Dear Neighbor,
This month we want to remember all those women on whose shoulder we stand on and those women who continue to show us the way through their strength and perseverance but especially now during this time of great turmoil we applaud and we honor you.
For me the first outstanding woman I came to know and love was my mother. She wasn't extremely well known or renowned, but she like many other women made up the heart of our community. She was extraordinary to me. She inspired me to be me.
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It's been almost a whole year since we began the shelter in place. Schools and businesses were shut down because of a deadly virus that has claimed over 500,000 people.
Since the pandemic first began, the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department has confirmed 110,621 cases and 1,777 deaths among individuals with COVID-19. In California, we have had 3.5 million confirmed cases and 52, 213 deaths. In the United States, 28.5 million cases and over 500,000 cases
These past few months, Santa Clara County experienced a third COVID-19 surge. SCC averaged almost 1,000 cases for two and half months. However, yesterday, Sunday, February 28th, the County reported 212 new cases! We have seen a significant drop, BUT we should not let our guard drop.
To prevent the fourth surge, stay vigilant by wearing a mask, maybe a two, washing your hands, and maintaining six feet apart, especially if you have received the vaccine.
As you know, East San José has seen the most cases and the most deaths since the pandemic began. Our district has 3 of the top 5 zip codes with the most reported COVID-19 cases and deaths. We are working with the County to ensure our East Side has the resources and the vaccines to vaccinate our most vulnerable.
I continue to make sacrifices to make sure my family stays safe. Your family gathering should be small this Easter, and only those in my bubble should be present. I miss my family, but we must ensure that we do not risk any more infections and ensure there is no fourth surge.
We must work juntos to make sure we keep our communities safe and healthy.
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I am happy to announce that Team Carrasco is growing. Although there are some familiar faces, we are very pleased to introduce you to our new hires and their roles.
 Adan Lupercio -
Chief of Staff
adan.lupercio@sanjoseca.gov
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Adán Lupercio is a proud Mexicano from Guadalajara, Mexico. When he was four years old, his family decided to move to the US in search of better opportunities and settled in a neighborhood where his family continues to live to this day- the Washington neighborhood. He attended San Jose Unified Schools and graduated from Willow Glen High School in 2003.
As a DREAMer, Adán became aware of systemic oppression from a very young age and thus began his passion for politics early on. As a high school student, he took on an active role with the Washington United Youth Center (WUYC). There he partnered with staff and community members to improve the quality of life for youth and families in the neighborhood. As a teen, he was appointed as District 3 Youth Commissioner by Cindy Chavez, then Councilmember. He was serving as Chair for almost the entirety of his years on the commission. A few years later, during his time at Evergreen Valley College and being a collegiate athlete, he served as Associate Student President of Evergreen Valley College while simultaneously officially kicking off his political career running campaigns.
Adán has over 20 years of experience running and winning campaigns for local politicians. In San Jose alone, he has won lots of them, many of whom continue to serve in elected office today. Notably, for that era, Adán was instrumental in running a winning campaign for Magdalena Carrasco for City Council in 2014 against the incumbent.
In addition to his political pedigree, Adán brings a wealth of knowledge in Educational Advocacy. With nearly a decade of experience in Public Education and his work leading the largest California region where he directly oversaw 37 counties, he advocated for high-quality educational opportunities for low-income students. High-quality educational opportunities for low-income continue to be an issue Adán is deeply passionate about.
| Kiara Arreola -
Executive Administrator
kiara.arreola@sanjoseca.gov | Kiara was born and raised in San José in the Washington Neighborhood.
She started as a volunteer for Biblioteca Latinoamericana and became Vice President of their TeensReach, program, where she organized and helped youth in the community. She was very active in community building and was a member of the Guadalupe Washington Neighborhood Association as well.
Kiara has an extensive event experience in hosting large scale events and provides great customer service.
Kiara has a large family that is grounded in San José, and because of this she takes pride in creating a better San José. She loves working with others and gears them towards staying positive.
She's an avid bicyclist, and she loves exploring San José as she knows it like the palm of her hand.
| Hannah Hill -
Legislative & Policy Director
hannah.hill@sanjoseca.gov | Hannah joins us from her previous role as a community support advocate at the YWCA Silicon Valley, empowering survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence in San José and Santa Clara County. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in Peace and Conflict Studies and a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. She is the third person in her family after her mother and sister to earn a bachelor's degree.
Hannah is particularly interested in eliminating gendered violence across all cultures and nations and subsequently the issues that can make it difficult for a survivor to leave: lack of or high-cost housing and little to no financial independence, to name just a few barriers. Her background in multi-party conflict resolution through community engagement is one of the main reasons she chose to pursue policy. Hannah is eager to serve the constituents of District 5 and all of San José.
Hannah has lived in unceded Ohlone territory for the last 5 years. Having grown up in Washoe territory, Hannah is an avid backpacker in her spare time. She hopes to complete the Triple Crown of Hiking in her lifetime and hike the Nüümü Poyo in 2021. Hannah looks forward to playing and coaching water polo again on a local team, as COVID-19 guidelines permit.
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Omar Torres -
Community Relation Director
omar.torres@sanjoseca.gov | Omar joined us after concluding his time as Executive Director of the Santa Maria Urban Ministry, a food pantry that helps eradicate poverty in our low-income communities. Raised in the Washington Neighborhood of San José, he grew up seeing difficult challenges within his community such as poverty, lack of education, gangs, drugs, and other issues. Since the age of 14, he has worked on social and economic revitalization efforts.
He will continue to recruit community residents so they can empower themselves to solve problems in their neighborhoods & organizing around issues like immigration, poverty and other social justice issues in his role as our District 5 East San José Community Outreach Coordinator. He is here to listen to our community concerns and suggestions. Omar graduated from San José State University in May of 2011 with a major in Political Science and minor in Public Administration. In his spare time, Omar enjoys running and spending time with his family.
| Angel Madero -
Community Relations Representative
angel.madero@sanjose.gov |
As a Community Relations Representative, Ángel will ensure that we are engaging our community and their priorities - from COVID-19, increasing public safety, housing homeless folks, and ensuring representation - by bridging gaps in communication, sharing resources, and representing the interests of the district at all levels of government. Ángel is especially passionate about neighborhood engagement and agency. Growing up, his community showed up to help his family when his stepfather was deported to Mexico and that experience guides his dedication to service.
Ángel grew up in different neighborhoods of San José such as Gardner, Midtown, and Hillview North. He attended local public schools, including River Glen Elementary/Middle School, Lincoln High School, and San José City College. After earning his degree in Politics and Education from UC Santa Cruz, Ángel worked retail jobs meanwhile balancing internships and volunteer experiences
| Brisa Rojas -
Council Aide
brisa.moreno@sanjoseca.gov |
Born and raised in East Side San José, Brisa proudly serves the district she grew up in. At a young age, she volunteered at her local library; where she would read to kids and organize books. In high school, she took on many leadership roles to help her community. Many of these roles encouraged students to speak up and make a difference in their school. She is currently a student at San José State in pursuit of a bachelor's degree in political science and a minor in Environmental Justice.
Her parents immigrated from Mexico to California and struggled to make ends meet. However, they persevered because they wanted a better life for their children. Now Brisa and her siblings are doing everything they can to make them proud, and let them know their sacrifices were not in vain.
She loves spending Friday nights with her cat and dogs and eating lunch with the D5 team. She is excited to be part of District 5's East Side Team, and help you with any concerns you have!
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Christian Sanchez -
Council Assistant
christian.sanchez@sanjoseca.gov | A Bay Area native and Gramercy resident, Christian comes to our team as a recent graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz. There he studied Film & Digital Media where he concentrated on Digital Media production.
| Annacy Sampas -
Intern
annacy.sampas@sanjoseca.gov | Annacy is a lifelong San José resident and a current third-year student at Santa Clara University studying Political Science and Women & Gender Studies.
She aspires to a career in immigration law and policy as a first-generation American.
As a Council Assistant, he works on digital media outreach, and provides assistance with both our community relations and policy team. | Tim Espinoza -
Intern
tim.espinoza@sanjoseca.gov | Tim was born in raised in San José in the Seven Trees/Hellyer Neighborhood.
Tim began serving the community as a volunteer with Catholic Charities in the CORAL program at Cesar Chavez Elementary, where he mentored English-learning students in reading and writing. Tim continued his service in the community at James Lick High school in the iMentor program where he mentored first-generation, college-bound students in the college admissions process, applying for financial aid, setting personal and professional goals, and more. He maintains his involvement in the community as a committee member for Alum Rock Union School District's Community Bonds Oversight Committee and Ethnic Studies Committee Lead.
Tim's family has lived in San José for generations, with his grandmother attending San José High School and his grandfather attending James Lick High School, and takes pride in being an advocate for equitable policies that directly impact the people in our diverse neighborhoods and empower them to continue to choose San José as their home. Tim is graduating in Fall of 2021 from Palo Alto University with a B.S. in Psychology and Social Action and will be the first person in his family to earn a Bachelor's degree. |
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$600 Golden State Stimulus
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$600 Golden State Stimulus - Governor Newsom passed the Golden State Stimulus plan to provide additional financial assistance to thousands of people. Californians who are eligible for this stimulus include:
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CA residents eligible for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
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CA households enrolled in CalWORKS
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Recipients of any of the following programs: Supplemental Security Income (SSI); State Supplementary Payment (SSP); Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)
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Undocumented immigrants living in households earning less than $75,000 per year.
**Undocumented immigrants can double their eligibility with EITC to receive a total of $1,200 from California.
To receive your Golden State Stimulus, you can file your 2020 tax return for free at [www.ftb.ca.gov ]Please keep in mind that it may take anywhere from 3 weeks to 8 weeks to process your tax return, so the sooner the better!
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Free Citizenship Application Assistance
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Consider adding a furry friend to your family by adopting from the San Jose Animal Care Center. Remember that when you adopt one pet, you're really saving two; the one you adopted and the one that is given a space in the shelter.
Adoption is made simple by visiting their website, noting down the Animal ID of the animal/s of interest, and then reaching out via email to let the center know which animal you'd like to meet . And for a limited time, all adult dogs over 30 pounds are available for a discounted rate! Be sure to check out their website for full details.
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Update along the Story Rd. Corridor
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Adopted in May 2015, San Jose's Vision Zero Action Plan has identified Story Road as one of the City's 15 streets with a high frequency of fatal and severe injury traffic crashes. The Story Road Quick-Build Traffic Safety Improvements Project under the Vision Zero plan aims to reduce speeding, improve pedestrian safety, improve street lighting, and enhance our current traffic signals by implementing safety improvements that are easy to adjust and move.
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Last month marked thirteen years since Black, SJSU sophomore student, Gregory Johnson, lost his life in an act of racial injustice in his Sigma Chi fraternity in 2008. His murder was covered up by his fraternity and SJSU, his fraternity brothers claiming they only found his body in their basement and his death was ruled as a suicide, despite being investigated by the FBI as a possible racial hate crime but came to no final conclusion. In pursuit of closure and justice for their son, his mother, Denise Johnson, and the Johnson family filed a federal civil lawsuit in 2015 requesting the reopening of the investigation, yet the case was quickly dismissed after just a few weeks investigation, finalized again as a suicide, lacking a final police report, and the bill for the Johnson's legal fees turned out to be hefty and unaffordable.
To commemorate his life, Justice for Gregory Johnson hosted Gregory's Jam, a virtual creative event in late February via the online streaming service, Twitch, for the public that featured many local Black and indigenous artists such as Asthmatic and Yunify to name a few. Donations were collected to help the Johnson family pay for the trial's expensive legal fees and to pay for a private investigator to finally get Denise and the Johnson family the answers they deserve about their son's death. To learn more about how you can support the Johnson family, visit @JusticeForGregoryJohnson on Instagram for more updates from the organization, sign the petition demanding the reopening of Gregory's murder trial, or donate to the Johnson family via this GoFundMe.
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