“Young people are not only feeling their own stressful traumas about what’s happening in the world, but also have to step in and be the providers for their families.”
With the year 2020 bringing crisis from various angles, advocates for underserved groups have been busier than ever. On the one hand, social justice groups are working for undocumented families who have been devastated by the pandemic. Then there’s the on-going issue of police brutality, bringing more trauma to Black communities in recent months and making it more urgent for advocacy groups to work for solutions.
While the challenges of undocumented groups and Black communities are nothing new, the issues are now exasperated more than ever. In the case of undocumented groups, that means economically disadvantaged people are facing an even greater challenge during the pandemic. For Black communities, who are also devastated by the pandemic, the recent killings of victims such as Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd bring even more cause for worry.
With the avalanche of crisis stacking up, social justice organizations are finding their work more imperative than ever. Here’s a closer look at how these community leaders are juggling the pandemic and police brutality.
Undocumented In A Pandemic
On a normal day, undocumented groups include many young people and parents who struggle to find meals and safe spaces. Fresno Barrios Unidos in Fresno, California is one organization which works year-around to address these issues. But the organization now holds an even bigger task during the pandemic.
“A lot of our young people are undocumented or their parents are undocumented. They are living well-below the federal poverty line, they’re already significantly economically disadvantaged pre-COVID-19,” said Ashley Rojas, Fresno Barrios Unidos Executive Director.
With the pandemic now taking a toll on undocumented families, Rojas said the burden especially falls on the shoulders of the youth.
“Young people are working in the fields or other essential jobs because their parents’ hours have been cut or their parents have lost their jobs,” Rojas said. “Young people are not only feeling their own stressful traumas about what’s happening in the world, but also have to step in and be the providers for their families, especially if their parents are undocumented.”
Fresno Barrios Unidos has been trying to lift some of that burden. In addition to raising funds, the organization has been supplying items such as diapers, formulas, groceries, baby wipes and water.
Still, undocumented families have many more worries. Some of their stress comes from the legal battles they have to fight, hoping to avoid deportation — even during a pandemic. Fresno Barrios Unidos takes a close at the families’ concerns and works to help them navigate the challenges.
“What does it mean to be a young mother who is undocumented and navigating the criminal justice system because she had her baby taken during the COVID-19 crisis?” Rojas said. “What does it mean to navigate court and family reunification system and criminal charges?”
For people judging from the outside, Rojas said it’s not easy to understand the challenge of being undocumented in the midst of a pandemic.
“People say ‘why aren’t young people taking it seriously?’ First of all, they ain’t got a shelter. They live in tiny apartments with their whole families, so what are they supposed to do? Sit on top of each other?” Rojas said. “What are people supposed to do if they don’t have a home? There isn’t enough private space.”
In Los Angeles, one organization is helping undocumented workers who are facing unemployment during the pandemic. Collecting donations on its website, NO US WITHOUT YOU! is now feeding more than 300 families.
Damian Diaz, Aaron Melendrez and Othón Nolasco launched the program in an effort to show “undocumented workers that they are not being forgotten.”
“When COVID-19 struck, we saw a lot of GoFundMes and charity drives pop up, but most of these were geared toward front-of-the-house workers. But undocumented workers are the backbone of this industry, whether you hate to admit it or not,” Diaz told the Los Angeles Times. “And they are the most at risk right now for health issues and hunger.”
Last month, California approved a $125 million program to help undocumented immigrants. The financial assistance gives $500 per adult, with a maximum of $1,000 per household, according to ABC7. CHIRLA, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, is adminstrating the program.
“They need to meet three qualifications – that they were undocumented adults, but they did not qualify for federal stimulus assistance and that they’ve suffered by the pandemic some hardship,” Luis Perez with CHIRLA, told ABC7.
In Fresno, Rojas and her team is putting pressure on their elective leaders, urging them to address the families’ needs.
“If they cannot prioritize for communities that have been systemically left out of economic prosperity, then we will continue to see a steepening of this divide,” Rojas said.
Addressing Escalating Racial Tensions
Despite having their hands full with addressing the needs of undocumented groups, organizations like Fresno Barrios Unidos are still juggling multiple tasks. Like many groups around the country who are pushing for police reform following recent cases of police brutality, Rojas and her team want to see change.
“Black and brown people have been singing this song and chorus for decades,” Rojas said. “We know why the police force in America was born. We know the origins of that organization as slave catchers, serving white, wealthy, business owners to ensure that they don’t lose their property. “
As part of its reform initiative, Fresno Barrios Unidos has been advocating for the removal of law enforcement from school campuses. Instead of paying police to spend the day on school campuses, the organization wants the money to go to other community programs.
“There’s a lot of reasons to not pay educational dollars to police our young people,” Rojas told ABC30. “If they’re going to school and being branded as a criminal, it’s hard for them to be successful in that setting. We should be putting our resources in prevention and early intervention.”
The idea of taking police out of schools has been discussed extensively around the country in recent weeks. In Minneapolis, the local school board has already decided to cancel its contract with the Minneapolis Police Department. Portland, Oregon, and Charlottesville, Virginia have also followed suit.
While the debate continues about what to do or not to do with police, Rojas said it’s simply a matter of survival.
“When we think about police accountability or police abolition, police reform, we’re really talking about our survival,” she said. “We’re talking about our rights to live. We’re talking about our rights to safety. “
In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo discussed the current state of relationship between police and communities.
“There is no trust between the community and the police. That’s what the protests have said. There’s no trust,” Cuomo said. “And if there is no trust, the relationship doesn’t work. If there’s no trust, the police can’t effectively police. If there’s no trust, the community is not going to allow the police to police.”
That’s where Rojas stands when it comes to faith in law enforcement
“This is not just a narrative for media,” she said. “This is knowing that we can’t trust them. We know that they are not here to serve us. As community members we are navigating our safety. We know that those who are tasked with keeping us safe, will not.”
So how do communities move forward despite a severed relationship with law enforcement?
“We have to start leaning on each other. This is where we get community rapid response and community-led violence prevention initiatives and where you get communities that will not call the cops,” Rojas said. “Because we cannot trust them. And things usually just get worse when they’re around.”
The relationship between communities and elected officials is also being tested more than ever during this period of increasing racial tensions.
“We get a lot of conservative, local officials who are stepping into this moment and saying ‘hay, that was really wrong what those cops did in Minneapolis, shame on them.’ When we point out to them what the atrocities are that are committed here in town, we don’t get an ounce of that response from them,” Rojas said.
The executive director points to the case of Isiah Murrietta-Golding, an unarmed 16-year-old who was shot and killed by Fresno police in 2017.
“When Fresno PD executed Isiah in the back of his head as that young man was running away from police officers, we didn’t get statements from our city council,” Rojas said. “Our Chief of Police gave a statement that lacked compassion. We forget that these are alleged criminals and they are not found guilty. It’s infuriating.”
More than three years after the death of Murrietta-Golding, the family is still looking for justice. Earlier this month, protesters gathered at the same location where Fresno police Sgt. Ray Villalvazo shot the 16-year-old.
“We demand that Villalvazo officially be charged for the murder of Isiah,” advocates wrote in a statement.
Having seen the case of Murrietta-Golding and many other cases of police brutality, Fresno Barrios Unidos is looking to rely on community services for protection.
“Law enforcement has never cultivated safety and community. It is community that cultivates safety and community,” Rojas said. “Our community centers, our youth centers, our churches, our grandmothers, our elders, our parks, those are the networks that make us safe. And it’s not law enforcement that makes us safe.”
Calling for the community also means calling on young people to get involved.
“Young people, find your place in the community that is gonna show up for you,” Rojas said. “Our hearts are broken too and we will work with you to make changes in all our communities. There are people who care, there are people who see you, there are people who value you. You just have to look for them. Please find them, find us. Because we want to serve you.”
Wellness for Social Justice Advocates
While underserved families across the country face increased stress in a time of crisis, the people fighting for the families are also making it a point to take care of themselves.
At Fresno Barrios Unidos, Rojas situated her staff to work from home during the shelter-in-place. The executive director also sets at least three hours per week to check on the wellness of her team, which is mostly made up of young people.
“I know that as young people of color, they’re navigating real-life stress,” Rojas said. “I have to make sure they can make it through this so that we can continue to show up for our communities.”
Rojas said she been fortunate enough to not cut anybody from payroll or to not cut anybody’s hours during the pandemic.
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