Two great events scheduled for the next two Saturdays both celebrate causes and accomplishments that are important to me.
This coming Saturday, October 15, I hope you'll join me from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for
Urban Tilth's North Richmond Farm Groundbreaking Celebration! The Farm is located at 323 Brookside Drive in North Richmond, on the east side of Fred Jackson Way.
I've worked with Urban Tilth to establish this urban farm on a 3-acre piece of former County Flood Control land. The farm will increase access to fresh foods and host educational and other events for residents of North Richmond and surrounding communities. The farm will also teach environmental stewardship values to young people.
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Another great event is set for Saturday, October 22.
Some background: A state law (AB 540) passed in 2001 allows students who graduate from high school in California to enjoy in-state resident tuition at state universities and colleges, regardless of immigration status. 
I support programs that offer smart, fair services to all our residents, especially young people. That's why I advocated for Contra Costa Cares, which the county passed last year to provide primary health care services to undocumented residents in our county.
Working to advance health and education in our communities is good public policy and benefits us all.
Investing in the education of our students, regardless of immigration status, is the right thing to do.
I hope you'll consider attending the 6th Annual AB540 Dreamers Conference at Contra Costa College on Saturday, October 22.
