A Latino man at an El Sol booth at an outdoor event speaks to a Latina woman
Emergency Preparedness

Save Your Breath

El Sol helps communities brace for emergencies, including wildfires and lingering smoke by Anne Stokes Wildfires leave behind more than scarred landscapes and burnt remnants. The resulting smoke, ash and toxic chemicals can travel hundreds […]

A photo of seven girls in traditional Mexican outfits sitting in the middle of a crowd at an event
Emergency Preparedness

Mixtec Messaging

Filling the unmet needs of oral languages by Andy Furillo Turn around—don’t drown!” The National Weather Service coined this simple catchphrase as a warning not to cross flooded roads and risk the deadly danger of […]

A Catholic charity booth at a large outdoor event
Emergency Preparedness

Fire Watch

Catholic Charities of California is ready to help—before, during and after the next wildfire inevitably strikes by Andy Furillo In a state where some 22 percent of the 33 million acres of forested land has […]

A Valley Civic Committee member looking down at an informative sheet about extreme heat
Emergency Preparedness

Hotter Than Hot

Comité Cívico del Valle and Universidad Popular tackle rising heat risks head-on by Dorothy Korber “Heat cramps and heat exhaustion can develop in individuals with overexposure to this heat, and without intervention can lead to […]

A small crowd of homeless and low-income individuals gathered at night with Down But Not Out employees
Emergency Preparedness

Coming Up for Air

LA nonprofit Down But Not Out helps the unhoused find protection and respite from wildfire smoke by Anne Stokes As wildfires rage—and even after containment—the resulting smoke, particulate matter and toxic chemicals create air that’s […]

Several Latina women sitting around a table at a community event
Emergency Preparedness

Lifesaving Lotería

Community Emergency Response Volunteers use Cultural connection to prepare families to weather what’s next by Jason Cassidy When severe storms batter California’s central coast, bringing high winds and further risks of falling trees, flooding, and […]

Several people in green safety gear looking at papers
Emergency Preparedness

Neighborhood Heroes

Long Beach’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) trains volunteers to step up when disaster hits by M.S. Enkoji A 6.4 earthquake shook Long Beach in 1933, killing at least 120 people who were mostly crushed […]

Katie Brisbon standing in front of a United Way branded vehicle
Emergency Preparedness

Fire on the Frontier

United Way of Northern California builds resilience in California’s most fire-prone regions by Andy Furillo Don’t Wait, Evacuate”—in the far north of California, widespread and deadly wildfires have tragically fused with everyday life. Eight times […]

St Barnabas Employee helping senior citizens
Emergency Preparedness

Keeping it Cool

Los Angeles organization strives to protect seniors, the most susceptible population to extreme heat by Anne Stokes UInlike major earthquakes or sudden tidal waves, severe heat waves are a seasonal fact of life in much […]

Emergency service workers in a large tent looking at a large map
Emergency Preparedness

Know When to Go

Following evacuation warnings and orders helps keep individuals and neighborhoods safer during disaster by Anne Stokes Leaving home and all of one’s belongings behind in the face of looming catastrophe is difficult, but individuals ignoring […]

Emergency service workers in a large tent looking at a large map
Emergency Preparedness

Keeping California Safe

California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services leads the charge before, during, and after disaster strikes by Dorsey Griffith Large-scale natural disasters and other emergencies are part of the fabric of California, with its large population […]

A Latino man at an El Sol booth at an outdoor event speaks to a Latina woman
Emergency Preparedness

Cuide lo que respira

El Sol ayuda a las comunidades a prepararse para las emergencias, incluyendo los incendios forestales y el humo persistente por Anne Stokes Los incendios forestales dejan algo más que paisajes lastimados y restos calcinados. El […]

A photo of seven girls in traditional Mexican outfits sitting in the middle of a crowd at an event
Emergency Preparedness

Mensajería Mixteca

Satisfacer las necesidades insatisfechas de las lenguas orales por Dorothy Korber “Turn around—don’t drown!”. El Servicio Meteorológico Nacional creó este sencillo eslogan como advertencia para no cruzar carreteras inundadas y arriesgarse al peligro mortal de […]

Emergency service workers in a large tent looking at a large map
Emergency Preparedness

Saber cuándo irse

Cumplir las advertencias y órdenes de evacuación ayuda a la seguridad de las personas y los vecindarios en caso de catástrofe por Anne Stokes Abandonar el hogar y todas las pertenencias ante la inminencia de […]

Several county fire and rescue departments are participating in an emergency response exercise
Emergency Preparedness

Seguridad en California

La Oficina de Servicios de Emergencia del Gobernador de California encabeza los esfuerzos antes, durante y después de que un desastre impacta a nuestras comunidades por Dorsey Griffith Las catástrofes naturales a gran escala y […]

Local Issues

Latina Voters

Two recent polls reveal significant insights into the voting preferences of California’s Latino and Latina populations. Scan the QR code to the right for details. Since 2000, California has seen the largest increase in citizen […]

Professional headshot of Erica Ayala
Local Issues

Youth Empowerment

Invest In Me: Elevating the Next Generation of Women Leaders In the tenuous years of adolescence, where everything is possible, and unforeseen disaster lurks around every corner, sometimes all it takes for a young person […]

Araceli García Muñoz smiling for the camera
Local Issues

Lúcete Latina

Political movement looks to Latina Voting Power as the guiding light for progressive politics By Andy Furillo In the heat of another presidential election year, Communities for a New California (CNC) is leaning heavily on […]

A woman in a medical classroom
Community

Staff Spotlight: Three teachers at Castro Valley Adult & Career Education exemplify the school’s dedicated and warmhearted staff

Teaching can be a challenge, and never has that been truer than in the last few years, when COVID created an unprecedented upheaval educators scrambled to work around. But adult students face a unique situation even without an international pandemic: holding down a job, caring for a family or navigating a new country, all while trying to attend school. […]

Community

‘Grief is a Journey’: Hospice support helps loved ones work through their emotions

“There’s incredible power in sharing with a group of people who are going through similar experiences,” says Joan*. After the devastating and sudden loss of her wife of nearly 40 years, Joan’s world felt empty, and she struggled to find meaning and connection in the aftermath. For months, Joan’s grief consumed her in ways that felt deeply isolating and insurmountable. When a friend recommended that she join a grief support group at YoloCares, a nonprofit hospice in Davis, Joan discovered that sharing her story with a community of fellow grievers helped her forge a path forward. […]

Community

Practicing Wisdom: California Hospice Network’s ethics committee provides guidance in the face of end-of-life dilemmas

While death and dying are universal, the end of each life is a unique experience—one that can be filled with gray ethical areas that challenge even the best hospice professionals to seek wisdom. To help nonprofit hospices best serve patients and their loved ones, a group of Northern California hospice agencies have launched a new and vital project: “Practicing Wisdom, the Ethics Committee of the California Hospice Network.” […]

Employer at work
Adult Education

The right message in the right way: How Huntington Beach Adult School partners with local employers to provide skilled employees

Hiring for a place like Hyatt Regency can be difficult. The hotel is a 24/7 operation, so employees need to have flexible availability. Furthermore, the hotel likes to promote from within, so Rivera is always looking for people who she believes will stay the course. It’s a path she herself followed. […]

Community

Stronger together: How collaboration is helping nonprofit hospices thrive

After nearly 20 years, Gwendolyn Kaltoft, chief of quality, compliance, and education, was set to retire from her post at YoloCares, a nonprofit community-based hospice in Davis, California. A determined and spirited woman, she had watched YoloCares balloon from a census of 30 to 130 over two decades and led the development of YoloCares’ community-based palliative care program, the first of its kind in Northern California. […]

Labor

Ready to do the job: how ValleyBuild is preparing diverse communities for careers in construction

ValleyBuild is a training program started by the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board with the aim of preparing students for apprenticeships and careers in construction. The program lasts six weeks, and is based on the multi-craft core curriculum, or MC3, meaning students learn skills ranging from electrical work to forklift operation. The instructors come from local union affiliates in the Building Trades Council. […]

Labor

California Workforce Association Spotlight: Members help job seeker and employers reconnect post-pandemic

Phillip Fitzgerald loved his job. For 32 years, he worked as a commercial driver, most recently transporting senior citizens. He was at his last job for nearly five years before the pandemic hit and the company shut down. After a year of lockdowns and COVID-related closures, he finally found another job, only to have that company relocate out of state after two and a half months. With a family to support, Fitzgerald needed to find work. […]

Local Issues

A place to call home—affordably: Angeles de la Vivienda advocates for those struggling with housing in California

Having a home is more than just a roof over your head; it provides security and stability, especially for families. According to the People’s Policy Project, housing instability has significant health impacts: Higher body mass index and systolic blood pressure, depression and anxiety. And in addition, it’s associated with higher rates of domestic violence, suicide and substance abuse. […]

Pamela Lopez in photo shot outside
Local Issues

Creating income equity for communities of color: newly legal cannabis market can provide opportunities and jobs in California

Through her work with California NORML, Pamela Lopez is advocating on behalf of Assembly Bill 2188, a workers-rights bill that would prevent employers from discriminating against those who consume cannabis off the clock. As a newly legal market, Lopez notes that it’s possible to shape the paradigm and create a more inclusive industry. […]

Parents and children outside
Labor

Making a Difference Together: How the California Workforce Association Built a Public-Private Coalition to Fight Homelessness and Unemployment

Complex problems require complex solutions. It’s tempting to think homelessness can be solved merely through more affordable housing. But that’s just a stopgap. The homeless need a living wage, jobs that use their skills, and resources like gas money and child care in order to continue working. These needs won’t be met by one agency alone. But when organizations like CWA unite with private partners, they can change the lives of people like Markitha Welcome and Malik Woods. […]