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Mavor Miguel Pulido Vicente Sarmiento David Penaloza Jose Solorio Phil Bacerra Juan Villegas Nelida Mendoza Cc: Sonia Carvalho SCarvalho@santa-ana.org Dear Santa Ana City Council: My name is Socorro Sarmiento I wish to participate in the City Council meeting. I am a (senior/person with a disability as defined by the relevant state and federal laws). I am also a resident of Santa Ana, anthropologist, professor and working in the community in Santa Ana for the last 40 years. These experiences allowed me to observe first hand the tremendous need the community has in the City resources to confront its challenges, particularly at these difficult moments. Based on medical advice and the high rates of Covid-19 in Santa Ana, I am unable to attend the meetings in person. Therefore, I request the option to participate by phone or video so that I may engage in public comment just like other people who can attend in person. Under the Brown Act, I have a right to engage in public comment at public meetings. SENIOR Under Unruh Act, Fair Housing and Employment Act, and other federal and state laws, I have a right against discrimination based on my age or medical condition. The City's plan to require in -person public comment discriminates against all people over the age of 65 who have been advised by the CDC to avoid gatherings due to higher risk of death if they contract Covid-19. Therefore, I am writing to request participation by phone or video and to request that the City immediately end the discriminatory practice of holding meetings in a way that only allows people who are both under 65 and without high risk medical conditions to participate. Under the change in rules that the City did, without public meeting or comment, the only way I am able to engage in public comment at the public meeting is in writing. There is not even a guarantee that the writing will be read by each Council Member before a vote. This policy blocks my participation due to my status as a person with a disability; it forces me to choose between meaningful engagement under the Brown Act and following medical advice; and it has a discriminatory impact against people like me who need to minimize our risk of exposure to Covid-19.