$5,300 to Central Coast United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) as the fiscal sponsor for Arts for Action for the Media Justice Program which provides youth with training and access to industry standard media production equipment. Funding will be used primarily to rebuild the media-art production capacity to continue developing the artistic and creative community organizing tools for social justice campaigns, working in alliance with CAUSE, including the regional transportation equity campaign and the Halaco toxic waste site cleanup campaign.
$8,000 to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County for continued support of the One Step A La Vezyouth-lead community action project which provides youth leadership training and development. The youth committee will meet and work with community groups including local nonprofits, religious associations, and other youth groups to learn and identify social justice issues in Fillmore/Piru and surrounding areas and create action plans for addressing issues through community organizing and advocacy.
$5,000 to Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) for continued support of the Empowering Neighborhoods through Systems Change project which organizes diverse groups in targeted neighborhoods in affordable housing projects in downtown Oxnard. The project aims to broaden the group to include more residents, businesses, government, and community organizations; develop a leadership development/training program for the residents; and develop appropriate action plans based on the community strengths and challenges to improve neighborhood conditions.
$7,700 to Central Coast Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) for the Central Coast Organizing Project, a regional grassroots community organizing effort to build and bridge relationships among various entities including congregations, unions, community-based organizations, universities, and clinics. The group will collectively strengthen advocacy efforts for public policy reforms regarding issues such as environmental justice, education, immigration, housing and health care.
$10,000 to Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) to support efforts in mobilizing farmworker communities to continue with the work achieved through the Poder Popular: Giving Voice to Mixtec Farmworkers Program. Funding will strengthen the leadership committee recently formed among the El Rio/Nyeland Acres farmworker families to address issues of school, community infrastructure, health, childcare, transportation, affordable housing and gang violence.
$7,700 to Central Coast Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) as the fiscal sponsor for Ventura County Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice (VC CLUE) to support efforts in educating, mobilizing and training leaders and members of congregations and religious associations to advocate for social justice issues in the county. These issues include health care access, affordable farmworker housing, human rights, and discriminatory policies with regards to employment.
$6,300 to Ventura County Rainbow Alliance for the Equality Ventura County Project which will provide public education and advocacy for equality on issues affecting the civil rights of the gay and lesbian people. Funding will be used to strengthen this project on building understanding and support through community organizing efforts that include public education, building alliances with constituent groups outside of the local gay and lesbian community, training for volunteers to become informed advocates, and coordinating advocacy activities that promote equality and fairness in the community.
