Author: Yongho Kim

Across the State, community members shared our vision of a California and Orange County where all of us are free, and that we make this possible by caring for one another and our communities. Together, we will advance a California where everyone belongs, and where everyone can afford to live and thrive.

At our Orange County event, over 70 parents, students, and allies from diverse communities came together to process this moment together. Writer, Sandra De Anda, shared her poetic stories about her identity and upbringing in Santa Ana and memories of home, and together, we took several collective breaths to ready our bodies, hearts and minds for our time together.

In pairs and small groups, we shared our sentiments of grief, fear and memories of an administration that showed an eagerness to harm our Black, Indigenous and people of color, immigrant, LGBTQ+ communities. We reflected on the most pressing issues in our communities that are needed to advance. Many expressed concerns on the rising cost of housing (and limited affordable housing) and the immediate needs for protections for immigrant families in the face of looming anti-immigrant policies and mass deportation threats.

Lastly, we shared how we can care for one another and build more belonging in this moment. Our story-sharing solidified the truth that we are stronger when we come together with common goals. When we speak with one voice with a shared understanding of the challenges we are facing, we are able to push back and continue a progressive transformation of our cities and County. There is much work to do to protect immigrant and working families by building governing power locally. Through organizing, our community’s progressive voices are represented in the halls of cities, school districts and congressional districts across Orange County.

We invite you to join us and others in Orange County and across the State as we build a united front to protect our communities and our progress, and build a better Orange County where everyone belongs, can live in community, and thrive.

Let’s regroup and continue our work in December, January and beyond. We will reach out for a follow-up virtual gathering in the coming weeks and re-convene for another in-person gathering in early 2025.

In Solidarity,
OC Action

Email us at social@ocaction.org to stay in touch and receive updates of future actions and meetings!

Dear Movement Family, 

Early this morning, Trump was declared the winner. And like many of you, we are struggling with the harsh reality of what a second, more vindictive and emboldened Trump administration will mean for our communities. 

You too may be weighing how to protect vulnerable members of your community, organization and perhaps your own family. You may be preparing for what needs to be done today. 

As you do, remember that you are not alone. For generations, our ancestors survived the worst of white supremacy and we are still here. 

This is not the outcome we hoped for, but it is one that our movements are prepared for.

For decades our movements have fought righteously and courageously to make California more inclusive and equitable and to break from our dark and divisive past.

Because of our progress  and the power we have built, Trump and his allies are ready to punish California and take away our freedoms. They are more determined than ever to turn us against one another.
Corporate billionaires, bigots and authoritarian bullies poured hundreds of millions into this election, attacking California’s progress and blocking solutions to our most pressing challenges. They used fear and racism to defeat measures that would have improved the lives of working Californians. And now they are already painting a narrative that blames our values of inclusion and caring for one another as the problem — not their greed or hunger for power. 

But this election was never about Trump. Or Harris. This moment is about us.

We have a choice. We can retreat into our silos or turn toward one another. We can be paralyzed or we can move into action. 

WE ARE CALIFORNIA is a new effort to unite our communities and movements from San Diego to the far North regions of our state, from the Bay to LA and from our coasts to our inland regions. We call on our movements to remember who we are as Californians and to lean into our greatest strength – one another.  

This is the moment to unite our power to build on our past victories, defend our communities and organize TOGETHER to advance our vision of a California where everyone without exception can thrive. On Saturday, November 16, we’re gathering in communities across the state to  to organize our neighborhoods block-by-block and lead the charge toward real change.

We Are California

(This is a machine translation from the Vietnamese original article)

GARDEN GROVE, California – The California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative (CHNSC) is organizing phone calls and voter education campaigns to create a voice for the Vietnamese community in the November 5 election.