February 2020

The Moral Response: Just and Sacred

Dear Friends,

With 2020 in high gear, we are faced everyday with reminders of why we do this holy work together. On January 27th, the Supreme Court set aside an injunction that allows the Trump Administration’s cruel public charge rule to go into effect, a move that will force families to choose between applying for a green card or receiving life-saving benefits like MediCAL, food stamps, and housing vouchers. 

In the throes of what sometimes feels like an onslaught of terrible news, CLUE is committed to fighting for the dignity and human rights of all immigrants and refugees who arrive at our shores, and all low-wage workers who struggle everyday to feed their families and live in safety. We know that we are stronger together, and we find hope, strength, and grace in the solidarity of our movement and our work together.

CLUE has been busy in this new year, walking with workers in Orange County and Los Angeles County, organizing for a complete count in Census 2020, and advocating for the most vulnerable among us. 

On January 6th, CLUE’s Faith-Rooted Organizer, David Jaimes, was invited by Sojourners, a Washington, DC-based group, to participate in a gathering of national faith leaders to bear witness and learn more about how this administration’s anti-immigrant policies are affecting people on both sides of the US/Mexico border. Sojourner Magazine’s own Jim Wallis, led a unique service of Christian communion on the Mexican side of the border in Playas, Tijuana. David reflects on his experience:

“In this new year, CLUE will continue to resist the growing anti-immigrant policies that are impacting so many vulnerable communities that contribute to this country. The policies put forth by the current administration, are taking away basic human rights like housing, food, and public health services, to families that need it the most.”

We invite you to read on about our work that closed 2019 and upcoming actions and events.

Your donation makes a difference. Become a monthly donor today!

In faith and solidarity,

Michelle M. Seyler

Executive Director

In this issue

CLUE’s Fifth Annual Architects of Justice Gala is February 13th, 2020 in Santa Ana. Get your tickets today!

Economic Justice

• Unite Here John Wayne Airport food service workers protest stalled contract negotiations
• Kaiser NUHW Mental Health Workers 5-day walkout
• Disney workers sue to enforce living wage ordinance
• Long Beach considers regulations on Short Term Rentals
• Shore Hotel & Coastal Commission Update

Justice for Immigrants

• CLUE Denounces the Implementation of the Expanded Public Charge Rule
• Advocacy Continues in South Orange County 
• NALEO Educational Fund Hotline and Resources

Community Partnerships

• Please Sign the Clergy Letter in support of the LGBTQ+ Student Bill of Rights in Orange County
• THRIVE Santa Ana
• Orange County Women’s March 2020
• CLUE’s We Count LA Census Outreach and Education News

Calling all lovers of justice -- CLUE’s 5th Annual Architects of Justice Gala is Thursday, February 13, 2020! 

Thank you to all our supporters who have already purchased tickets, sponsorships, or ads. We appreciate you!

At its 5th Annual Architects of Justice Celebration and Gala, CLUE is thrilled to honor the brave grocery workers of UFCW 324, who won an incredible contract victory this year with tremendous support from community and faith leaders, and the Rev. Samuel Pullen and Los Alamitos Community United, whose moral courage in standing with our immigrant communities inspires us all. We will be blessed with a keynote address from activist Guerline Jozef of the Haitian Bridge Alliance and will also feature special guest Apolonio Cortes, a longtime dedicated Santa Ana resident, to share a story of leadership and vision that is transforming our communities. 

RSVP for TICKETS and SPONSORSHIPS by February 6

When: Thursday, February 13, 2020, 6-9pm
Where: Temple Beth Sholom, 2625 N. Tustin Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92705

Economic Justice

Unite Here John Wayne Airport food service workers protest stalled contract negotiations

On December 18th, 2019, Unite Here Local 11 food service workers at John Wayne Airport in Orange County marched outside of the departures terminal for several hours. They alerted flyers to their stalled negotiations with HMS Host, the company contracted to staff and cook for the variety of restaurants and coffee shops where everyday thousands of passengers eat and de-stress before and in between flights. CLUE community and local community leaders joined workers to march and pray, and to celebrate their devoted service to passengers despite incredible understaffing, and an insulting contract proposal from management that would leave most workers at approximately 30 cents above next year’s minimum wage. Stay tuned for more updates as their campaign for dignified wages continues.

Kaiser NUHW Mental Health Workers 5-day walkout

Rev. Terry LePage leading a prayer with Kaiser mental health workers outside the Kaiser facility in Anaheim.

From December 16th to 20th, 2019, NUHW Kaiser Mental Health therapists and clinicians joined community and faith leaders across California in a five-day walkout to protest Kaiser’s extremely dangerous delays in mental health care. After nearly a decade of trying to get Kaiser to shorten the four to six week delay that most mental health patients experience when seeking timely care, exasperated clinicians hit the streets again to raise awareness of their patients’ plight, and to push Kaiser to act. Since then, NUHW therapists are delighted that Governor Gavin Newsom is on their side with proposals to crack down on health care companies “that fail to provide patients with mental health care comparable with that they provide for physical illnesses.” NUHW President Sal Rosselli celebrated what could be a historic moment for California as the governor has committed to “force state regulators to be on the side of patients and clinicians, instead of the side of providers such as Kaiser.” Please stay tuned for updates on this important struggle.

Disney workers sue to enforce living wage ordinance

Disneyland workers from multiple unions came together once again in December to announce a lawsuit against Disney and Sodexo, demanding that their hard-fought living wage ordinance, Measure L, be enforced. Measure L requires that Disney Resort workers' wages be raised from as low as $11 an hour in 2018 up to $18 an hour by 2022. But after the residents of Anaheim overwhelmingly voted to approve the measure, Disney and Sodexo claimed they are exempt from the new ordinance. With CLUE support, Disney workers won contracts that raised many to Measure L levels. However there are still several thousand workers left out of the higher rates, making legal action essential.

Long Beach considers regulations on Short Term Rentals

CLUE’s Long Beach committee is working to preserve affordable housing in the city through several pieces of legislation. In January, the Long Beach City Council voted 5-4 to reject a November 2020 ballot measure that would create $298 million in funds to build new affordable housing. We expect to help the Everyone In campaign gather signatures to override this decision. Additionally, Long Beach clergy and laity are fighting to win robust regulations of the short term rental industry so that neighborhoods do not become de facto hotels. 

To take action, contact your Long Beach council member directly here. 

Shore Hotel & Coastal Commission Update

Unite Here Local 11 and CLUE have been engaged in the Shore hotel fight for a long time. The hotel opened without applying for proper permits and demolished two affordable hotels to make room for the project. In December, CLUE presented in front of the Coastal Commission asking them to deny the Shore hotel a retroactive permit. One of our own, Vivian Rothstein, shared her story of coming to California and how access to the coast made her and her family feel welcome. We believe it is essential that working class people have easy access to our shores and CLUE will keep advocating for better access to the coast. The coastal commission ultimately decided to give the Shore an after the fact permit and they are now required to offer 72 moderately priced rooms to the public. We will monitor their progress and will be in conversation about what this looks like.

Thank you to our amazing supporters, including Andrea Hodos and Rabbi Aryeh Cohen, who recently celebrated their anniversary with a Facebook fundraiser to benefit CLUE. Mazel tov! Your generosity inspires us!  

Please consider dedicating your next birthday on Facebook to CLUE! Did you know that you can support CLUE's work by creating a simple birthday fundraiser on Facebook? It's easy to do, just visit https://www.facebook.com/fund/CLUEJustice/. Thanks!

Justice for Immigrants

CLUE Denounces the Implementation of the Expanded Public Charge Rule

On Monday, January 27th, the Supreme Court set aside an injunction that barred the implementation of the Trump Administration’s public charge rule, allowing the new law to go into effect while potential challenges pend at the state level. The proposed rule, which was first published in October of 2018, garnered hundreds of thousands of public comments from immigration advocates who feared how it would adversely affect immigrant families across the nation. The Supreme Court ruling marks a significant and harmful change that will fundamentally alter our immigration system, making it much harder for low and moderate income immigrants to obtain lawful permanent resident status. It will also make immigrants more fearful to receive critical support like health care and nutrition programs that help working families thrive and engage in their communities. 

CLUE will continue to monitor the progress of state challenges to this final rule as we believe that the implementation of these changes is another xenophobic attack on the fabric of our country that will only prove to harm immigrant communities across the country. 

For more information about what this rule includes, click here. 

For actions and updates, please visit our partners at Protecting Immigrant Families. 

Our Advocacy Continues in South Orange County and Santa Ana

CLUE invites you to engage and push back against policies that will ultimately deny immigrants their basic human rights. In Orange County, individuals and organizations are coming together in both South OC and Santa Ana to support directly impacted communities with a Rapid Response Network and Asylum Seeker Support Trainings for Congregations. Fellow clergy leaders Deacon Roberta Wall and Rev. Terry LePage are actively supporting these efforts and we invite you to join us.

For more information and to get involved, please contact CLUE’s Faith-Rooted Organizer, David Jaimes at [email protected].    

NALEO Educational Fund Hotline and Resources

CLUE is partnering with NALEO Educational Fund for our census and immigration outreach efforts. NALEO’s Spanish and English hotline offers naturalization consultations and referrals, voter protection information, and census information. Please share this incredible resource with your communities!

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Become a CLUE sustainer with a monthly gift today!

Community Partnerships

Please Sign the Clergy Letter in support of the LGBTQ+ Student Bill of Rights in Orange County

As people of faith, we believe everyone is created in the image of God and are worthy of being treated with love and respect. Orange County Clergy and religious leaders from across the religious spectrum call for the equal rights and protection of all students, especially vulnerable students who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and those Questioning their sexual and/or gender identity.  We further call on all schools and districts to have inclusive and affirming school policies, and data driven curriculum on the subject, for the benefit of all students and families. Accurate and informed education is the best weapon against extremist hateful misinformation, and the spreading of medically inaccurate research regarding LGBTQ+ students.

To sign the clergy sign-on letter and to get more information on LGBTQ+ Student Bill of Rights, please visit:

https://orangecounty.adl.org/lgbtq-bill-of-rights/

THRIVE Santa Ana

Through this video, we want to share a few examples of our vital community work in Santa Ana.

The video features our very own Faith-Rooted Organizer, Lucero Garcia, and Santa Ana resident leader, Apolonio Cortes, speaking about the work of THRIVE Santa Ana on keeping public lands in community hands. Please click here to learn more.

Please learn more and get involved with making this community project a reality by contacting faith-rooted organizer Lucero Garcia at [email protected]. 

Please get involved with either our Black & Brown Clergy & Community Coalition or our Black Jewish Justice Alliance by contacting CLUE’s faith-rooted organizer Pastor Cue JnMarie at [email protected]. 

Orange County Women’s March 2020

OC Women’s March in Downtown Santa Ana on Saturday, January 18th, 2020.

On January 18th, CLUE joined thousands at the Annual Women’s March in Orange County. We peacefully took to the streets with signs of protest, solidarity, and to make our voices heard.

CLUE’s We Count LA Census Outreach and Education News

Census Day is April 1, 2020. Be sure to fill out your form by April 30, 2020.

For more information or to request materials, please contact Rev. Pastor Juan Carlos Durruthy at [email protected] or (323) 536-0916 and visit CLUEJustice.org/census2020 to get involved.

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CLUE's Mission is to educate, organize and mobilize the faith community to accompany workers and their families in their struggle for good jobs, dignity, and justice.
http://www.cluejustice.org/