¡LEA NUESTRO BOLETÍN EN ESPAÑOL AQUI!

To all the mothers in District 5 and all around the world, we wish you all a happy Mother’s Day! Mothers deserve to be celebrated all year round, but let’s use this holiday to really show our appreciation for these strong women. As a mother myself, I know the huge commitments and sacrifices these women make to better our lives. To honor that, we celebrate Mother’s Day every year during the second Sunday of May. Go out and treat your mom to a lovely dinner, go on a little family trip, or anything small your mother would be sure to love to show how much they’re appreciated. Let’s all give a big cheer to all the mothers out there. Have a happy Mother’s Day!

Cinco de Mayo is a day in which we celebrate Mexican heritage throughout a multitude of communities to showcase their magnificent music, food, traditions, dances and so much more! There is a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's independence day when in reality, Cinco de Mayo celebrates the victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War on May 5, 1862. East San Jose is specifically known for bringing in a huge crowd for Cinco de mayo due to its large Mexican-American population.

Since 1992, the month of May has been used to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month. May was chosen in order to commemorate the first Japanese immigration to the US on May 7, 1843, as well as the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, which was mainly completed by the Chinese. While those two dates only refer to the Japanese and Chinese, this month celebrates all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. 

We use this month to celebrate their contributions to US history and culture, and their unique experiences, lives, and stories. AAPI’s have made vast contributions to making our country what it is today, and as the US' fastest growing racial group, they won’t stop doing so anytime soon. Looking back at just the past couple years, we have seen the first Asian American Vice President in Kamala Harris, our first Asian superhero, Shang-Chi, and much more. To honor them, let’s always remember how much Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders do for us, and happy AAPI Heritage Month!

May marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to work towards eliminating the stigma around mental health and raising awareness of those living with mental issues. Mental illnesses are very common within the US, nearly one in five adults live with a mental illness every year. It is important to acknowledge that mental illnesses are real and are present in the lives of millions of people in our communities. It is important to recognize the difference between being “Lazy” or “Flojo” and someone with serious mental health issues that prevent them from doing simple tasks. Check out the links below for more information on mental health illnesses and events in the San Jose area focused on bringing more attention to this crisis: 

https://www.sanjosewalks.com/ 

May marks Latino Books Month, a month dedicated to celebrating Latino literature and authors as well as Latin American identities and cultures.

Our first recommendation is The House on Mango Street written by Sandra Cisneros, a New York Times Bestseller and age-appropriate favorite

The novella narrates the story of a young Chicana girl, Esperanza, growing up in Chicago and navigating adolescence, poverty, race, gender,

 and more. Her family struggles with learning English, especially her mother, and throughout the course of the book, Esperanza discovers the power of words through her English literacy journey.

This coming week is also known as National Small Business Week, dedicated to supporting and celebrating the importance of local businesses in our communities. Small businesses are truly the backbone of the American economy, reportedly accounting for nearly half of economic activity in the United States, driving the job market and generating massive revenue and competition. As a result, Councilmember Carrasco and the rest of our team are taking the time this week to applaud and show our support for our local small businesses in East San Jose.

Show your support for our ESJ small businesses by opting to purchase from a small business, write a positive Yelp review for your favorite local alterations store, Taqueria, or laundromat, leave an extra tip when ordering out from a local restaurant. Your local businesses will appreciate your generosity.

Resources for supporting your own small business are shown below! Happy Small Business Week!

Calling all contractors for a digital experience into the City of San José’s Construction Academy Construction Contracting Seminar Series 2022! Learn how to maneuver through a public works construction project from the comfort of your office and on your own schedule. Registration is FREE! Participate anytime between February 14 - May 13. Register today by CLICKING HERE!

Attention San Jose business-owners! A new grant program opens May 3!

New grants of up to $15,000 are available, starting May 3. It is designed to help small business owners pay back-due rent that they couldn’t pay because of COVID-19.  

300 businesses are expected to receive a grant with awards varying from $5,000, $10,000 and a maximum of $15,000. This is not a ‘first come first served’ program. A lottery system will be used to select recipients. 

The grant program will be launched at 1 p.m. on Tuesday May 3 and close at 5 p.m. on May 30, 2022. 

Is your business eligible?  

• You must be able to show outstanding commercial-property rent debt that you owe from March 24, 2020 through August 19, 2021.   
• Your business must have annual gross receipts less than $3 million.   
• Your business must have 10 or fewer full-time employees including the business owner.  
• Businesses must have been in business prior to March 24, 2020.   

How do I apply?   

Submit a complete application online or in-person at the offices of Enterprise Foundation (Access SBDC) before 5 p.m. May 30, 2022. To learn more, please visit the website.

I have a Field Office located in our own East Side San José! My field office will be in the Family Resource Center within the Dr. Roberto Cruz Alum Rock Branch Library located at 3090 Alum Rock Ave, San José, CA 95127

My field office will be a resource for my staff and I to directly interact with our community. It will provide you all with a direct and local representative of my office, helpful resources, answers to any questions, information, as well as another reason to visit and use services within the Dr. Roberto Cruz Alum Rock Branch library.   

I encourage you to visit my Field Office! My on-site staff will be eager to welcome you Monday through Friday for walk-ins. I know that for our Eastside residents getting to City Hall isn’t the most convenient, so making it easy for you all to get help, be heard, and be seen was my goal in opening an office in the heart of East Side San José.  

Days are getting longer, the weather is beginning to warm up, and people are starting to take off their masks as the country transitions into an “endemic”. According to the American Medical Association, an endemic is where the COVID-19 virus is around us but won’t significantly disrupt our lives. Although we are all seeing the signs getting taken down, less masks on buses, and more people packed into our favorite restaurant, it's important that we understand the reasons for this transition and what you can do to continue protecting you and your family.  

In Santa Clara Country, the 7-day rolling average for new cases is around 230. Although the positive rate is higher than in recent weeks, it still stands at 2.5% which is near its lowest point since the start of the pandemic. Along with that, 91% of county residents are 2-dose vaccinated -- 70% are bolstered. And yes, you can continue to wear masks if you are unvaccinated, immune-compromised, or if it makes you comfortable!

You can schedule your appointment for a vaccine and a booster by visiting the state of California's MyTurn website by clicking HERE. Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests for free, CLICK HERE to order.

We want to learn more about you! This includes birthdays, graduations, hobbies, favorite restaurants in the East Side, and much more! The East Side is full of diverse and unique individuals, and it deserves recognition. OR you can shout out your family, friends or neighbors with goods news here in the East Side!

Send us your great news using the QR code in our flyer! Send us a photo to go with your story to our email at district5@sanjoseca.gov!