for the civil rights work that is so vital to our minority and immigrant communities. Facing unjust policies that scapegoat immigrants and the scare tactics being used by the current administration, it is more important than ever for all of us to stand together against injustice.
The theme of this year’s conference, Roots & Resilience: Honoring Tradition, Embracing Change, was central to the conversations at this year’s conference.
Our Vietnamese residents have built strong neighborhoods, thriving businesses, and vibrant cultural institutions, yet many face intergenerational trauma, stress from resettlement, and cultural stigma, which can make seeking mental health care challenging.
 At CalOptima, we serve over 102,000 Vietnamese members, with nearly 79,000 preferring care in Vietnamese. To meet this need, our network includes 184 Vietnamese-speaking primary care physicians and nearly 300 specialists, ensuring care is accessible and culturally informed.
Yet barriers remain. Only 4% of active psychologists in the U.S. identify as Asian, and without language access and culturally sensitive services, many who need care the most may be left behind. One of the most effective ways to close this gap is training young people from the community to become mental health providers and advocates, building trust and reducing stigma while helping families navigate mental health together.
These same lessons apply to other communities, including the Latino community, where stigma also prevents people from accessing care. By raising awareness, increasing access, and empowering communities to serve themselves, we can make mental health care accessible, culturally respectful, and stigma-free for everyone.
Thank you to Latino Health Access for bringing together youth from across the Second District for an engaging meet-and-greet. Not only did my team and I enjoy interacting with the young community members present, and it was also so impressive to get their views and feelings on issues that affect our communities.
 We also had the opportunity to speak with some of the parents and staff who are so involved in the community, and of course, enjoyed some delicious churros and hot chocolate. I enjoyed the opportunity to hear directly from these young leaders, answer their questions, and discuss how we can continue building a stronger, healthier community together.
The In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Advisory Committee was established by the Orange County Board of Supervisors in accordance with Assembly Bill 1682 which mandated the formation of the IHSS Advisory Committee.
The purpose of this Committee is to provide ongoing advice and recommendations regarding IHSS to the County of Orange Board of Supervisors, any administrative body in the county that is related to the delivery and administration of IHSS, and the governing body and administrative agency of the Orange County IHSS Public Authority.
To serve, members must be current or past users of personal assistance services as required by legislation. If you or anyone you know meets the eligibility requirements and wants to contribute to the wellbeing of IHSS Recipients and the success of Providers in the IHSS program, please call the Orange County IHSS Public Authority for an application at (714) 825-3296 or visit the Orange County IHSS Public Authority website to download the application.
We continue to address public safety concerns related to people congregating along the riverbed and in flood control channels. We face the dual challenge of expanding access to bike paths while controlling these areas to prevent criminal activity and ensuring we provide services to those in need.
I also wanted to share some of the latest before-and-after images of those ongoing efforts. Thank you to OC Public Works for this great work. Click here to request services.
Before After
 Before After
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