Immigration
East Bay Burkinabes got together Sunday at the Faso Braidy braiding shop on Webster and 19th Street to discuss the political situation back home and what lies ahead for their country after its September coup. For these former residents of Burkina Faso, the conversation was largely about what they can really do to positively contribute to the political situation back home.
The Catholic Dioceses of Oakland, Catholic Charities of the East Bay (CCEB), and the East Bay Naturalization Collaborative co-organized a citizenship workshop, offering legal assistance to over 200 participants.
It’s hard for immigrants to be away from their home countries. It’s even harder when they learn that there’s been a coup back home where their friends and families still live. On September 16, military guards in Burkina Faso took over the airwaves, announcing that they were now in charge. Burkinabes living in the Bay Area say they are concerned about the safety of their friends and relatives back home.
On Saturday at Peralta Hacienda Historical Park, panels at least ten feet tall displayed pictures of Oakland immigrants, artists and business owners of different ethnic backgrounds. As Latin music played, visitors strolled by and read the biographies of those featured in the exhibit. “Alla en el Rancho Grande,” referring to a traditional Mexican song, was the first of a series of upcoming events related to the public programming initiative called Latino Americans: 500 Years of History. The National Endowment of…
Undocumented children under the age of 18 may soon qualify for full Medi-Cal coverage if Governor Jerry Brown signs Senate Bill 4 before the October 11 deadline.
The three-day showcase begins September 23 with events alternating between four Oakland venues: The Starline Social Club, The Flight Deck, Duende and Miss Ollie’s.
The co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association and civil rights advocate talked to students at Samuel Merritt University about social justice and healthcare for immigrants.
Ethiopians in the Bay Area will be ushering in the new year a little differently this year. Oakland’s longtime iconic Enkutatash festival has been cancelled due to lack of funds, according to a letter distributed by Ethiopian Community Services (ECS). “For many years, this event has been graciously supported with a $25,000 grant from The Christensen Fund,” the ECS board of directors wrote in the letter. “Unfortunately the fund expired last year and is not available to ECS.” Tekeste Teclu,…
Meet Nomin Gambat, a 5-year-old girl who traveled all the way from Mongolia to Children’s Hospital Oakland to seek a clinical treatment for a disease so rare it strikes only 1 in a million people. But coming to the United States for medical treatment is difficult, requiring a special visa and proof that there is no cure for the person’s disease in their home country, and it is a stressful experience for families who must sometimes be separated for long periods while…