As San Jose considers a new identity for one of its oldest public spaces, residents are beginning to weigh what — and who — the city’s downtown plaza should represent for generations to come. Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services officials held a Wednesday meeting to kick off plans to rename Plaza de César Chávez, inviting residents...
Santa Clara County looks to fund Latino ‘health promoters’
Latino community health workers in Santa Clara County, known as promotores de salud or “health promoters,” have for years knocked on doors that others couldn’t. Now the county needs them again — and has plans to make them a permanent part of the region’s public health system. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously...
UPDATE: San Jose prepares to strip public tributes to Cesar Chavez
San Jose leaders are advancing plans to start scrubbing late labor leader Cesar Chavez’s name from the city following recent allegations of abuse. The San Jose Rules and Open Government Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved moving forward with the early stages of taking Chavez’s name off city-owned sites, such as Plaza de Cesar Chavez in...
Silicon Valley social workers meet clients in secret due to ICE fears
As fears of federal agent encounters grow and immigrant families avoid leaving home, workers in Santa Clara County are finding creative ways to meet clients in safe spaces. That community effort has formed an underground support network where social workers who are SEIU 521 union members shift visits to odd hours of the night, connect...
San Jose labor leader’s legacy crushed by ‘painful’ allegations
The San Jose community is grappling with allegations that labor leader Cesar Chavez abused women and children. The claims hit close to home for Northern California’s largest city, which which was home to the late UFW co-founder and civil rights icon. Shocking allegations against Chavez claiming he abused young women and children have drawn condemnation...
Retired East San Jose advocate leaves lasting legacy
When Rose Amador took over as the director of San Jose nonprofit ConXión to Community 43 years ago, it was a flailing organization on the brink of shutting down. Through Amador’s grit and determination, the organization survived budget deficits, a housing market crash, the pandemic and current grant cuts. Her steady hand helped the nonprofit...
Silicon Valley Latina wage gap worst in nation
Latinas in California experience the greatest wage gap in the nation — and it’s unlikely to change soon with the federal government stripping the country’s social safety net. That doesn’t bode well for Latinas in Santa Clara County who haven’t seen much upward movement in wages over the last few years, despite having the largest...
Santa Clara County declares public health crisis for Latino residents
Latinos in Santa Clara County suffer from higher rates of poverty, lower rates of high school graduation and more deaths from diabetes than other groups. Officials want to find ways to close that gap. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously declared a public health crisis for Latino residents, and is committing...
Santa Clara County homeless Latinos fall through safety net
Despite Latinos making up a large portion of the Santa Clara County’s homeless population, the group tends to be invisible. The Latino homeless population has exploded over the years. In 2007, Latinos made up 28% of Santa Clara County’s homeless residents, peaking at 47% in 2022 — they’re now 40% of the homeless population, according...
Santa Clara County Latino health report exposes major gaps
The number of Latino residents dying by suicide has gone up 48% over the last 15 years while making up half of Santa Clara County’s homeless population — and they’re reporting more instances of unfair medical treatment than any other demographic in the county. These are just a sampling of the findings from a massive,...