GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
THANK YOU. UM I WOULD LIKE TO
GET THE, UH, SELECT COMMITTEE ON
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. UH, HEARING,
UH, STARTED THIS MORNING. WE
HAVE, UH, ASSEMBLY MEMBERS THAT
ARE JOINING US AS AND AS YOU
KNOW, IT'S A IT'S A, UH, A HEAVY
SCHEDULING TIME, SO THEY'LL BE
IN AND OUT, BUT I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE GET STARTED ON TIME
TO RESPECT YOUR TIME. UH AND,
UH, WITH THAT, UH, YOU KNOW
HELLO AGAIN. I'M ASSEMBLY WOMAN,
BLANCA RUBIO REPRESENT THE 48TH
ASSEMBLY DISTRICT IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. AND I'M ALSO CHAIR
OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. UH I WOULD
LIKE TO WELCOME UH, ALL OF YOU
HERE TODAY. REALLY APPRECIATE IT
, UH, AS YOU KNOW, OR IF YOU
DON'T KNOW, I, UH I HAVE A
PERSONAL STORY WITH DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE. MY SISTER IS A
SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AND THROUGH THIS JOURNEY WHEN I
WAS ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATURE,
I FIGURED WHAT BETTER WAY TO
PARTICIPATE THAN TO BE THE
SELECT COMMITTEE CHAIR. UM AND
SO I BEEN THE CHAIR. UH THEN
COVID HAPPENED. WE WERE, YOU
KNOW, ON OUR WAY, UM, TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE WERE AT LEAST
DISCUSSING AND TRYING TO RESOLVE
SOME OF THESE ISSUES, BUT THEN
COVID CAME AND WE STARTED DOING
REMOTE. UH, BUT UNFORTUNATELY,
UH COVID, UH, ACTUALLY, UH,
INCREASED, IN MY OPINION, AND I
THINK THERE'S DATA TO SHOW THAT
INCREASE THE INSTANT UH, THE
INSTANCES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
SO I THINK NOW WE HAVE MORE WORK
THAN WE EVER THOUGHT, UH, THAT
WE HAD, UH, IT WAS UNFORTUNATE,
BUT THAT SOME OF THESE ISSUES
CAME TO THE SURFACE SO THAT WE
CAN AT LEAST START TALKING. AND,
UH, TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF
THOSE, UM AS YOU KNOW, DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE IMPACTS MANY PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT JUST THE, UH, THE
ACTUAL VICTIM, BUT THE FAMILY
MEMBERS, THE CHILDREN, I THINK
THAT'S UH, THE ISSUE THAT WE
HAVEN'T REALLY DISCUSSED THAT
MUCH IS HOW IT AFFECTS CHILDREN.
UH, THROUGH THIS, UH, YOU KNOW,
ORDEAL AND, UH FAMILY MEMBERS,
PARENTS, BROTHERS SISTERS, EVERY
EVERYBODY IS KIND OF, UH, WE'RE
ALL VICTIMS, UH, AT SOME FORM OR
ANOTHER, AND, UH, FOR MOST OF
US, WE HAVE NÓ IDEA. WE DON'T
KNOW WHAT ACTUALLY DO AND I
THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S SO
IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP HAVING
THESE HEARINGS BECAUSE I LEARNED
SOMETHING NEW EVERY SINGLE TIME
AND I'VE SHARED WITH YOU. UM AND
I HATE TO SAY IT THIS WAY, BUT
I'M VERY FRANK ABOUT, UH, MY
SISTER'S ABUSER. UM AS IT'S BEEN
THE ORIGINAL, UH, COURT, UH,
FILING WAS IN 2016. WE HAD A
THREE YEAR RESTRAINING ORDER. HE
VIOLATED THE RESTRAINING ORDER
AND IA, A DIFFERENT COURT. A
DIFFERENT JUDGE ISSUED FIVE YEAR
RESTRAINING ORDER. AND UH, WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT RESTRAINING ORDERS
, YOU THINK OH, WE'RE DONE. IT'S
ALL OVER. THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
AND WE, UM WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE
OF A LAWSUIT. UH HE'S SUING US
FOR MULTIPLE THINGS. UH,
DEFAMATION BEING ONE AND, UH,
FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE CAN'T
GET RID OF THAT CONSTANT
CONSTANT, UH, I WANT TO CALL IT
TORTURE BUT THE CONSTANT, UH
ASSAULT IF YOU WILL OF JUST OUR
OUR DAILY LIVES. IT MAY NOT BE
PHYSICAL, BUT IT'S MENTAL. AH,
THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED ON GUESS
WHEN. FEBRUARY 14TH OF 2022 JUST
ON YOU KNOW VALENTINE'S DAY. UM
AND I WAS REALLY SHOCKED. I WAS
LIKE, OH, MY GOD. WHO DOES THAT
RIGHT, WELL, COME TO FIND OUT
THAT THAT'S THE REGULAR
OPERATION OF SOMEBODY. THAT
ABUSES IS THEY PAY? UM
VALENTINE'S MOTHER'S DAY ALL OF
THE MAJOR HOLIDAYS TO REMIND
THEIR THEIR VICTIMS THAT THEY'RE
STILL THERE AND UH, IT'S
DIFFICULT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I
THINK I THINK YOU KNOW, I'M AN
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. I HAVE
RESOURCES. YOU KNOW, THIS
COULDN'T BE HAPPENING TO ALL OF
US, RIGHT? AND UM, AS YOU KNOW,
MY SISTER IS THE SENATOR AND WE,
BY ALL ACCOUNTS HAVE ALL OF THE
ACCESS THAT THAT WE CAN NEED AND
EVEN WE ARE STILL GOING THROUGH
THIS. I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT
FOLKS THAT DON'T HAVE RESOURCES,
FOLKS THAT DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO
GO TO, UM WHAT THEY'RE GOING
WELL, I GUESS I CAN'T IMAGINE. I
KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.
UM BECAUSE IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT
THERE'S SUCH A BIG DISCONNECT
BETWEEN, UH WHAT'S HAPPENING ON
A DAILY BASIS AND THE RESOURCES
THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE NOW NOT
TO SAY THAT WE DON'T OFFER AND
WE HAVEN'T MADE A STRIDES TO
MAKE SURE THAT VICTIMS HAVE SOME
RESOURCES. SUPPORT BUT IT'S NOT
ENOUGH AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND I
THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE
TOPIC TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU KNOW HOW IT AFFECTS
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, UH, AT
THE END OF THE DAY, EACH
COMMUNITY IS AFFECTED, AND
THAT'S WHAT THE GOAL IS TO HAVE
THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND TRY TO PUT
SOME AT LEAST ONE ACTIONABLE
ITEM ON ON THE YOU KNOW, AFTER
THE DISCUSSION THAT WE CAN
ACTUALLY COME BACK AND SAY, HEY,
WE DID THAT BECAUSE IT FEELS
OVERWHELMING BECAUSE THERE'S SO
MANY ISSUES, BUT I'VE LEARNED I
WAS A TEACHER. SO I LEARNED THAT
IF WE TRY TO TACKLE EVERYTHING
AT ONCE, WE'RE JUST CHASING AT
OUR TAIL. AT THAT POINT, IF WE
AT LEAST FOCUS ON 12 OR THREE
ACTIONS THAT WE CAN COMPLETE BY
THE NEXT TIME WE MEET, THEN WE
WE'VE MOVED THE NEEDLE SO TO
SPEAK, UH, TO TRY AND TACKLE
THIS, UM, THIS MAJOR ISSUE THIS
ISSUE, UH, AFFECTS, UH MEN,
WOMEN OF WOMEN. UH, PEOPLE OF
COLOR. UM. CAUCASIAN IT DOESN'T
DISCRIMINATE. POOR PEOPLE, RICH
PEOPLE, IT IT ENCOMPASSES ALL OF
US. ALL OF OUR GROUPS, UH, ARE
NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY OR
LATINO COMMUNITY, OUR AFRICAN
AMERICAN COMMUNITY, OUR ASIAN
COMMUNITIES. YOU KNOW, ALL OF
ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES ARE
AFFECTED BY THIS AND THEN THAT'S
THE COMMUNITY WIDE. BUT I THINK
IN GENERAL AFFECTS THE PSYCHE OF
ALL OF US. AND IT'S A TRAGEDY
FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR
THE UNITED STATES THAT WE ARE
STILL TRYING TO PUT RESOURCES
AND, UM, HELPING THE VICTIMS.
AND BUT I'M REALLY PROUD TO SAY
THAT, UM. THAT THROUGH THE
PARTNERSHIPS, UH, WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO AT LEAST PUT SOME RELIEF
FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE AFFECTED
BY THIS. UM I DO WANT TO THANK
THE PARTNERSHIP ON DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN VERY
INSTRUMENTAL, UH, IN HELPING US
TRY TO NAVIGATE THROUGH SOME OF
THESE ISSUES. I WAS AT A RALLY
LAST WEEK FOR THE TEAM. UH TEAM
OF, UH, VIOLENCE PREVENTION, AND
THERE WAS THERE HAD BEEN AN
INCIDENT AND THAT WAS, YOU KNOW,
UH, TRYING TO GET TO THE PODIUM
AND I COULDN'T BECAUSE I HAD TO.
I WAS UPSET OVER AN ISSUE WITH
THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ABUSER AND
, UM, GAVE GAVE THEM AN EARFUL.
AND THEN I WAS LIKE, OK, NOW I
CAN AND I CAN, YOU KNOW, GO AND
DO THIS. SO ON A DAILY BASIS AND
ON A YOU KNOW, WE THINK WE'RE
WE'RE FREE, BUT WE'RE NOT.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT
COMES UP. SO I WANNA THANK ALL
OF YOU FOR BEING HERE AS WELL.
UM BEFORE WE START, UH, THE
PANEL. WELL ACTUALLY, OUR
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS ARE NOT HERE.
WE'VE UH, MADE SOME PHONE CALLS
AGAIN. PATIENTS, PLEASE. BUT I,
UH THIS IS SO IMPORTANT THAT I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL
KNOW OBVIOUSLY THIS IS RECORDED.
UH BUT WE USE THE INFORMATION TO
DO, UH, TO HAVE NEXT STEPS AND
MY COLLEAGUES WHEN THEY ARRIVE.
THEY HAVE BEEN TRUE PARTNERS
WITH ME. AS SOON AS I SAID, HEY,
I'M GOING TO, UH, DO THIS AGAIN.
LET'S TRY. WE HAD EVERYBODY JUMP
IN AND SAY I WANNA PARTICIPATE,
AND SO I KNOW THEY'LL BE HERE
AND, UH, WITH THAT, UH, I WOULD
LIKE TO CALL THE FIRST PANEL UP
TO PRESENT UH WHAT ON ISSUES
SURROUNDING THE PREVENTION OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THEY WILL
COVER TOPICS SUCH AS COMMUNITY
MOBILIZATION AND SCHOOL BASED
OUTREACH. I THINK THAT'S SO
IMPORTANT, ALL OF IT IS
IMPORTANT, BUT SCHOOL BASED
OUTREACH FROM THE, UH, RALLY
THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK. IT IS
AMAZING HOW MANY OF OUR CHILDREN
ARE GOING THROUGH NOT JUST
ISSUES WITH THEIR PARENTS, BUT
PERSONAL ISSUES AT SCHOOL, AND I
THINK IF WE CAN HELP THEM
THROUGH THIS NOW WE CAN, UM,
TEACH THEM ABOUT HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIPS. I'M REALLY
EXCITED. TO HEAR ABOUT THAT. AND
THEN SO TODAY WITH US AND
SPEAKING IN THIS ORDER WILL BE
DR PAMELA TATE. UH, THE CO
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BLACK
WOMEN REVOLT AGAINST DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE. UH PABLO ESPINOSA, THE
CO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
COMMUNITY UNITED AGAINST
VIOLENCE, AND THAT UH WIDEMANN
COMMUNITY PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR
THE CENTER, UH FOR THE PACIFIC
ASIAN FAMILY, IF YOU WOULD
PLEASE COME UP REALLY WOULD
APPRECIATE THAT AND THEN WE CAN
GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING AND
WELCOME AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
GET STARTED WITH DOCTOR PAMELA
TATE. MORNING. YOU'RE ALL HERE.
THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING,
EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING
US HERE, UM, PAMELA TATE AND I
AM FROM BLACK WOMEN REVOLT
AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND IT
IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU
AGAIN AND TO SEE YOU AGAIN AFTER
THE TEEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RALLY
WE HAD A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. UM
I WANTED TO START OFF WITH JUST
TALKING ABOUT BLACK WOMEN REVOLT
. WE ARE TWO YEAR OLD WELL 2.5
YEAR OLD ORGANIZATION BASED IN
SAN FRANCISCO, AND I HAVE
EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE COMING FROM MULTIPLE,
UM, AREAS WITHIN THE FIELD, AS
WELL AS PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND SO I
WANTED TO SAY WHEN I STARTED AT
MY PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT PRIOR TO
WORKING IN THIS ORG I HAD REALLY
REACHED OUT AND TRIED TO GET
FUNDING FOR PREVENTION. UM,
SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS YOUNG
ADULTS WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND OR
OR KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND IT WAS IMPORTANT
AND WE WERE FORTUNATE WHEN I
MOVED OVER TO THIS ORGANIZATION.
TO GET FUNDED FROM CALLOW
SPECIFICALLY AROUND PREVENTION.
UM FOR THE FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO
THAT, EVERY YEAR WE COME UP WITH
PROGRAMMING, AND I WOULD SAY I'M
INTERESTED IN RUNNING SOMETHING
SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS
PREVENTION FOR NOT JUST ADULTS,
BUT FOR YOUNG ADULTS AND
CHILDREN. AND THERE WAS NEVER
ANY FUNDING. THAT WAS
DISHEARTENING, BUT I WAS
GRATEFUL WHEN WE STARTED BLACK
WOMEN REVOLT TO BE ABLE TO SAY,
HEY, WE CAN PUT TOGETHER A YOUTH
ADVISORY COUNCIL AND SO EXCUSE
ME. WE DID THAT, UM, THE GREAT
THING ABOUT THAT HAS BEEN WE GET
TO WORK WITH YOUNG ADULTS AND
REALLY START TO ADDRESS AND HELP
THEM UNDERSTAND? WHAT IS
DOMESTIC ABUSE? UM WE'VE DONE A
COUPLE OF FOCUS GROUPS, IN
ADDITION TO AN ONLINE SURVEY
AROUND SAN FRANCISCO
SPECIFICALLY TO FIND OUT WHAT
DID YOUNG ADULTS AND CHILDREN
KNOW ABOUT DOMESTIC ABUSE AND
IMME IMMEDIATELY THEY WOULD
ALWAYS SAY THINGS LIKE, WELL,
I'M IN THIS RELATIONSHIP, BUT HE
DIDN'T HIT ME. SHE DIDN'T HIT ME
AND WE WERE LIKE THERE. LOT MORE
THAT IS INVOLVED IN DOMESTIC
ABUSE. AND SO AS WE TALKED ABOUT
THE DIFFERENT AREAS, EMOTIONAL
ABUSE, FINANCIAL ABUSE, SEXUAL
ABUSE, PHYSICAL ABUSE,
TECHNOLOGICAL ABUSE, WHICH A LOT
OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE
EXPERIENCING, IT BECAME REALLY
OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO
TALK ABOUT PREVENTION. UM AS WE
THINK ABOUT PREVENTION, PEOPLE
GO. THEY'RE TOO YOUNG TO EVEN
UNDERSTAND OR NEED PREVENTION. I
HAD AN INCIDENT AT MY DAUGHTER'S
HIGH SCHOOL IN SAN FRANCISCO
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I
HAPPEN TO BE ON CAMPUS AND A 14
YEAR OLD BOY PUNCHED A 13 YEAR
OLD GIRL THAT HE CAUGHT HIS
GIRLFRIEND IN HER STOMACH. IT
WAS WITNESSED BY SEVERAL
STUDENTS WHO ALL CAME RUNNING
OVER TO THE OFFICE AND HAD AN
INTERVENTION. PRINCIPAL
OBVIOUSLY DEALT WITH IT, BUT FOR
ME, I WAS SHOCKED. UM I DO THIS
WORK AND I JUST WASN'T EXPECTING
FRESHMEN IN HIGH SCHOOL TO BE
ASSAULTING ANOTHER PERSON,
PARTICULARLY SOMEONE THAT THEY
CALL THEIR PARTNER. UM AND SO
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US AND
SPECIFICALLY FOR ME AS A PARENT
TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN ARE
GETTING EDUCATED AROUND, UM
DOMESTIC ABUSE. UM SO WHEN WE
STARTED THESE FOCUS GROUPS, AS I
SAID, THEY KIND OF STARTED
LOOKING AT THINGS AND WHAT
BECAME REALLY NOTICEABLE TO US
WAS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. HAD
EXPERIENCED DOMESTIC ABUSE IN
THEIR HOMES, BUT THEY DIDN'T
TRANSLATE THAT INTO ABUSIVE
RELATIONSHIPS THAT THEY WERE
BEGINNING. AND SO PREVENTION IS
REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE START TO
LOOK AT THAT AND BEGIN TO TALK
WITH THE CHILDREN ABOUT WHAT IS
A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP LOOK LIKE
SO AFTER WE DID OUR FOCUS GROUPS
AND STARTED TO TRY TO RECRUIT
PEOPLE TO SERVE AS OUR YOUTH
ADVISORY COUNCIL. WE APPROACHED
LOCAL CHURCHES. WE APPROACHED
COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UM, THE
LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH
THAT'S THE NEXT TOPIC IS M Ó U
S¼ AND TRYING TO SECURE AN M Ó
U WITH A SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A
WHOLE CRAZY EXPERIENCE UNTO UM
AND BEING ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO
CHILDREN, AND SO WE STARTED
DOING CHURCHES AFTER SCHOOL
PROGRAMS TO KIND OF, SAY, HEY,
LET'S TALK ABOUT HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIPS. IT'S A FREE
SERVICE. WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE
THAT KIDS KNOW THAT THERE ARE
PLACES AND SPACES THAT THEY CAN
GO FOR PREVENTION. UM ONE OF
THOSE THINGS AS WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT, UM, THOSE M Ó U S¼ AND
TRYING TO SECURE THAT WITH THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT. I HAD A VERY
UNIQUE POSITION WHERE I DID
EDUCATIONAL ADVOCACY IN ADDITION
TO DOMESTIC ABUSE ADVOCACY I
WORKED FOR A SHELTER SYSTEM AND
WHEN STUDENTS WOULD COME INTO
SHELTER, I WAS THERE. TRANSITION
PERSON FOR IEP, S¼ AND 50 FOURS
AND DIRECTLY COMMUNICATING WITH
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND SO
PEOPLE KNOW ME, WHICH WAS GOOD,
WHICH IS ALSO HOW WE WERE ABLE
TO GET IN SCHOOLS. I ACTUALLY
HAD THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
TELL ME WE NEED TO BE TALKING TO
MIDDLE SCHOOLERS ABOUT DOMESTIC
ABUSE AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS,
SO WE CREATED SOMETHING CALLED
THE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP PLEDGE.
UM IT STARTS WITH I HAVE I
COMMIT TO HAVE FUN AND ENJOY AND
SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN MY
RELATIONSHIP. I SPEAK UP ABOUT
MY WANTS AND NEEDS. I RESPECT MY
PARTNER'S DIGITAL EMOTIONAL,
SEXUAL, PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL
BOUNDARIES. I ACCEPT
RESPONSIBILITY FOR MYSELF AND MY
ACTIONS AND I PRIORITIZE AND
REFLECT ON MY PERSONAL GOALS AND
RELATIONSHIP. AND FINALLY, I
TRUST THAT. I CAN LEAVE THIS
RELATIONSHIP WHEN IT NÓ LONGER
FEELS SAFE OR SERVES MY NEEDS.
THIS WAS CREATED IN COURT. UM,
EXCUSE ME. THIS WAS CREATION.
CREATED AND CO ORDINATION WITH
SEVERAL OF OUR STUDENTS, AND SO,
UM THIS IS A YOUTH STATEMENT,
AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT,
AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT
THAT WE'D LIKE TO GET OUT IN
FRONT OF MORE YOUTH AS WE TALK
ABOUT PREVENTION, BECAUSE WHAT
THEY DON'T KNOW THEY CAN'T FIX
AND AS ADULTS AND AS WE THINK
ABOUT OUR ROLE AS PARENTS AS
WELL AS TEACHERS, IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE ARE ASSISTING TEACHERS
AS WELL AS PARENTS, UM, TO
EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN, BECAUSE
IF TEACHERS DON'T HAVE TO THE
RESOURCES OR DON'T KNOW WHAT
PREVENTION MEASURES ARE
AVAILABLE. UM WE'VE ALL FAILED
OUR CHILDREN. AND SO, UM, I
WANTED TO SAY THE NEED, OF
COURSE, IS FOR PREVENTION
DOLLARS. AND WHILE WE'RE HERE
TODAY, MOSTLY THINKING ABOUT
VOCA BECAUSE WE NEED THAT MONEY
AS WELL, UM WE ALSO HAVE TO
START ADDRESSING PREVENTION
BECAUSE WE CAN NÓ LONGER PUT
BAND AIDS ON GUNSHOT WOUNDS. WE
NEED CHILDREN TO BE HEALTHY AND
TO GROW UP AND TO BE ABLE TO BE
IN SAFE AND HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIPS. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. UM THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. UH
I THINK, UH, AS YOU KNOW, I WAS
A TEACHER AND, UH, WHEN YOU WERE
SPEAKING I, I TAUGHT, UH,
KINDERGARTEN 1ST 1ST GRADE AND
MY LAST EIGHT YEARS, FOURTH
GRADE. ONE OF MY FOURTH GRADERS.
I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED. YOU'RE LATE. THIS
MORNING IS ALL LIKE, OH, IT'S
CAUSE I COULDN'T SLEEP CAUSE MY
DADDY WAS WAS CHASING MY MOM IN
THE BATHROOM AND HITTING HER AND
HE SAID, A VERY MATTER OF FACT,
AND I WAS LIKE OH, MY GOD. YOU
KNOW, HERE I AM AS A TEACHER
TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE
THAT HE'S ON TIME. AND YOU KNOW,
WHERE'S YOUR BOOK? AND WHERE'S
YOUR YOUR PENCIL? AND THEN HE'S
GOING THROUGH SOME TRAUMA, BUT
HE DIDN'T REALIZE. OBVIOUSLY HE
HAD NÓ IDEA THAT THAT WAS TRAUMA
BECAUSE THAT WAS OF EVERYDAY
OCCURRENCE FOR HIM, AND SO
KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE, AND I
ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THE
YOUTH IS ONE THAT STARTED THIS
BECAUSE I LOOK I'M A PARENT OF A
Tð OF TWO TEENAGERS. MY DAUGHTER
IS 15, AND SHE'S PROBABLY GOING
ON 25 RIGHT NOW. AND THOSE OF
YOU THAT HAVE DAUGHTERS, NÓ AND
MY SON IS A 17 YEAR OLD BOY.
WHO'S A BOY WHO'S 17, WHO IS A
BOY? AND SO THAT TELLS YOU
EVERYTHING, AND SO, BUT
EVERYTHING THAT I TRY TO TELL
THEM, UM THEY'RE LIKE, OH, WHAT
DO YOU KNOW? RIGHT BUT IF
SOMEBODY TELLS THEM WHEN THEIR
FRIENDS TELLS THEM EXACTLY THE
SAME THING NOW IT'S ALL
BRILLIANT, RIGHT? AND THOUGH UH,
THE YOUTH, UM, COMING UP WITH
THIS AND BEING THE ADVOCATES,
UH, IF YOU WILL ARE THE OTHER
CHILDREN OR THE OTHER YOUTH ARE
GOING TO LISTEN TO THE MORE MORE
THAN THEY DO ADULTS AS WE ALL
KNOW, CAUSE WE KNEW IT ALL WHEN
WE WERE THAT AGE AS WELL. AND SO
WE DID IT IN THIS EPISODE. THANK
YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I
WANT TO CONTINUE THE
CONVERSATION ON THE STUDENT LED
OR THE YOUTH LED CONVERSATIONS
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE
CRITICAL PIECE OF MAKING SURE
THAT THAT WE GET THROUGH TO SOME
OF THESE THINGS. UM, STUDENTS?
YES AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. AS A
56 YEAR OLD WOMAN. I DID SEE THE
NEED FOR HAVING SOMEONE WHO'S
YOUNGER. SPEAK TO CHILDREN
BECAUSE CHILDREN RESPOND TO
PEERS, JUST LIKE ADULTS RESPOND
TO PEERS. IT'S IMPORTANT AND
PREVENTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. DOCTOR TATE. UM NEXT,
WE HAVE PABLO ESPINOSA, THAT'S
THE CO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
COMMUNITY UNITED AGAINST
VIOLENCE. OH AND BEFORE WE GET
STARTED, UM, UH, ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS,
UM YOU KNOW, PLEASE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. UM I
JUST IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE
AND TO WORK ON THIS ISSUE WITH,
UM WITH ASSEMBLYMAN WITH THE
ASSEMBLY WOMEN. I KNOW THIS HAS
BEEN A PRIORITY FOR YOU. I KNOW
WE WOULD TRY TO DO A BILL LAST
YEAR. MY BACKGROUND IS A
PROSECUTOR, SO I HAVE A
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THIS
ISSUE DEALING DIRECTLY WITH
VICTIMS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM. UM AND SO ONE THING I
KNOW IS THAT THE CYCLE THE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CYCLE IS A
VERY POWERFUL THING, AND IT
REALLY NEEDS AN OUTSIDE FORCE TO
COME IN AND DISRUPT THAT CYCLE.
AND SO WHEN VICTIMS SPEAK UP AND
FINALLY SEEK THAT HELP, IT'S SO
IMPORTANT THAT THEY ARE HEARD
AND THAT THE SYSTEM LISTENS TO
THEM AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, STEPS
IN AND PROTECTS THEM. AND SO
THAT'S ONE ISSUE I'VE SEEN IS A
LOT OF TIMES THE SYSTEM FAILS.
THESE VICTIMS. SO I'M VERY
INTERESTED IN YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
I'M MOSTLY HERE TO LISTEN AND
SEE WHAT OTHER SOLUTIONS WE CAN
COME UP WITH. UM AND, UH, KEEP
TRYING TO, UH IMPROVE. THE
OUTLOOK FOR, UM FOR EVERYONE, SO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR SILLY,
PABLO. MR. GOOD MORNING. BUENOS
YES. GOOD MORNING. ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS AUDIENCE PRESENT. THANK
YOU FOR PROVIDING YOUR TIME AND
ATTENTION TODAY AND THANK YOU TO
THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA FOR
PROVIDING THE SPACE AND
OPPORTUNITY TO BRING YOU OUR
STORIES AND OUR ASKS MY NAME IS
PABLO ESPINOZA. I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY
UNITED AGAINST VIOLENCE OR CO.
AS WE ARE KNOWN BY OUR ACRONYM.
WE ARE A DIRECT SERVICES
PROVIDER AND PREVENTION PROGRAM
NONPROFIT IN SAN FRANCISCO. I AM
HERE TO DAY ALSO AS A MEMBER
ORGANIZATION OF èC, R Dð VÆ N,
THE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE NETWORK AND AS
A MEMBER OF èC, PE, Dð VÆ,
CALIFORNIA PARTNERSHIP TO END
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AT CO OP WE
WORK WITH AND PRIORITIZE THE
NEEDS OF L GB Tð Q, PLUS
SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE, WHICH
INCLUDES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE,
GENDER BASED VIOLENCE. IT IS IN
THIS VEIN THAT I COME HERE TODAY
TO SHARE WHAT WE DO WHO WE SERVE
AND ALSO WHY WE KNOW THAT
PREVENTION WORKS PREVENTING
VIOLENCE THAT IS JUST AS
IMPORTANT AS RESPONDING TO
VIOLENCE ONCE IT HAS OCCURRED.
WHO HAS BEEN SERVING OUR
COMMUNITY SINCE 1979. AND ONE
THING WE HAVE LEARNED IN OUR
HISTORY IS THAT EDUCATION IS
PREVENTION AND PREVENTION LEADS
TO CHANGE. WE PROVIDE MULTIPLE
CONTAINERS. I N WHICH TO TALK
ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ABOUT
PATTERNS OF ABUSE WAYS TO
ENCOURAGE AND PRIORITIZE HEALING
, INCLUDING COUNSELING, SUPPORT
GROUPS, REFERRALS AND
CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER PROVIDERS
AND THE EQUALLY POWERFUL AND
IMPORTANT CONTAINERS OF
PREVENTION WORK. PREVENTION
EDUCATION, RECOGNIZING THAT
VIOLENCE CAN BE PREVENTED THAT
SURVIVORS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO
HEAL, TO LEARN WHY WE STAY IN
UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND
RECOGNIZING WHY A PARTNER HURTS
US. WHAT CAN MAKE A RELATIONSHIP
UNHEALTHY, ABUSIVE OR EVEN
VIOLENT. BUT THESE SKILLS DON'T
HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU WENT TO SIX
COUNSELING SESSIONS AND MADE IT
TO A SHELTER. THESE LEARNINGS
REQUIRE LONG TERM INVESTMENT.
THESE ARE LIFE CHANGING TOOLS,
AND SOMETIMES THESE TOOLS ARE
EVEN LIFE SAVING. AT CO OP. WE
PROVIDE TRAININGS THAT ANALYZE
VIOLENCE, BUILD CURRICULUM AND
EASY TO DIGEST LEARNING MODULES
THAT SURVIVORS PRACTICE
TOGETHER. WHILE AFFIRMING EACH
OTHER'S EXPERIENCES AND GROWTH.
TRAININGS. THAT ALSO GET AT THE
ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE. AND ASK
SURVIVORS TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT
NEEDS TO CHANGE WITHIN THEM AND
WITHIN SOCIETY. TO GIVE L GB Tð
Q SURVIVORS THE TOOLS TO ADDRESS
VIOLENCE, NOT JUST GET PAST IT.
WE BRING SURVIVORS TOGETHER TO
LEARN STORYTELLING SKILLS AND BE
ABLE TO SHARE WITH OTHERS HOW
THEY BECAME AWARE OF WHAT ABUSE
WAS. AND THEIR COMMITMENTS TO
HAVE BETTER BOUNDARIES IN A
RELATIONSHIP. AND LEARN HOW TO
MAKE REQUESTS THAT GIVE THEM
BALANCE WITH A PARTNER. WE
ENCOURAGE SURVIVORS TO BECOME
MEMBERS OF OUR SAFETY PROGRAM.
LEARN HOW WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR
OURSELVES AS SURVIVORS TOGETHER
THROUGH COMMUNITY MOBILIZATIONS
MEDIA CAMPAIGN WORK WHERE THEY
LEARN TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE
PRESS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES OF
VIOLENCE AND HEALING. WHY DO I
COME HERE TO GIVE PRAISES TO OUR
L GB Tð Q PLUS COMMUNITY OF
SURVIVORS BECAUSE FOR THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS, THIS NETWORK èC
R Dð VÆ N. HAS CO SPONSORED A
STATE BUDGET INVESTMENT IN
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION,
INCLUDING $22 MILLION THAT WOULD
SPECIFICALLY GO TO CULTURALLY
RESPONSIVE AND CULTURALLY
SPECIFIC SERVICE PROVIDERS,
INCLUDING NON SHELTER PROGRAMS
AND AS A NON SHELTER PROGRAM CO.
COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE CAPACITY
TO HELP EVEN MORE SURVIVORS AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE
EXPERIENCED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AND LEARN TO PREVENT IT IN THEIR
LIVES. AND THE LIVES OF THOSE
AROUND THEM. SADLY THERE ARE
DIMINISHING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PREVENTION FUNDING IN BOTH
GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE
PHILANTHROPY. MOST STATE FUNDING
, FOR EXAMPLE, IS FOCUSED ON
DIRECT SERVICES, NOT PREVENTION.
SOME FUNDERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT
PREVENTION PROGRAMS AS QUOTE
TRYING TO PROVE A NEGATIVE
ASKING, HOW DO YOU PROVE THAT
VIOLENCE DIDN'T HAPPEN? THAT
DISMISSES THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF
THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH, LIKE
FLORA, NOT HER REAL NAME, WHO
SHARED THAT WHAT SHE LEARNED IN
COAL'S PROGRAMS LED HER TO MAKE
THE DECISION NOT TO ANSWER HER
PHONE WHEN SHE KNEW IT WAS HER
EX KEEPING A BOUNDARY. CHOOSING
HER MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
OVER ANYTHING ELSE. THIS REQUEST
FOR FUNDING BY èC R Dð VÆ N
WAS CARRIED BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER
JOAN SAWYER LAST YEAR, AND IT
HAS CONTINUED TO GO UNFUNDED.
AND WE SINCERELY HOPE THIS
CHANGES IN THE COMING YEARS,
SURVIVORS AND THOSE WHO HAVE NOT
EXPERIENCED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
BUT MIGHT NEED TO KNOW YOU HAVE
THEIR BACKS. AND THAT THEIR
HEALTH AND SAFETY AS L GB Tð Q,
PEOPLE ARE IMPORTANT TO
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME AND ATTENTION. THANK YOU,
MISTER ESPINOZA. UM. I
APPRECIATE, UH, THE COMMENTS ON
THAT AND YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO
THE I HATE TO KEEP BELABORING
THE ISSUE BY GOING BACK TO THE
PREVENTION PART. UM, PREVENTION
STARTS WITH OUR YOUTH. I THINK,
UM. IF WE DON'T KNOW THE
DIFFERENCE AS AS KIDS, THEN
WE'LL CONTINUE NOT JUST TO BE
VICTIMS. BUT THOSE, UH, KIDS
THAT WILL LATER TURN TO BE THE
ABUSERS. UM I SHARED THAT A
COUPLE HEARINGS AGO. I THINK
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, BUT AS MUCH
AS I HATE. UH, WHAT HAPPENED TO
MY SISTER? UH, I THINK THAT THE
ABUSER NEEDS HELP. AND I WOULD
TRY. I WOULD RATHER YOU KNOW
SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED. BUT. IF
WE DO NOT HELP THE ABUSERS ALSO,
GET OVER WHATEVER TRAUMA THEY
ARE EXPERIENCING. THEY'RE GONNA
CONTINUE TO RE AUSE AND WE
ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE THESE
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SURVIVING,
SURVIVING, SURVIVING. UH BECAUSE
WE'RE NOT STOPPING THE ISSUE AT
THE ROOT, WHICH IS THE
PREVENTION AND I THINK THE KEY
ISSUE OBVIOUSLY THE PREVENTION,
BUT THE KEY IS GOING TO BE
MAKING SURE THAT OUR KIDS GET,
UM BUT IT WHATEVER ISSUES THEY
HAVE. WE KNOW MENTAL HEALTH IS A
BIG ISSUE FOR OF US, NOT JUST
THE YOUTH, BUT BUT WE ALWAYS
ASSUME THAT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
WERE FOR THE LOS LOCOS. YOU KNOW
, IF YOU YOU GO GET, UH,
SERVICES. UH YOU GET, UH,
LABELED AS CRAZY LOS IS LIKE,
OH, YOU KNOW, LOCO. I'M NOT
CRAZY. I'M NOT GOING TO A
PSYCHOLOGIST OR PSYCHIATRIST
BECAUSE IT HAS A NEGATIVE
CONNOTATION TO IT, ESPECIALLY IN
THE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES AND LIKE,
CAN SPEAK FOR MY COMMUNITY, UM,
FOR THE MEXICAN AMERICAN
COMMUNITIES. THAT'S A BIG IF YOU
GO TO A COUNSELOR, IT'S LIKE,
OH, YOU'RE CRAZY THEN, BUT BUT
WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING, UM, THAT
IT'S NOT CRAZINESS. IT'S ISSUES
THAT CAN BE, UH UH, DEALT WITH,
OR, UH, ALLEVIATED WITH THROUGH
SOME HELP, BUT SO I APPRECIATE
THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE'RE
MAKING THAT CONNECTION WITH
BOTH. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH,
NEXT, WE HAVE A NA WADMAN
COMMUNITY PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF
THE CENTER FOR THE PACIFIC ASIAN
FAMILY. THANK YOU AND WELCOME.
GOOD MORNING, UM MADAM CHAIR AND
ALSO THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE
MEMBER. UM MY NAME IS NAWI
WATMAN ON THAT WATMAN. I AM THE
COMMUNITY PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT
CENTER FOR THE PACIFIC ASIAN
FAMILY. I AM ALSO A SURVIVOR OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ALSO
SEXUAL ASSAULT. I WITNESSED MY
MOM AND MY DAD FIGHT FOUGHT. MY
ENTIRE LIFE, SO I KNEW WHAT IT'S
LIKE TO KIND OF LIVE IN THAT
SITUATION, AND I KNEW THAT I
COULD HAVE HAD SOMEONE WHO HAD
WHO I CAN RELY ON WHO I CAN
REACH OUT TO WHO ACTUALLY TAUGHT
ME A DIFFERENT REASON WHEN I
COME TO HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP,
AND ALSO WHEN IT COME TO
PREVENTING FURTHER HARM. I ALSO
RECOGNIZE THAT THROUGH MY WORK,
IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO BREAK THAT
CYCLE OF VIOLENCE AND OFTENTIME
BREAKING CYCLE OF VIOLENT
DOESN'T TAKE DAYS. TAKE YEARS
TAKE DECADES, AND IT DOES TAKE A
LOT OF RESOURCES SO AT CENTER
FOR THE PACIFIC ASIAN FAMILY, WE
ARE, UM, AN ORGANIZATION THAT
SUPPORT THE SURVIVOR OF ASIAN
PACIFIC AND ISLANDER COMMUNITY.
UH, MONOLINGUAL IMMIGRANT. WE
ALSO A MEMBER OF, UH, CULTURALLY
RESPONSIVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
NETWORK AND ALSO, UH, CALIFORNIA
PARTNER TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AS WELL. ONE OF THE KEY WORK
THAT WE DO IS WE REALLY WANT TO
CHALLENGE AND ADDRESS THIS ROOT
CAUSES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND
ALSO GENDER BASED VIOLENCE. ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE
TO HIGHLIGHT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
PREVENTION OFTEN TIME WE TEND TO
LOOK AT WHAT ALREADY HAPPENED.
FIRST THE PRIMARY PREVENTION IS
ESSENTIAL ELEMENT TO REALLY
ELIMINATING THE GENDER BASED
VIOLENCE AND PRIMARY PREVENTION
IS TO STOP VIOLENCE BEFORE IT
EVEN HAPPENED. AND HOW ARE WE
DOING THAT? AND I THINK OF OUR
PANEL IS HERE ALREADY ADDRESSED.
WE NEED TO DO IT AS EARLY AS
POSSIBLE. WE MENTIONED HAS TO BE
DONE AT HOME. PREVENTION ONE HAS
TO BE DONE AT SCHOOL AND ALSO IN
THE COMMUNITIES. SO WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, THEY ARE
VARIOUS COMMUNITY THAT WE
IDENTIFY. THERE'S A DIFFERENT
CULTURE, NORMS AND PRACTICES
THAT EXIST IN THAT COMMUNITY. SO
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ETHNIC
SPECIFIC COMMUNITY, THEY ALSO A
UNIQUE NEED, AND ALSO ELEMENT
THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER. SO AS
A MEMBER OF èC, R Dð VÆ N AND
èC P Dð VÆ. ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT
IS WHEN WE IDENTIFY THE
COMMUNITIES AND CULTURE NORM AND
PRACTICES WE NEED TO INVEST IN
WORKING WITH THOSE COMMUNITY.
THROUGH THE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC
ORGANIZATION BECAUSE THEY KNOW
BEST RIGHT. THEY HAVE THE
LANGUAGE ABILITY, AND WHEN YOU
TALK ABOUT THE CULTURE, THERE'S
A LOT OF NUANCES WITHIN IT. YOU
CANNOT MAKE ASSUMPTION THAT ONE
CULTURE EVEN THOUGH YOU
ASSOCIATE YOURSELF EVEN MYSELF,
AS YOU KNOW, UM THAI AMERICAN. I
CANNOT MAKE ASSUMPTION THAT I
KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THAI
CULTURE. SO IN ORDER TO HONOR
WHAT ALREADY AS A PROTECTIVE
FACTOR IN THAT COMMUNITY YOU
REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND
INVEST IN PEOPLE IN THE
ORGANIZATION IN THE APPROACH
THAT ALREADY ARE PROTECTIVE
FACTOR, SO THERE'S DIFFERENT WAY
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME
OF THE LEARNING AND ALSO
EVIDENCE THAT WE HAVE LEARNED IN
THE SCHOOL SETTING IN
PARTICULAR. UM THERE'S A SOCIAL,
EMOTIONAL LEARNING RIGHT IN TERM
OF THE CURRICULUM. THERE'S
ALWAYS THIS MAINSTREAM
CURRICULUM THAT DISREGARD THE
CULTURALLY SPECIFIC CONTEXT OF
THE STUDENT. IN A IN ORDER TO
ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE. WHAT'S
THE CULTURAL IDENTITY LOOK LIKE
FOR THE STUDENT? HAVE WE
INTRODUCED SOME OF THOSE
ACTIVITY INTO THE SCHOOL TO
REALLY HELP THEM DISCOVER THAT
CULTURAL IDENTITY WHEN IT COMES
TO THE IMMIGRATION HISTORY OF
THEIR OWN FAMILY COMING TO THE
COUNTRY, AND ALSO, WHAT ARE THE
NUANCES IN THOSE LANGUAGE NEED
THAT CONSIDER IN THE SCHOOL
SYSTEM AND HOW CULTURE NORMS AND
PRACTICES STILL EXIST WHEN IT
COMES TO THE HARMFUL ONE LIKE
PIETER, UH, PATRIARCHY AND ALSO
THE TOXIC MASCULINITY THAT HAS
PASSED ON FROM GENERATION TO
GENERATION. AND DOING THAT PEER
ADVOCATE IS THE WAY TO DO IT
BECAUSE YOU NEED TO REALLY BE
BUILD THE SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE OF
YOUTH TO BECOME THE LEADER
WITHIN THEIR OWN GROUP. AND IN
ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU NEED TO
INVEST IN OPPORTUNITY. YOU HAVE
TO BUILD THE ASSETS. WHEN IT
COMES TO CAPABILITY. YOU HAVE TO
CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM
TO BE ABLE TO LEAD IN THAT
SCHOOL SETTING. AND OF COURSE,
IN ORDER TO DO THAT YOU NEED TO
BUILD THE ADULT ALLY WHO'S THE
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION TO
UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CANNOT ASK
THEM, OK, GO AHEAD AND SUPPORT
THE YOUTH WITHOUT EQUIP THEM
WITH KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
OF THE ISSUE. THE SECOND ELEMENT
IN THE SCHOOL SETTING IS AROUND.
SAFETY SAFETY HAS ALWAYS BEEN,
UH, IN, UH, AS A PRIORITY FOR
THE SCHOOL SETTING. BUT WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT SAFETY, IT'S NOT JUST
A PHYSICAL SAFETY, BUT IT'S ALSO
EMOTIONAL SAFETY AS WELL AND
THAT SAFETY WITHIN GENDER BASED
VIOLENCE IS A REAL CONCERN IS
AROUND. BOUNDARY IS AROUND YOUR
OWN UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR OWN
NEED AND RECOGNIZE OTHER PEOPLE
NEEDS AND ALSO BE ABLE TO
COMMUNICATE THAT NEED AND SET
THAT BOUNDARY. HOW OFTEN WE
ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE THAT IN THE
SCHOOL SETTING? RIGHT. HOW OFTEN
WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT DISCUSSION
AT HOME? ROLE MODELING BY OUR
PARENTS. RIGHT SO IN ORDER TO DO
THAT THE CURRICULUM NEED TO BE
DONE BOTH AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIP, NOT JUST THE
SPECTRUM OF UNHEALTHY TO HEALTHY
BUT ALSO THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF
WHAT CONSENT MEAN IN THE
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. WHAT
CONCERN REALLY MEAN IN ASIAN
COMMUNITY? WHAT CONSENT REALLY
MEAN IN LATINX COMMUNITY IN
BLACK COMMUNITY? HOW DO WE SET
BOUNDARY? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK
LIKE? RATHER THAN BUILDING THIS
MAINSTREAM? THIS IS THE CONCEPT
OF BOUNDARY GO IMPLEMENTED, SO
YOU NEED TO REALLY TELL HER AND
CONTEXTUALIZE THOSE CURRICULUM
AND HELP THE STUDENT TO UNPACK
THE CULTURAL IDENTITY WITHIN IT.
WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE ADULT
ALLY OF THE SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATION. THIS THE THIRD
ELEMENT, WHICH YOU MENTIONED A
LITTLE BIT EARLIER AROUND,
ENGAGING BOYS AND MEN. YOU
CANNOT DO THE WORK WITHOUT
ENGAGING THOSE AS WE KNOW OF
STATISTICALLY, THAT'S WHAT THE
SIZE OF THE HARM BEING DONE
RIGHT? SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO
HOW DO WE BUILD SOME OF THOSE
NETWORK AND SUPPORTIVE MECHANISM
AND ROLE MODELING TO REALLY
CHALLENGE SOME OF THOSE TOXIC
MASCULINITY THAT DISPLAY ALL THE
WAY IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM?
ESPECIALLY IN SPORT, YOU KNOW,
WE SEE IN THE SPORT HOW
COMPETITIVENESS AND ALSO THESE
DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, UH, TOXIC
MASCULINITY HAS BEEN PASSED ON
AND ENHANCED. SO HOW DO WE STOP
THAT? HOW DO WE CHALLENGE IT?
HOW DO WE INTEGRATE THE
CONVERSATION BEFORE AND AFTER
THOSE ACTIVITY AND HELP THEM SEE
? ACTUALLY THOSE ARE SOMETHING
THAT ACTUALLY HARMFUL. WHAT ARE
THE ALTERNATIVE WAYS? WHAT ARE
THE SKILLS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY
HELP BUILD FOR THOSE WHEN IT
COMES TO CONFLICT? WHEN IT COME
TO, UM, YOU KNOW CERTAIN SKILL
TO MANAGE THEIR OWN EMOTION, SO
WHEN PEOPLE GET ANGRY THEY
EXPRESSED TO THE CERTAIN DEGREE
THAT CAUSE HARM TO THEMSELVES
AND TO OTHERS. SO WHAT ARE THOSE
MEAN? THAT WE CAN HELP AND
SUPPORT? YOU KNOW YOUNG BOYS AND
MEN TO LEARN A DIFFERENT WAY TO
COPE AND MANAGE THEIR OWN
EMOTION? LAST BUT NOT LEAST I
WOULD LIKE TO ALSO MAKE A
REQUEST. UM, AS I MENTIONED
EARLIER. WE'RE IN THE SOCIETY
THAT THERE'S A LOT OF MAINSTREAM
CULTURE AND DOMINANT CULTURE
EXIST RIGHT AND AS AN IMMIGRANT
AS PEOPLE OF COLOR AS, UH,
CULTURALLY SPECIFIC OR
CULTURALLY, UH, ETHNIC SPECIFIC
COMMUNITY. WE REALLY NEED THE
FUNDING TO REALLY BUILD THE
LANGUAGE ACCESS IN LANGUAGE
JUSTICE INTO THE WORK. IT'S SO
HARD TO ACCESS THOSE INFORMATION
LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER. YOU
KNOW, FOR THOSE WHO EDUCATED, IT
DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CAN ACCESS
THAT INFORMATION IF IT'S NOT
RELEVANT TO YOUR CULTURE AND
LANGUAGE, SO HOW CAN WE MAKE IT
MORE ACCESSIBLE? AND WHEN IT
COMES TO CURRICULUM, HOW WE MADE
THE CURRICULUM? MORE
CONTEXTUALIZED TO THE NEED OF
THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN HE IS
A MAINSTREAM CULTURE? UH,
CURRICULUM. IMPLEMENTED SO I
REALLY HOPE THAT YOU KNOW, WITH
THE FUTURE, UM FUNDING AND
OPPORTUNITY WHETHER FROM THE
NATIONAL GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
PLAN THE FIRST TIME THAT WE EVER
HAVE IT IN THIS COUNTRY. IT WILL
BE REALLY HELP US TO KIND OF
FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT CULTURALLY
SPECIFIC CæA RA. WHAT CUDGEL IS
SPECIFIC SERVICES WHEN YOU COME
TO PREVENTION LOOK LIKE HOW CAN
WE SUPPORT PARENTS? HOW WE CAN
SUPPORT YOUTH? HOW WE CAN
SUPPORT THE SCHOOL AS A SYSTEM
TO REALLY WORK COLLABORATIVELY
TOGETHER TO REALLY END VIOLENCE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM SO FAR, I'VE LEARNED MONEY
FUNDING IS, YOU KNOW IT'S ALWAYS
BASICALLY THE CONVERSATION. UH,
BUILDS AROUND, UH, RESOURCES TO
BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME OF THESE
SERVICES, UH AND IN A TOUGH
BUDGET YEAR, HOW DO WE DO THAT?
RIGHT AND I THINK SOMETIMES WE
THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT WHAT? WE
DON'T HAVE, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT
WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE TO US. AND
I THINK YOU SHARED THAT. UH,
DOCTOR TATE THAT YOU KNOW, UH,
YOU CAN ASK, BUT MAYBE THINKING
ABOUT THIS DIFFERENTLY EXCUSE
ME. UM, THINKING ABOUT IT
DIFFERENTLY, UH, MIGHT BE ABLE
TO GIVE THAT SOME ACCESS TO THAT
FUNDING. YOUTH SUPPORTING YOUTH.
THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE THE
KEY. AND, UH, IF WE TALK ABOUT
FUNDING THE FUNDING NEEDED FOR
THAT WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY FOR
TRAINING SOME OF THOSE YOUTH
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT OR THERE'S
YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALREADY
DO THAT, UM BUT ONCE THEY'RE
TRAINED, THEN IT'S UH, IT, YOU
KNOW, CLUB BASICALLY A CLUB THAT
THEY BELONG TO IN SCHOOL LIKE
EVERY YOU KNOW EVERY OTHER CLUB
THERE. UM BUT I THINK THAT'S THE
MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS
CONVERSATION. BECAUSE WE KNOW
THAT THE FUNDING IS NEVER GONNA
BE ADEQUATE LIKE THAT'S A GIVEN,
BUT I THINK THE YOUTH SUPPORTING
THE YOUTH IS GOING TO BE THE KEY
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THE
PREVENTION AND, UM CULTURALLY.
UH UH, SPECIFIC, UH,
CONVERSATIONS TO YOUR POINT, YOU
SAID, UH, LATIN X. I'M MEXICAN.
IT'S VERY DIFFERENT. UH, EVEN
WITHIN THE REGIONS, THE SOUTH IS
VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE NORTH AS
IT IS IN THE UNITED STATES, UH,
BUT WE'VE GOT MEXICO, EL
SALVADOR, GUATEMALA ALL OF THE
DIFFERENT UH, UH, LATIN AMERICAN
COUNTRIES AND WE ALL ASSUME, AND
YOU KNOW, I'M I'M ASSUMING IN
CALIFORNIA EVERYBODY ASSUMES
WE'RE ALL MEXICAN. AND THAT THAT
IS NOT THE CASE. I'M SURE IN IN
MIAMI EVERYBODY THINKS THEY'RE
CUBAN, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE,
BUT BUT WE HAVE ASSUMPTION TO
YOUR POINT. UM THAT EVERYBODY IS
THE SAME WELL, EVEN WITH THE
COMMUNITY AFRICAN AMERICAN
COMMUNITY. JUST THE DIFFERENT UH
UH, YOU KNOW, GENERATIONS ARE
ARE ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
THAN THE YOU KNOW THE MAINSTREAM
THAT YOU CAN MENTIONING. AND THE
ROLE OF I THINK THE ROLE OF
SOCIAL MEDIA AND, UH DIGITAL
ACCESS HAS REALLY, UH, DONE A
DIFFERENT NUMBER ON US BECAUSE
WE WERE ALREADY TRYING TO BE
PREPARED TO TRY HELP, UH, FOLKS
AND KIDS, BUT NOW WE HAVE THIS
OTHER MONSTER, WHICH IS SOCIAL
MEDIA, UH, THAT THAT HAS CREATED
OTHER, UH, ISSUES THAT WILL
EVENTUALLY HAVE TO BE DEALING
WITH. SO I THINK THE AGAIN THE
FUNDING YOUTH, UH, SUPPORTING
YOUTH AND THE, UH CULTURALLY.
LIKE, UH, CONVERSATIONS ARE
GOING TO FROM WHAT I'M GETTING
HERE ARE GOING TO BE THE KEY TO
MOVE SOME OF THESE FORWARD, BUT
I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH AGAIN ON
THE YOU KNOW, I SAID IT EARLIER.
EVEN FOR THOSE OF US THAT HAVE
RESOURCES IS STILL A CHALLENGE
TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE
RESOURCES BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW
THE DIFFERENCE. AND AGAIN IF
YOU'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE
THERE IS TRAUMA, YOU'RE NOT EVEN
THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU'RE
THINKING ABOUT SURVIVING AND
TRYING TO GET OUT OF OR NOT,
BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF A
RELATIONSHIP AND SO, UH, THANK
YOU FOR THAT CONVERSATION, AND I
WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE
SPECIFICALLY THE CULT. WELL ALL
OF THEM, BUT THE CULTURALLY, UM,
SPECIFIC ISSUES, BUT THE YOUTH
ARE THE KEY. I'M A AS A TEACHER.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT AND WE SAID
IT EARLIER. THEY WON'T LISTEN TO
ME NECESSARILY. WE CAN HAVE THE
TRAININGS FOR THE TEACHERS. BUT
UNLESS THE CHILDREN ARE
LISTENING, WHICH THEY DON'T
NECESSARILY, UH, BECAUSE THEY
THINK WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT
THEY'RE GOING TO. THEY THINK
THAT WE'RE JUST THE ADULTS,
RIGHT, BUT GETTING, UH, OUR KIDS
, UH, TRAINED, UH, TO FOR THEIR
OWN WELL BEING, AND THEN THEY
CAN HELP US WITH OTHER, UH OTHER
CHILDREN. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT,
UM, MR CELI. ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS? YEAH JUST, UM,
SOMETHING SOMETHING YOU HIT ON?
IS THAT YOU KNOW, GETTING TO
YOUNG BOYS AT AN EARLY AGE AND I
THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THERE
AND I AND I NOTICED, UM YOU
MENTIONED TOXIC MASCULINITY. I
LIKE TO FRAME THINGS IN A
POSITIVE WAY. SO WHAT? WHAT CAN
BE DONE TO, UM, PROMOTE HEALTHY
MASCULINITY CAUSE I THINK
THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE, RIGHT?
LIKE THE REAL MEN I KNOW WOULD
NEVER ABUSE A WOMAN. I MEAN,
THAT IS NOT YOU KNOW THAT NÓ ONE
WOULD EVER SAY THAT. THAT'S A
MASCULINE QUALITY. AND SO WHAT?
I'M CONCERNED WHAT I SEE. TODAY
IS BOYS ARE JUST GETTING THE
WRONG MESSAGE OR THEY'RE JUST
NOT GETTING THE RIGHT MESSAGE.
UM THEY'RE TOLD IF THEY'RE TOO
HYPER, AND THEY NEED TO GO ON A
Dð Dð, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU
MENTIONED SPORTS. I THINK SPORTS
COULD BE A VERY HEALTHY OUTLET.
UM, TO CHANNEL THAT AND A LOT OF
TIME THAT'S GONNA BE ON THE ONLY
MENTORSHIP THEY GET IS A STRONG
COACH. YOU KNOW THAT COACH COULD
REPLACE A REALLY, UM YOU KNOW IF
THEY DON'T HAVE A GOOD ROLE
MODEL AT HOME, THAT COACH KIND
OF BECOMES THE FATHER. SO WHAT
ARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS IN THE
COMMUNITY ABOUT DO KIDS RIGHT
NOW? DO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO
MENTORS EITHER? DO THEY HAVE
ROLE MODELS OR IS SOCIAL MEDIA
RAISING OUR KIDS NOW, UM,
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A
PROSECUTOR, I DID A MOCK TRIAL
PROGRAM. I WAS A COACH FOR MOCK
TRIAL. AND WHAT I NOTICED IS A
LOT OF THESE KIDS. THEY THEY
WERE CRAVING. THEY WANTED LIKE A
ADULT TO SEE THEM AND MENTOR
THEM, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT
THEY WERE LACKING IN. SO YOU
KNOW, DIFFERENT KIDS HAVE
DIFFERENT INTERESTS. I WAS MOCK
TRIAL. MAYBE IT'S SPORTS. MAYBE
IT'S SOME OTHER CLUB. BUT WHAT
WHAT IS IT LIKE IN THE
COMMUNITIES AND DO KIDS HAVE
THESE OPPORTUNITIES? OK UM OK.
UM I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT
QUESTION. ALSO OBSERVATION AS
WELL, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT ON IN
ALL OF IT. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN
YOU COME TO SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU
KNOW, USE IT. THEY NEED TO BE
EDUCATED AROUND. HOW TO TAKE THE
INFORMATION. AND THOSE ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT IS THE ACCURATE INFORMATION
AND WHAT IS THE INFORMATION
RIGHT? AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT
IS YOU NEED TO HAVE TO CREATE
THAT SPACE FOR PARTICULARLY
YOUNG BOYS AND MEN. IT DOESN'T
HAPPEN OFTEN. YOU KNOW, IF
YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE SCHOOL
SETTING, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF
LIKE BOYS. COUPLE YOU KNOW,
COMING TOGETHER AND PROCESS
CERTAIN FEELING AND EMOTION
BECAUSE WITH THE DOMINANT
PARADIGM CULTURE, YOU BOY DON'T
CRY. YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T EXPRESS
YOU CAN'T BE VULNERABLE. YOU
CAN'T ACTUALLY EXPRESS HER
FEELING AND STUFF. HOW DO YOU
ROLE MODEL? HOW DO YOU CREATE
THAT OPPORTUNITY AND SPACE FOR
THEM TO SHOW THAT VULNERABILITY
BECAUSE ALTHOUGH SOMETHING CAN
BE A PROTECTIVE FACTOR FOR THEM?
RIGHT AND THEN SECONDLY, NOT
ONLY CREATE A SPACE AND
OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM, BUT ALSO
HOW DO YOU INTRODUCE THE
POSITIVE ELEMENT OF THAT? WHAT
ARE THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY?
SO THAT'S HOW THE SCHOOL SHOULD
ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND
THOSE WHO ACTUALLY ARE
SUCCESSFULLY BE ABLE TO, YOU
KNOW, UNDERSTAND THIS EMOTIONAL
LITERACY, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
AND ALSO UNDERSTAND THE POSITIVE
WAY TO DEAL AND REGULATE WITH
THOSE EMOTIONS RIGHT AND INVITED
THEM INTO THE SPACE AND HAVE A
CONVERSATION AND HELP THEM TO
UNDERSTAND OR EQUIP THEM WITH
THE TOOL. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
THE SPORT, A MENTORSHIP IS A
REALLY GREAT PROGRAM. HOWEVER
WHAT I RECOGNIZE IS THAT SOME
BEING THERE'S A
INTERSECTIONALITY OF BEING BOYS
AND MEN. RIGHT AND MATCHING THE
MENTORSHIP THAT YOU NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THAT NUANCES WITHIN
THAT CONTEXT OF THE INDIVIDUAL
YOU CANNOT JUST LIKE, OH, YOU
LIKE THIS TOGETHER, JUST MASH
THEM UP, BUT THAT THAT ASPECT
THAT WE FORGET TO PAY ATTENTION
TO AND WHAT'S THE FAMILY HISTORY
? WHAT THE COMMUNITY CONTEXT
THAT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER. SO
THEN YOU CAN HONOR THE STRENGTH
THAT ALREADY EXISTS RATHER THAN
LOOKING AT THE DEFICIT, RIGHT,
ENHANCE AND UPLIFT SOME OF THOSE
STRENGTHS AND BUILD THE
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM. TO REALLY
HELP, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING ON THAT
STRENGTH, SO THEN YOU CAN BECOME
BETTER AND BE MORE POSITIVE WHEN
IT COMES TO THE CONCEPT. I'M NOT
SURE IF THERE ANY, UM, I WAS
GOING TO SAY, UM, HAVING HAD
THREE CHILDREN, UM 3323 AND 22
ALL OF THEM PLAYED SPORTS. UM
THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH MANY A
COACH, UM COACHES ARE GREAT.
THEY VOLUNTEER FOR THE MOST
PART, UNLESS YOU'RE DOING TRAVEL
BALL, WHICH WE'VE DONE SOME OF
AS WELL. UM BUT THERE'S A
DYNAMIC WITH COACHING THAT IS
NOT ALWAYS POSITIVE, AND THOSE
TRAITS ARE PASSED ALONG TO GIRLS
AS WELL AS BOYS. UM AND I KNOW
WE NEED TO GET INTO MORE
POSITIVE COACHING TYPE ASPECTS.
WE DO LOOK TO COACHES TO MENTOR
AND WE THINK ABOUT GUIDING, BUT
SOMETIMES THE THINGS THAT ARE
GOING ON IN COACHES HOMES ARE
NOT OK. OUR TOXIC AND CHILDREN
ARE WITNESSING THAT AND ARE
PERPETUATING THAT, AS THEY ARE
WORKING AND PLAYING AGAINST
TEAMS, UM AND YOU WILL SEE
OUTBURST OF COACHES, WHICH
RESULTS IN OUTBURSTS OF CHILDREN
AND THEN OUTBURSTS OF PARENTS AS
A RESULT OF THAT, AND WHEN I SAY
I'VE SEEN THE GAMUT I'VE SEEN
THE FULL GAMUT I'VE HAD COACHES
REMOVED FROM MY CHILDREN'S GAMES
. UM MALE AND FEMALE COACHES. I
WILL SAY THAT AS WELL, UM IT'S A
CULTURE ISSUE THAT WE REALLY
PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT. AND
WHILE I UNDERSTAND WANTING TO
KEEP IT POSITIVE, THERE'S
TOXICITY AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS
THE TO IN THE ROOM. UM ONE OF
THE THINGS I APPRECIATE ABOUT
BEING A MEMBER OF THE CULTURAL
RESPONSIVE, UM, DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE NETWORK IS WE'RE
LOOKING AT THINGS BASED UPON
CULTURE, SO THE WAY THAT A BLACK
CHILD IS BEING TREATED OR WORKS
WITH, UM, MENTORS WILL BE
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE 40
DIFFERENT DIALECTS PLUS DIALECTS
OF AN ASIAN, UM, CHILD BECAUSE
IT DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY'RE FROM
WHAT REGION THEY GREW UP IN AND
HOW THEY'RE RAISED IN THEIR HOME
AND IN SOME PLACES, DEPENDING ON
WHICH NATIONALITY THEY MIGHT NOT
EVEN RECOGNIZE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. SOME
PLACES DON'T HAVE A TERM FOR IT.
IT'S JUST THAT'S MY WIFE AND I
DO WHAT I WANT. SO ONE TO THE TO
THE POINT JUST TO GET TO THE
TOPIC OF SPORTS. IT'S
COMPETITION LIKE WE'RE COMPETING
, AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BEAT
THE OTHER TEAM. UM IT'S
HAPPENING NOW. WITH OUR POL, UH,
POLITICAL SYSTEM. IT'S ALL
COMPETITION. IT'S ABOUT WHO IS
GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY,
WHO THE MOST POPULAR IS RIGHT
FOR THE MOST POPULAR IS AND YOU
KNOW, YOU GOT TO BEAT THE OTHER
PERSON. AND SO TO YOUR POINT
ABOUT THE SPORTS. THE MENTORSHIP
DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAPPEN.
ESPECIALLY NOT AT GAMES. UM, BUT
EVEN WITH WITHIN THE PRACTICES
I'VE SEEN UH UH. CHILDREN BE
SCOLDED FOR NOT DOING A B èC OR
Dð, AS OPPOSED TO HEY, LET'S BE
POSITIVE, AND THAT'S FIX THAT.
IT'S MORE OF AAA. YOU KNOW, A
SCOLDING AND, UH, DISCIPLINARY
ACTION AS OPPOSED TO, UH, TRYING
TO UPLIFT AND EDUCATE SO, MR
ESPINOZA I. I WAS GOING TO ADD
THAT THE QUESTION OF MENTORSHIP
AND TRAINING AT CO WE SEE, UM
CERTAIN MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY
, YOU KNOW, RISE UP TO THE LEVEL
OF MENTORS FOR OTHERS, AND WE
HAVE SURVIVORS WHO HAVE RECEIVED
SERVICES AT OUR ORGANIZATION WHO
LITERALLY WILL BRING THEIR
FRIENDS BY THE HAND TO OUR FRONT
DOOR AND RING THE DOORBELL AND
SAY THIS IS SO AND SO THIS IS
PABLO, OR THIS IS CO YOU NEED TO
TALK TO THEM. AND A LOT OF IT
MORE THAN HALF THE TIME THEY ARE
IMMIGRANT LATINX. TRANS QUEER
LESBIAN, UM, WHO'VE BEEN IN THIS
COUNTRY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS,
WHO DON'T HAVEN'T MASTERED
ENGLISH YET. AND THEY ARE
RELYING ON A COMMU, A FELLOW
COMMUNITY MEMBER TO GUIDE THEM.
AND SO OUR HOPE AT CU HAS ALWAYS
BEEN THAT WE ARE CREATING THESE
MENTORS. WE ARE CREATING THESE
LIFE COACHES IN A WAY OUT OF OUR
OWN COMMUNITY OF SURVIVORS TO
ACTUALLY BRING PEOPLE IN. AND
HAVE THEM RECOGNIZE. ONE OF THEM
WILL SAY TO THE OTHER. GIRL WHAT
YOU'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
THAT IS NOT OK. YOU'RE GOING TO
COME WITH ME TO CO WE'RE GONNA
WALK OVER THERE BY THE HAND,
LITERALLY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF DISCLOSING
WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THEM BECAUSE
MANY OF THE FOLKS THAT WE WORK
WITH ARE ALSO UNDOCUMENTED, AND
THEY'RE GOING TO BE LIKE I'M NOT
GOING TO GO TO AN ORGANIZATION.
I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE HIM MY
NAME WHERE I LIVE MY CELL PHONE
BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO GO TO
THE GOVERNMENT, AND IF IT GOES
TO THE GOVERNMENT, WHAT'S GOING
TO HAPPEN TO ME? AM I GOING TO
GET DEPORTED? RIGHT SO IT'S THAT
TRUST RIGHT? AND MUCH LIKE WE
SAY, THE CHILDREN GONNA LISTEN
TO OTHER CHILDREN. OR OTHER
YOUTH ABOUT HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON
BETWEEN YOU GUYS? IT'S NOT OK,
THE SAME WITH OUR COMMUNITY. AND
BECAUSE L GB Tð Q PEOPLE FACE SO
MUCH MORE ISOLATION AND SO MUCH
MORE INSULAR, BECAUSE, UH UH,
YOU KNOW, THE MAINSTREAM
HETERONORMATIVE SOCIETY DOESN'T
WANT TO RECOGNIZE US AS HAVING
RELATIONSHIPS UNLESS PEOPLE ARE
MARRIED, AND EVEN THEN, THAT'S
NOT ACCEPTABLE. SO WHERE DO
WHERE DO PEOPLE WHO ARE QUEER
AND TRANS FIT INTO THIS
CONVERSATION? AND SO FOR US,
IT'S LIKE THE THAT WE USE THE
TERMINOLOGY. THE HISTORY AROUND
DOMESTIC ABUSE IN L GB Tð Q
COMMUNITIES HAS TO BE YOU KNOW,
OUT THERE IN COMMUNITY HAS TO BE
PART OF OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
RELATIONSHIPS HAS TO BE PART OF
THE CONVERSATION OF OUR HISTORY.
YOU KNOW THE FIRST THE FIRST,
UH, FUNDING THAT EVER WENT TO
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOR GÂY MEN,
FOR EXAMPLE, WAS IN THE EARLY
EIGHTIES IN BOSTON. AND WHO I'VE
HAD THE FIRST ONE IN 1985. SO
OUR HISTORY IS VERY LONG, AND
IT'S JUST AS LONG OR YOU KNOW,
AS MOST MAINSTREAM DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE WORK. AND WE'VE LEARNED
A LOT FROM YOU KNOW, THE SISTERS
THAT STRAIGHT SISTERS WHO WHO
CREATED THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
PROGRAMS. WE LEARNED A LOT FROM
THEM, BUT WE ALSO HAD TO HAVE
OUR PROGRAMS EVOLVE IN OUR
PREVENTION WORK HAS TO GO ALONG
WITH THE EVOLUTION OF OUR
RELATIONSHIPS, THE ACCEPTANCE OR
NOT ACCEPTANCE OF WHO WE ARE AND
HOW WE LIVE. OUR LIVES AND SOME
OF US HAVE CHILDREN. SOME OF US
ARE MARRIED. SOME OF US HAVE
THESE FAMILIES THAT THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT. THE CHILDREN ARE
GONNA SEE IT. SOME OF OUR
COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE GETTING
DIVORCED, YOU KNOW? SO IT'S LIKE
ALL OF THESE DYNAMICS THAT YOU
SEE IN MAINSTREAM HETEROSEXUAL
COMMUNITIES IS WHAT YOU SEE IN L
GB Tð Q, PLUS COMMUNITIES THAT
EXPERIENCE DOMESTIC ABUSE. SO IN
MENTORSHIP, AND BUT WHAT I'M
HEARING, THOUGH, IS, UH AND I
THINK IT I TOUCHED ON THAT
EARLIER IT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST
ANY, YOU KNOW, UH, GENDER, UM,
ETHNICITY. UM YOU KNOW THE WHOLE
GAMUT, AND THAT'S THE
UNFORTUNATE THAT'S THE PART THAT
I THINK MAKES US EQUAL, BUT BUT
THEN THAT'S THE CHALLENGE. UM,
WE TALKED ABOUT THE UNDOCUMENTED
COMMUNITY. I HAD A, UH, ACTUALLY
A FORMER STAFF MEMBER THAT HIS
STEPFATHER WOULD THREATEN THEM
AND SAY, WELL, IF YOU DON'T DO,
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH THAT I'M GONNA
CALL IMMIGRATION AND IT HAPPENED
FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS,
SO WHEN HE A DOCUMENTED THAT'S
WHEN HE STARTED. AH, AH,
DEFENDING HIMSELF AND TRYING TO
DEFEND HIS MOTHER. BUT BY THAT
POINT, HIS TRAUMA, UH, HAD YOU
KNOW HAS BEEN, UH, SOMETHING A
CHALLENGE. L GB Tð Q AS WELL. UM
HE IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR HIM
BECAUSE NOW HE FELT LIKE OK
FINALLY ACHIEVED, YOU KNOW, TO
BE DOCUMENTED. NOW I'M GOING TO
BE BRAVE, BUT THE TRAUMA THAT
CAME WITH WITH THAT IS STILL
LINGERING AND HAS TO BE DEALT
WITH. YOU KNOW THEY CAN SPEAK UP
FOR THEMSELVES. SO THIS IS THESE
ARE GREAT. GREAT CONVERSATIONS
AGAIN. UM, I JUST WANNA WELCOME
ASSEMBLY MEMBER PACHECO. THANK
YOU, UH, FOR JOINING US, IF YOU
DON'T IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS,
WE HAVE A COUPLE MORE MINUTES OF
YOU. WE JUST WANNA INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND SO THANK YOU. UH
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE I
. I AM THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER FOR
THE 64TH DISTRICT, SO I HAVE
PARTS OF VALLEY COUNTY AND OR
ORANGE COUNTY. UM BUT I WAS
PREVIOUSLY AN ATTORNEY. STILL AN
ATTORNEY, BUT NOW NON PRACTICING
, AND SO THIS IS AN AREA THAT I
BELIEVE IS A VERY IMPORTANT AND
I REALLY HAPPY TO BE A PART OF
THE CONVERSATION. SO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THANK YOU AND WELCOME
. SO, SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
THOSE CONVERSATIONS. UH, I THINK
I JUST TO GO BACK TO THE I GUESS
. MY OWN SUMMARY YOUTH
SUPPORTING NEWS. UH UH, FUNDING
IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE PART OF
THE CONVERSATION AND THEN
CULTURALLY, UH, SPECIFIC. UH UH.
CONVERSATIONS OR, OR, UH UH,
SUPPORT. UM VERY IMPORTANT. UH,
HOW DO WE DO THAT? THAT'S GOING
TO BE THE BIG QUESTION, AND I
APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE
DOING, BECAUSE AT LEAST, UH, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE DOING SOMETHING AS
OPPOSED TO WONDERING WHAT WE'RE
GONNA DO WITHOUT THE FUNDING
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITHOUT
THE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC ISSUES.
UH AND. IF WE ALL DO A LITTLE
BIT, I THINK AT A TIME LIKE I
SAID, WE CAN'T DO ALL OF IT. AND
THAT'S OBVIOUS. AH, BUT IF WE
CAN MOVE THE NEEDLE A LITTLE
BIT, I THINK WE CAN START, UH,
COLLECTING THE SUCCESSES AND
MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES
ARE SAFE. SO THANK YOU WITH THAT
. IF THERE'S NÓ OTHER COMMENTS,
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON TO THE
NEXT PANEL. I DID HAVE ONE.
ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY. UM I LIKE
THAT YOU'RE FOCUSING ON YOUTH,
BUT WE HAVE PEER TO PEER ADULT
TYPE SUPPORTS AS WELL. UM
ADULTS, AS PABLO HAVE MENTIONED
ARE BEING TRAINED TO SUPPORT
EACH OTHER AS WELL. I'M IN
PREVENTION, DEFINITELY STARTING
EARLY IS HELPFUL. BUT ONCE WE
GET TO ADULT AGE, YOU KNOW BEING
ABLE TO SUPPORT ADULTS AND OTHER
ADULTS SUPPORTING ADULTS IS
EFFECTIVE AS WELL. WE FIND THAT
WHEN WE ARE DOING THAT, WITH P
Tð S¼ A S¼ SPECIFICALLY MEETINGS
IN SCHOOLS, THE PARENTS ARE
THERE AND HERE ARE THE
STATISTICS AND THEY'RE SHOCKED.
THE KIDS ARE THERE AND GO. I
WANT HELP, AND THAT PEER TO PEER
SUPPORT IS OBVIOUSLY WORKING AS
WELL IN OTHER AGENCIES SO
PERFECT SO WE'LL CALL IT PEER.
YOUR SUPPORT AND IN THE SUB, UH
UH, TEXT WOULD BE USED TO
SUPPORTING YOUTH AND ADULTS
SUPPORTING ADULTS. HOW ABOUT
THAT? YEAH THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE
CONVERSATION. UM WELL, MAKE SURE
THAT WE RECORD ALL OF IT. AND
YOU KNOW, UH, TALK ABOUT NEXT
STEPS AT A LATER POINT. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US. THANK YOU. MISTER
PRESIDENT. THEN UH, OUR NEXT
PANEL, LET'S SEE. I HERE WE GO.
YEP. SO THE NEXT PANEL. I HAVE
TO GET. UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE. I
NEED GLASSES HERE. OK THERE WE
GO. OUR SECOND PANEL IS, UH
KEELY LINTON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF THE STRONG HEARTED NATIVE
WOMEN'S COALITION, UH, TO
SUGGEST WE DO THE SELF
SUFFICIENCY COORDINATOR FROM A
MITRI, UH JENIA CASSIDY,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CALIF.
CALIFORNIA WORK AND FAMILY
COALITION, AND MELODY èC.
CRISPIN, A PREVENTION SPECIALIST
WITH THE CALIFORNIA PARTNERSHIP
TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IF YOU
CANNOT COME UP REALLY WOULD
APPRECIATE THAT. OK AND THEN,
UH, WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO BE
DISCUSSING THE INTERSECTION OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ECONOMIC
JUSTICE. UH, WE WILL COVER
TOPICS SUCH AS ECONOMIC SECURITY
, CREDIT REPAIR SOCIAL SAFETY
NET PROGRAMS. UM THANK YOU. AND
UH, WELCOME. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
GET STARTED WITH, UH UH, KELLY
LYTTON. OK GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK
YOU FOR HAVING US AND, UM I
APPRECIATE ALL YOUR COMMENTS AND
SUPPORT FOR THIS TOPIC. UM I'M
KEELEY LYNTON. I AM IE AND COPA
FROM THE MESA GRAI BAND OF
MISSION INDIANS AND WE'RE
LOCATED OUR RE MY RESERVATION IS
LOCATED DOWN IN SAN DIEGO
COUNTY. I'M THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR FOR STRONG HEART AND
NATIVE WOMEN'S COALITION AND
HAVE BEEN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SEXUAL ASSAULT ADVOCATE FOR OVER
20 YEARS. UH STRONG HEARTED
NATIVE WOMEN'S COALITION DOES
PARTNER WITH THE CALIFORNIA
PARTNERSHIP AND THE CULTURAL UM.
AND UM, CULTURAL DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE NETWORK AS WELL. UM
STRONG HEARTED, UM, EXISTS TO
ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF
SURVIVORS AND ADVOCATES AND
TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS TO END
VIOLENCE WITHIN OUR TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. UM, WE'RE ALSO
KNOWN AS SHIN WAKE AS OUR
ACRONYM. UM, WE PROVIDE
TECHNICAL SUPPORT, TRAINING,
OUTREACH, AND WE ALSO PROVIDE,
UM, A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SHELTER
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, PRIMARILY
IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. BUT WE
DO OFFER EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
FOR OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT
THE STATE. AND THIS INCLUDES
BOTH, UH OUR OUR TRIBAL MEMBERS
OFF RESERVATION AND ON
RESERVATION. UM AND OF COURSE
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT E
ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE. AND SO
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS
ESSENTIAL FOR SURVIVORS, WELL
BEING AND ONGOING SUPPORT FOR
THEIR CHILDREN, UM, IN ORDER TO
ALLEVIATE THE ALLEVIATE THE
PATTERN OF VIOLENCE, THE èC Dð
èC HAS FOUND THAT EVEN A SMALL
INCREASE IN FAMILY VIOLENCE IS
LINKED TO A DECREASE IN FAMILY
VIOLENCE AND RECOMMENDS
STRENGTHENING ECONOMIC SUPPORTS
TO PREVENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND
STRENGTHENING HOUSEHOLD
FINANCIAL SECURITY. HOUSING
ACCESS IS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE
IMPORTANT SECURITY MEASURES A
SURVIVOR CAN TAKE WHEN THEY HAVE
A SAFE, STABLE LOCATION TO
SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THEIR
CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. IT
THEY HAVE A BETTER FOCUS TO BE
ABLE TO FOCUS ON HEALING. GET
SEEK THERAPY. AND OF COURSE, GET
JOB, UM, PER GET JOB IN
DEVELOPMENT AND FOCUS ON THEIR,
UM, FINANCIAL SECURITY.
ASSISTING SURVIVORS WITH
FINANCIAL LITERACY ALLOWS THEM
TO MAKE MORE INFORMED FINANCIAL
DECISIONS A SUPPORTIVE RESOURCES
SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO
MAINTAIN THEIR ECONOMIC
INDEPENDENCE. THIS EXTENDS TO
SURVIVORS ABILITY TO MAINTAIN
STABLE HOUSING, HOUSING AND
PREVENT HOMELESSNESS. THIS
INCLUDES SUPPORT AND RESOURCES
FOR SURVIVORS TO ASSIST IN THEIR
CREDIT REPAIR AS WELL. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND ALSO THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ECONOMIC
SECURITY WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE
LIVING BOTH IN RURAL AND URBAN
COMMUNITIES, RURAL COMMUNITIES
HAVE LESS ACCESS TO JOB
OPPORTUNITIES AND OFTEN LESS
ACCESS TO RESOURCES TO RECEIVE
ASSISTANCE. INDIVIDUALS LIVING
IN RURAL AREAS MUST TRAVEL HOURS
TO RECEIVE BASIC SERVICES SUCH
AS HOSPITALS. FORENSIC EXAMS,
COURTS, LEGAL ASSISTANCE AND
EVEN THERAPY WITH LESS AVAILABLE
RESOURCES SURVIVORS. NEED A
VEHICLE BECAUSE PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION IS NON EXISTENT
OR VERY LIMITED. SO ECONOMIC
SUPPORT MEANS ASSISTANCE WITH
NOT ONLY VEHICLE MAINTENANCE,
CAR INSURANCE SUPPORT PARKING
UM, BUT ALSO CHILDCARE. WE NEED
TO START LOOKING. AT THIS, UM TO
BE ABLE TO BE PROVIDE MORE
FLEXIBLE FUNDING AND OUTSIDE OF
WHAT WE NORMALLY DO. I THINK
UNDER THE LAW WE HAVE A VERY
STRICT, UM, REQUIREMENT ON WHAT
TYPES OF SERVICES ARE ARE TO BE
PROVIDED WHEN, UH, AGENCY
RECEIVES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
FUNDING AND WE NEED TO LOOK
BEYOND THOSE RESTRICTIONS AND TO
MAKE THINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE
FLEXIBLE AND MORE CULTURALLY
APPROPRIATE. FOR EXAMPLE,
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL SECURITY
STRATEGIES LOOK VERY DIFFERENT
IN DIFFERENT AREAS. THERE'S
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, A CAFE LIKE
MY SISTER'S HOUSE SERVING ASIAN
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN
SACRAMENTO. SURVIVORS ARE
TRAINED AND EMPLOYED IN SO SMALL
BUSINESS FINANCIAL COACHING
ASIAN WOMEN'S SHELTER WHERE
REFUGEE WOMEN LEARN TO BUDGET
AND PLAN FOR THEIR FAMILY'S
FUTURE FUNDAMENTAL WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT, MAKING TRAINING AND
EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS STATEWIDE
THAT ARE RESPONSIVE TO THE
NEEDS. OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SURVIVORS BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND
CULTURALLY. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
PREVENTION HAS OFTEN BEEN SILOED
AS DISTINCT FROM ECONOMIC
JUSTICE, HOUSING SUPPORT AND
OTHER BASIC NEEDS FOR SUSTAINED
SHIFTS. WE NEED TO SEE A SYSTEM
CHANGE AND REDUCE SILOS AND
RESOURCES. FOR EXAMPLE, OVER THE
PAST FEW YEARS, OUR STATEWIDE
NETWORK HAS FOCUSED ON SHIFTS OF
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORT
THE POLICY CHANGE TO CALL OUT
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SURVIVORS AND
ASSESSING JOBS, JOB TRAINING
RESOURCES AND TO CONNECT WITH
CALIFORNIA WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT. BORED. TO ADVOCATE
FOR A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
WORKFORCE TRAINING DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE. SURVIVORS ARE NOT SEEN
AS THEIR AUDIENCE. MANY OF THESE
PROGRAMS ARE GENERATE GEARED
TOWARD JUST MEN, AND NOT TOWARD
VULNERABLE SURVIVORS WITH
CULTURAL RELEVANT LENS. IMAGINE
A JOB TRAINING PROGRAM BUILT FOR
SURVIVORS RESPONSIVE TO THEIR
LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCE
AND ACCESSIBLE TO THEM IN THEIR
VULNERABLE CIRCUMSTANCES. WHAT
MIGHT IT TAKE TO CREATE AND FUND
A JOB TRAINING PROGRAM FOR
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? SURVIVORS
SUPPORTING THE ECONOMIC SECURITY
FOR SURVIVORS IS PREVENTION WORK
. WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT
VIOLENCE PREVENTION AS
INTEGRATED INTO ALL WE DO, AND
FUNDING THE CONTINUUM OF CARE
ACCORDINGLY. AND LOOKING AT
PROVIDING A MORE SUSTAINABLE,
FLEXIBLE SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS
OUTSIDE OF THE NORM AND
INCLUSIVE OF THEIR CULTURAL
DIVERSITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR THAT, UH, IT'S
DIFFICULT. I KNOW WE'VE HAD
CONVERSATIONS BEFORE TO, UH HEAR
ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW THE
FINANCIAL INSECURITIES OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. BUTS UM,
SENATOR SUSAN RUBIO, MY SISTER.
UH UH, DID A BELL, WHICH IS LINE
ON ON COURSE OF CONTROL. UM MOST
PEOPLE THINK THAT, UH, DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A
BRUISE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A
BRUISE, THEN YOU WERE NOT
ABUSED, BUT COURSE OF CONTROL.
THE FINANCIAL INSECURITY IS, I
THINK A BIT OBVIOUSLY. OF THE
BIGGEST FACTORS IN, UM MAKING
SURE THAT UH, THE VICTIMS FEEL
SECURE ENOUGH TO LEAVE BECAUSE I
I'VE HEARD IT AND I'VE SEEN IT
WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WHY DON'T
YOU JUST LEAVE AS IF IT'S JUST A
MATTER OF PICKING UP AND WALKING
AWAY, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE, AND
I THINK STATISTICALLY, IT TAKES
ABOUT SEVEN. I BELIEVE SEVEN OR
EIGHT TIMES, UH, THAT YOU LEFT
THE FIRST TIME TO ACTUALLY LEAVE
FINALLY. BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE
THE RESOURCES OR YOU BEING
CHORUSED INTO YOU KNOW, YOUR
PAYCHECK IS NOT YOUR PAYCHECK.
UM UH, THE CAR IS UNDER MY NAME,
AND I HAD A SITUATION. UH, WITH,
UH SOMEBODY IN ONE OF THE CITIES
THAT I REPRESENT, WHERE WHERE
SHE WENT TO BUY A CAR AND SHE'S
LIKE, OH, NÓ NÓ. LET'S JUST PUT
IT UNDER MY NAME SO THAT, UH,
THE INSURANCE IS LESS WELL WHEN
SHE TRIED TO LEAVE IT LIKE, OH,
WELL, THE CAR IS MINE, RIGHT?
AND SO THAT IS COURSE OF
CONTROL, TRYING TO CONTROL EVERY
ASPECT OF THE FINANCIAL
SITUATION. AND SO WE TALK ABOUT
WHY DON'T THEY JUST LEAVE? WELL
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES
OR THE ECONOMIC SUPPORT THE
PROPER SUPPORT HOUSING, FOR
EXAMPLE, UM THEN THAT'S NOT
GONNA HAPPEN. SO THANK YOU, UM,
FOR THAT REALLY APPRECIATE AND
IT SPARKS OBVIOUSLY INTEREST IN
ALL OF US BECAUSE THE MAIN, UH,
COMMENTS IS LIKE, WHY DON'T YOU
JUST LEAVE? WELL THEY ALL THESE
FACTORS THAT DON'T ALLOW US TO
JUST WALK AWAY OR ALLOW ANYBODY
TO WALK AWAY. UH, ESPECIALLY IF
YOU HAVE CHILDREN, RIGHT? UM
IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT YOU YOU
DON'T HAVE CHILDREN OR THAT YOU
HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH
SOMEONE. BUT IF YOU HAVE
CHILDREN, NOT ONLY ARE YOU
HAVING TO FEND FOR YOURSELF, BUT
NOW YOU HAVE, UH, MOUTHS TO FEED
. AND SO THE TRAUMA IS DIFFERENT
, BECAUSE NOW YOU CHOOSE BETWEEN
LEAVING OR DO I TAKE CARE OF MY
CHILDREN, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT,
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE A
LITTLE BIT MORE DEEPER
CONVERSATION ON. YOU KNOW SOME
OF THE ISSUES THAT WE CAN, UM
HELP WITH. SO THANK YOU FOR
THAT. UM, NEXT, UH TO JESS, WE,
DONA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
KEELY. HONORABLE ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS, LEGISLATIVE STAFF,
FELLOW ADVOCATES AND MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC MY NAME IS DES FODA.
AND I'M HERE AS REPRESENTATIVE
ON BEHALF OF SURVIVORS AND
VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. I
REPRESENT MY THREE, AN AGENCY
THAT IS DEVOTED TO SERVING
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS
SINCE 1991 LIKE KEELY AND OTHER
PANELISTS BEFORE WE ARE MEMBERS
OF THE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE NETWORK AND
THE CALIFORNIA PARTNERSHIP TO
END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. MY TREE IS
A CONFIDENTIAL, NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION FREE, BASED IN SAN
FRANCISCO BAY AREA. WE WORK WITH
THE SOUTH ASIAN POPULATION
FACING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. UH,
MIGHTY FEELS A CRITICAL GAP IN
THE COMMUNITY SERVICES TO
MITIGATE CULTURALLY AND
LINGUISTICALLY TAILORED BARRIERS
FACED BY èC ASIAN POPULATIONS
BETWEEN OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS
. WE SPEAK MORE THAN 13
LANGUAGES. AND MY TREE WAS BORNE
OUT OF THE NEED FOR CULTURALLY
RESPONSIVE SERVICES IN THE SAN
FRANCISCO BAY AREA. MY TREE WAS
FORMED WITH ONE PROGRAM AND ONE
HELPLINE. AND AS WE SERVE
SURVIVORS, WE'VE EXPANDED TO OUR
PROGRAMS LIKE LEGAL ADVOCACY,
MENTAL HEALTH. PEER COUNSELING,
HOUSING STABILIZATION AND
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT. WE INCLUDE
POLICY ADVOCACY AS A TOOL TO
HELP SOUTH ASIAN SURVIVOR VOICES
BE HEARD AND POLICY TO BE GEARED
TOWARDS THEM. WE ENGAGE AND
EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE
WE BELIEVE ECONOMIC SECURITY IS
AS IMPORTANT IN PREVENTION AS IT
IS IN RESPONSE. IN THE AREA OF
ECONOMIC SECURITY. MY THREE HAS
BUILT ITS OWN CAPACITIES THROUGH
CAREER READINESS PROGRAMS,
INDIVIDUAL COACHING, BUDGETING,
SUPPORTING CHILD CARE NEEDS AS
WELL AS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. SURVIVORS
MIGHTY ZONE PILOT SOCIAL
ENTERPRISE, A CLOTHING BOUTIQUE
WAS STARTED IN 2014. WHICH HAD
TO BE ENDED DURING THE PANDEMIC,
BUT THAT PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR SURVIVORS TO GET TRAINED IN
RETAIL SALES, ACQUIRE
COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND BUILD
CONFIDENCE. MY WORK AT MY TREE
IS GROUNDED AT THE INTERSECTION
OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND
ECONOMIC SECURITY. AND TODAY I
WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT ARE MY LEARNINGS
AND MY COLLEAGUES EXPERIENCES
BUT INTO THE PANEL ON ECONOMIC
SECURITY. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON
LIKE THE CHAIR POINTED OUT THAT
FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND
PHYSICAL ABUSE VERY EASILY,
WHEREAS IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO
UNDERSTAND HOW ONE CAN BE
SUBJECTED TO ECONOMIC OR
FINANCIAL ABUSE. ABUSERS CONTROL
SURVIVORS BY NOT GIVING THEM
ACCESS TO FINANCES. BY TAKING
OUT DEBT IN THEIR NAME WITHOUT
CONSENT. BY WITHHOLDING WORK
AUTHORIZATION. BY SPECIFICALLY
CONTROLLING WHERE THEY CAN WORK
AND HOW THEY CAN WORK IF THEY
CAN WORK. AND ALSO, UH.
PARTICIPATING IN ACTS OF
DISRUPTING BEHAVIORS AT THEIR
WORKPLACE. ALL THIS ON TOP OF
WHATEVER THE SURVIVOR IS ALREADY
GOING THROUGH AT HOME. AND THAT
CAN BE A LOT. MANY STUDIES IN
THE AREA OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
HAVE POINTED OUT THAT THE
PRIMARY OBSTACLE FOR VICTIMS AND
CHILDREN TO LEAVE AN ABUSER IS
ECONOMIC SECURITY. ECONOMIC
SECURITY FOR A SURVIVOR COMES
WITH THEIR ABILITY TO BE SAFE
ABILITY TO WORK HAVE FOOD AND
HOUSING, RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION
, AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE AT THE
LEAST. FOR IMMIGRANT SURVIVORS.
BASIC ECONOMIC NEEDS ARE
EXASPERATED BY THEIR IMMIGRATION
STATUS ABILITY TO WORK. LACK OF
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SERVICES,
INCLUDING LANGUAGE ACCESS. I'D
LIKE TO BRIEFLY SHARE SOME OF
THESE BARRIERS SO THAT THE
COMMITTEE UNDERSTANDS WHAT I'M
TRYING TO SAY. A LIMITED ENGLISH
PROFICIENCY IS ONE OF THE MAJOR
BARRIERS BECAUSE THAT MEANS
SURVIVORS CAN ONLY OBTAIN JOBS
WITHIN THEIR SHARED LANGUAGE AND
CULTURAL COMMUNITIES. OFTEN
THESE COMMUNITIES ARE VERY SMALL
AND SURVIVORS SHARE A. THEIR
CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THOSE
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THAT MIGHT
LEAD TO SAFETY COMPROMISES. WORK
AUTHORIZATION, NOT HAVING WORK
AUTHORIZATION CAN BE A VERY
HELPLESS AND FRUSTRATING
EXPERIENCE FOR SURVIVORS BECAUSE
THEY STILL NEED TO MAKE ENDS
MEET, AND SO THAT CAUSES THEM TO
WORK IN VERY UNSAFE CONDITIONS,
AND THAT MIGHT LEAD TO MORE
VIOLENCE AT THE WORKPLACE FOR
THEM. IT IS VERY UNLIKELY THAT A
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVOR
REACHES TO AN AFFILIATE OF THE
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR
A JOB, IT IS MORE LIKELY THAT
THEY REACH OUT TO THE DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AGENCY THAT IS HELPING
THEM AMONG OTHER TRUSTED PEOPLE
THEY MIGHT GO TO, AND IT IS VERY
HARD FOR THEM TO EXPLAIN WHY
THERE IS GAPS IN THEIR
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY AND WHY THERE
IS NÓ EMPLOYMENT HISTORY AT ALL
IN SOME CASES, AND WHEN A
SURVIVOR LEAVES, THEY DON'T
LEAVE WITH ALL THE DOCUMENTS
THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES THEY'RE
LIVING IN. AND SO HOW? HOW HOW
DO THEY EXPLAIN TO AN EMPLOYER
THAT YEAH, I'M AUTHORIZED. I
DON'T HAVE THE CARD. OH, NÓ. I'M
A RESIDENT, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE
DOCUMENTS, SO THIS IS VERY HARD
FOR THEM TO EXPLAIN. AND SO SOME
PEOPLE MIGHT NOT EVEN NOT TRY TO
WORK. BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW
HOW TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION.
FOR MANY SURVIVORS CAN YOUR
EXPLORATION IS LIKE A MAZE? AND
IN SPITE OF HOME, COUNTRY WORK,
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATIONAL
QUALIFICATIONS. THEY STILL DON'T
KNOW WHERE TO GET THE
CREDENTIALING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION TO FIND WORK WITH
THERE, AND THAT LEADS THEM TO
STILL CONTINUE TO WORK IN
MINIMUM WAGE JOBS, WHICH MEANS
THEY WORK LONGER HOURS, GET
LESSER MONEY, AND STILL THEY'RE
GOING THROUGH HAVING TO DEAL
WITH HEALING THE TRAUMA AND THE
CHILDREN AND ANY FAMILY THAT
THEY'RE CARING FOR. SURVIVORS
OFTENTIMES ARE ONLY CAREGIVERS
FOR THEIR CHILDREN. AND IT
PRESENTS TO THEM AS A BARRIER TO
FINDING EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE THE
COST OF CHILD CARE IS NOT
SOMETHING THEY'RE ABLE TO THINK
IS DIRECTLY FINANCIALLY VIABLE
TO THEIR SITUATION. AND BASED ON
THESE BARRIERS I SHARED. I HAVE
A COUPLE OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
THE COMMITTEE THAT I WOULD LIKE
YOU TO CONSIDER. MY FIRST
RECOMMENDATION IS PERTAINING TO
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE APPROACH
TO LANGUAGE ACCESS. BASED ON
CENSUS INFORMATION. CALIFORNIA
IS HOME TO AT LEAST 10.4 MILLION
IMMIGRANTS AND 27 PER CENT OF
CALIFORNIA POPULATION IS FOREIGN
BORN, AND THESE IMMIGRANTS SPEAK
ONE LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH
AT HOME. EXCEPT FOR INDIVIDUAL
LIBRARY SYSTEMS. IT IS VERY
DIFFICULT TO FIND. E, S¼ L
TRAINING AND LESSONS THAT ARE
GEARED TOWARDS SPOKEN ENGLISH
AND COMPREHENSION, SURVIVORS AND
MANY IMMIGRANTS JOINED SESSIONS
FROM ADULT EDUCATION AND
COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO BE
OVERWHELMED WITH CURRICULUM
ABOUT WRITING ENGLISH AND THE
GRAMMAR. BUT WELL, ALL ASPECTS
OF LANGUAGE ARE IMPORTANT. IT IS
CRITICAL FOR A PERSON TO BE ABLE
TO SPEAK AND COMPREHEND WHEN
THEY'RE IN A NEW COUNTRY. MORE
SO WHEN YOU MIGHT BE
EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AND ARE NAVIGATING WITH FIRST
RESPONDERS, THE COURT SYSTEM
MEDICAL SYSTEM AND THE BENEFITS
SYSTEM. UH ONE OF THE BIGGEST
STRUGGLES. I ALSO FEEL EVEN
THOUGH YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME
ENGLISH IS TO UNDERSTAND THE
ACCENTS AND THE ACCENT THAT A
SURVIVOR MIGHT HAVE BECAUSE OF
THEIR HOME COUNTRY LANGUAGE AND
HOW TO REDUCE THAT. I HAVE
WORKED WITH SEVERAL SURVIVORS
WHO HAVE DROPPED OUT OF E S¼ L
CLASSES. AND THAT IS PURELY
BECAUSE THEY FELT THEY DON'T
CATER TO THEIR NEEDS. IT TAKES
TOO MUCH TIME. THEY'RE TALKING
ABOUT THINGS THAT THE DIRECTLY
NOT RELEVANT. AND GRASSES ARE
SPREAD OVER MONTHS IN COMMUNITY
COLLEGES AND CONTRARY, SURVIVORS
DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF TIME. MY
SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS
INTEGRATING CULTURALLY
RESPONSIVE SERVICES AND TRAUMA
INFORMED SERVICES IN THE
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SPECTRUM.
IN THE NINE YEARS THAT I'VE
WORKED WITH IMMIGRANT SURVIVORS
IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES. I HAVE
NOT HAD A SINGLE IMMIGRANT
SURVIVOR APPROACH, A WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT BOARD OR AN
AFFILIATE FOR ANY EMPLOYMENT
NEEDS. THEY OFTEN REACH OUT TO
THE Dð VÆ AGENCY, LIKE I ALREADY
SHARE IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT
THE BREAKING BARRIERS TO
EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE INCLUDES
SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AS A TARGET POPULATION. NEITHER
INDIVIDUAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AGENCIES OR UMBRELLA AGENCIES
LIKE THE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE NETWORK, OR
THE CALIFORNIA PARTNERSHIP FOR
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAVE NOT BEEN
INCLUDED EITHER IN THE FORM OF
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OR IN TERMS
OF IMPLEMENTATION. IF THE GOAL
IS TO SERVE THE TARGET
POPULATION, THE FUNDS AND THE
RESOURCES NEED TO REACH THE
AGENCIES THAT CAN FUNNEL
SURVIVORS ENTRY INTO THIS
PROGRAMS. THIS IS CRITICAL
BECAUSE LOCAL WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT BOARDS MIGHT NOT
HAVE THE CAPACITY. TO PROVIDE
TRAUMA, INFORMED OR CULTURALLY
COMPETENT SERVICES, INCLUDING
LANGUAGE ACCESS FOR SEEKING
EMPLOYMENT. THE WORK WAS
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM IS NOT
CURRENTLY POISED TO INCLUDE AND
SERVE Tð VÆ SURVIVORS, AND WE
WANT TO CHANGE THAT. CR DVN
WOULD LIKE TO SEE CALIFORNIA
BEING LED BY A PILOT JOB
TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR Tð
VÆ SURVIVORS. AND. SOMETHING
THAT BREAKS DOWN THE SILOS OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY, AS NOTED IN THE
HOVER COMMISSION REPORT.
SURVIVORS ACCESS TO THESE
SERVICES DIRECTLY AFFECTS THEIR
ABILITY TO BE EMPLOYED, RE ENTER
THE WORK FORCE, OBTAIN SKILL,
DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING AND
CONNECT TO POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS.
WITHOUT ALL THIS. CURRENTLY ALL
Dð VÆ AGENCIES ARE WORKING
INDIVIDUALLY ON THESE ASPECTS
WITH SURVIVORS WITH LITTLE
RESOURCES, LITTLE INFORMATION
AND VERY LESS STAFF BANDWIDTH.
MY THIRD RECOMMENDATION IS ABOUT
ACCESS TO CHILD CARE. AND WHAT
WE CAN CHANGE ABOUT IT, MOVING
TO A NEW COUNTRY AND
EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
CAN BE A VERY ISOLATING
EXPERIENCE WITH NÓ FAMILY AROUND
. SURVIVORS ARE OFTEN THE SOLE
CAREGIVERS FOR THEIR CHILDREN
AND CHILD CARE BECOMES A HEAVY
BURDEN TO SHOULDER AND MORE SO
WHILE NAVIGATING ENTRY INTO THE
WORK FORCE. ON TOP OF THAT MANY
SURVIVORS STRUGGLE WITH THE FEAR
OF THE ABUSER SHOWING UP AT
SCHOOLS AND CHILDCARE CENTERS,
COMPROMISING THEIR SAFETY. MANY
EXISTING SYSTEMS THAT ASSESS
CHILDCARE NEEDS ONLY SEEM TO
CONSIDER DIRECT EMPLOYMENT OR
TRAINING FOR DIRECT EMPLOYMENT
AS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR
CHILDCARE SERVICES. AS A RECENT
REPORT ON INTERSECTING BARRIERS
TO ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, NOTED
ALL SURVIVORS, REGARDLESS OF
EMPLOYMENT STATUS, NEED ACCESS
TO CHILD CARE. TEMPORARY CHILD
CARE SEEMS TO BE PARTICULARLY A
NEED FOR SURVIVORS, NOT JUST FOR
WORK, BUT ALSO FOR JOB SEEKING.
RECORD DATES, RECOVERY FROM
INCIDENTS OF ABUSE AND OTHER
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATED
EMERGENCIES. ADDITIONALLY THERE
IS A NEED FOR CHILDCARE TO BE
OPEN PAST STANDARD TIME. 7 A.M.
TO 6 P.M. GIVEN THAT MANY PEOPLE
ARE EMPLOYED AND WORK IN SHIFTS
THAT ARE LONGER AND ON THE
WEEKENDS AND FALL OUT OF THE
TIME ZONE. SUMMER IS A
PARTICULAR CHALLENGE. BECAUSE
THE SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED. IT'S
DIFFICULT TO FIND AFFORDABLE
CHILD CARE, GIVEN THE COST OF
SUMMER CAMPS, AND THERE IS NÓ
ALTERNATE OPTION. SO IT'S VERSUS
WHETHER YOU GO TO WORK OR YOU
JUST STAY AT HOME. FOR SURVIVORS
WHO DO MANAGE TO CONNECT WITH
ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT SYSTEM
OF AID CAN BE VERY OVERWHELMING.
WHEN SURVIVORS START TO MAKE
ECONOMIC ADVANCES SUPPORTS ARE
OFTEN REMOVED, CAUSING THEM TO
LOSE ELIGIBILITY. WHICH FEELS
LIKE AN ARTIST CYCLE OF SLIPPING
BACK INTO POVERTY. THE IRONY IS
THAT THEY CAN'T WORK BECAUSE
THEY CAN'T AFFORD CHILDCARE. AND
THEY CAN'T AFFORD CHILDCARE
BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MAKE ENOUGH
MONEY AND GO TO WORK. MY FOURTH
RECOMMENDATION IS ABOUT RIGHTS
EDUCATION. WHILE CALIFORNIA HAS
MADE CRITICAL PROGRESS IN
SUPPORTING SURVIVORS TO ECONOMIC
SECURITY, THE MANY PROTECTIONS
AND PROVISIONS FOR SURVIVORS ARE
LARGELY UNKNOWN UNLESS CONNECTED
WITH AN AGENCY THAT'S ACTUALLY
NAVIGATING THE SITUATION WITH
THE SURVIVOR. FOR EXAMPLE,
ESTABLISHING COERCE A COERCED
AND FRAUDULENT DEBT PROTECTIONS
WHEN INCURRED AS A RESULT OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND WITHOUT
CONSENT. SURVIVORS SPEND MONTHS
PAYING THIS DEBT, NOT KNOWING
THAT THEY'RE PROTECTED AND THEY
WERE FRAUDULENTLY INCURRED.
ANOTHER MAJOR PROTECTION IS
LANGUAGE ACCESS. SURVIVORS OFTEN
FEEL OVERWHELMED AND ASHAMED
ABOUT SEEKING LANGUAGE ACCESS
AND SEE THAT AS A FAVOR. AND NOT
A PROTECTED RIGHT WITH WHICH IT
IS. SAME APPLIES TO THE LABOR
CODE PROTECTIONS FOR SURVIVORS
TO ACCESS JOB PROTECTED LEAVE
WAGE PROTECTIONS. WORKPLACE
VIOLENCE RESTRAINING ORDERS
UNLESS THE STATE INVESTS IN
RIGHTS EDUCATION IN MULTIPLE
LANGUAGES. SURVIVORS MIGHT NOT
BE EVEN AWARE OF ALL THE WORK
THAT IS BEING DONE AND ALL THE
PROTECTIONS THAT EXIST. I AM
REQUESTING THIS COMMITTEE TO
TAKE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO
CONSIDERATION AS WE ALL STRONGLY
FEEL THAT IT WILL HELP
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS IMMATERIAL
WHETHER THEY ARE SURVIVOR OR NOT
A SURVIVOR. ECONOMIC SECURITY IS
A UNIQUE ASPECT FOR SURVIVORS
SAFETY, BUT IT CAN DOESN'T HAVE
TO BE ADDRESSED AS A RESPONSE TO
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. IT CAN BE
ADDRESSED AS A PREVENTED
PREVENTION TOOL AMONG
COMMUNITIES THAT WILL BENEFIT
FROM INTERACTING FROM A
CULTURALLY COMPETENT LANGUAGE
ACCESSIBLE AND TRAUMA INFORMED
SYSTEM. A SYSTEM THAT IS READY
TO HELP EVERY PERSON BEFORE THE
EXPERIENCE ABUSE, VIOLENCE,
ISOLATION AND IN THE PROCESS
PREVENT THE CYCLE OF ABUSE
ITSELF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
VERY MUCH FOR THAT. I THINK, UM,
EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID IS TRUE
JUST FOR THE NORMAL UH, YOU
KNOW, JUST FOLKS IN GENERAL, AND
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT
NOW. BUT UH, THANK YOU FOR THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS. IN THE MEANTIME
, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME UH UH,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. SORRY, AN
ASSEMBLY MEMBER, GIB SAID. I
EXPLAINED TO EVERYONE THAT WE
ARE ALL RUNNING AROUND THIS
MORNING. SO I APPRECIATE YOU. UH
UM, UH, HEADING OVER HERE AFTER
YOUR COMMITMENTS THIS MORNING,
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY
HELLO OR A COUPLE WORDS UH,
THANK YOU. AND, UH, GOOD MORNING
, AND YOU KNOW, THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLYWOMAN. UH RUBIO FOR
PUTTING THIS, UH, REALLY
INFORMATIVE. UH, HEARING
TOGETHER, I THINK FOR SOMEONE
LIKE ME THAT REPRESENTS A
DISTRICT THAT IS VERY RURAL. UH
THE COMMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD,
AND THE CONCERNS THAT I'VE HEARD
FROM FOLKS IN MY DISTRICT IS, UH
, ALL OF WHAT YOU'VE MENTIONED,
UH, COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT
THERE'S NÓ SHELTER AND SHELTER
IN IN MY COMMUNITY, UH, BECAUSE
IT'S VERY RURAL. MOST OF THE
FOLKS LIVE IN VERY SPREAD OUT
SMALL AND THE RESOURCES ARE VERY
LIMITED. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I'M TRYING TO
FIGURE. BECAUSE IF WE CAN'T GET
THESE WOMEN IN SHELTER FIRST,
THEN WE CAN'T EVEN DO ALL THE
OTHER WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT
YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT. UM
THE ONLY ONE SHELTER THAT EXISTS
IN THE THREE COUNTIES THAT I
REPRESENT IS IN FRESNO. ALL THE
OTHER ONES ARE KIND OF, YOU
KNOW, THE CBO IS TRYING TO
SCROUNGE UP DOLLARS ON THEIR OWN
TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT A SAFE
PLACE, UH, FOR THE WOMEN AND
CHILDREN, AND SO THAT'S ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I'M REALLY
INTERESTED IN FIGURING OUT HOW
THE STATE CAN BE A BETTER
PARTNER, UM, HOW WE'RE USING
EVEN THE HOMELESS. DOLLARS THAT
YOU KNOW WE ARE, UH, DIV UP, UH,
THROUGHOUT THE STATE, CUZ I
HAVEN'T SEEN REALLY, UM HOW
THROUGH THE HOMELESSNESS FUNDING
. WE'VE REALLY, UH, ADDRESSED
SOME OF THE SHELTER ISSUES THAT
WE DO HAVE, UH, WITH THESE
VICTIMS, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE
ISSUE THAT I'M VERY INTERESTED
IN. BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE SHARED.
THANK YOU. UH THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. UH, MADAM CHAIR. I'M HAPPY
TO BE A PART OF THIS. SO THAT
COMMITTEE IS VERY IMPORTANT, UH,
TO CALIFORNIA AS WELL AS TO MY
COMMUNITY. UH WHEN I WAS A
FORMER POLICE OFFICER AND GOING
TO A NUMBER OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
CALLS, UM AND THEN MAKING THE
DECISIONS BASED ON THE LAW, UM,
TO REMOVE SOMEONE FROM THE HOME.
AND THAT'S NINE TIMES THAT 10 IS
AN ABUSER. BUT THEN WE ARREST
HIM AND THE VICTIM DON'T WANT TO
PRESS CHARGES. RIGHT UM, AND
THEN WE SEEN OFFICERS GETTING
HURT IN THOSE KIND OF PHYSICALLY
HURT IN THOSE KINDS OF
SITUATIONS, RIGHT? UM AND I
DON'T YOU KNOW, THE VICTIM
DOESN'T FEEL SUPPORTED, OR, UH,
BECAUSE, UH, THAT THE VICTIM IS
NOT THE BREADWINNER, AND IT
CHANGES THE OUT THE LANDSCAPE OF
WHAT HAPPENS IF THAT IF THE
ASSAILANT THE PERPETRATOR LEAVES
AND THE LACK OF STABILITY THAT
WILL EXIST. AND BEING PLACED IN
THOSE KINDS OF UNCOMPROMISING
POSITIONS ARE VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT CONCERN AND SO ONE I'M
HAPPY THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION IS ONE THAT WE NEED
TO HAVE, UM AND NOT IN A VACUUM,
BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A OPENLY AND
LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING
TO TRY TO SUPPORT. UM BECAUSE
NOT NOT ONLY DOES NOT ONLY DID
MY CALLS LEAD TO UM GOING TO A
PLACE WHERE A FEMALE WAS THE
VICTIM. I'VE BEEN TO CALLS WHERE
THE HUSBAND WAS THE VICTIM AS
WELL. SO IT'S TWO SIDES, UH TO,
UH TO THE SITUATIONS, BUT WE
WANT TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND
THIS A VERY IMPORTANT
CONVERSATION. UM SO THAT WE CAN
FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS
A GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE
RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT CAN
BE, UH UH, LEVERAGE AND
ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE THAT
NEEDS THEM. SO, UM THANK YOU ALL
VERY MUCH FOR TESTIMONY AND
THANK THE CHAIR FOR ONE MOVING
FOR THIS CONVERSATION FORWARD.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU. AND,
YOU KNOW, JUST, UH TO, UH,
ADDRESS. UH, ASSEMBLY WOMEN
SORRY AS. CONVERSATION I'M FROM
LOS ANGELES COUNTY. AND WE YOU
KNOW, BY ALL ACCOUNTS HAVE THE
SUPPORT. UH YOU KNOW, EITHER IN
COVINA OR WITH COVINA IN MY AREA
, AND I DIDN'T. IT'S DIFFICULT
FOR THOSE OF US THAT DON'T HAVE
THE ISSUES THAT THE CENTRAL
VALLEY, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS OR AND
I IMAGINE THIS. THE ISSUES ARE
THE SAME IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA,
WHERE THE RESOURCES ARE NOT AS
READILY AVAILABLE OR THE
SHELTERS. UM YOU WE NEED TO KEEP
HEARING THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, I'M
FROM L A AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
SOMEWHAT OF A SYSTEM BUT IT
DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME THAT YOU ONLY
HAVE ONE SHELTER IN FOR THREE
COUNTIES. I I WAS JUST BLOWN
AWAY RIGHT NOW, WHEN YOU SAID
THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN WE WERE
THINKING AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE
TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION
ABOUT SUPPORTING THE VICTIMS
WITHOUT GIVING THEM THE
STABILITY OF A PLACE TO GO. UH
YOU KNOW THE RESOURCES THAT THEY
NEED TO JUST GET OUT, LET ALONE
THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES AS
DISCUSSED, BUT SO THANK YOU FOR
THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR
HIGHLIGHTING THAT. I THINK OUR
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA UM
COLLEAGUES CAN ALSO, UH, SHARE
THE SAME, UH, ISSUES THAT YOU
HAVE SHARED. SO THANK YOU. ALL
RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH SO
NEXT UH, JANA CASSIDY? YES THANK
YOU. I AM. CAN YOU HEAR ME? UH,
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME
IS JENNY CASSIDY. I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA WORK FAMILY COALITION
. REALLY APPRECIATE BEING HERE
REALLY, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF
YOUR LEADERSHIP. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
RUBIO ON THIS ISSUE AND THE
WHOLE SELECT COMMITTEE. UM, I
REALLY LEARNED A LOT THIS
MORNING. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING
I'VE HEARD. UM SO I WORK WITH
THE CALIFORNIA WORK AND FAMILY
COALITION. WE'RE A STATEWIDE
ALLIANCE OF, UH, REALLY DIVERSE
ORGANIZATIONS UNITED IN THE
QUEST TO ENSURE THAT ALL PEOPLE
HAVE THE TIME AND THE RESOURCES
TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES AND CARE
FOR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. WE
PASS THE WE LED THE CAMPAIGN
THAT PASSED THE FIRST PAID
FAMILY LEAVE LAW IN THE NATION
BACK HERE IN CALIFORNIA IN 2002,
AND SINCE THEN OUR COALITIONS
ACTUALLY STAYED TOGETHER TO WORK
ON ENSURING ACCESS BECAUSE EVEN
WITH LAW, AS YOU KNOW, ACCESS
CAN STILL BE AN ISSUE FOR A LOT
OF PEOPLE. UM, WE WORK VERY
CLOSELY WITH AND THEY ARE ALSO A
MEMBER OF OUR COALITION, AND WE
ARE A MEMBER OF THEIRS WITH THE
CALIFORNIA PARTNERSHIP TO END
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. UM PARTLY
BECAUSE THEY REALLY SEE THE ROLE
OF PAID LEAVE AND OTHER
WORKPLACE SUPPORTS AS A
PREVENTION MECHANISM FOR
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, TO END
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. UM SO THE
KINDS OF THINGS WE WORK ON WE DO
SEE AS HAVING SUCH A BIGGER
IMPACT THAN JUST THAT DAY THAT
SOMEBODY CAN TAKE A DAY OFF OF
WORK WHEN THEY YOU KNOW, REALLY
NEED TO BECAUSE OF BEING
SERIOUSLY ILL CARING FOR A
FAMILY MEMBER BONDING WITH THE
BABY. UM YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC
SECURITY IS A PREDICTOR OF
HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR FAMILIES
AND WHOLE COMMUNITIES. IT MAKES
SENSE THAT WHEN COMMUNITIES HAVE
WHAT THEY NEED, AND THEY HAVE
ACCESS TO THINGS LIKE STABLE
EMPLOYMENT, LIVING WAGES, UM
PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO THRIVE
AND THE INCIDENCE OF ALL KINDS
OF VIOLENCE DECREASES, INCLUDING
INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE. UM,
HOWEVER, WHEN COMMUNITIES HAVE
WEAK ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
POLICIES. THEY'RE AT HIGHER RISK
OF MULTIPLE KINDS OF VIOLENCE,
INCLUDING INTIMATE PARTNER
VIOLENCE. UM, THE THINGS THAT WE
WORK ON, LIKE, PAID AND JOB
PROTECTED. LEAVE UH, DO HELP
CREATE STABLE WORKPLACES AND ARE
KEY ELEMENTS TO ESTABLISHING, UM
NOT ONLY ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR
THE WORKERS AND FAMILIES THAT
USE THEM, BUT ALSO THE ABILITY
TO ESTABLISH HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER.
WHICH IS, UM SUCH AN IMPORTANT
PART OF THIS AND INCLUDING AND
IN ADDITION TO THAT THERE ARE
ALSO DIRECT SERVICES AND
SUPPORTS FOR SURVIVORS OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BECAUSE BEING
ABLE TO ACCESS TIME OFF IS KEY
IN THAT CASE, TOO. SO I WANNA
TALK ABOUT THREE IMPORTANT LAWS
AND THINGS THAT WE WORK ON. UM
WE WORK ON PASSING LAWS, BUT WE
ALSO DO A LOT OF WORK ON
IMPLEMENTATION, MAKING SURE
THOSE LAWS ARE REALLY FELT IN
PEOPLE'S LIVES, SO A LOT OF THE
WORK WE'VE DONE RECENTLY IS
REALLY MAKING SURE THAT MORE LOW
INCOME CALIFORNIANS OF WHICH
THERE ARE MANY, YOU KNOW, CAN
SAYS THIS, UM SO ONE OF THE
THINGS I'LL TALK ABOUT IS PAID
SICK AND SAFE DAYS. UM WHICH IS
A GONZALEZ BILL THAT PASSED LAST
YEAR. IT WAS SIGNED BY THE
GOVERNOR IN 2020 THREE, AND IT
INCREASED OUR PAID SICK DAYS.
LAW FROM THREE TO FIVE JUST CAME
INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1ST, AND
THIS MEANS THAT CALIFORNIA'S CAN
NOW ACCRUE UP TO A MINIMUM OF
FIVE PAID SICK DAYS, UM, NOT
ONLY TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES, BUT
ALSO FOR FAMILY, INCLUDING
CHOSEN FAMILY, WHICH IS
CALIFORNIA VERY IMPORTANT. A LOT
OF FAMILIES ARE NOT BY BLOOD.
SOMETIMES THEY ARE YOUR CLOSE
NEIGHBORS. YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS.
UM AND THESE ALSO CAN BE TAKEN
AS SAFE DAYS FOR ANYTHING
RELATED TO, UM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
. THIS COULD INCLUDE THINGS LIKE
TAKING TIME OFF WORK, UM, TO
RECEIVE MEDICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH
CARE. OBTAINED SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES, SEEK SAFETY FOR
YOURSELF OR YOUR FAMILY. UM YOU
KNOW, PAID SAFETIES ARE ALSO JOB
PROTECTED, WHICH HELPS SURVIVORS
STAY IN THE WORKFORCE. SO WE, UM
, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS IN TERMS OF
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN DO
AROUND THIS LAW THAT ALREADY
PASSED IS REALLY ENSURE THAT
THERE IS REALLY GOOD COMMUNITY
EDUCATION THAT IS IN ALL OF THE
LANGUAGES AND CULTURALLY
COMPETENT, ESPECIALLY FOR A LOT
OF YOUNG WORKERS. WHO REALLY, I
HAVE TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS WHO ARE
IN THE WORKFORCE, AND THEIR
BOSSES SOMETIMES TELL THEM THAT
THEY DON'T HAVE BASIC DAYS. NOT
TRUE. SO YOU KNOW, IT IS
SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED
TO, UM EDUC. ON THE FACT THAT
THESE ARE SAFE DAYS AS WELL. UM,
THE OTHER REALLY IMPORTANT
ADVANCE WE MADE RECENTLY, UH,
WAS WHEN GOVERNOR NEWSOM SIGNED
S¼ B 951, WHICH IS THE DURAZZO
BILL THAT EXPANDS THE WAGE
PLACEMENT FOR PAID FAMILY LEAVE,
WHICH WAS 1ST 55 AND THEN 60% TO
90% FOR LOW WAGE WORKERS, AND
THE FORMULA IN THE BILL DEFINES
THAT AS SOMEBODY MAKING 60,000
OR LESS BECAUSE IN CALIFORNIA TO
MAKE ENDS MEET, AS WE ALL KNOW,
HOUSING IS VERY EXPENSIVE. THAT
IS, YOU KNOW, THAT IS CONSIDERED
A LOWER WAGE WORKER AND THAT'S I
THINK A U èC BERKELEY STUDY
SHOWED THAT ONE IN THREE PEOPLE
ARE IN CALIFORNIA WORKERS EARN
WHAT WOULD BE DEFINED AS LOW
WAGES. SO THAT'S MILLIONS OF
WORKERS THAT REALLY NEEDED THIS
TO BE ABLE TO TAKE LEAVE BECAUSE
WE HAVE THIS AMAZING, AMAZING
BENEFIT IN CALIFORNIA, YOU KNOW,
FIRST IN THE NATION AND LOWER
WAGE WORKERS WERE JUST NOT
ACCESSING IT AT THE LEVEL THAT
HIGHER WAGE WORKERS IT WASN'T
ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY. UM AND
IT YOU KNOW, HAS SO MANY
DIFFERENT BENEFITS, SO I THINK,
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO COME
INTO THE INTO LAW IN 2025, AND I
THINK YOU KNOW ACCESS TO PAID
TIME OFF JOB PROTECTION. THE
ABILITY TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE
THIS SAFETY NET IS REALLY KIND
OF THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF OUR
ECONOMIC SECURITY IN CALIFORNIA.
OUR S¼ SYSTEM IS AN INCREDIBLE
SYSTEM. EVERYBODY WHO PAYS IN
HAS ACCESS TO IT WHEN THEY NEED
IT. UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO
BE SO THE NUMBER ONE THING ON
THAT IS WE HAVE THIS. THERE WAS
THIS AMAZING VICTORY TOOK. IT
WAS YEARS IN THE MAKING. BUT NOW
WE HAVE A THREAT TO IT THROUGH
AN INITIATIVE THAT WILL BE ON
THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. IT'S UM
THE TAXPAYER DECEPTION ACT IS,
UM, SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO
MAKE IT PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE
TO RAISE REVENUE, AND IT WILL
ACTUALLY NULLIFY THINGS THAT
WERE NEW BILLS THAT WERE PASSED
IN BACK TO THAT WENT INTO EFFECT
BACK IN JANUARY. 21ST 2022, SO
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE
NEVER REALLY EXPERIENCED BEFORE
WHERE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES
ARE COMING TOGETHER TO EVEN
DEFEND SOME OF THE SOCIAL SAFETY
NET PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, YOU
KNOW, FROM BEING LOST BY THE
BALLAD IT'S SOMETHING THAT I
KNOW THERE'S A CHALLENGE TO IT
AT THE STATE, BUT WE'RE ALREADY
GEARING UP TO, UM, REALLY WORK
ON THAT. IT'S KIND OF A KIND OF
A NEW THING FOR US. BUT IN
ADDITION TO THAT WE ARE ALSO
WORKING ON REMOVING THE BARRIERS
PEOPLE FACE WHEN THEY GO TO
APPLY FOR, UM ST OR PAID.
BECAUSE ESPECIALLY WITH LOW WAGE
WORKERS, NEW IMMIGRANTS, THERE
ARE A LOT OF LANGUAGE, ACCESS
BARRIERS AND OTHER BARRIERS AND
I HAVE, UM, AND THERE'S AN
INCREDIBLE COMMITTEE IN THE
COALITION THAT WORKS ON ALL
THESE NITTY GRITTY LITTLE ISSUES
THAT PEOPLE HAVE WHEN THEY GO TO
APPLY, AND WE DO A LOT OF
TRAINING, UM SO THAT PEOPLE CAN
SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN TAKING
THAT LEAVE. THAT'S SOMETHING
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE EB Dð ON.
WE HAVE THIS GREAT BENEFIT THAT
PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO TAKE. NOW
DON'T HAVE IT NOT WORK WHEN YOU
GO TO APPLY, SO THAT'S YOU KNOW,
THOSE ARE SOME, UH
RECOMMENDATIONS TO REALLY HELP.
UM THAT WORK WITH THE EDD ON
MAKING IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE
FOR ALL, UM CALIFORNIANS TO
APPLY. UM THE OTHER THING THAT
IS COMING THAT I KNOW, UM,
MELODY WILL TALK ABOUT AS WELL
IS PAID FAMILY LEAVE FOR CHOSEN
AND EXTENDED FAMILY. SO RIGHT
NOW YOU CAN TAKE PAID FAMILY
LEAVE TO CARE FOR YOUR SPOUSE.
YOUR REGISTERED DOMESTIC PARTNER
, YOUR CHILD, YOUR PARENT PARENT
IN LAW SIBLING. UM ALSO YOUR, UM
GRANDPARENT OR GRANDCHILDREN,
WHICH IS A LOT OF FAMILY MEMBERS
MORE THAN IN SOME STATES, BUT AT
THE SAME TIME, UM A LOT OF
CALIFORNIANS ARE OF TWO TYPES.
EXTENDED FAMILY IS REALLY
IMPORTANT PEOPLE CARE FOR OR
CARED BY ANTS AND UNCLES AS WELL
. YOU KNOW, NIECES AND NEPHEWS
THEY CARE FOR, BUT ALSO A LOT OF
PEOPLE REALLY DON'T HAVE BLOOD
FAMILY IN THEIR LIVES. THEY RELY
ON CHOSEN FAMILY. SO THIS BILL,
IT'S A WIX BILL, AND IT'S STILL.
UH, IT'S A TWO YEAR BILL AND WE
ARE HOPING TO PASS IT THIS YEAR.
UM A B 518. AND THAT WOULD
EXTEND PAID LEAVE TO, UM PEOPLE
CARING FOR CHOSEN FAMILY. WE
ALREADY HAVE THE JOB PROTECTION
IN PLACE, BUT IT REALLY HAS TO
PAID TO MAKE IT TRULY ACCESSIBLE
. SO WE ARE REALLY WORKING ON
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE THINK
HELP MAKE COMMUNITIES AND
FAMILIES THRIVE. AND THAT IS, IT
MIGHT SEEM ODD TO TALK ABOUT
THAT AS PREVENTATIVE OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE, BUT IT REALLY, YOU
KNOW, STUDIES SHOW THAT IT'S ONE
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU
CAN HAVE IS, YOU KNOW, BUILDING
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND HAVING
THE TIME TO DO THAT. SO UM, WITH
THAT, I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. ANY
QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. OK THANK YOU FOR, UH,
FOR THAT, JENIA, UH, NEXT, WE
HAVE, UM MELODY CHRIS BOEN FROM,
UH, SHE'S A PREVENTION
SPECIALIST WITH THE CALIFORNIA
PARTNERSHIP TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
, AND WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK
TOGETHER. SO YES, WE HAVE. I
JUST SAW YOU LAST WEEK AT THE
RALLY. UM SO, YEAH, SO MY NAME
IS MELODY, CHRIS BODEN. I USE
SHE HER A PRONOUNS AND I AM FROM
TON LAND IN LOS ANGELES,
CALIFORNIA. UM AND, UH, I JUST
WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE
CHAIRPEOPLE HERE TO BE ABLE TO
LISTEN TO THIS TOPIC. UM AND I
THINK WHAT I AM TRYING TO DO IS
REALLY KIND OF ALIGN AND
SYNTHESIZE WHAT EVERYBODY HAS
SPOKEN ABOUT TODAY IN TERMS OF
PREVENTION AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE,
BECAUSE WE DO SEE ECONOMIC
JUSTICE AS A TOOL FOR
PREVENTION. OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
. UM AND I ACTUALLY DID JUST
WANNA TAKE ONE SMALL MOMENT TO
TALK ABOUT THE COMMENTS ABOUT
HEALTHY AND TOXIC MASCULINITY
AND SPORTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT,
SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY IS A
CURRICULUM CALLED COACHING BOYS
INTO MEN, WHICH IS WHERE
ADVOCATES TRAIN COACHES ON HIGH
SCHOOL CAMPUSES. HOW TO BE
LEADERS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
AND RATHER HAVING ADVOCATES LIKE
US PROVIDE THAT EDUCATION, THE
COACHES ARE TRAINED SO THAT THEY
CAN COACH THE YOUNG PEOPLE ON
THOSE TEAMS TO BE ABLE TO BE
AWARE ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
PREVENTION BECAUSE COACHES ARE
SEEN AS MENTORS AND HE'S
ATHLETES ARE SEEN AS MENTORS ON
THEIR SCHOOL CAMPUSES, SO THEY
ARE NOW DELIVERERS OF THIS
INFORMATION. UM AND THERE'S ALSO
A COLLEGE PROGRAM CALLED IT'S ON
US FOR, UM YOUNG MEN ON COLLEGE
CAMPUSES TO TAKE ON PREVENTION
AS THEIR OWN, UH, ISSUE AND SAY
THAT IT'S ON US TO HELP PREVENT
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. SO I JUST DID
WANT TO ADDRESS THAT, UM, TO
YOUR POINT. UM, SO AGAIN, WE DO
SEE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. UH, AS AH
, A TOOL. UH THAT CAN BE
ADDRESSED THROUGH ECONOMIC
JUSTICE. AND YOU KNOW, OUR
COALITION IS SO PROUD TO HAVE
ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS AS
MEMBERS FOR US. UM AND AGAIN. I
HOPE THAT SOME OF WHAT I CAN SAY
CAN REALLY PUT TOGETHER WHAT
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. UM, SO
WE DO KNOW THAT ECONOMIC
INSECURITY IS A RISK FACTOR FOR
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND EVEN
THOUGH THE CIRCUMSTANCES
SURROUNDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE MIGHT DIFFER
. ECONOMIC INSTABILITY IS A RISK
FACTOR IN BOTH AND CAN BE
PREVENTED OR ADDRESSED THROUGH
ECONOMIC JUSTICE SUPPORTS, UM
AND ACCORDING TO THE èC, Dð èC
POLICIES THAT PROMOTE ECONOMIC
JUSTICE CAN HELP MITIGATE THE
RISKS POSED BY, UH, ECONOMIC
INSTABILITY, AND THE CALIFORNIA
PARTNERSHIP IS ONE OF FEW, UH,
COALITIONS FROM DIFFERENT
STATEWIDE. UH, ORGANIZATIONS
FUNDED BY THE SPECIFICALLY TO DO
ECONOMIC JUSTICE WORK AND
SPECIFICALLY TO DO ECONOMIC
JUSTICE WORK WITH HISTORICALLY
AND CURRENTLY MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES. UM, AND SO I JUST
WANTED TO TOUCH ON A MOMENT THAT
, UH, A LOT OF HOW WE DO
PREVENTION IS THROUGH THE PUBLIC
HEALTH MODEL, WHICH IS REALLY
ABOUT ADDRESSING RISK AND
PROTECTIVE FACTORS OF DIFFERENT
ISSUES AND MITIGATING THOSE RISK
FACTORS AND PROMOTING THOSE
PERFECT, UH, PROTECTIVE FACTORS
AND A LOT OF THESE ARE
DETERMINED BY WHAT WE CALL
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH,
WHICH IS REALLY ANYTHING NON
MEDICALLY RELATED TO A PERSON
THAT MIGHT IMPACT THEIR HEALTH,
FOR EXAMPLE, ACCESS TO DRUGS OR
ALCOHOL OR ACCESS TO JOBS AND
ACCESS TO RESOURCES IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES. AND SO REALLY, WHAT
WE WANT TO DO IS FOCUS ON
PRIMARY PREVENTION, WHICH IS
PREVENTING VIOLENCE BEFORE IT
STARTS IN THE FIRST PLACE. UM,
SO WE KNOW AGAIN THAT RISK
FACTORS AND SOCIAL SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH THAT
CONTRIBUTE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
ARE THINGS LIKE POVERTY AND
ECONOMIC INSTABILITY AND THAT
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS TIED TO LOW
INCOME, UNSTABLE EMPLOYMENT, LOW
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS AND
HARMFUL ADHERENCE TO STRICT
GENDER ROLES AND SO PREVENTION
OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE
CAN REDUCE FINANCIAL BURDENS
PLACED ON COMMUNITIES BY
TARGETING THE COMMUNITY AND
SOCIETAL LEVEL CHANGE THAT WE'RE
LOOKING TO SEE. SO JENA
MENTIONED THE CHOSEN FAMILY. UH
ISSUE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON
RIGHT NOW, AS SHE MENTIONED THAT
A LOT OF FOLKS ARE NOT
NECESSARILY CONNECTED TO THEIR
BLOOD FAMILY, AND THIS CAN BE
REALLY IMPORTANT TO L GB Tð Q I
PLUS COMMUNITIES AND IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY IF
THEY ARE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SURVIVORS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A
TOOL THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
CAUSING HARM USE IS ISOLATING
FOLKS FROM THEIR FAMILY, AND SO
THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE A
BLOOD FAMILY MEMBER TO, UH
PROVIDE PAID FAMILY LEAVE TO
THEM, BUT AGAIN, SOMEONE ELSE
WHO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO WHO
THEIR PERSON, CAUSING A HARM
FROM HAS NOT ISOLATED THEM FROM
UM JENA'S, UH, COALITION HAS
ALSO BEEN WORKING ON A BILL THAT
WAS PASSED ABOUT DATA COLLECTION
SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHICH
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES ARE OR
ARE NOT ACCESSING PAID FAMILY
LEAVE AND TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT
DATA TO DO OUTREACH TO THOSE
COMMUNITIES WHO NEED TO KNOW IT
MOST, UM, AND SOMETHING ELSE
THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ABOUT
INTERSECTING ISSUES OF ECONOMIC
JUSTICE IS THAT IT REALLY IS, UH
TIED TO PREVENTION, EDUCATION
AND AWARENESS OF TALKING ABOUT
THE ROOT CAUSES OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE, AND SO IN ADDITION TO
ECONOMIC INSTABILITY BEING A
ROOT, CAUSE WE ALSO LOOKING AT
THINGS LIKE RACISM, TRANSPHOBIA,
HOMOPHOBIA, CLASSISM THINGS LIKE
THAT. SO I FIRST WANTED TO START
WITH SOME WORKPLACE POLICIES
THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED, UH, TO
CONTINUE ON WITH WHAT JENA WAS
SAYING, UM, AND EVEN WHAT? UH,
WAS TALKING ABOUT, UM, THAT
FOSTERING SAFE AND RESPECTFUL
AND EQUITABLE WORKPLACE CULTURE
IS PARAMOUNT TO PREVENTING AND
ADDRESSING SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND
OTHER FORMS OF GENDER BASED
VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE. UM,
BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS MIGHT BE
EXPERIENCING THE IMPACT OF
INTERSECTIONAL DISCRIMINATION,
UH, THAT IS CONSISTENT ON THE
BIAS OF BASIC, UH. UH, ETHNICITY
, RELIGION, OTHER FACTORS,
INCLUDING, UH AGAIN THE L GB Tð
Q I PLUS COMMUNITY AND SO WE
HAVE TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES
OF GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IN THE
WORKPLACE, INCLUDING ON
PREVENTING, UH, THESE TYPES OF
RACIAL AND GENDER AND SEXUAL
ORIENTATION. UH DISCRIMINATION.
UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND CULTURE
CAN, UH, CREATE SYSTEM. IN WHICH
VIOLENCE CAN FLOURISH AND SO
GENDER EQUITY, UM INCLUDING
EQUAL AND COMPARABLE PAY AND
ADEQUATE AND QUALITY AND
AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE LIKE YOU
MENTIONED, INCLUDING FLEXIBLE
WORK SCHEDULES ON SITE, UH,
CHILD CARE AND CHILD CARE
SUBSIDIES CAN BE REALLY
IMPORTANT AS WELL AS LIKE. GENIE
WAS SAYING ABOUT LIVE LIVABLE
WAGE. AND ALSO A LOT OF WORK
THAT MEMBERS HAVE DONE ON EVEN
LACTATION FRIENDLY WORKPLACES.
UM AND OUR ORGANIZATIONS, THE
CALIFORNIA WORK AND FAMILY
COALITION, AND THE PARTNERSHIP
ACTUALLY WORKED ON A PAID FAMILY
LEAVE TOOL KIT FOR FOLKS TO BE
TRAINED ON HOW TO EDUCATE FOLKS
ON ACCESSING PAID FAMILY LEAVE.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT
THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AND HOW
THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO PAID
FAMILY LEAVE BY PAYING I, UM
THROUGH THEIR PAYCHECKS. UM AND
AGAIN WORKPLACE POLICIES LIKE
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ACCORDING
TO THE NATIONAL PLAN TO END UH,
GENDER BASED VIOLENCE, WHICH I
BELIEVE NOT REFERRED TO, UM,
WHICH IS A NATIONAL, UH, PROGRAM
TALKS ABOUT HOW IMMIGRANT
SURVIVORS FACE INCREASED. OFTEN
ENCOUNTER DELAY PROCESSING TIMES
WHEN APPLYING FOR SPECIAL
IMMIGRATION REMEDIES FOR GENDER
BASED VICTIMS THAT WERE
ESTABLISHED THROUGH VALA. THE
VICTIMS THIS, UH, THANK YOU.
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN'S ACT.
THANK YOU. UM, AND THAT THERE
CAN BE, UH, LIMITED IN ACCESSING
THOSE SORTS OF THINGS AROUND
ASYLUM AND VISAS AND THINGS LIKE
THAT. AND LIKE YOU SAID, DELAYS
IN ACCESS TO WORK AUTHORIZATION
AND PUBLIC BENEFITS FOR WHICH A
PERSON MIGHT BE VULNERABLE AS
SUCH. AS FOR HOUSING OR
HEALTHCARE CAN INCREASE THOSE
VULNERABILITIES AND AGAIN TO THE
L G B T. Q. I PLUS COMMUNITY,
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THERE'S JOB
PROTECTION BECAUSE THOSE FOLKS
MIGHT ALSO BE, UH FACING THOSE
INTERSECTIONAL ISSUES WITH
HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA, BUT
WE ALSO SEE ECONOMIC JUSTICE
RELATED TO OTHER INTERSECTING
ISSUES. ONE ACCESS IS HEALTHCARE
. JENNY TALKED ABOUT
AFFORDABILITY AND COSTS. AND
REALLY, WE KNOW THAT PREVENTION
IS FAR LESS EXPENSIVE, THEN
HAVING INTERVENTION APPROACHES
AFTER A PERSON HAS BEEN IMPACTED
BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WE ALSO
KNOW THAT THERE'S A CONNECTION
TO REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE AND
WHETHER A PERSON HAS ACCESS TO
ABORTION RIGHTS TO WE KNOW
EMBRYO RIGHTS, UM, JUST RECENTLY
AND ALSO ACCESS TO SEX EDUCATION
IN SCHOOLS. SO MANY FOLKS DON'T
KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMETHING
CALLED THE CALIFORNIA HEALTHY
YOUTH ACT, WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED
IN 2016 THAT UPDATED THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR SEX ED IN
MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
UM WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO INCLUDE
EDUCATION. AROUND HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIPS AND PREVENTION OF
TEAM DATING VIOLENCE AND WHAT
WE'RE HEARING ANECDOTALLY IS
THAT MANY, MANY MANY SCHOOL
DISTRICTS ACROSS CALIFORNIA ARE
NOT IMPLEMENTING THE CALIFORNIA
HEALTHY YOUTH ACT IN THE WAY
THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO,
INCLUDING PROVIDING THAT
EDUCATION AROUND HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIPS. YES GO AHEAD. SO
WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? WHY DO
YOU THINK THAT IN 2016 WHEN HE
WAS PASSED? UM THAT THROUGH YOUR
STUDIES AND DATA SHOWS THAT
SCHOOLS ARE NOT PROVIDING THIS
INFORMATION. YEAH I THINK
PURPOSES TO PREVENT, YOU KNOW,
TEENAGER HIGH SCHOOL, UH,
ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS. SO WHY
DON'T YOU THINK THAT WE'RE
IMPLEMENTING THAT? SO WHAT WE'VE
BEEN HEARING FROM FOLKS IS KIND
OF THREE PARTICULAR REASONS TIED
TO ACTUALLY THE REQUIREMENTS.
ONE IS THAT, UH, FOLKS CAN'T
TEACH ABSTINENCE ONLY AS THE
ONLY FORM OF PREVENTING SEXUAL
EDUCATION. WE HAVE TO INCLUDE
ALL DIFFERENT FORMS OF
CONTRACEPTION, EDUCATION AND
THINGS LIKE THAT. SO FOR FOLKS
WHO ARE OPPOSED TO THAT SORT OF
EDUCATION CAN SOMETIMES BLOCK
THAT. ANOTHER REQUIREMENT IS
THAT SCHOOLS MUST ADDRESS THE L
G B T Q COMMUNITY WITH EDUCATION
ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND
GENDER IDENTITY, AND FOR THAT
ISSUE, WE NOW KNOW THAT THERE
ARE A LOT OF PARENTS RIGHTS
ADVOCATES WHO HAVE BEEN SPEAKING
OUT ABOUT THAT EDUCATION BEING
PROVIDED IN SCHOOLS. AND THEN I
THINK WHEN IT COMES TO THE
HEALTH EDUCATION FOR HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIP PARTS, IT'S
ACTUALLY THAT IT IS MINIMIZED AS
AN ISSUE AND THAT SCHOOLS DON'T
I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT
ENOUGH TO TALK ABOUT IN THAT
CLASSROOM, SO THAT'S KIND OF
WHAT WE'RE HEARING ARE SOME OF
THOSE MAJOR BLOCKS TO ITS
IMPLEMENTATION. YEAH, NO
PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR ASKING.
AND UM, I REMEMBER HAVING HEALTH
CLASS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND HAVING
ALL THESE IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS,
BUT I'M CURIOUS TO SEE UM I KNOW
MIDDLE SCHOOL. I DON'T WHEN I
WAS IN GOING TO ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS
TAUGHT. UM ARE YOU SEEING, UH,
LACK OF THESE CONVERSATIONS
HAPPENING MORE IN THE MIDDLE
SCHOOL, OR ARE YOU EQUALLY
SEEING IT IN THE HIGH SCHOOL
LEVEL AS WELL? SO WE'RE SEEING
IT AT BOTH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND
HIGH SCHOOL AND AGAIN, ACCORDING
TO THIS CALIFORNIA HEALTHY YOUTH
ACT, UM SEX EDUCATION IS
REQUIRED TO BE ADDRESSED AT
LEAST ONE TIME IN MIDDLE SCHOOL
AND AT LEAST ONE TIME IN HIGH
SCHOOL, SO IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE
IMPLEMENTED AT BOTH OF THOSE
LEVELS. MELODY MAY I? I THOUGHT
IT MIGHT ALSO BE, UH MATTER OF
CAPACITIES. YES SCHOOLS AND
SCHOOL DISTRICTS. DO THEY HAVE
TRAINED PEOPLE WHO CAN ACTUALLY
IMPLEMENT THIS EDUCATION TO THE
TARGET POPULATION? EXACTLY YEAH,
AND I'LL JUST SAY IS THE LAST
POINT THAT OUR COALITION WILL
ACTUALLY BE SEEKING AND AUDIT
THIS YEAR OF, UH, CD. UH, THE,
UH. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO
AUDIT UH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM
ACROSS THE STATE TO ACTUALLY
MEASURE WHETHER OR NOT THE
CALIFORNIA HEALTHY YOUTH ACT IS
BEING IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE AGAIN
A LOT OF OUR DATA IS ANECDOTAL.
AND SO WE WANT TO ACTUALLY GET
THAT QUALITATIVE AND
QUANTITATIVE NUMBERS ABOUT
WHETHER IT'S NOT BEING
IMPLEMENTED. SO THEN, THROUGH
THAT AUDIT, WE COULD SEEK A BILL
OR SOME POLICY SEEKING TO OH,
ACTUALLY ENFORCE THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS LAW. UM
SO JUST RELATED TO THAT THE VERY
LAST THING THAT I WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT IS THAT FINANCIAL ABUSE IS
ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WE'VE
TALKED A LOT ABOUT IN TERMS OF
ADULT RELATIONSHIPS. BUT MANY
FOLKS DON'T KNOW THAT WITHIN
TEAM DATING VIOLENCE. THERE'S
ALSO FINANCIAL ABUSE THAT CAN BE
HAPPENING. UM AND SO A FUTURES
WITHOUT VIOLENCE, LOST LUNCH AND
NATIONAL SURVEY TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL
PRESSURES ON YOUTH, AND THE
STUDY ASSESSED THE PREVALENCE OF
ECONOMIC ABUSE AMONGST TEAMS AND
DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF THAT
ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR ON THEIR
EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND
FINANCES, UM ON EXISTING
PREVENTION EFFORTS, AND SO IN
TERMS OF PREVENTION, EDUCATION,
LIKE SO MANY OF OUR FOLKS TALKED
ABOUT IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND
SCHOOLS. FINANCIAL ABUSE IS
ALMOST NEVER TALKED ABOUT, BUT
THE EXPERIENCES IN THIS SURVEY
SHOWED THAT THE MOST FREQUENT,
UH, ECONOMIC ABUSE HAPPENING FOR
YOUTH. WHAT UH, IDENTIFY AS
STRAIGHT AND HETEROSEXUAL BUT
ALSO AS GENDER DIVERSE THAT THE
AGES OF 15 THROUGH 17 IS WHEN
WE'RE SEEING THE MOST FINANCIAL
ABUSE HAPPENING. UM AND SO
THERE'S A LOT THAT EDUCATORS CAN
DO. WHICH INCLUDES INCLUDING
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP PROGRAMMING
WITH AN HEALTH PROGRAMS LIKE I
TALKED ABOUT THROUGH THE
CALIFORNIA HEALTHY YOUTH ACT,
BUT ALSO TO TRAIN SCHOOL STAFF
AND TEACHERS TO RECOGNIZE THE
SIGNS OF ECONOMIC ABUSE AMONGST
TEENS AND INCLUDE INCLUSIVE
CONTENT ON HOW STUDENTS CAN
NAVIGATE RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT,
INCLUDING HOW FINANCIAL ABUSE
MIGHT BE NEEDED. SO REALLY, IT'S
JUST ABOUT HOW CAN WE INCREASE
THE AMOUNT OF EDUCATION AS MUCH
AS POSSIBLE TO SHOW THAT
FINANCIAL ABUSE IS SOMETHING
THAT'S HAPPENING WITH BOTH TEENS
AND ADULTS AND THE MORE
EDUCATION THAT WE CAN DO AROUND
THAT, INCLUDING HOW IT
INTERSECTS WITH OTHER ISSUES
LIKE HEALTH CARE AND
IMMIGRATION? LIKE I MENTIONED
THE MORE THAT WE CAN SEEK TO
PREVENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FROM
HAPPENING. THANK YOU SO VERY
MUCH FOR THE CONVERSATION AND
JUST TO COMMENT ON THE FINANCIAL
ASPECT OF ABUSE. IT'S VERY
DIFFICULT TO JUST EVEN GET
FINANCIAL LITERACY IN THE
CLASSROOMS. I CAN'T IMAGINE
TRYING TO IMPLEMENT A FINANCIAL
ABUSE COMPONENT TO ALL OF THIS,
AND SO, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE
THE CONVERSATIONS. I THINK AGAIN
WHEN WE THINK OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE WERE VERY TRAINED TO IT
BEING A PHYSICAL ABUSE. UM I
THINK THAT THE IMPORTANT
CONVERSATION ABOUT FINANCIAL
ABUSE AND OF COURSE OF CONTROL
ARE ISSUES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN
DEALT WITH BEFORE. AND I THINK
THAT WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE
SCRATCHING THE SURFACE AT THIS
MOMENT ON TRYING TO GET INTO
THOSE CONVERSATIONS. I AS A
FORMER AS A I'M A TEACHER. AS A
TEACHER. I CAN ALSO TELL YOU
THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF
TIMES OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND
THEIR SCHOOLS WANT TO DO THE
RIGHT THING, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE
TO YOUR POINT THE RESOURCES OR
THE STAFF. THAT IS TRAINED TO BE
ABLE TO DO THIS. AND SO HOW DO
WE THINK ABOUT THESE TYPES OF
PROGRAMS OR IF YOU WILL TO BE
ABLE TO DELIVER TO, UM, THE
SCHOOL SYSTEM WITHOUT IMPACTING
THE ALREADY HIGH WORKLOAD? UH
THAT TEACHERS OR ADMINISTRATORS
ARE FACING, HOWEVER, THAT IS
ALSO NOT AN EXCUSE NOT TO DO IT,
AND I THINK YOUR YOUR AVENUE OF
TRYING TO DO AN AUDIT ON THAT
AND I SIT ON THE AND J, LIKE THE
ADDED COMMITTEE. VÆ AND REALLY I
FEEL IT. I'VE BEEN ON THE
COMMITTEE FOR SEVEN YEARS. IT'S
NOT DESIGNED TO BE PUNITIVE.
ALTHOUGH PEOPLE TAKE IT AS A
PUNITIVE MEASURE, I THINK WHAT
WHAT THE AUDITOR DOES IS THEY GO
IN THERE? LOOK AT THE YOU KNOW
THE WHAT'S HAPPENED OR WHAT
HASN'T HAPPENED, AND THEY HAVE
RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO FIX
IT. I THINK WE NEED TO START
LOOKING AT AN AUDIT AS A
PUNITIVE. AH YOU KNOW
CONVERSATION RATHER THAN IF YOU
HAVEN'T DONE IT. WHAT CAN THE
LEGISLATURE DUE TO BE ABLE TO
SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
SUCH YOU KNOW LAWS AND I THINK
THAT'S WHERE, UH, WE ALL GET, UM
DEFENSIVE IF YOU WILL.
EVERYBODY'S DEFENSIVE BECAUSE I
THINK EVERYBODY GENUINELY WANTS
TO DO THE RIGHT THING. BUT WHEN
YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, AS YOU
KNOW, AS DETAILED AS IT NODDED,
YOU THINK OH, MY GOD. AM I GOING
TO GET IN TROUBLE BECAUSE THIS
HASN'T HAPPENED, AND I THINK WE
ALSO HAVE TO CHANGE THAT CULTURE
WITHIN THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING
THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT DESIGNED
TO BE PUNITIVE. I THINK
EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO THE RIGHT
THING. BUT HOW DO WE ASSIST THEM
AND AN AUDIT FOR US AND
LEGISLATURE GIVES US THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SAY IF IT'S NOT
WORKING. WHAT BILL OR WHAT CAN
WE DO TO SUPPORT THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE ISSUES?
SO I THINK WE NEED TO START WITH
THAT BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS GOING
TO FREAK OUT BECAUSE YOU SAID
THE WORD AUDIT AND YOU KNOW, I
THINK AGAIN. IT'S NOT ABOUT, UH,
PUNITIVE, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOK
LOOKING AT IT PUNITIVELY OTHER
THAN FOR US IN THE LEGISLATURE,
WHAT DO WE DO TO SUPPORT THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF SUCH UH,
PROGRAMS AND IF I COULD ADD
EXACTLY TO YOUR POINT, THE AUDIT
IS REALLY FOR DATA COLLECTION,
RIGHT? IT'S NOT ABOUT SAYING
LIKE HERE'S WHAT FOLKS ARE DOING
WRONG, BUT IT'S TO SEE WHAT'S
HAPPENING AND AGAIN TO YOUR
AMAZING POINT AND TO YOUR POINT
ABOUT TEACHERS AND SCHOOL
DISTRICTS WANTING TO DO THE
RIGHT THING, BUT MAYBE NOT
NECESSARILY HAVING THE TOOLS.
THAT'S WHY MANY SCHOOLS AND
SCHOOL DISTRICTS INVITE OUTSIDE
ORGANIZATIONS. TO PROVIDE THIS
EDUCATION. BUT AGAIN THE
CONNECTION TO THE AUDIT IS THAT
A LOT OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS WHEN
WE TRY TO GO TO SCHOOLS, THEY
SAY, OH, WELL, THIS DOESN'T
APPLY TO US. WE DON'T NEED TO
TALK ABOUT THIS. SO AGAIN. THE
AUDIT IS JUST TO SAY LIKE, HEY,
ARE YOU ALLOWING EVEN COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO COME IN
AND SUPPORT YOU BECAUSE WHEN
THESE SCHOOLS SAY NO, THAT'S THE
MISSING PART OF THIS REQUIREMENT
, AND IT CAN REALLY SUPPORT US
TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS TO GET
THIS AND SO, YES, WE DON'T WANT
ANYONE TO FEAR THE AUDIT. WE
JUST WANT TO COLLECT THOSE
NUMBERS TO THEN SEE. WHAT CAN WE
DO TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS? YES. IN
CLOSING. I KNOW WHERE WRAPPING
UP I TAKE AWAY I GOT FROM THIS.
I THINK IT'S PROBABLY ON THE
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SIDE,
HAVING SOME SORT OF, UM,
PRIORITY OR UM, YEAH, HAVING
SOME SPECIAL PRIORITY FOR
VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO
GET A GOOD JOB, AND I THINK
EMPLOYERS IN TURN I WOULD LIKE
THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THEM
JOBS BECAUSE WHO, WHAT BETTER
EMPLOYEE THAN SOMEONE WHO'S
MOTIVATED TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVES
AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILY? I
MEAN, THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF
YOUR BEST EMPLOYEES. SO HAVING
SOME SORT OF FAST TRACK OR
PRIORITIZATION FOR WORKFORCE,
AND I KNOW WORKING WITH THESE
VICTIMS. THE HARDEST THING FOR
THEM IS ASKING FOR HELP. THEY
WANT TO BE INDEPENDENT. YOU
KNOW, SO GETTING A JOB PROVIDES
FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE, DIGNITY.
IT PROVIDES AN AVENUE OUT OF
THIS THING. AND THEN JUST LASTLY
FOR ME, AND ALL THIS STUFF IS
IMPORTANT, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES,
BUT WE CAN NEVER FORGET THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMPONENT. AND, UM
. PEOPLE HAVE. I MEAN, PEOPLE
HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE WHEN
THEY COMMIT. THIS CRIME IS A
CRIME. IT ISN'T LIKE IT IS A
CRIME. THERE NEEDS TO BE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND A LOT OF
TIMES THE VICTIM. THE ABUSERS
WILL REOFFEND. IF THEY KNOW
THERE'S NO REAL CONSEQUENCES, SO
YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T WANT THAT
TO BE LEFT OUT OF THE
CONVERSATION. BUT THAT'S MY TAKE
AWAY. THIS WAS VERY HELPFUL AND
PRODUCTIVE. THANK YOU. SO MUCH
FOR HAVING THESE PANELS, ANY
OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMITTEE
MEMBERS? I ALSO, UH I WANTED TO
SAY THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE, LIKE
ASSEMBLYWOMAN, RUBIO SAID, A LOT
OF TIMES, PEOPLE SAY, WHY DON'T
YOU JUST LEAVE THE SITUATION AND
IT'S JUST NOT THAT EASY. IT'S
NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL ABUSE,
EMOTIONAL ABUSE. IT'S A
FINANCIAL ABUSE. THERE'S JUST SO
MANY LAYERS AND A LOT OF TIMES
VICTIMS FEEL LIKE THEY CANNOT
LEAVE THEIR ABUSER. FOR WHATEVER
REASON IT GETS. YOU NEED TO
SUPPORT THEM, PROVIDING HOUSING
AND JOB SECURITY IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT. SO HAVING THESE THESE
DISCUSSIONS ARE IMPORTANT. I
LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT, UM, HELPING
THE YOUTH AND TEACHING THEM
ABOUT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IT ALL
STARTS WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG, AND
WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH AN
ABUSER WHEN YOU'RE YOUNGER,
YOU'RE GOING TO CONSTANTLY BE
SEEKING THAT KIND OF
RELATIONSHIP. SO I APPRECIATE
THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE
HAVING. AND I APPRECIATE YOU FOR
BEING HERE AS WELL. THANK YOU
WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR BEING IN THIS SPACE BECAUSE
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE STRONG
ADVOCATES. UM UM, ON BOTH SIDES
IN TERMS OF THOSE WHO HAVE
ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED ABUSE. AND
THOSE WHO ARE ADVOCATING AGAINST
SUCH ABUSE BY WAY OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS WHICH YOU
REPRESENT, AND CERTAINLY FOR ME,
THIS HAS BEEN A VERY ROBUST
CONVERSATION, BUT THE
INFORMATION IS EYE OPENING. IT'S
VERY EYE OPENING. AND SO I WISH
YOU WELL ON YOUR ON THE AUDIT.
HOPEFULLY YOU GO IN THERE. LET
PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT
PUNITIVE. YEAH THAT IS
INFORMATION TRYING TO SEEK SO
YOU CAN SEE HOW YOU CAN HELP AND
MAKE THINGS BETTER BECAUSE I
THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I'M
SURE THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME.
TIME THAT WE WILL SEE YOU AND
PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH
OUT TO US AND CONSIDER US A
FRIEND IS ALSO A PARTNER IN THIS
IN THIS WORK. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. NOW WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES.
ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT OR
ASK A QUESTION YOU MAY COME UP
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN ANSWER SOME
OF THOSE.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR JUST TO
COMMENT. ROSEANNA CARPACCIO
ELLIOT HERE ON BEHALF OF
UNCHAINED AT LAST, WHICH IS AN
ORGANIZATION THAT IS HELPING
SURVIVORS TO ESCAPE CHILD
MARRIAGE AS WELL AS WORKING TO
END CHILD MARRIAGE AROUND THE
UNITED STATES WANT TO THANK THE
CHAIR FOR CO AUTHORING MISS
PETRIE-NORRIS IS BILL A B 2924
TO FINALLY END CHILD MARRIAGE IN
CALIFORNIA. UM I THINK AS WE ALL
CAN IMAGINE MARRIAGE BEFORE 18
IS UNKNOWN DRIVER OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS
STUDIES THAT MAKE THIS LINKAGE
BETWEEN CHILD MARRIAGE AND
INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE. ONE
QUICK EXAMPLE. 2019 STUDY OF
CHILD MARRIAGE SURVIVORS THAT
WERE MARRIED BETWEEN THE AGES OF
13 AND 17 REPORTED PHYSICAL,
SEXUAL, FINANCIAL OR EMOTIONAL
ABUSE, ALL DURING THEIR MARRIAGE
AS WELL AS UNWANTED PREGNANCIES.
UM SO I THINK, AS WE'VE HEARD
TODAY, ADDITIONALLY, UM AS
EVERYONE IN THE SNOW ROOM IN
THIS ROOM KNOWS FINANCIAL
DEPENDENCE IS A KNOWN RISK
FACTOR FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND
CITED BY SURVIVORS AS A REASON
THAT THEY STAY WITH THE HER
ABUSER. AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE,
CHILDREN ARE MUCH MORE
SUSCEPTIBLE TO FINANCIAL
DEPENDENCE ON THEIR SPOUSE.
WHICH ALSO IS THEIR ABUSER, AS
EVERYONE KNOWS, SO AS THIS
COMMITTEE DISCUSSES PREVENTION
AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE, ONE STEP
THAT YOU KNOW MYSELF AND MY
CLIENT THINK IT'S VERY EASY TO
END CHILD MARRIAGE, THE LEGALLY
SANCTIONED MARRIAGE OF CHILD
CHILDREN IN THIS STATE, SO THIS
WILL HELP WITH THE GOALS OF BOTH
PREVENTING ECONOMIC JUSTICE. TWO
SURVIVORS. UM AND I JUST WANT TO
THANK THE CHAIR FOR HOLDING THIS
IMPORTANT HEARING AND LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE
ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS OR ASK A
QUESTION? CASING THEN I WANT TO
AGAIN. THANK THANK OUR PANELISTS
. REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT
CONVERSATIONS. UH I BEEN DOING
THIS, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMMITTEE
SETTING FOR SEVEN YEARS AND I'M
STILL YOU KNOW, LEARNING SO MUCH
ABOUT WHAT? THE WORK THAT YOU'RE
ALL DOING. SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR ALL OF THAT WORK ALL OF
OUR PANELISTS BECAUSE, UM,
YOU'RE ON A MISSION AND YOU
KNOW, IT'S EVEN THROUGH THE
PANDEMIC. I SAW HOW IMPORTANT
YOUR YOUR WORK WAS, ESPECIALLY
WITH OUR YOUNG FOLKS, BUT I WANT
TO CONTINUE HAVING THESE
CONVERSATIONS AND NOW THAT WE
HAVE THE PANDEMIC BEHIND US, I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE
REGULAR MEETINGS AND TO SEE HOW
WE CAN HELP SUPPORT SOME OF YOUR
EFFORTS. UH AND HOPEFULLY BRING
SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES TO THE
COMMUNITIES SO THAT WE CAN, UM,
SEE A. SOLUTION PERHAPS OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INSTEAD OF
TALKING ABOUT SURVIVORS. TALK
ABOUT PREVENTION. I THINK IF WE
CAN SWITCH THAT CONVERSATION, IT
WILL HELP US A LOT THROUGH, UM,
AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR KIDS
AND OUR PEERS ARE EDUCATED SO
THAT WE DON'T MAKE THE SAME
MISTAKE TWICE AND YOU WERE
REALLY CAN'T END DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE UNLESS WE END THE ROOT
OF THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF
THE ANGER THE DISCUSSIONS THAT
WE HAD TODAY AND SO I AGAIN. I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE
INFORMATION. I THINK MY
COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR
PARTICIPATING. YOUR UH YOUR
VOICE IS REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE I KNOW WE COME
FROM VERY DIFFERENT AREAS AS UH,
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S SORIA FROM THE
CENTRAL VALLEY. I KNOW YOU'RE
RIVERSIDE COUNTY WERE FROM L. A
BUT DIFFERENT PARTS OF L A. AND
I THINK OUR EXPERIENCES ARE VERY
DIFFERENT. IF YOU TALK ABOUT
CALIFORNIA IS VERY DIVERSE, NOT
JUST CULTURALLY BY REGIONALLY,
AND I THINK THAT THOSE ISSUES
HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED AS WELL. SO
THINKING WITH THAT WILL GO AHEAD
AND END THE HEARING TODAY AND
HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE
AFTERNOON, BUT WE'LL BE IN
TOUCH. FOR SURE. AND ON OUR NEXT
PANEL AND HOW WE CAN ASSIST IN
YOUR EFFORTS. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU.