Mid-City CAN’s COVID-19 Response and Advocacy
- Mid-City CAN is advocating for an equitable COVID-19 response that ensures access for all; especially our most vulnerable, immigrants, and children.
- Mid-City CAN is advocating for an equitable COVID-19 recovery that results in an enhanced quality of life for all when it is time to rebuild and heal from the impacts of the pandemic; especially our most vulnerable, immigrants and children.
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Mid-City CAN is building power by organizing people on digital platforms to provide community support and ensure access to resources and information while keeping health and safety a priority.
- Mid-City CAN stands against hate and xenophobia; especially as it impacts communities facing disparities and racism under the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our COVID-19 Advocacy Platform
Transportation Justice
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Ensuring the safety of bus drivers and bus riders who could be disproportionately exposed to contracting COVID-19 by advocating for “rear passenger boarding” (a proven social distancing measure already in place in many localities nationwide.
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Lessening the financial impact on workers vital to our critical infrastructures (food service work, delivery, construction, and sanitation) and those who have suffered jobs losses, by implementing a “fare moratorium” or easement on fare enforcement on public transportation during the COVID-19 stay-at-home order so that families can prioritize food and other household needs.
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Maintaining priority bus routes needed by critical infrastructure workers and transit-dependent communities of color to get to and from work and medical offices.
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Ensuring full reinstatement and expansion of service frequency and routes during COVID-19 recovery.
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Instating no-cost fares for all youth for COVID-19 recovery and beyond.
Click here to support Youth Opportunity Passes
Public Safety
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Protecting San Diego’s most vulnerable by advocating for:
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San Diego Police Department (SDPD)’s implementation and related enforcement of health orders is equitable across communities.
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SDPD to stop ticketing and enforcement of shelter-in-place orders on San Diego’s homeless community.
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SDPD to keep accountable to public health orders and standards by having officers wear masks and gloves when interacting with the public.
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SDPD to maintain social distancing standards to the greatest extent feasible while working in public to protect the health of community members and first responders.
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Releasing non-violent and low-level offenders (especially juveniles and immigrants who are held only for immigration violations) on a promise to appear or dismissing charges outright to lessen the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
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Lessening the financial impact on families, and in alignment with the spirit of the California State Law, by forgiving retroactive court fees for juveniles and adults.
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Reform of the Community Review Board on Police Practices in order to institute greater accountability on the San Diego Police Department.
Click here to support an independent, community-led commission on police practices
Health Justice
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Ensure everyone has access to life-saving public health information by requiring interpretation and translation of government documents, press releases, and websites in San Diego’s key language groups at the County of San Diego and City of San Diego.
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Ensuring the continuation of California’s DentiCAL program (now in jeopardy).
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Ensuring the promised full implementation of Medi-Cal for all elders ages 65+ (regardless of immigration status) starting July 2020 (now in jeopardy).
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Fighting to ensure the County of San Diego makes health services access a priority and accessible for San Diego’s most vulnerable communities.
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Keep track of and report data by income level and occupation for COVID-19 cases and deaths in San Diego County.
Housing
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Enhance the City of San Diego housing moratorium ordinance to extend the payback deadline until January 2021.
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Enhance the County of San Diego housing moratorium to extend the payback deadline til January 2021.
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Request the state implement rent forgiveness for the duration of Stay-at-Home Orders.
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Advocate for appropriate housing options that prioritize safety for San Diego’s homeless youth community.
Our Community Support and Resources
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Supporting youth and continuing to build their leadership through online platforms that also provide them with social support and their families with access to resources at this critical moment.
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Making Warm Calls to community members who may fear accessing government services by reaching out first to provide critical information and a friendly check-in (in various languages) to make sure no community members slip through the cracks. Mid-City CAN has spoken to over 5,000 community members and counting.
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Proving public information in various languages to ensure community members know about critical health information and resources.
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Analyzing and translating public policy into practical everyday information such as tenants’ rights, immigrant rights, and resources.
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Issuing daily public service announcements on digital platforms that ensure hard-to-reach communities know about health directives, where to access resources, and public health messages (like social distancing).
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Maintaining a resource list in various languages (when available) on the Mid-City CAN website where resources are vetted daily to ensure they are up-to-date, accurate, and safe.
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Keeping democracy strong at this critical time by continuing to work with government officials, partners, and community members to ensure a Complete Count for Census and voting in the 2020 election.