Alianza Coachella Valley

Covid emergency response: to support the health and well being of vulnerable communities in the Coachella Valley during the covid-19 pandemic, Alianza Coachella Valley integrated covid emergency response to all areas of its work, supporting communities to continue to engage, participate, and protect themselves during these difficult times. Our covid response work supported 10,000 individuals with either direct cash assistance to pay for rent, funeral expenses, or other financial needs resulting from the pandemic: connection to covid vaccination clinics and/or covid education. Throughout the year, we also provided covid-19 support through the distribution of free at-home covid-19 tests, cash assistance, interpretation support, and helping residents complete vaccination forms at their local health clinics.

Environmental justice: Alianza and partners work to see that environmental justice is incorporated into long-term government planning practices and that resident input is incorporated into plans for the salton sea. In the past, this campaign has advocated for more public transportation in rural communities and community representation on local boards and commissions. The environmental justice campaign partnership team met 250 times from the month of july 1 to june 30 of 2023, engaging around 2,093 youth and residents on topics around the salton sea and ab617 air quality. Community meetings meet virtually once a month.

Better schools:alianza and its partners, including parents and educators, work to bring restorative justice practices to local schools as a means of creating positive learning environments and improving educational outcomes. The campaign also advocates for transparent and responsible educational spending that best helps at-risk students. The community justice campaign for better schools met a total of 36 times during the year (july 1 to june 30, 2023) for strategy meetings, retreats, one on one meetings and other meetings with riverside county. The team engaged with over 795 parents, students, and caregivers in school budget trainings, trauma informed trainings, introduction to restorative justice sessions, virtual restorative justice circles via zoom, and engagement at school district meetings.

Alianza's youth organizing council (yo-c!) Provides high school-age young people a place to discuss problems they see in their community and acquire the skills they will need to become future community leaders. Participation is free, and activities throughout the year include planning community events, participating in an annual public speaking competition, educational opportunities, and self-esteem and community-building activities. From the month of july 1 to june 30, 2023 the youth organizing council met 132 times engaging a total of 200 youth participants.