Correspondence - #29 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Advancingsocial justice and buddingpower with working-class Vietnamese and immigrant communities in Orange County. VGarden Grove, CA 92843 I www.vietrise.ore general@vietrise.org I @vietriseoc family -owned Vietnamese restaurants, to temples and places of spiritual significance, to healthcare services, and more that are enjoyed by all residents in the city. There has been along history of Vietnamese residents' contributions in and to the city that is often not recognized by the city. In addition, the absence of culturally and linguistically competent services in the city has produced a trend where Vietnamese residents will seek support and resources in other cities, particularly Garden Grove and Westminster. In 2018, Asian Americans Advancing Justice -LA (AAAJ-LA) sued the city of Santa Ana for violating the CA Voting Rights Act and disenfranchising Asian American voters through the city's at -large elections system. As a result, the city re -drew its district lines and established Ward 1 in the west end of the city to ensure fair political representation in the city council for Vietnamese and Asian residents who make up over 30% of the ward's population. Following the newly re -drawn maps, Councilmember Phan became the first Vietnamese American and second Asian American to ever be elected to the Santa Ana city council in 2020. Although Vietnamese and Asian American communities have experienced a lack of meaningful and structural access to the political process in Santa Ana, the opportunity to hire a full-time Vietnamese Community Liaison offers a concrete way to address the disparities created by the lack of in -language services and will make local government more accessible to the more than 25,000 Vietnamese residents in the city. A full-time Vietnamese Community Liaison who is fluent in Vietnamese, who has strong and meaningful connections to local Vietnamese community organizations and businesses, and who understands the needs and experiences of Santa Ana's largely immigrant Vietnamese population can be a bridge to fostering meaningful trust and belonging between the city and its Vietnamese residents. We strongly urge the Santa Ana City Council to approve funding for a full-time Vietnamese Community Liaison at the cost of $150,000 in the 2021-2022 Fiscal Year budget. Thank you. Sincerely, C6 Tracy La Executive Director VietRISE Page 2