NCJW Weekly Advocacy Wrap-Up: May 14
Please Join Us
NCJW CA is not going to let the continuing pandemic stand in the way of our advocacy for the issues and people we care about! In fact, advocacy this year is more important than ever, so we will be holding our second virtual NCJW CA Lobby Day on May 26, 9 am-12 pm via Zoom. Join us on behalf of the women, families and children of California – no experience needed.

Here is a glance at our schedule:
  • 9 am-12 pm: We will join other NCJW California advocates to hear from the Executive Director of the legendary Equal Rights Advocates and also listen to speakers from organizations leading the fight in each of our issue areas and much more! 
  • 12:30-5:30 pm: We are currently scheduling virtual "meetings" (either via Zoom or telephone) with legislators and/or legislative staff from our districts. Reach out to us to participate or we’ll be reaching out to you!

Priority Areas and Bills and Budget Asks
  • Food Insecurity SB 364 (Skinner) will provide free school meals for all children.
  • Childcare Access AB 92 (Reyes) will eliminate state-mandated family fees for childcare through October 2022.
Budget Asks:
  • COVID relief: freezing family fees for all families; increasing subsidies for essential workers and parents at risk; supports and stipends for child care providers
  • Ongoing: increasing subsidies for families on the waiting list; increasing reimbursement rates for all providers; building supply
  • Homelessness SB 234 (Weiner) will create a program to develop housing for youth under 26 years who have transitioned from foster care and are experiencing homelessness.
Budget Asks:
  • Create a forgivable loan program of $100 million to be used to create new housing or acquire existing housing
  • A portion of the funds will be targeted for loans to be used for housing pre-development costs, site acquisition and rehabilitation, architectural and design costs, and the construction or refurbishing of sites.
  • Reproductive Service Access SB 379 (Weiner) will prohibit UC Health from contracting with facilities where UC healthcare staff are prevented from providing comprehensive reproductive and LBTQ health services.
  • Poverty Reduction SB 691 (Rubio) will permanently increase the California Earned Income Tax Credit for workers excluded from the federal EITC based on their income or lack of eligible dependents. It would also expand eligibility for the Young Child Tax Credit.
Questions? contact Advocacy Co-VPs Cynthia Gordon or Deb Lelchuk at advocacy@ncjwlongbeach.org.
Reversing the Title X Gag Rule: Follow-up Action Steps from Jewish Women International (JWI)

Title X is the only federal program dedicated to providing affordable reproductive care. The gag rule has forced hundreds of health centers committed to providing comprehensive care out of the program, leaving more than 1.5 million people without access to Title X-funded services. Six states now have no Title X-funded care at all. Reversing the Title X gag rule is critical to advancing reproductive freedom.

It's not too late to stand up for reproductive health care access and tell the Biden administration that you support reversing the Title X gag rule. Just follow these three easy steps:

  1. Click here to submit a public comment by May 17.
  2. Click the “Comment” button in the upper left-hand corner
  3. Copy and paste the following comment template into the empty comment box. We encourage you to personalize your message.

Attn: “Ensuring Access to Equitable, Affordable, Client-Centered, Quality Family Planning Services" (RIN 0937-AA11)

I strongly support the Department of Health and Human Services’ Notice of Proposed Rulemaking revoking the 2019 Title X regulations and reinstating the 2000 regulations with some revisions. The harmful requirements of the 2019 rule undermined Title X’s work to provide equitable, affordable, client-centered, and quality family planning and sexual health services. The rule forced community health care providers out of Title X and adversely impacted patients’ access to essential reproductive health care. Because of the devastating impact of the 2019 Title X regulations on the program’s provider network and its patients, I support the finalization of the proposed rule as quickly as possible.

JWI remains committed to making your voice heard on critical issues impacting women and girls and fighting to ensure reproductive freedom for all.
Move with JFCS of Long Beach for mental health awareness all month long! Walk, run, ride, roll, or swim the distance of your choice, wherever and whenever you want, while helping people in our area as they struggle to emerge from the pervasive effects of COVID-19. Join or organize a team, or take advantage of our Family Plan where kids 17 and under are free with a paying adult. Visit www.racewithaview.com for information and registration. Contact Pattie Davidson with any questions: 562.427.7916.
Planned Parenthood announces the launch of a 2-part Advocacy Ambassador Training Series. Volunteers who want to take their involvement to the next level will learn new skills and strategies for the important outreach and advocacy work we need to do in order to shape the future of sexual and reproductive health care in California and beyond! 
 
The Advocacy Ambassador 101 training on Saturday May 29 from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM will cover basics about Planned Parenthood services, advocacy, messaging, story sharing, and a look at the fight ahead. We will build a network of passionate advocates across Orange and San Bernardino Counties who can help support and build on the advancement of access to care. Save the date for the 201 training on June 26, more details to come.
 
Upon completion of the training series, you will receive certification as a Planned Parenthood Advocacy Ambassador - something you can proudly add to a resume and rep in the community! Every participant will receive food delivery credit and of course, Planned Parenthood Swag. Register today at: bit.ly/CAFambassador101
Following the overwhelming success of the toy and book drive in support of the children being temporarily housed at our humanitarian shelter, the Long Beach Mayor’s office announces a new community campaign to bring letters of encouragement to the children as they await reunification or placement with a sponsor.

Through Saturday, May 22, the community can drop off encouraging letters for the children at various locations throughout the city. U.S. Health and Human Services staff will provide these letters directly to the children and also display them in the shelter so the children can read positive messages from the community throughout their stay.

For the letter-writing campaign, the letters should:
  • Be 8.5 x 11 inches in size
  • Be one-sided only
  • Be in English or Spanish
  • Contain appropriate pictures and drawings if able
  • Be unsealed if placed in an envelope

Letters can be dropped off at the following locations:
The Long Beach Public Library (LBPL) will accept letters from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, at the following LBPL To-Go locations:
  • Billie Jean King Main Library, 200 W. Broadway
  • Bay Shore Library, 195 Bay Shore Ave.
  • Bret Harte, 1595 W. Willow St.
  • Los Altos, 5614 Britton Dr.
  • Mark Twain, 1401 E. Anaheim St.
  • Michelle Obama, 5870 Atlantic Ave.

Letters can also be dropped at the following area hotels from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily:
  • Golden Sails Hotel, 6285 Pacific Coast Hwy.
  • Hilton Long Beach, 701 W. Ocean Blvd.
  • Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport, 2640 N. Lakewood Blvd.
  • Long Beach Airport Marriott, 4700 Airport Plaza Dr.
  • Westin Long Beach, 333 E. Ocean Blvd.
Our own Harriette Ellis is being honored by CLUE
Thursday, June 3 at 5:30 pm

This year's Giants of Justice will be a wonderful online celebration honoring champions in the movement for dignity and economic justice for all. Your support fuels the organized, connected interfaith movement for justice.
RSVP today and help build a society that prioritizes equity and compassion over economics and profiteering.
Celebrate World Refugee Day with a Drive-in Movie
Sunday, June 20 at 5:30 pm

Please join the Orange County Jewish Coalition for Refugees and bring your family and friends to The Mess Hall in Tustin for a fun, socially-distanced drive-in movie to celebrate World Refugee Day 2021. We will be showing the film, The Good Lie, starring Reese Witherspoon. Snacks and dinner, as well as raffle tickets, will be available for purchase. Proceeds will help OCJCR continue to assist refugees and asylum seekers. Tickets are limited to the first 120 registrants.

National Council of Jewish Women works all day, every day, to advance policies and efforts that have a direct effect on the most vulnerable populations in the United States. In this email, we have identified the top three actions you can take immediately to make a difference.
 
We are working to ensure two staffing confirmations; one in the Department of Justice and one on the Federal Circuit Court. Additionally, we support the HEAL Act, a bill that would grant immigrant women and families access to health care services. Read below, and click all three links to make your voice heard!
 
Want to go further? Visit ncjw.org/act to see all the actions you can take today to better the lives of women, children, and families.
The issue: The Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice upholds the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans. The head of this Division, the Associate Attorney General, oversees enforcement of federal anti-discrimination laws as well as laws protecting access to reproductive health services and our religious freedom. The good news: Kristen Clarke is currently nominated for this position. She has an extensive civil rights record with proven outcomes expanding and securing rights for women, the LGBTQ community, religious minorities, and communities of color. If confirmed, she would be the first woman and Black woman to lead the Civil Rights Division. TAKE ACTION NOW
The issue: The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit makes decisions about technology, science, and medicine that affects millions of people every day. The good news: Tiffany Cunningham is currently nominated for a lifetime seat on this federal court. She is a highly qualified registered patent attorney with 20+ years of experience in patent and intellectual property law, including cases that span technology and biotechnology industries. If confirmed, Cunningham would be the first Black woman to sit on the Federal Circuit.Our task: Tell your senators to confirm Tiffany Cunningham! TAKE ACTION NOW
The issue: Immigrants can’t access affordable health services. Those classified as “lawful permanent residents” have to wait five years before they can access Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) while undocumented immigrants face additional challenges accessing the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) insurance marketplaces and tax credits. The good news: The Health Equity and Access Under the Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Families Act is designed to remove current legal barriers.
Our task: Urge your lawmakers to cosponsor the HEAL Act. TAKE ACTION NOW