Status Updates

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Indigenous Mesoamerican Communities communities did not receive timely and reliable information in their language to access vaccines in California- which led to an increase in COVID-19-related deaths. Then, audio leaked from the Los Angeles City Council members making racial remarks toward a member's son. These health injustices and remakers catalyzed the following organizations to stand in solidarity with the Indigenous Communities through legislation and community-based advocacy:  Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño (CBDIO), Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo (CIELO), Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP), and the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC). 

 

On February 12, 2023, Senator Lena Gonzalez introduced into the California legislature SB 435, the Latine and Indigenous Disparities Act. The proposed legislation focused on collecting high-quality, anonymous demographic data for Latine subgroups and Indigenous Mesoamerican languages from various California Departments. The bill received extensive support from over 60 statewide organizations, including the Senate and Assembly. The original cosponsors, CBDIO, CIELO, MICOP and LCHC, are continuing the fight to make the  Latinex and Indigenous Disparities Act a reality in California for data justice for Latine and Indigenous Mesoamericans today!  

 

On the eve of Indigenous People's Day, Governor Newsom vetoed SB 435. The Governor cited monitoring the United States Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) updating federal standards for collecting and reporting race and ethnicity as the reason for the veto.

 

The Latine and Indigenous Disparities Act entered its second year in California as SB 1016 on February 16, 2024. California is currently facing financial difficulties. Similar to last year, the bill had a wide range of support from over 80 state organizations, both Senate and Assembly, and was a Latino Caucus priority. The bill is currently heading to the Governor's desk.