Dear friends,

BIG NEWS: We passed a rent stabilization policy in Antioch! This was done with the support of our allies Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) and First Five Contra Costa’s East County Regional Group, through community members raising their voices, and with the support of Councilmembers Torres-Walker and Wilson and Mayor Thorpe. This measure was implemented in response to recent soaring rent increases, oftentimes imposed on tenants despite negligent landlords refusing to address needed and sometimes hazardous repairs. Check out our feature in NBC Bay Area to see how our allies and Monument Impact mobilized in droves, voicing the need for this important legislation and its impact on our community members. We also joined forces with fellow community organizers and tenants to share what’s really happening on the ground in Antioch , one of California’s eviction capitals, with Michael Tubbs, economic adviser to Gov. Gavin Newson.

If you haven’t already, check out our action alert from last week for ways you can engage and thank the City Council for passing this major initiative. Keep an eye out for more information to come in the following weeks about how we can make this ordinance even stronger, along with future efforts to legislation for “just cause” eviction protections and to crack down on landlord harassment of tenants.

We will celebrate this incredible achievement along with a year’s worth of other accomplishments at our upcoming Stronger Together Gala next Thursday, Sept. 8 at the Hilton in Concord. Don’t miss it! Tickets and sponsorships are still available, and if you can’t make it, you can still donate here. We look forward to cherishing progress with you all in-person, and generating support to make our dreams of securing health, well-being, and belonging, economic security, and racial and housing justice for all of our neighbors here in Contra Costa County.

My first month as Executive Director of Monument Impact has been a special one, and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead. Admittedly, these are challenging times for our community, but by working together with supporters like you, our community, and staff, we will create new opportunities to advance equity and economic inclusion.

In community,

Judith Ortiz, Executive Director

STRONGER TOGETHER GALA: SEPTEMBER 8, 2022

Thursday, September 8, 2022 from 6:00-9:00 PM

Hilton Concord - 1970 Diamond Blvd, Concord, CA 94520

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW BECOME A SPONSOR TODAY

Our annual gala on September 8 will celebrate over 21 years of service to the immigrant community in the Monument Corridor and East Contra Costa. We hope you will join us in this celebration and champion our mission. For many of us, this is the first time in two years that we’ll connect in-person. It’s a time for making new friends and reconnecting with one another, for growing our networks, and for reflecting and expressing gratitude.

Your support as part of our 2022 Stronger Together Gala will allow us to continue this life-changing work, ensuring a just and equitable economic recovery for our community members.

You can still purchase a ticket here and become a sponsor here. Can’t make it? You can still donate and make a difference in the lives of immigrants and refugees in our community. Click here to make your contribution today.

This year, our keynote speaker is Diana Otero, Senior Director of Special Projects for the Latino Community Foundation and a visionary advocate in the fight for social justice, helping to shine a light on issues affecting the Latino community. Diana’s remarks lay out a strong, foundational vision for our work together into 2023.

Our job fairs in Antioch and Concord were a success!

This month, we partnered with the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County to host two job fairs at Monument Impact’s offices in Concord and Antioch.

Our Concord job fair took place on August 12 and 82 job seekers attended! Just a few weeks later on August 26, we held our job fair in Antioch and 44 job seekers attended the event!

We hosted several employers from various industries, including:

Alegria Community Living
Amazon
Barbería Las Américas
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
Behavior Treatment Analysis
The City of Concord
The City of Antioch
Elijah House Foundation
Pacific States Petroleum, Inc.
Pittsburg Unified School District
Ramar Foods International

Contra Costa County Health Services
Contra Costa County Connection
Contra Costa County Probation Department
East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD)
Southwest Airlines
Treasure Island Job Corp
UMPQUA Bank
24/7 Nightingale Home Care

We had several participants apply for jobs and have on the spot interviews or scheduled interviews! Thank you to the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County for your partnership, to employers for your participation, to our job seekers, and to the entire Monument Impact family that made these events a success.

Special shout out to Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe (pictured alongside our staff Judith Ortiz, Edith Guillen, and board member William Goodwin), Antioch City Councilmembers Tamisha Walker and Monica Wilson, and Concord City Councilmember Carlyn Obringer (pictured above) for attending and showing your support for building a strong workforce in our community.

For more information, please contact Edith Guillen, Business Services Coordinator, at (925) 682-8248 ext. 2105 or edith@monumentimpact.org.

Emerging Business of the Month

Ofelia Vega wanted her current and future clients to hire her cleaning services with more comfort and ease. That’s when she decided to connect with Monument Impact’s Emerging Business Program to help her formalize her business. Following the launch of Sofia's Cleaning Services in June 2019, her profits doubled 100%.

Sofia’s Cleaning Services

Phone: (925) 948-6749

Website: Click here

“If Monument Impact would not have been there to help, I don’t think I would be in business. Having your own business, you become more independent financially and empowered.” - Ofelia Vega

If you are a Concord or Antioch resident and would like to start your own business, please contact Edith Guillen at edith@monumentimpact.org or at 925-682-8248 ext. 2105 for more information.

Our play Nosotros is BACK!

NOSOTROS the play has returned! Join us for the final performances on September 10. Get your tickets and spread the word! Admission is free, but donations are gratefully appreciated.

This play is brought to you by our H.O.M.E.S. art project (Home Offers Me Escape and Safety) in partnership with Director Nick Garcia from Los Medanos Community College, which gathers local young adults to use art to explore what home means to them and the impact on the housing crisis on their lives.

Join the residents of the fictional Wellington Gardens as they fight to stay in their apartments, discover their true collective power, and build the home and community they always needed.

When: Saturday, September 10, 2022 | 2 PM and 5:30 PM showings

Where: Nick Rodriguez Community Center | 213 F St Antioch, CA 94509

More about the play: The residents of Wellington Gardens apartment complex just found out they have something in common: they are all losing their homes so that the building can be turned into luxury condominiums. As their homes are being ripped away from them, they discover that home is more than where you sleep: it is the people you surround yourself with and something you build.

Congratulate Jose, one of our Day Labor members, on becoming

a U.S. citizen!

Jose Mendoza Perez, originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, has been a member of our Day Labor program since May 2018. In December 1990, he became a California resident, and this August, he became a U.S. citizen!

Jose studied for the citizenship test with the help of our Day Labor and Immigration Coordinator Cristina Guerrero.

Don Jose says he feels grateful for all the support he received from Monument Impact, including translating during his interview, studying for test questions, and accompanying him to his oath ceremony.

¡Felicidades, Don Jose!

Meet Our Newest Staff Member, Vanessa!

Meet Vanessa Chena. Vanessa is our newest Community Organizer. Prior to her role, she was working part-time here at Monument Impact as an Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) assistant, a program providing financial assistance for rent and utilities for those who weathered economic crises due to COVID-19.

During this time, she also worked part-time at the Saint Mary’s College of California’s Center for Women and Gender Equity as she finished her senior year.

She immigrated to the United States from Mexico at a young age and has resided in Concord for 21 years. She completed a double major in justice, community, and leadership and in women & gender studies, and, a double minor in ethnic studies and French.

“I was excited to become involved at Monument Impact when I found out that there was an open position with the Emergency Rental Assistance Program that aligned with my interest in social justice and equity. I am very excited to work as the Community Organizer for Concord so that I can support the voices and needs of my community.”