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Communities excluded from the national census will be represented and included; for the first time since 1997, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) expanded its rules on race and ethnicity, seeking to make all people visible and represented in federal data collection.

During a briefing held by Ethnic Media Services, Experts discussed how new standards regarding race and ethnicity have been included by OMB to ensure clarity in data collection and to ensure that needs are heard and communities are represented. 

Juan Rosa, National Director of Civic Engagement for the National Educational Fund (NALEO), commented that these changes in data collection can benefit communities in the long term, while considering that generations have changed and are more capable of recognizing their identity, feeling proud of their origins and looking for a way to truly identify themselves as they are and where they come from.

Thirty-five percent of Latinos indicated they were of another race on the 2020 census because they did not identify themselves, while 8 percent did not respond; an estimated 27 million of the 63 million counted in the census did not see themselves reflected in the questions regarding race, creating a need for change, he said.

Tina J. Kauh, Senior Program Officer in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Research, Evaluation and Learning Unit, explained that the organization works with communities, physicians and institutions to create a future where medicine is accessible to all. 

She said systemic racism is still present, not only for the Asian American community, but also for other minority communities, so getting enough resources for various studies or programs is really complicated, and without hard data it becomes almost impossible. 

In this regard, he said that support is currently being given to the collection of data that will greatly benefit the communities, allowing them to understand their shortcomings and needs, generating relevant information to implement new and better support programs.

Gail C. Christopher, executive director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity and director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's National Commission on Transforming Public Health Data Systems, explained that the data system must be expanded to include the most vulnerable communities in California.

Christopher stressed that it is very important to address the structural racism that limits communities of color, and that there are currently different categories for people to identify themselves and feel truly heard, showing that they are not invisible.

“The data system still needs to be transformed so that communities, health agencies and associations can understand that this is done with the best intentions, since there are different narratives. However, the goal is to ensure that the resources and results help those communities that do not feel represented prosper,” she stressed.

"The challenge we face is that the lack of data fits into the framework of discrimination and racial stereotypes that have been part of our nation and right now we are at that moment of accepting our history to create strength, reconciliation and healing processes.”, he added Gail C. Christopher.

Meeta Anand, senior director of census and data equity programs at The Leadership Conference Education Fund, explained that when you put dots on numbers, you're not telling the stories of racial equity and you're only really showing one part.

And, she said, when we talk about collecting data, we only seek to have a better version of the people we want to represent, because the data can never pigeonhole a person, since there are many origins and cultures, but having more options in a survey allows them to show themselves as they are or as close to what they are, and that is what we seek.

With this new format, people can identify themselves and tell their story through surveys. To achieve this, there will be enough time to codify the data collected. Organizations will be monitoring the process to achieve results closer to reality. 

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Correctional Health Services and San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, have installed a machine to dispense free doses of Narcan, the medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, in the public lobby of the Maguire Correctional Center in Redwood City. 

The goal is to reduce harm to the community and potentially save lives, as the machine delivers a box of Narcan containing two doses to anyone who needs it, including inmates being released, their families and friends, and the general public.

A nasal spray, Narcan (the brand name for the drug naloxone) is safe to use and easy to deploy, making it possible for anyone (friends, bystanders) to provide life-saving help. 

While first responders carry naloxone, the drug can be administered even before calling 911, since seconds count if someone is experiencing an overdose.

The California Department of Public Health recommends that friends and family members who know someone at higher risk for an opioid overdose, especially those with opioid use disorder, carry naloxone and keep it at home. 

Additionally, she said, people who take high doses of opioid medications prescribed by a doctor, as well as those who use opioids and benzodiazepines together and/or who use drugs, should carry naloxone with them and inform others that they have it in case they experience an opioid overdose.

It is worth noting that California's Good Samaritan law protects those who provide emergency medical care at the scene of a medical emergency, including the administration of naloxone.

The vending machine also offers a touch screen to provide information about other available services, such as food, housing, substance abuse treatment, mental health, probation and parole.

“This effort took over a year and is the result of a great partnership with the Sheriff’s Office,” said Correctional Health Services Director Michael del Rosario. “As we strive to improve the services we provide to our incarcerated individuals and the community, we hope we can help save some lives with this project.”

In May 2023, following a public study session on the growing public health threat posed by cheap opioids and fentanyl, the Board of Supervisors recommended providing access to naloxone; increasing cooperation between the County Health Department, public safety officials, and other stakeholders; promoting public education; and collecting data to identify at-risk areas or populations.

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Un ex residente de Riverside que el año pasado disparó e hirió a dos hombres judíos cuando salían de servicios religiosos en el área de Pico-Robertson de Los Ángeles se declaró culpable de crímenes de odio y delitos con armas de fuego, informó el California Department of Justice.

Jaime Tran, de 29 años, aceptó declararse culpable de todos los cargos en su contra: dos cargos de crímenes de odio con intención de matar y dos cargos de uso, porte y disparo de un arma de fuego durante y en relación con un crimen de violencia.

Se espera que Tran se declare culpable de los cargos de delitos graves ante el juez de distrito de los Estados Unidos, George H. Wu, en las próximas semanas.

Al declararse culpable, Tran enfrentará una sentencia máxima legal de cadena perpetua en una prisión federal por cada cargo de crimen de odio, y una sentencia máxima de cadena perpetua y una sentencia mínima obligatoria de 10 años por cada cargo de arma de fuego.

Según el acuerdo de culpabilidad, que los fiscales presentaron el pasado martes 14 de mayo, Tran recibiría una sentencia de prisión de entre 35 y 40 años.

“Este acusado intentó asesinar a dos hombres simplemente porque eran judíos”, dijo el fiscal federal Martín Estrada. “Sin embargo, en lugar de permitir que estos horribles crímenes nos dividan, nuestra comunidad se unió y rápidamente llevó al perpetrador ante la justicia. El odio y la intolerancia no tienen cabida en Estados Unidos. Nos mantendremos firmes en nuestro enfoque de utilizar todas las herramientas a nuestra disposición para procesar agresivamente los actos de odio”.

Por su parte, la subdirectora interina de la oficina local del FBI en Los Ángeles, Krysti Hawkins, refirió que “el odio del acusado lo llevó a planear el asesinato de dos víctimas inocentes simplemente porque creía que practicaban su fe judía”. 

Hawkins dijo sentirse aliviada de que el arduo trabajo de los investigadores y fiscales llevara a que Tran admitiera los crímenes y espera que los miembros de la comunidad judía se consuelen al saber que él no estará en condiciones de atacar a sus compañeros. 

“Estoy agradecido por el arduo trabajo que nuestros investigadores y fiscales han realizado en este caso”, subrayó el jefe de policía de Los Ángeles, Dominic Choi. “Los crímenes de odio desgarran la estructura de nuestras comunidades y nuestra seguridad. El Departamento de Policía de Los Ángeles es más fuerte a través de nuestras asociaciones federales y sirve mejor a la gente de Los Ángeles”.        

Según su acuerdo de declaración de culpabilidad, Tran desarrolló y abrazó creencias antisemitas e hizo amenazas violentas contra el pueblo judío. 

En 2018, Tran dejó la escuela de odontología después de hacer declaraciones llenas de odio sobre otros estudiantes a quienes percibía como judíos.

Desde agosto hasta diciembre de 2022, las declaraciones antisemitas de Tran aumentaron e incluyeron un lenguaje cada vez más violento, incluso contra un excompañero de clase a quien llamó y envió mensajes de texto repetidamente con mensajes como “Te quiero muerto, judío”, “Alguien te va a matar, judío” y “Quemar en la cámara del horno”, informó el Departamento de Justicia de California en un comunicado.

Agregó que, en noviembre de 2022, Tran envió por correo electrónico a dos docenas de excompañeros de clase un folleto que contenía propaganda antisemita, incluida la declaración: “CADA ASPECTO DE LA AGENDA COVID ES JUDÍO”. El mes siguiente, Tran envió por correo electrónico a sus antiguos compañeros de clase extractos de un sitio web que describía a los judíos como “primitivos” y con “cráneos gruesos”.

Como resultado de detenciones de salud mental anteriores, a partir de 2023, a Tran se le prohibió comprar armas de fuego. 

En enero de 2023, en Phoenix, Tran le pidió a un tercero que le comprara dos armas de fuego. Tran seleccionó las armas de fuego que quería y pagó aproximadamente de mil 500 dólares en efectivo al tercero, quien luego las compró.

En la mañana del 15 de febrero de 2023, Tran utilizó Internet para buscar lugares con un “mercado kosher” y planeó dispararle a alguien cerca de un mercado kosher porque creía que habría judíos en el área. 

Tran condujo hasta Pico-Robertson y disparó a una víctima judía que llevaba una kipá cuando salía de los servicios religiosos en una sinagoga. Tran, creyendo que la víctima era judía, le disparó a quemarropa en la espalda, con la intención de matarlo. Luego, Tran huyó de la escena en su automóvil.

A la mañana siguiente, el 16 de febrero de 2023, Tran regresó al área de Pico-Robertson con la intención de dispararle a otra persona judía, y lo hizo. La víctima también vestía una kipá y salía de una sinagoga después de asistir a servicios religiosos. El perpetrador le disparó a quemarropa con la intención de matarlo mientras la víctima cruzaba la calle. Tran nuevamente huyó de la escena. 

Ambas víctimas sobrevivieron a los ataques. Las autoridades arrestaron a Tran el 17 de febrero y permanece bajo custodia desde entonces.

El FBI y el Departamento de Policía de Los Ángeles siguen investigando el asunto.

This publication was supported in whole or part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the CaliFornia State

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