Dear friends, After 5½ years, my time as Monument Impact’s Executive Director has come to a close. When I first joined the organization in January 2017, our community was reeling from the damage that the new federal administration caused to our immigrant and refugee communities. Neighbors were fearful – they dreaded the feeling that they didn’t belong, or, in worst cases, that they would be forced to leave their American-born children behind. It took long and deeply necessary work to ensure our neighbors were taken care of and felt like they still had a home.  Just a few years later, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and its disproportionate effects on Black and Latinx communities are still felt today.  To face these challenges, we doubled down in some of our most urgent and important work to date. We set up the Monument Relief Fund – the largest undocufund in the county, and provided nearly $2 million in direct financial assistance to 3,200 families. We reached even more community members through our virtual programming; helped hundreds of residents obtain funds via the state’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program to help pay rent; and helped thousands of Contra Costa residents get vaccinated against COVID-19. We fought for tenant protections to prevent more people from becoming unhoused. To meet these needs, we doubled our budget, our staff, and our reach – including opening an office in Antioch and being active participants in regional and county-wide advocacy efforts. But our work is not done. That’s why I would like to personally invite you to attend our annual gala on September 8 – to celebrate our wins and fund an expansion of our work to support more neighbors. You can read more about it here. I end this chapter of my career looking forward: looking forward to more immigrant-owned small businesses, more tenants living in safe, stable, and affordable housing, and more resources for community members to take care of their health. As a resident of Concord myself, I’ll be standing shoulder to shoulder with Judith Ortiz, our new executive director, and the team at Monument Impact as they continue this work. Thank you all again for your time, camaraderie, and support. I’m grateful to our board, staff, partners and allies for their many contributions to Monument Impact’s work during my tenure. If you haven’t yet met her, please look forward to hearing from Judith moving forward. You can read more about her here.  I’m honored to have led this important organization and its inspiring mission to ensure our immigrants, refugees, and neighbors with low incomes can thrive while calling Contra Costa County their home.  In community, Debra Ballinger, Executive Director

Concord Tenant Residential Anti-Harassment Ordinance

This spring, we are proud to have joined allies to help advocate for and pass the Concord Residential Tenant Anti-Harassment Protection ordinance. It is set to go into effect on July 28, 2022. If you are a tenant experiencing harassment from your landlord and or property manager, Monument Impact has an online resource guide that explains your protections and includes a letter template to send to your landlord. Check out our resource guide here and share with your neighbors! English | Spanish

For more information or on how you can participate in this work, please contact Jennifer Morales, Lead Community Organizer, at (925) 315-5154 or jennifer@monumentimpact.org.

Check Out Our Job Fair!

Looking for work? Check out our job fair on Friday, August 12, 2022 from 2 to 5 p.m. at our office at 2699 Monument Boulevard, Concord, CA 94520. Participants will have opportunities to speak to employers such as the City of Concord, BART, Amazon, Southwest Airlines, and more! Download the flyer here, and register now!. For more information contact Edith Guillen, Business Services Coordinator, at (925) 682-8248 ext. 2105 or edith@monumentimpact.org.  Stay tuned for our second Job Fair in Antioch on August 26, 2022. You can register early here.

Emerging Business of the Month

Maria Cristina Carrasco has been a hairstylist for the last eight years and wanted to one day open up her own beauty salon.  A few months ago, she passed by a vacant storefront and knew this was the place to be. As an instructor for our Zumba classes and a former technology student, she knew Monument Impact could help her achieve her dreams. She met with our small business coaches, and recently formalized and opened Criss Kuts Beauty Salon.

Check out Criss Kuts Beauty Salon at 3530 Clayton Road, Concord (925) 510-2837

“You just must believe in yourself and have faith in God that your dreams can come true. If you persevere, you can succeed.” – Maria Cristina Carrasco.

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.

Mentes Positivas en Acción

Registration is now open for the next session of Mentes Positivas en Acción, a free online Spanish-language course on emotional well-being, stress management, and mental health. Over the course of eight weeks, you will learn how to identify the causes of stress and anxiety and techniques to regain control of your emotions. Zoom Class Times:  Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., starting August 16 Saturdays at 11 a.m., starting August 20 For more information or to register, please contact Alejandra Villagran, Healthy Community Coordinator, by calling (925) 682-8248 ext. 2400 or texting (925) 222-5671.

Thank You to Our ERAP Volunteers

We would like to share our sincere gratitude on behalf of all of us here at Monument Impact and our community to our ERAP (Emergency Rental Assistance Program) volunteers from Temple Isaiah of Lafayette. Our volunteers completed a total of 1,700 hours of service, ensuring​ that community members attended their ERAP appointments and managed incoming calls, texts, and emails.   We thank our volunteers for their time and commitment: Sue Adler-Bressler, Ray Breslau, Dave Bressler, Judith Feins, Donna Green, Andy Scharlach, Ilene Scharlach, Joani Share, and Anita Weil. Our work would not have been possible without their support.

Meet Our Newest Staff Member

Meet Danny Espinoza, who has joined our staff in a new hybrid role as Co-Director of Campaigns for Monument Impact and Director of the Regional Suburban Organizing Project (RSOP). He will support community organizing campaigns, leadership development in Concord and Antioch, and regional suburban housing justice and advocacy. For the last eight years, Danny has gained considerable knowledge and experience in local, state and national politics and nonprofit work, including civic engagement.   Growing up in the Bay Area, Danny has worked with people from all backgrounds and created cross-cultural support bases in labor, faith, advocacy, and politics. He has a passion for finding common ground, keeping directly impacted communities at the center, and creating pathways to expansive, inclusive, and equitable communities.  “I’m really excited to join such a powerful team with an organization that has impacted the lives of so many people. I hope to bring a fresh set of eyes and continue to fight for our communities.”

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