Agenda 21 Santa Cruz Social Justice: Ethnic Diversity & Discrimination

Many overt and subtle forms of individual and institutionalized discrimination persist in Santa Cruz County (SCC). The groups are divided by race, age, economic class, culture, national origin, religion, gender and sexual orientation. Some pressing issues already discussed in this chapter are: 1) treatment of the homeless, 2) lack of programs available for youth, 3) lack of jobs for displaced workers in South County. Other social justice issues that are important to people of color in this community are: affordable housing, education, jobs, economic opportunity, and political empowerment.

The diversity in the population of SCC is contrasted by the Agenda 21 Social justice Committee both within the cities of Watsonville and Santa Cruz and different patterns between the two cities. The majority, Anglos, populate the northern part of the county; in Watsonville, Latinos dominate the culture, followed by families with Slavic background, Japanese Americans and Phillipinos. Most of the African Americans, less than 2%, live in the City of Santa Cruz. There is also a visible Spanish-speaking community in the Beach Flats area and in other parts of Santa Cruz. These differences of ethnic diversity are also taken as a basis for racial discrimination, varying in degree and in potential solutions for both North and South sections of SCC. Another compelling problem is the erosion of human rights, the basis for social justice. The Department of Immigration has made forays into the neighborhoods of Latinos, intimidating and often deporting migrants unable to produce the green card.

The media has begun to highlight the issues of youth and high school enrollment problems for Latinos in SCC. In a headline on January 15, 1997, the Sentinel reported that the overall dropout rate for grades 7-12 was 3.5% in 1995-96 in Santa Cruz City schools. The 159 dropouts included 103 Anglo students, 42 Latinos, 9 African-American, 5 of other ethnicity. Percentage-wise, Latinos are 26% of the dropouts with 17% of the total student enrollment; while African-American students comprise 6% of dropouts with a 3/o enrollment.' This was followed up by a report on the "Ethnicity gap in the classroom." In the Santa Cruz City School District, the following statistics were submitted by the Human Resource Committee. Anglo teachers are 91.6% of the faculty with 70% Anglo students; Latino teachers are 5.4% with 21.4% Latino students; Asian teachers, 1.4% with 3.6% Asian students; African American teachers, 1.1% with 3.4% African American students; others .4% and 1.6 students of diverse ethnic background.2

In the progressive environment of Santa Cruz, Lesbian, Gay, members of the Transgender and Bi-Sexual Center have created their political, cultural and social space in a number of areas. Each spring, a Gay Pride parade, followed by a gathering in a local park, is the high point of visibility in the community. This group has organized workshops for teachers and administrators to educate them on the need to create a safe space for gay and lesbian students.

The Triangle Speakers Bureau requests time to create discussion in the classroom on alternate life styles; Parents and Friends of Lesbians -and Gays (PFLAG) are a support group. Recently, domestic partners, in general, have gained benefits at Cabrillo and Santa Cruz City Schools.

We envision a community that stretches itself from its historical conditioning and ethnocentric comfort zones to increased cross-cultural empathy and understanding - a community that avoids oppressive hierarchies, but instead passionately advocates for inclusion, respect and cooperation with all members - a community where each person is given a chance to live up to his/her best potential and is able to offer his/her unique gifts, and where there is equal pay for equal work. We envision a "paradigm shift" from dominating diversity to welcoming diversity-a challenge of the 21st Century."

"Advocating as strongly for fairness and respect for others as for ourselves,

is the purest and most powerful expression of valuing diversity.

It is something definitely worth doing well."

Tony Hill, Organizational Development Consultant in issues of Diversity, Leadership & Change

A. Significantly improve equal access to higher education and the workplace for all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

B. Develop a stronger educational curriculum concerned with people of color, honoring their diversity and increasing cross-cultural empathy and understanding. [See Educ. Chptr.]

C. Educate the public, especially teachers and administrators on the compelling need for social justice for young lesbians and gays as they interact with their peers.

A. The Regional Alliance for Progressive Policy (RAPP) has challenged "members of the central coast community to join in the democratic achievement of social, political, economic, and cultural progress." They are working to educate and rally the public on a number of issues, such as changes that will occur with the implementation of the Welfare Reform Bill. They also work with laborers in agriculture to obtain justice in hours, wages, and health hazards.

B. In 1996, many bold steps were taken to value the contributions of the African-American population in the City of Santa Cruz. These included a NAACP Candidate's Forum in the '96 election, a genealogy of the lives of African-Americans in SCC; the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. dinner and fall barbecue, monthly family potluck dinners celebrating the African-American Kwanza heritage and harvest; Brothers Helping Brothers, a weekly group meeting in a barber shop - elders helping youth with their problems, and programs highlighting the Black History month in Santa Cruz. In addition, the NAACP offers scholarships to aspiring students who seek higher education.

C. Affirmative Action Network of SCC held forums and events, in addition to mailings, to make the public aware of the need for affirmative action.

D. Healing Global Wounds holds educational forums and events & publishes a newsletter to make the public aware of the problems of Native Americans. Big Mountain Alliance also works to build awareness of tribal problems in other parts of the US.

E. A national Youth Hotline has been set up for lesbian / gay / bisexual &cross-gender youth (800) 96YOUTH.

A. Train facilitators for the "paradigm shift" to be wholistic supporters of the value of diversity.

C. Hold forums on immigration to educate the public on the contributions of immigrants, and lobby for full employment.

E. Encourage people of color to become teachers through scholarships and consider offering capable teacher's aides temporary teaching certificates until they complete the requirements in order to "level the playing field."

F. Support and implement where needed the Congressional ratification of the UN Convention to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and support human rights.

G. Encourage the business sector to hold managers accountable for promoting minorities and women into management.

I. Continue with forums, meetings, events, and expand our social justice library with books, tapes, video tapes for community TV, & literature available for interested people in the community. (Info. available through the Resource Center or through the ACTION-SCC Social justice Committee)

J. Continue to work on outreach and education of our students at UCSC and Cabrillo College, so they will have equal rights and fair representation as well as health care.

K Involve college students and professors in social justice issues on campus. Bring in speakers; support individual clubs.

* Interview with leaders & representatives of groups/projects conducted by Susan Russell