By Cesar Antonio Nucum Jr.

SAN FRANCISCO — “At a time when our leaders in Washington DC want to divide us, we in California are convening and bringing people together.”

Thus said Director and California Chief Service Officer of Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GO-SERVE) Josh Fryday at the launch of  the “California Connects: Regional Convenings” at the Hyatt Hotel in San Francisco with a diverse mix of partner organizations sharing important state and local information and resources.

The event is scheduled to be repeated at other California, cities including Los Angeles, Anaheim, Sacramento, Riverside, Oxnard, San Diego and Fresno.

“When DC shuts down, CA steps up to support communities,” Fryday said. “Today we launched the California Connect series to connect people, organizations, government offices and philanthropy to state resources, to each other and to their communities. And when they want to divide us, we in California are convening and bringing people together.”

“We are talking about how we collaborate in a time those in our federal government wanted to dismantle our agencies, want to hide resources, want to take down our websites, we are here today to say California is going to be transparent. Our goal is to get more resources to the communities, into your hand, and the people you represent and work with,” Fryday stressed.

Fryday said the event was convened to figure out solutions and forge partnerships with participants through engagement  that has to be two-way as how the government works to be functional and work well.

Fryday said that “we are living in a different moment that people feel not just divided and polarized in politics but also feel disconnected in their communities and feel isolated, feel that they live too much online that we have to do things and connect people to resources differently.”

“We have to figure out how to connect organizations, people and civil society differently. This is an all-hands-on deck moment right now that means we need everybody. We need everyone if we are going to solve the different challenges that we have in society and facing our communities with the 40 million people which is California’s most important asset as to how do we connect, engage, inspire, mobilize, organize them, and make sure that they, every Californian, know that they belong to our community so that they can thrive in our community,” Fryday said.

 “Our hope is that you walk away with an understanding of new resources for yourself, your organizations, and for the people you represent and with new ideas,” he said.        

Attendees in the San Francisco conference were partners of the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications (OCPSC), California Volunteers (CV) and Youth Empowerment Commission (YEC) that include community-based organizations (CBO), state departments and agencies, local government representatives, philanthropic organizations, other partners working alongside state departments and agencies to strengthen regional networks and address community needs.

Acting Executive Director Aubrie Fong of the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications recalled that OCPSC has been convening and community connections across the state over the last three years

“Your presence today will be a chance for the state government to listen, learn and connect alongside the organizations and leaders of diversified communities. We are here to ensure that resources are not just announced but also reach the people who need them through partnership in this room,” Fong said. “OCPSC work is in collaboration by bringing together state department, core members, youth leaders, and community organizations to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness. It is about working together.”

California Connects: Regional Convenings are a first-of-their-kind opportunity to bring together community partners, state agencies, and local leaders in one shared space rooted in Governor Newsom’s vision of service and collaboration that are designed to spark new connections, strengthen resilience, and equip organizations with the tools and resources they need to make lasting impact in their communities.   

One of the nonprofit CBOs that was active convening is the Self Help for the Elderly, a grantee of OCPSC on climate change, water conservation, disaster and emergency planning to communities with diverse and large population including immigrants that are often are underserved and overlooked. They provide a variety of services for seniors, such as home care, adult day care, senior housing, and social services that are designed to support independence, dignity, and well-being.

The Self Help for the Eldery Chief Executive Officer Anni Chung said that they serve primarily very low-income immigrant seniors, Asian (about 37% of San Francisco’s population many of whom are non-English speakers that makes them so isolated and low-income that even when resources are out there, they could not access it) and Pacific Islanders.

Chung gave the insight that Asian hate crimes continue to prevail in places with large concentration of Asians like California and New York and figures given out on incidents of hate crimes are usually under reported as Asians do not usually report crimes

“They get hurt but they don’t report.  We still hear people that gets kicked or slapped During the first Trump administration, Asians get blamed as source of COVID-19, while this second Trump administration, Asians get blamed for supposed trade imbalance so they charge a lot for tariffs on countries, like Korea, China, Philippines so all the food items and clothing are much more expensive,” said Chung.  

Chung also observed that because of the Trump administration’s immigration policy, many Asians are not immigrating to the U.S. any more like the Canadians.

“Chinese are not coming because if the country does not welcome you, they won’t come. This administration does not welcome Asians. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids are targeting Hispanic and Asian minorities. I think this administration does not value minorities. When you look at the policies, they keep taking away women, seniors and children minorities. They have stopped aging programs, women programs, planned parenthood and all of those that are under attack right now. We have to push back. We have to fight back. Fight fire with fire. We have to be united as Asians,” urged Chung.

Chung lamented that because the immigration problem is hanging above the heads of Asians like the other people of color “we cannot do anything that will get our people arrested.”  

“As Asians that also represent many different ethnic groups, we all have to be united and fight back. It is very dangerous right now. If we too vocal out there, then they use that to deport our people. We have to strike a balance then. We have to push back but be careful not to endanger our people,” Chung said. “Our Asian representatives should unite and work with the Hispanics, the African Americans and other minority groups to have a bigger group for there is strength in numbers. Your mind will tell what you are capable of. If they keep telling you are capable, the midterm election is coming let us win back enough house representatives.”