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My President will Never be Orange
Your President makes me feel sick, he wants to deport us. And if you want to support him, and let him ignore us And say he's the greatest, when he's the biggest misogynist We can no longer be friends, please understand this
Community Roundtable Puts Spotlight on Scams Targeting Valley Communities
While anyone can fall prey to a scam artist, officials say immigrant, low-income and minority communities in the Central San Joaquin Valley are among the most frequently targeted by fraud. Language barriers and unfamiliarity with the U.S. government make them attractive targets for would-be scammers. Undocumented communities are especially vulnerable, with fears of deportation preventing victims from interacting with authorities.No Thumbnail
Covering hate crimes in an increasingly toxic political world
Reporters can help fill the gap in hate crime reporting through coverage of local incidents in their communities, said A.C. Thompson, award-winning investigative journalist with ProPublica. The nonprofit news outlet is working to establish a mapping database to record incidents of hate crimes across the country. “We’re trying to add another layer of information to what’s out there,” he said. “People around the country can report hate crime incidents and hate bias.” For those reporting on hate crimes in local communities, Thompson recommends straddling the line between sympathy and skepticism towards victims.No Thumbnail
Merced Congregations to Offer Sanctuary
“The idea of churches acting as a sanctuary or place of refuge for those in need has been around for a very long time,” she said. “Many churches began offering sanctuary to the undocumented in the 1980s and we’ve seen another resurgence since 2014.” While Gallardo and other Faith in the Valley organizers acknowledge there is some risk involved for churches offering sanctuary to the undocumented, the odds have historically been in the congregation’s favor. Over the last 40 years, no church has been prosecuted for offering sanctuary to the undocumented, Gallardo said.
YouthWire Weighs In: Holiday Wishes
All I want for the New Year is for us to put resentment behind us. I hold a lot of anger towards people within my community, school and neighborhood and I would like to try and let go of some of it. That is my holiday wish.
BHC Merced, Community Partners Celebrate Wins While Preparing for Challenges Ahead
Above: Merced community organizers and residents gather in support of Building Healthy Communities #Health4All campaign in April. Read More
Local faith community call for sanctuary ahead of presidential transition
Event organizers and demonstrators braved the cold and rain last Thursday to stand outside the Merced County Administration Building, where they shared powerful testimony regarding the impact current sentencing laws have on local communities and families. “Today, we as the faith community are doing what Congress has so far failed to do -- protect our families,” said Irene Armendariz, chair with Faith in the Valley. “As the holidays draw near, our hearts are drawn to those who are kept apart and live in fear.”
Food Insecurity a Growing Problem in Merced County
“Since we’re an agricultural county, the need really does grow dramatically over the holidays,” said Bill Gibbs, executive director of the Merced County Food Bank. “A lot of families rely on that [field] work for their entire income so when the work stops for the season, the need grows.” Located behind the Walmart in North Merced, the 30,000-square-foot food warehouse serves more than 100 nonprofit agencies throughout the county. These “customers” oversee a variety of smaller food pantries, brown-bag programs and emergency food centers which distribute groceries directly to those in need.
Merced County Adopts Social Justice Approach to Improve Community Health
To help change the inequality in access to care, Jensen said the department is looking to form a coalition with public agencies, private citizens, nonprofits and other community voices and address each of the three goals head-on. The department’s stated goals are: ensuring “all individuals in Merced County have access to quality health care,” “optimizing social and physical environments to support healthy lifestyles” and increasing wellness in Merced County “by addressing the conditions that lead to drug and alcohol abuse.” The department has given itself until 2021 to achieve each of these goals. While the scope of work may be daunting, department officials say they hope to achieve true healthy equity by incorporating a wide-spectrum of voices and community representatives in the planned coalition.
