Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos Partner Highlight: Raizes Collective

This month we would like to highlight our community partner, Raizes Collective! Through American Rescue Plan Act funding, Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos has partnered with 10 funded partners, including Raizes Collective, to provide culturally responsive Direct Mental Health Services and systems-level changes to improve mental health support in Sonoma County.

About Raizes Collective

Raizes Collective, based in Santa Rosa, was established in June 2015 to empower and mobilize community through the arts, culture, indigenous centered environmental education, and leadership development. This collective came together to offer artists and teachers of color the resources of space, programming, events, shows and activities to affect social and political change through art and community building. By default, Raizes Collective’s work through the arts fills the gap of socioemotional learning experienced by students/youth and communities of color in underserved areas such as the Sonoma Valley.

Raizes Collective, through American Rescue Plan Act funding with Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos, is piloting a program called "Artists as Promotores de Salud" that is deploying Artists to school campuses throughout Sonoma County to address the most pressing issues affecting our communities of color, including youth. Artists like Lucero Vargas, (who is the lead artists in the Sonoma Valley High School Student Led Latinx Mural Project codesigned by student lead, Marisol Álvarez - Diaz), Martin Zuniga, Reuben Crowfeather Sr and Irma Rodriguez are using art, culture and indigenous centered environmental education to address mental health disparities that continue to exist and have been exacerbated by the global COVID 19 Pandemic, fires and climate change in communities of color.

Learn about one of their current projects, the Sonoma Valley High School Student Led Latinx Mural project:

The intention of this mural project led and codesigned by Marisol Álvarez - Diaz, Sonoma Valley High School Senior is to provide inclusivity for students of color. Specifically, those that feel culturally isolated in the school environment and who are not motivated systemically to pursue higher education. The Latinx Mural will represent a symbol of self-determination and vast possibilities. Furthermore, the addition of cultural emblems will provide a safe educational environment for the pursuit of education success. Lastly, this will spark a communal conversation on social justice, important Latinx contributions and ultimately the fight for local equity in the school and community at large.

Upcoming Action Team Meetings

This month, the Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos Action Teams will be working on the agenda items below:

ACEs Screening Implementation Action Team 

This month's meeting is canceled. We will reconvene on Thursday, June 1 from 2-3pm.

Community Accountability Action Team 

Wednesday, May 10, 2023 from 3:00pm-4:30pm

Join us to hear from Max Perrey, Director of Policy and External Affairs for Aliados Health, on the current policy landscape with a focus on current public health policy efforts and advocacy priorities.

Resource Connection Network Action Team  

In observance of Memorial Day, we will be canceling our meeting this month. We will reconvene on Monday, June 26.

Our Action Team meetings offer simultaneous interpretation in Spanish. 



Join us in moving this important work forward by attending an upcoming meeting!



Community Events

Indigenous People's Gathering



This community event is being fiscally sponsored by our partner, Raizes Collective



Where: Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road - Santa Rosa, CA 9540 

When: May 20 and 21, starting at 12pm

Message from the organizers:

Greetings Relatives, we would like to acknowledge that we are on the homelands of The Great Pomo, Miwok, and Wappo Nations, through this message we respectfully we Invite you, your family and tribes to join The Indigenous Peoples Gathering, to be held at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds May 20th and 21st. The purpose of our Spiritual and Cultural community event is to bring together Indigenous communities in a weekend of prayer, song and dance. Please pass along the invitation to all of your family and friends. We can be reached at indigenouspeoplesgathering@gmail.com, any suggestions, questions, sponsorship are all welcome, email us if you would like to attend planning meetings.

Conversations in Community - Waitlist

When: Thursday, June 8th from 9:00am to 1:00pm

Where: SOMO Village Event Center, 1100 Valley House Drive, Rohnert Park, CA

The Sonoma County Office of Education invites you to join a vital county-wide conversation with educators and community members on loss, love, and healing for children that have experienced adversity and trauma. Through a dynamic and interactive learning series, our Conversations in Community will offer access to the research along with practical support. Together, we will explore how our classrooms, schools, and communities can provide the nurturing and stable environment that all Sonoma County children need to heal, learn, and reach their full human potential.

Keynote presentations will be made by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, the first California Surgeon General, and Dr. Bruce D. Perry, a renowned expert on the impact of abuse, neglect, and trauma on the developing brain. Thanks to support from our generous partners, there is no cost to attend. 

Strengthening Public Health Through People, Trust, and Connection

When: Wednesday, May 17, 2023, 4:00 PM PT

Where: Zoom

A Virtual Conversation with Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy and New York City Former Commissioner of Health Dr. Dave A Chokshi

This is the third in a series of fireside chats and lectures in honor of Dr. Murthy, the 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States.

The goal of the series is to recognize a public health leader whose enduring efforts have made a significant impact on advancing public health. At this meeting, Dr. Murthy will recognize Dr. Dave A. Chokshi, for his leadership in addressing public trust, mental health, misinformation, and health disparities among the AA and NHPI communities.

Creating a Safe Space for Mental Health through Connection  

When: Tuesday, May 30, 2023 from 3:00- 6:00pm

Where: Finley Center, 2060 W College Ave, Santa Rosa, CA

Sonoma County Department of Health, Behavioral Health Division in partnership with Buckelew Programs invite you to a special May is Mental Health Matters Month event.

Gather in community. We collectively have gone through so much in the last several years. Participants will gather to hear stories of lived experience with a provider panel and community circle

You will be given the opportunity to join in the community circle. The community circle space will be limited. Participation in circle is not required at all.

The event will begin with an opening prayer from Madonna Feather Cruz and introduction with Jan Cobaleda-Kegler, Sonoma County Behavioral Health Director. Erika Klohe, Regional Behavioral Health Director, Buckelew will be the facilitator. There will be a panel of community providers, grounding exercise, community circle and sharing a meal together.

Grand Opening of the Community Mental Health Hub at Hanna Center

When: Wednesday, May 31, 2023 from 3:30pm-6:30pm

Where: 1700 Arnold Dr, Sonoma

Wrap up Mental Health Awareness Month by unwrapping the new Mental Health Hub at Hanna!

Celebrate the grand opening and connect with many local non-profit organizations that have partnered to create this new collaboration. Hanna will offer tours of the Hub, information from partners, and, of course, a ribbon-cutting ceremony!

Want to see your events featured?

Are you a community partner and would like to see your upcoming events featured in Sonoma Connect | Sonoma Unidos’s newsletter? Please contact Mariana Raschke mraschke@sonomaconnect.org.

We accept submissions until one week prior to the beginning of each month.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Check out resources, trainings, and more that helps bring awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being.

County of Sonoma - Safety Element Survey

Permit Sonoma is updating the Safety Element of the County’s General Plan. The purpose of the Safety Element is to identify hazards affecting Sonoma County, assess vulnerability, and develop goals, policies, and strategies to reduce the potential short- and long-term risk to people, property, and systems.

Climate change exacerbates the impacts of existing hazards. For example, climate change will result in a higher number of extreme heat days, more damage from coastal storms and erosion, and disruption to water supply. Preparing for and adapting to a changing climate is an important part of reducing risk. The survey closes May 9.

We express our appreciation to our funders!

www.sonomaconnect.org

Your information will not be shared with anyone other than the Sonoma Connect/Sonoma Unidos team.