Hello,
As we progress through this year, the SJFVC is thankful for the beautiful green hills, the incredible progress made by our Fellows, and the exciting updates from our SJFVC team:
- The SJFVC team met to plan and set goals for 2023.Building on the accomplishments and support of the donors and community members in 2022, we plan to continue to fund up to 5 Fellows in 2023, reinforce our coaching and training efforts for the Fellows, and hold in-person events. Our next in-person event will be held in Nyeland Acres to support that community and the efforts our Fellow Brenda Heredia is making to bring health services to the area. There will also be a celebratory event for the Fellows in the Fall. We will be sending out dates soon!
- We are very happy to announce that the SJFVC has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Ventura County Credit Union Foundation. We are very thankful for this grant, as it will be used to fund training for our Fellows. Training and development of our Fellows is key to our program; by training and coaching our grantees, we hope to instill the skills that will help them make change now and in all of their future projects. Leadership development is one of our keys to sustainability. Thank you to the VCCU Foundation for this opportunity.
- Zuleima and Fatima (Oxnard Birthworkers) are holding their first pregnancy and birth support workshops in March! They will provide childbirth education, offer tips on how to prepare for birth, and feature guest speakers Nurse Midwife Jodi Watson for the first workshop and Nurse Midwife Diana Rumbo for the second workshop. Additionally, they will be providing free care essentials, diapers, and baby clothes to attendees. In a few weeks, they will open up registration for their postpartum workshops that will be held in April. Check out their new website and beautiful logo:
- Victoria Palomares and Dafne Aguilar (Oxnard LGBTQ+) developed and began their support group for parents of LGBTQ+ youth last week. These support sessions aim to educate parents/caregivers of LGBTQ+ youth on advocacy and community building and provide a safe and affirming space for LGBTQ+ people and their families. These sessions will continue on the 3rd Thursday of each month both in person at OPAC and over Zoom and will end in July.
- Sierra Doehr (Saticoy Farmers Market) continues to patiently await the arrival of the permit to open the Market. The Social Justice Fund continues to be extremely proud of her perseverance and diligence throughout this process, and we believe wholeheartedly that Sierra will continue to be a strong advocate for food security and the Saticoy community. Check out this article by Blue Dot Living and their spotlight on Sierra and her team. Additionally, last month Sierra and her team welcomed esteemed visitors from Belize’s Maya Forest Gardens, who were recently awarded the UCSB Chancellor’s Medal. They ate a meal together, and she took them on a walking tour of Saticoy, stopping for a smudging ceremony at Saticoy Depot.
We are very excited about the work of our 2022 Fellows. The variety of challenges our Fellows are addressing is indicative of how much work there is to be done to give all a fighting chance to pursue their dreams. As our Fellows support and empower marginalized communities, please continue to support them and help amplify these voices for justice in Ventura County.
With sincere gratitude,
Michael Teasdale Chair, |
Rabiah Rahman
Vice Chair |
Kathryn Kinberg
Program Manager |
The Social Justice Fund for Ventura County funds and empowers future leaders promoting fairness, equity, human & environmental rights in our community.