April 2024 - Monthly Newsletter
Leadership Development for the Chatino Community
Salinas, CA - Earlier this year, CBDIO started the first Ndsoküä Shii Tsá (Raising the Voice) training workshop with the Chatino community. This four-workshop leadership training was developed by CBDIO staff centering the culture and language of our communities in understanding systems and organizing in the U.S. The Economic Justice team in Salinas established a Chatino committee through local outreach and organized their workshop series on leadership development. CBDIO’s community workers coordinated and presented the material for the first time in Chatino, one of the many Indigenous languages of Oaxaca. During these workshops more than 70 members–including women, men, youth, and children–of the Chatino community, attended. Each workshop discussed topics such as, identity and value of an Indigenous community, and our rights as Indigenous people residing in the United States. It also emphasized how essential we are as contributors to the overall economy.
After finalizing the trainings, a celebration was held to celebrate the committee’s achievements for completing the Ndsoküä Shii tsá workshop. This celebration took place on April 4, 2024 where we shared successes, memories, and traditional Indigenous food from the Chatino community. Certificates and recognitions were given to 73 members of the committee that attended the training. As next steps, we continue to work together with this committee to identify priorities and the changes they want to see in their communities.
Equity on the Road
Madera, CA - On April 18th, CBDIO joined the "Equity on the Road'' event in Madera, where Madera County community members and community leader Rosa Hernandez Zurita, Indigenous Mixteca, spoke about the impacts the current immigration system has on her and her community and the importance of safety net programs. As a farmworker, when the work season ends, she doesn’t have access to employment opportunities or unemployment benefits to support herself while she finds a different job or the season starts. She also spoke of the impact state measures such as SafetyNet4All have for her. This is an initiative seeking to provide accessible public unemployment benefits for all excluded workers, regardless of immigration status. Rosa shared her testimony in front of community members, fellow organizers, and local representatives. Her courage in speaking out for change in the community is admirable, reminding us of the power of the voice of the community.
Labor Rights Training for Monterey Farmworkers
Greenfield, CA - On April 20, multiple community organizations and county agencies gathered in Greenfield, California to offer information on resources and labor rights. This was coordinated as part of CBDIO's role as the Central Coast Regional Co-Lead on the COVID-19 Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP) 4.0. Over 100 community members attended! This fair was organized in collaboration with other community organizations: Mujeres en Acción, Community Action Board, United Farm Workers, and Monterey Bay Central Labor Council. This labor and community fair is part of our ongoing efforts to inform the community of their rights in the workplace before the farm labor season starts.
Day of Action
Sacramento, CA - CBDIO and the Indigenous communities had an active voice in the state capital the month of April 2024. Indigenous migrant farm workers made their voices heard at the Capitol of California as they shared their testimonies and educated decision-makers on the impact state laws have on them. These testimonies were about the way Indigenous immigrant farmworkers are being affected by being excluded from unemployment benefits after the work season ends, or during a catastrophe.
Indigenous community members also spoke on the invisibility they face in data and how this impacts the way county government and institutions interact with them. They spoke on the importance of the state departments to collect and disaggregate data for additional Latine groups and Mesoamerican nations. They shared their testimony on the need for health for all, food for all, the importance of safe and accessible housing for all, and how to continue to invest in building the worker ecosystem of support that trains and informs workers on their rights and in their Indigenous language. Farmworkers in California strengthen families, communities, and our economy. Each year, immigrants without a status contribute millions of dollars to the state of California in taxes and put food on our tables, yet are excluded from essential systems of support.
International Labor Day
Fresno, CA - International Labor Day is commemorated on May 1. Every year this day is an opportunity for workers to show solidarity, demand rights, recognition, and respect for their work. For the last 18 years, workers have marched in Fresno, CA to demand immigration reform that grants legalization to the thousands of immigrant workers who contribute daily to the United States economy. This year, and for the past 18 years, indigenous workers participating in CBDIO’s Labor Justice Initiative joined the march to demand better salaries, better laws reinforcing protection of workers in the workplace, and the inclusion of undocumented workers for unemployment benefits.
Statewide Reach
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