Reality check
In Translation Equation (April 22), we were treated to a quotation from Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board Member Chris Arend: The rule is when you address the board . you can address the board in English. You do not address the board in Spanish, which none of us understand.
Let s unpack that.
According to the 2019 census (the most recent data I could get for Paso), Paso Robles was 38 percent Hispanic or Latino. It was 57.3 percent white alone.
Furthermore, the 2019 California census reported the state was 39.4 percent Hispanic or Latino, and merely 36.5 percent white alone.
Trends suggest that the Hispanic or Latino percentages have gone up since 2019.
Paso Robles community activist Yessenia Echevarria founded Paso People s Action and Mujeres de Acción (Women of Action) as a way to inform and support the Latino and Spanish-speaking residents in the city. She worked with the city to get the word out about COVID-19 safety and used social media to spread the news about a high school ethnic studies course proposed by the Paso Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. Echevarria said she s constantly in contact with the community to identify and address their needs through local partnerships. A lot of her recent work has focused on rallying Latino and Spanish speakers to participate in school board meetings by speaking about their experiences during public comment in a language that they re comfortable with.
–Paso People’s Action, a grassroots progressive organization, and the Paso Robles High School Black Student Union, on Sunday announced their plans for a digital Black History Month celebration on their respective Facebook and Instagram social media pages.
Black History Month is an annual celebration that takes place each February to commemorate the achievements of Black Americans and honor historical events. Amid racial injustice and the Black Lives Matter movement, the month has taken on greater significance to bring awareness to Black achievements, cultural elements, and struggles.
“We’re excited to kick off a month where we get to share the cultural and life experiences of the black community”, said Kelen Macharia, President of the Paso Robles High School Black Student Union. “We invite anyone interested to join the conversation and get engaged.”
–The general election may be over, but work continues for the California Democratic Party as it organizes the Assembly District Elections Meeting (ADEM). Held every two years, and virtual this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these meetings elect delegates who will represent their respective Assembly Districts, promote the Democratic Party agenda, and endorse key candidates.
The filing period to be a delegate has closed, but the election process for delegates is just beginning. Any registered Democrat in the state of California is eligible to vote in their respective district and can submit an application to https://ademelections.com/?isCandidate=False before midnight on Jan. 11.
–Children’s television host Fred Rogers, affectionately known as Mr. Rogers, once shared that his mother would encourage him to look for the helpers during a scary time. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided plenty of heroes here in San Luis Obispo County, from the teachers who are adjusting to online coursework to the first responders who are tasked with keeping us safe and healthy.
Everyday citizens have also stepped up to the call, filling in for at-capacity government leaders who have seen their own capabilities stretched. My position as Chair of the SLO County Democratic Party, allows me to often find inspiring community leaders putting in the work, and today, I’d like to share the story of a Paso Robles resident Yessenia Echevarria.