Santa Rosa Snippets by Elaine B. Holtz - March 2019

The Results are in for –District 2 and District 10 Elections for the Democratic Party Central Committee (DSCC) which cover parts of Santa Rosa.

Last month I reported that I did not have the results to the elections held on January 12th, for Assembly District 2 represented by Assemblyman Jim Woods and on January 26 District 10 represented by Marc Levine had their Assembly Delegates Elections. Those elected will serve for two years on the Central Committee for the California Democratic Party. Both districts include part of Santa Rosa. District 2 goes all the way up the coast to Eureka and District 10 goes all the way to Mill Valley.

The winners of the recent elections (please note due to privacy considerations cities cannot be listed by their names).

District 2: Self-Identified Female Deborah Burger, Lesley Ester, Sofia Pereira. Helen Sizemore, Valerie Muchowski. Ariel Kelley and Robi Camacho. Male/Other than Self-Identified Female Ever Flores, Deras G. Mario Fernandez. Joe Louis Wildman. Herman G. Hernandez. Stuart Altschuler. Jerry Eaton Allen. Donald McCloskey, and EBoard Mary Watts.

District 10: Self-Identified Female Lisa Bennett, Caroline Banuelos, Carey Caccavo Wheaton, Alice Chan, Ruth Carte, Debra Taube. Susan Bolle, Male/Other than Self-Identified Female Jim Wheaton Norman Solomon. Ralph I. Miller, Logan, Harvey, Eli Beckam, Perry Lloyd, Max Perrey, and EBoard Ralph I. Miller.

A DSCC delegate is the representative for their committee and specific district. Delegates attend the annual Democrats Convention, network with other Democrats, elect Party officers, promote the California Democratic Party agenda, endorse candidates for statewide, legislative and congressional office, and vote to endorse resolutions and ballot measures all doing so while representing their constituency. For additional information go tohttps://www.cadem.org/our-party/adem

March is Women’s History Month

In 1980, the National Women's History Project (NWHP) was founded in Santa Rosa,

by Molly Murphy MacGregor, Mary Ruthsdotter, Maria Cuevas, Paula Hammett, and Bette Morgan to broadcast women's historical achievements. On March 12, 1987, the celebration became official when Congress passed legislation designating March as Woman's History Month in the United States. This year is the 40th Anniversary that NWHP has brought women’s history into the mainstream. The theme for 2019 is “Visionary Women: Champions of Peace & Nonviolence.” This year we honor women who have led efforts to end war, violence, and injustice and pioneered the use of nonviolence to change society. Go to. www.nwhp.org for listing of all nominees.

In Honor of Women’s History Month I want to honor, Trailblazer Helen Rudee who passed away, on Wednesday September 19, 2018, after suffering a stroke. Helen was 100 and an inspiration to me and many others. She was the first woman elected to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors in 1976 and served three four-year terms in the seat representing District 3 in Santa Rosa. One of the proudest moments that I personally experience with her was when she allowed me to do a television interview with her on Women’s Spaces. For all those who are looking for inspiration I invite you to watch the video at www.womensspaces.com/ArchiveWSshow/WS070002.html

SRJC Women's History Month (WHM) in support of the #metoo movement, in response to recent national setbacks, and in solidarity with all sexual assault survivors

According to Dr. Solen Sanli Vasquez, Ph.D., Sociology instructor and coordinator of the event, this year the focus for will be on empowerment, healing and how to move forward. To promote that idea a series of lectures will be presented during WHM beginning on March 2 through March 28 at the Santa Rosa and Petaluma campuses. Included in the series will be a presentation on, "Restorative Practices for Healing from Sexual Assault,“ with Dr. Alissa Ackerman" an expert on sexual crimes. Also included will be "#metoo, Sexual Violence, and the Road to Recovery: A Panel Discussion" that will feature discussions of "toxic masculinity" as a cause of sexual violence, a presentation of available resources from Verity, Sonoma County’s Rape Crisis, Trauma, and Healing Center and a look at "human trafficking" a much misunderstood epidemic.

“This year's WHM events aim to address the trauma caused by recent events such as the Kavanaugh hearings and President Trump's verbal attacks against Dr. Blasey Ford. The questions are, as women, or as survivors of sexual assault, how do we heal and how do we bring about a society free of sexual violence,” said Vasquez.

The complete schedule of presentations, times and locations is available on https://events.santarosa.edu/womens-history-month-2019 which will include events on the Petaluma Campus.

Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) Dream Center expands to offer free legal advice to undocumented students

The Dream Center is a “one-stop shop” in a safe, caring place for undocumented students new and continuing at Santa Rosa Junior College. Students will receive personalized support as they begin their college journeys. The SRJC Dream Center supports SRJC’s mission of diversity by providing: Equal access for all students, Multi-ethnic global perspectives and cultural competencies, Employees who reflect the communities we serve and Honesty and integrity in an environment of collegiality and mutual respect.

According to the press releases by coordinator, Alma J. Valverde C., the Dream Center will be partnering with, VIDAS, a nonprofit immigration law office which was founded in 2014 by Legal Director, Richard Coshnear. The mission of VIDAS is to offer free or low cost, quality legal services to undocumented immigrants in Sonoma County. VIDAS was recently recognized and accredited by the Office of Legal Access programs and selected as the lead partner in the Sonoma County Secure Families Collaborative.

VIDAS will house Maureen McSorley, an immigration attorney with over 20 years of experience and Barbara Ibarra, paralegal, at the Santa Rosa Junior College Dream Center. McSorley and Ibarra will be available to assist the undocumented students with their legal service needs. For updated information and location go to https://dream.santarosa.edu/

Something to Think About:

“Whenever one person stands up and says, ‘Wait a minute, this is wrong,’ it helps other people do the same.” — Gloria Marie Steinem —

Steinem is an American feminist, journalist, and social political activist and also co-founder of Ms. Magazine.