On April 26 at the Cabrillo Pavillon, CAUSE Action Fund (CAF) held its annual Leadership Awards Reception, a fundraiser for its work building grassroots electoral power to represent working-class families and immigrants. The event honored 805 UndocuFund Executive Director Primitiva Hernandez and CAF’s grassroots leaders Dora Pérez and Guad Gonzalez.
About 120 supporters, including Congressmember Salud Carbajal, State Senator Monique Limón, and other elected officials, enjoyed an afternoon reception at the Cabrillo Pavilion, followed by a lively program. Throughout the event, there was a feeling of joy and camaraderie among supporters to celebrate past victories and a determination to forge ahead against well-financed opposition.
Hernandez was honored for her leadership of 805 UndocuFund, which CAUSE helped found. The nonprofit’s mission has expanded from providing financial assistance to undocumented immigrants impacted by disasters to providing crucially important, multifaceted support in this dark era of aggressive and random Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) action.
CAF Co-Executive Director and 805 UndocuFund Board Chair Hazel Davalos lauded Hernandez for leveraging her lived experience, strong work ethic, and passion to meet this moment. Hernandez, she noted, has built relationships with activists and decision-makers and, with the help of staff and hundreds of volunteers, operates a valuable hotline.
Since Trump’s inauguration, the system has sent out 23 alerts in the Tri-County region and presently has more than 15,000 people subscribed. The hotline is for both reporting ICE activity and for providing information and support, including accompanying people to ICE and court appointments.
More than 35 arrests have been reported since late January, with Santa Maria being the most impacted city. Recently, according to Hernandez, arrests have occurred at ICE check-in appointments in Santa Maria and Camarillo, when the immigrant completes a probation program or is released from jail.
In an emotional and eloquent acceptance speech, Hernandez shared that her parents were farmworkers and she was a DACA recipient who migrated here “with nothing but a bag full of dreams.” She related that her deep love of community, even today, propels her work, which includes leading the 805 Immigrant Coalition and its Rapid Response Network. This Coalition has more than 175 members, including Steering Committee members MICOP and Buen Vecino; and, of course, CAUSE.
CAUSE Co-Executive Director Lucas Zucker related how current national policies are severely impacting our community, pointing to militarized ICE raids having their intended effect of inducing fear, with farmworkers showing up for work day after day under threat of being detained by agents without due process or regard for human rights.
Zucker noted other challenges CAF faces and needs to address: opposition to clean, offshore wind energy; support for oil drilling; mass layoffs; and cuts to safety net programs. Davalos further rallied guests with a call to using grassroots people power to oppose the “multibillion dollar agriculture, real estate, and oil industries that dominate our local politics” and demand living wages and affordable housing.
Zucker recounted CAF’s support last year for candidates supporting tenants’ rights, including Wendy Santamaria, against the well-financed opposition from landlords. CAF “walked block by block across the Eastside, with trusted messengers from the community, having one-on-one conversations with nearly six hundred voters.” Noting the slim margin of victory — 236 votes — Zucker impressed upon guests the importance of contributions. It “was your support over so many years of this organization — rooted in immigrant working families, building long-term political power from the grassroots up — that finally won a pro-tenant majority on the City Council.”
Zucker thanked CAF’s collaborative partners, which together have helped attain a stronger renoviction policy, and rallied supporters on the issue of rent stabilization.
Santamaria, who is a former CAUSE staff organizer, led a paddle raise, pitching that the magic happens when people power is combined with financial resources.
Dora Pérez was honored for her extensive leadership work, volunteering for the past 20 years on issues of immigrant rights and housing justice, including going door-to-door for candidates. Also honored was Santa Maria Pioneer Valley High School junior Guad Gonzalez. A participant in CAUSE’s Summer Youth Fellowship program, Gonzalez was recognized for her leadership skills and volunteer work in the last election.
Operating in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, CAF helps recruit, train, elect, and hold accountable candidates. It is a partner of CAUSE (Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy). For more info about CAF, go to http://causeactionfund.org.
The 805 UndocuFund is currently fundraising for families with members who have been detained, deported, or experienced a hate crime. Every dollar donated will be distributed to these families. It is also seeking volunteers. Spanish language ability is not required, and training is provided. For more info about this nonprofit, go to http://805undocufund.org.
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