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Dear Equity Ally,
As we near the close of 2024, we want to acknowledge the challenging current climate but not miss the chance to reflect on our progress either.
The national discourse has become increasingly divisive. Words like equity, diversity and inclusion have been twisted into political rhetoric that denote “sides” versus a collective value of just and fair inclusion to ensure everyone has a fair chance to achieve their full potential – thus helping achieve the full potential of the United States. Locally, we don’t have to adopt this division and hate. We can lean into what we know to be true in San Mateo County:
- Together, we are stronger.
- Our diversity is our asset.
- There is space for all of us to belong.
- Love your neighbor.
- Treat others as you’d like to be treated.
- We all thrive when we all thrive.
- We have hope and we have each other.
We continue to be committed to being a Sanctuary County and a Welcoming County to immigrants. We deeply value the over one-third of our population that is foreign-born. We also know that over 50% of children in our county are born to immigrant parents. Immigrants are part of the fabric of this county and its future. We want to highlight the rapid response hotline information and our Know Your Rights information provided by the Office of Community Affairs: Rapid Response Hotline | County of San Mateo, CA.
People of all faiths and religious beliefs, women and the LGBTQ+ communities are protected and a beloved part of our county. Non-emergency hate crimes should be documented so please be sure to report them to the CA Civil Rights Department. For emergencies, please call local law enforcement immediately or 911.
We all belong in San Mateo County.
On a positive note, we don’t want to forget to highlight a couple of recent positive advancements. The County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a local and local small procurement ordinance to support small and local businesses that are vital to our local economy. The County also received national recognition as a leader in equitable investment of our American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. We were in the top tier of 170 local jurisdictions that were studied for equitable process and investment. Details are included in an article below.
We are also excited to announce the launch of our new Office of Racial and Social Justice webpage. This will be a home for news archives, reference materials, and equity tools for community and equity partners. Please explore the site to learn more about the County equity work past and present. We strive to continually improve our communication with the community continually, and launching this new site is another step towards that commitment.
We wish you time with loved ones, peace and joy as you close our 2024.
Office of Racial and Social Justice,
Andrew Knaack, Equity and Belonging Associate
Shireen Malekafzali Taidi, Chief Equity Officer
Belén Seara, Equity and Belonging Manager
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The County Office of Community Affairs gathered resources created by legal service organizations to provide helpful general information to immigrant communities. If you are a part of service such communities, please check the link below for vital resources including:
- Red Cards and Know Your Rights Toolkit
- Immigration Preparedness Toolkit
- Family Immigration Preparedness Plan
- Legal Assistance
- Pathways to Citizenship
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 To open doors for local businesses, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously today to give preference to San Mateo County-based businesses in certain competitive bids, with a focus on small businesses.
“This is a huge realization of our county’s values and an investment in the future of more thriving local businesses in this county. I’m excited to see the positive impacts this will have in our community now and in the decades to come,” said Supervisor Noelia Corzo, who co-sponsored the measure with Board President Warren Slocum.
The ordinance creates more opportunities by providing a formula that gives local and local small businesses an advantage when bidding on contracts for goods or services.
The County’s Office of Racial and Social Justice held two virtual forums this fall to provide the community with brief updates on the Countywide efforts to advance equity and give community members the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. If you missed the event, please watch the recording below!
 Earn $$ While You Learn! Early Learning and Care Teacher Stipend Program Application Period Open Now - December 13th, 2024. The program supports early learning and care (ELC) professionals – including those who work in center-based and home-based settings – as they advance their careers.
Get paid to advance in Early Childhood degree coursework, Child Development Permit coursework, or through continuous Early Childhood professional development hours through the Early Learning and Care (ELC) Teacher Stipend program.
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 The Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School conducted a groundbreaking Budget Equity study on how local governments across the U.S. are investing federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 to support racial and economic equity in their communities.
The study included research about ARPA investments that are particularly innovative, community-driven, targeted to historically underserved or marginalized groups, or potentially transformational.
We’re thrilled that the County of San Mateo has been profiled as an important example of equity-driven public investment.
Read the Institute’s case study and explore more ARPA investments at the link below.
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MMANC is excited to announce the 2nd Equity Summit to be held in Early 2025, building on the success of our first event, "Equitable Representation: Advancing BIPOC Leadership in Local Government" highlighting the importance of advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in local government leadership
MMANC is seeking dedicated volunteers to join the planning team for the upcoming Equity Summit! Whether or not you attended the first summit, we welcome anyone passionate about promoting equitable representation and fostering belonging. There are many ways to contribute, including programming, logistics, outreach, and coordination.
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County's Supplier Diversity Study Final Findings Virtual Webinar
The County Supplier Diversity Study is now available. The study aims to address historical inequities and improve access for small, local businesses to the County’s procurement opportunities. To share the study's findings and next steps, the County will host two virtual forums, including updates on progress toward inclusive procurement and a Q&A session.
Register for one of the sessions at the links below:
Housing Photovoice Project
Join County Behavioral Health for their Housing Storytelling Photovoice Project! Share how having or not having housing has impacted your quality of life.
Location: 310 Harbor Blvd. Building E, Belmont
Date: Join one of four, two-hour sessions:
- 12/2/24, 4:30 - 6:30 pm
- 12/9/24, 4:30 - 6:30 pm
- 12/16/24, 4:30 - 6:30 pm
- 1/6/25, 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Register here
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A moment of centering: The term inclusion is used to describe the active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity -- in people, in the curriculum, in the co-curriculum, and in communities (e.g. intellectual, social, cultural, geographic) with which individuals might connect.. source: George Washington University
Have feedback? We would appreciate feedback about what information you most want to hear from us. For feedback, please email us at equitysmc@smcgov.org.
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