WIN: Antioch passes rent stabilization!

Dear friends,

WE DID IT! On Tuesday, Antioch successfully passed a rent stabilization ordinance complete with a roll-back date of August 23 and a definition of “housing services,” so that landlords won’t rush to raise rents on October 1, and so that if your lease includes items like laundry facilities, hot and cold water, garbage removal, janitorial services, and parking, for example, landlords have to provide what they say they’ll provide. Check out this article from the Mercury News for more information, featuring a quote from one of our staff members and Antioch resident, Regina Berny.

We celebrate this massive achievement, and we’re gearing up for more. Down the road, we will continue to focus on strengthening housing protections in Antioch through “just cause” eviction protections and cracking down on harassment of tenants by landlords. We will continue to keep our community members informed on our latest advocacy efforts and how you can get involved.

Earlier in the month, we hosted our Stronger Together Gala, where our paddle raise alone brought in $30,000 from our guests during the event! We are so grateful for the support of our donors, sponsors, and community members! The event was also a great opportunity to reconnect in-person with our long-time supporters and also get to know some new faces. We also gave awards to our allies East Bay Housing Organizations and Kristi Laughlin, Senior Campaign Director for Concord at East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) for their continued support and partnership.

The funds we raised will go toward continuing to advocate for local tenant protections; supporting and launching new immigrant-owned businesses; and providing more health resources, from COVID-19 vaccines, mental health support, diabetes management, and more.

As I’ve stepped into this new leadership role, I am continually inspired by the perseverance and dedication of our staff and the community members they serve on a daily basis. Our efforts to make East Contra Costa County and the Monument corridor a better place for all of its residents, regardless of where they come from or how much money they have, have made huge impacts.

We’re not slowing down any time soon. Over the next few months, we’re continuing to champion tenant protections, expanding our English as a Second Language classes, offering new skills training opportunities for our day laborers, and bolstering immigrant-owned businesses. Thank you for supporting us this far, and please stay in touch for more ways you can get involved.

In community,

Judith Ortiz, Executive Director

Contra Costa CARES is Here!

Contra Costa CARES is a FREE healthcare program for uninsured adults living in Contra Costa County regardless of legal status.

Contra Costa CARES:

Is available to you regardless of your legal status
Is not connected to the federal government
Does not have any fees or copays

You may be eligible if you:

Are between the ages of 26 and 49
Live in Contra Costa County
Have an income up to 138% of the federal poverty line (for example, $16,105 for a household of 1; $32,913 for a family of 4.
Are not eligible for full-coverage Medi-Cal or other health insurance

Want to learn more or need help applying? Contact us today: bit.ly/MICARES

Emerging Business of the Month

Yohalmo Perdomo came to Monument Impact with the hopes of making his wish of owning a business come true. His wife, a former Monument Impact technology student, informed him of the Emerging Business Services Program, and since then, he started Perdomo Gardening Services.

Six months later, it has grown in more ways than he could ever have imagined. He has hired employees, obtained workers’ compensation insurance, increased his client base, and has experienced a 12% boost in business.

We are so happy for Yohalmo and wish him great success! Please contact Perdomo Gardening Services at (925) 237-0333.

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.

“I give 100% dedication to my work and take care of my clients gardening needs as if it was my own. There will be obstacles in life, just never give up on your dreams as they can come true.”

-Yohalmo

New Training for our Day Labor Program Members

Our Day Labor Program, with 63 active members, is conducting a series of short peer-led trainings, for members to learn various new skills, including basic carpentry and electrical.

Members built a beautiful cabinet in the carpentry workshop led by their peer Jose Renderos. They plan to offer it as a raffle prize, with ticket sales being used to fund future trainings.

Our electrical training is led by our member German Quishpe, who has been a part of our program since 2015 and took electrical courses at Diablo Valley College. German is excited to share some of his knowledge with other members of the program and has created a workplan for each of the six classes. We are grateful for German and his initiative!

If you’re interested in participating in the raffle, please contact Cristina Guerrero at (925) 682-8248 ext. 2170.

Partnering to Expand English Classes

Loma Vista Adult Center has been our amazing partner for many years, and we have worked together to host ESL (English as a Second Language) classes at our Monument Impact office. Since Monument Impact has received a number of additional CalWORKs referrals and limited capacity to expand, we transitioned our ESL classes to now be held on-site at Loma Vista to serve even more community members. We now have 23 students attending in-person classes and 16 students enrolled in self-paced online classes!

Our community members now have access to the additional educational opportunities and helpful resources that Loma Vista provides. We are grateful for their support and are excited to keep building this partnership.

Mohammad At Work

Mohammad Khalid Hakimzada is one of our CalWORKs participants.

Since he was referred, Mohammad has been participating in English as a Second Language, employment readiness, and job search programs.

Mohammad immigrated from Afghanistan in March 2022. He came to Monument Impact motivated, excited, and eager to adapt and learn. He works diligently every day to gain the skills and confidence to be self-sufficient.

This month, he began his first job in the U.S. as a sales associate for Shiekh Shoes in Concord.

“I feel grateful for the support I received from Monument Impact, including filling out job applications, job interview preparation, and supporting me to gain confidence.” - Mohammad

Meet our Newest Staff Member

Meet our newest community organizer in Antioch, Shagoofa Khan. A recent UC Berkeley graduate with a degree in sociology, Shagoofa believes it is incredibly important to work toward a better future for the community you live in, as it only takes one person to stand up to create positive changes. As a first generation half Afghan and half Pakistani young woman, Shagoofa believes it is important to find your voice and use it for the greater good.

When she was 18 she ran for the Antioch School Board, because she wanted to show her community that your age should not define who you are. She didn't win but did have a successful campaign that inspired many throughout the Bay Area.

She was honored to have received over 5,000 votes from her community members. After the election, Shagoofa continued her work in Antioch through local community organizations, co-founded a nonprofit, and stayed up to date with local issues.

Shagoofa is a proud product of the city of Antioch and is very excited to serve the community she’s from. Not only will she stand up to help in any way, shape, or form, but she will work with the community to create positive changes.

“What an honor it is to be a community organizer for such an amazing nonprofit organization as Monument Impact. I hope not only to help my fellow community members in Antioch, but to also learn from my colleagues how to grow as an organizer. During my free time, I love volunteering for community events and riding my motorcycle! If you see me around the community, please say hi!” - Shagoofa