news and updates
Home Away from Home to Host Next Distribution on Sunday, May 8 from 4-5 pm
our Home Away From Home working group will host a free meal and household supply distribution for local college students on Sunday, May 8.
after hearing that BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) students often feel unwelcome or even unsafe in Arcata, equity arcata’s Home Away from Home working group was formed to help build a bridge between college students and the broader community. since fall 2020, Home Away from Home volunteers have supported students safely by hosting physically-distant meal and household supply distributions, providing meals and goods for 1,015 local college students.
the upcoming distribution will take place outside at the D Street Neighborhood Center, located at 1301 D Street in Arcata, on Sunday, May 8 from 4 to 5 pm. the distribution will take place rain or shine, and all local college students are invited to pick up a free prepackaged meal and a bag filled with household supplies. vegetarian, meat and special diet meal options will be available, and catering will be provided by Los Giles Taqueria. students are urged not to come if they are feeling sick and all COVID-19 safety protocols in place must be followed. proof of college enrollment is also required. students with questions should call 707-822-5953 or email equityarcata@gmail.com.
this distribution was made possible thanks to generous funding provided by Coast Cental Credit Union, and equity arcata would like to thank them for their ongoing support.
Make a Donation for Home Away from Home's Next Distribution
in order to support the needs of students at the upcoming distributions, Home Away From Home volunteers are seeking donations from non-student members of the community.
donations of new and unused supplies including non-perishable food items, toiletries including soap, shampoo, conditioner, menstrual supplies, toilet paper, household cleaning supplies and monetary donations a will be accepted. please note that donations of opened or partially-used items, unclean goods, and items not mentioned in the list above cannot be accepted.
community members who wish to make a donation may drop them off at the City Manager’s Office inside Arcata City Hall, located at 736 F Street. checks can be made out to "City of Arcata" with "equity arcata" in the memo line. city hall is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm and donations will be accepted Monday, May 2 until Friday, May 6. For more information on making a donation, please call 707-822-5953 or email equityarcata@gmail.com.
Ongoing Learning Opportunities for the Community
equity arcata’s Ongoing Learning Working Group is excited to offer the community opportunities to engage in conversations surrounding racial equity.
members of the community who identify as white are invited to participate in equity arcata’s virtual Whiteness Accountability Space held every Thursday from 12 to 1 pm and on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. the purpose of holding this space is to mitigate harm caused to BIPOC community members when white people participate in conversations on these topics in diverse spaces. these weekly conversations are led by white facilitators who are members of the equity arcata collective. to participate, please email equityarcata@gmail.com for the Zoom link.
Welcoming Businesses Working Group Meetings Open to All
join a Welcoming Businesses Working Group meeting to learn more about creating a more equitable and inclusive work environment. business owners, HR professionals, managers and employees are all welcome to join. welcoming businesses working group meetings take place the third Wednesday of each month from 4:30 to 5:30 pm. to participate, please email chuckjpowell@gmail.com for the Zoom link. if you are looking for workplace ongoing learning resources for businesses, please click here.
State of the City of Arcata
Cal Poly Humboldt student members of the equity arcata collective presented at the Arcata Chamber of Commerce’s virtual State of the City of Arcata event on Tuesday, February 9. to view a recording of the presentation, please click here.
are you looking for ways to support the local Black community? check out the organizations below:
are you looking for ways to support the local Indigenous community? check these links out:
equity arcata collective statement on COVID-19
as COVID-19 spreads and the public health emergency intensifies, equity arcata calls on local governments and institutional leaders to pay special attention to the impact that this disease and their response to its spread may have on people of color.
we call for an approach that provides accurate information and advances policies based on science. we call on decision-makers to act with compassion and provide comprehensive medical and social services for those most vulnerable to exposure. we are all only as safe as those members of our community who are most at risk.
Race Forward’s statement on racialized disparities reminds us:
“while we know that anyone can contract the virus, we also know that the impacts on communities of color could be severe. people of color are disproportionately likely to be in low-paying or hourly-wage jobs that make them unable to provide care or interrupt work. they are also more likely to have limited access to affordable healthcare, childcare, and transportation. people of color are more likely to face unsanitary conditions inside prisons, jails, and detention centers. funding disparities in communities of color have led to hospital closures; shortages of frontline doctors and nurses; higher incidences of chronic conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease; housing overcrowding; and lack of quality elder care.” in Humboldt County, we see this applies especially to our Native and immigrant residents.
historically, government responses to urgent health concerns have been shaped by implicit and explicit bias. this public emergency has already harmed Chinese and Asian American community members through increased acts of bigotry and discrimination. emergency planning must consider that health inequities and racialized fears may exacerbate infection rates through the misallocation of time and resources, creating additional impacts and problems to solve.
equity arcata strongly urges all leaders and decision-makers to actively dispel myths and racist misinformation, and to collectively work to create a system-wide response needed to end the spread of this communicable disease. local leaders must address the needs of the most marginalized populations in our community while stamping out stigma and blame. all of our health security is at stake.
*adapted from Race Forward Statement on the Coronavirus Emergency, Official Response and its Impacts on Communities of Color, www.raceforward.org.
please click here to find COVID-19 resources.
please click here to read our housing working group’s open letter to landlords & property managers
to help Cal Poly Humboldt students experiencing food insecurity as a result of COVID-19, our home away from home working group is raising funds to benefit Cal Poly Humboldt’s Oh SNAP! student food program. please click here to learn more about Oh SNAP! and how the program is providing students safe access to culturally appropriate and nutritious food. please click here to make a donation to this much-needed program.
for more information regarding equity arcata, send us an email at equityarcata@gmail.com. or call 707-822-5953.
