Connect with us

Bay Area

The Case Against SB357: Black, Vulnerable and Trafficked

Facts and reality establish that passing SB 357 and similar legislation harms Black communities which are some of the most vulnerable and traumatized people in America. When the ACLU co-authored SB357 and claimed that full decriminalization of sex work would improve public health and safety, whose health and safety were they referring to?

Published

on

The exploited, whether they identify as survivors of human trafficking or independent sex workers, should not be criminalized. The problem is that the ACLU and social service agencies align with proponents of decriminalizing sex buying knowing that Black girls are the most impacted by an increase in demand.
The exploited, whether they identify as survivors of human trafficking or independent sex workers, should not be criminalized. The problem is that the ACLU and social service agencies align with proponents of decriminalizing sex buying knowing that Black girls are the most impacted by an increase in demand.

PART 7 – Not all Sexual Exploitation is Equal and Black Girls Get the Worst of It

By Tanya Dennis and Vanessa Russell

Facts and reality establish that passing SB 357 and similar legislation harms Black communities which are some of the most vulnerable and traumatized people in America.

When the ACLU co-authored SB357 and claimed that full decriminalization of sex work would improve public health and safety, whose health and safety were they referring to?

Authors of this article are proponents of the equity model which would decriminalize exploitation for the exploited and provide exit services, while continuing to hold sex buyers and exploiters accountable.

The exploited, whether they identify as survivors of human trafficking or independent sex workers, should not be criminalized.  The problem is that the ACLU and social service agencies align with proponents of decriminalizing sex buying knowing that Black girls are the most impacted by an increase in demand.

There range of opinions about this topic is vast.  Some advocates are looking to cure human trafficking with criminal convictions and longer sentences, without simultaneously prioritizing investment in prevention and intervention care for BIPOC communities.

Others, such as those who support SB357, are advocating for full decriminalization despite the knowledge that demand for sex from marginalized and disempowered communities will increase.

Groups like Open Society Foundations, which is funded by George Soros, pushes for full decriminalization and states in their “Ten Reasons to Decriminalize Sex Work” white paper that decriminalizing the act of sex-buying will improve human trafficking response rates.

In their report, they note that New Zealand, which fully decriminalized sex work, was “doing great work on human trafficking.”

Melissa Farley of Prostitution Research had a completely different perspective on sex work decriminalization in New Zealand.  In her white paper, she noted that after New Zealand’s decriminalization of prostitution, “the violence and sexual abuse continued as before” and “sex workers felt that the law could do little about violence; that it was an inevitable element of the sex trade.”

The other unanswered question raised decriminalizing sex work is what happens to those who remain in the industry even though they want to get out. Reports in New Zealand say that sex workers no longer receive job training or housing advocacy.

Some of the loudest voices in support of SB 357 are those of privileged people who do not understand the implications of these policies that disproportionately harm Black women and girls.  They fail to understand that not all forms of sexual exploitation are equal.

Elizabeth Quiroz, a survivor who was sold at the age of 16 and trafficked throughout the Bay Area, has a strong reaction to full decriminalization.

“Fully decriminalizing the sex trade will promote human trafficking in our communities and expose our most vulnerable populations, such as people of color, to additional violence and trauma,” Quiroz said. “Without accountability for the buyers and exploiters, even those who enter the industry on their own free will can eventually become victims of human trafficking.”

The logic outlined in the ACLU decriminalization white paper and legislative position reveals the authors have not considered the health and safety of Black women and girls.

SB 357 has not provided alternatives to police intervention. Those interventions could include

  • paid ubiquitous outreach
  • survivor advocacy across the state
  • exit services such as housing
  • workforce development
  • mental health services

The mental health service providers should be required to be familiar with the systemic oppression in Black communities and understand the dangers of the street trade, which is where Blacks women and girls are the most vulnerable and the most exploited.

Tanya Dennis serves on the Board of Oakland Frontline Healers (OFH) and series co-author Vanessa Russell of “Love Never Fails Us” and member of OFH

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of October 30 – November 5, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of October 30 – November 5, 2024

Published

on

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Continue Reading

Activism

“Two things can be true at once.” An Afro-Latina Voter Weighs in on Identity and Politics

“As a Puerto Rican I do not feel spoken to in discussions about Latino voters… which is ironic because we are one of the few Latino communities who are also simultaneously American,” Ortiz-Cedeño says. Puerto Ricans born in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, have American citizenship by birth but they do not have the right to vote for president if they live on the island. “I think that we miss out on a really interesting opportunity to have a nuanced conversation by ignoring this huge Latino population that is indigenously American.”

Published

on

Keyanna Ortiz-Cedeño at her graduation from UC Berkeley after receiving her master’s degree in City Regional Planning. Alongside her, are her parents holding a Puerto Rican flag. Courtesy photo.
Keyanna Ortiz-Cedeño at her graduation from UC Berkeley after receiving her master’s degree in City Regional Planning. Alongside her, are her parents holding a Puerto Rican flag. Courtesy photo.

By Magaly Muñoz

On a sunny afternoon at Los Cilantros Restaurant in Berkeley, California, Keyanna Ortiz-Cedeño, a 27-year-old Afro-Latina with tight curly hair and deep brown skin, stares down at her carne asada tacos, “I’ve definitely eaten more tortillas than plantains over the course of my life,” says Cedeño, who spent her childhood in South Texas, among predominantly Mexican-American Latinos. As she eats, she reflects on the views that American politicians have of Latino voters.

“As a Puerto Rican I do not feel spoken to in discussions about Latino voters… which is ironic because we are one of the few Latino communities who are also simultaneously American,” Ortiz-Cedeño says. Puerto Ricans born in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, have American citizenship by birth but they do not have the right to vote for president if they live on the island. “I think that we miss out on a really interesting opportunity to have a nuanced conversation by ignoring this huge Latino population that is indigenously American.”

Ortiz-Cedeño, an urban planner who is focused on disaster resilience, homelessness and economic prosperity for people of color, says that political conversations around Latinos tend to shift towards immigration, “I think this ties back into the ways that our perception of ‘Latino’ tends to be Mexican and Central American because so much of our conversation about Latinos is deeply rooted in what’s happening on the border,” she says. “I don’t think that the Afro-Latino vote is frequently considered when we’re talking about the Latino vote in the United States.”

Primarily surrounded by Mexican-Americans while growing up in South Texas, Keyanna participated in many Chicano cultured events, such as being a dama in several quinceñeras. Courtesy photo.

Primarily surrounded by Mexican-Americans while growing up in South Texas, Keyanna participated in many Chicano cultured events, such as being a dama in several quinceñeras. Courtesy photo.

As Ortiz-Cedeño sifts through childhood photos of her as a happy teen dancing with the Mexican ballet folklorico group in high school and as a dama in quinceñeras, she reflects on growing up in South Texas, an area with a large population of white and Mexican-Americans. The Black population was small, and within it, the Afro-Latino population was practically nonexistent.

“It was interesting to try to have conversations with other Latinos in the community because I think that there was a combination of both willful ignorance and a sort of ill intent and effort to try and deny my experience as a Latino,” she says. “There are a lot of folks in Latin America who experience a lot of cognitive dissonance when they think about the existence of Black Latinos in Latin America.

Ortiz-Cedeño comments on the long history of anti-Blackness in Latin America. “Throughout Latin America, we have a really insidious history with erasing Blackness and I think that that has been carried into the Latino American culture and experience,” she says. “People will tell you, race doesn’t exist in Latin America, like we’re all Dominicans, we’re all Puerto Ricans, we’re all Cubans, we’re all Mexicans. If you were to go to the spaces with where people are from and look at who is experiencing the most acute violence, the most acute poverty, the most acute political oppression and marginalization, those people are usually darker. And that’s not by accident, it’s by design.”

Because of the lack of diversity in her Gulf Coast town, as a teenager, despite being the only Spanish-speaker at her job in Walmart, Latinos refused to ask for her help in Spanish.

“Even if monolingual [Spanish-speaking] people would have to speak with me, then they were trying to speak English, even though they could not speak English, versus engaging with me as a Latina,” she says.

“I think that the perception of Latinos in the United States is of a light brown person with long, wavy or straight hair. The perfect amount of curves and the perfect combination of Indigenous and white genes. And very rarely will people also consider that maybe they also have a sprinkle of Blackness in them as well,” she says. “Over 90% of the slave trade went to the Caribbean and Latin America.”

Keyanna as a toddler, holding a whiteboard up with her last name, Ortiz-Cedeño, on it. Courtesy photo.

Keyanna as a toddler, holding a whiteboard up with her last name, Ortiz-Cedeño, on it. Courtesy photo.

Ortiz-Cedeño remembers when a Cuban family moved in next door to her in Texas. The teen daughter had blue-eyes, blonde hair and only spoke Spanish, which caused neighboring Latinos to take pause because she didn’t fit the Latino “look” they were used to.

“People didn’t have an option to try and negate her [Latino] identity because they had to acknowledge her for everything that she was,” Ortiz-Cedeño says.

Later on, the girl’s cousins, a Black, Spanish-speaking Cuban family, came into town and again locals were forced to reckon with the fact that not all Latinos fit a certain criteria.

“I think it forced everybody to have to confront a reality that they knew in the back of their mind but didn’t want to acknowledge at the forefront,” Ortiz-Cedeño says.

Having gone through these experiences as an Afro-Latina, Ortiz-Cedeño says it’s easy for her to understand Kamala Harris’ mixed Indian and Jamaican heritage, “It comes really naturally to accept that she is both Indian and Black. Two things can exist at the same time,” she says. “I had a long term partner for about seven years who was South Indian, from the same state as Kamala Harris, so if we had had a kid, they would look like [Harris],” Ortiz-Cedeño jokingly shares.

She says she can relate to having to walk the road of people only wanting to see Harris as a Black American. The talking point about [Harris] not being Indian or not being Black, just deciding to be Black, is really disingenuous and cheap,” she says.

Ortiz-Cedeño believes that the Harris campaign has not capitalized on the vice president’s mixed identity, which could be vital in bringing together different communities to understand each other on a new level and allow for improvements on America’s racial dynamics.

Keyanna co-managed a recovery center with her mother after Hurricane Harvey. They packed essentials, such as diapers, food, and water for families in need. Courtesy photo.

Keyanna co-managed a recovery center with her mother after Hurricane Harvey. They packed essentials, such as diapers, food, and water for families in need. Courtesy photo.

As she rushes into a Berkeley Urban Planning Commission meeting straight out of Ashby BART station, Ortiz-Cedeño explains her love for talking about all things infrastructure, homelessness, and healthcare access. The topics can be dry for many, she admits, but in the end, she gets to address long-standing systemic issues that often hinder opportunities for growth for people of color.

Having lived through the effects of Hurricane Katrina as a child, with the flooding and mass migration of Louisiana residents into Texas, Ortiz-Cedeño was radicalized into issues of displacement, emergency mitigation, and housing at nine years old.

“I remember my principal had to carry her students on her shoulders and swim us home because so many parents were trying to drive in and get their kids from school [due to] the flooding that was pushing their cars away,” she recalls.

Her family relocated to Houston soon after Katrina, only to be met with a deadly Hurricane Rita. They wound up in a mega-shelter, where Ortiz-Cedeño says she heard survivors stories of the unstable conditions in New Orleans and beyond, which got her wondering about urban planning, a term she wasn’t familiar with at the time.

“I think that when you put people in the context of the things that were happening in this country around [these hurricanes], a lot of us started to really think seriously about who gets to make decisions about the urban environment,” she adds.

Watching the heavy displacement of disaster survivors, hearing stories of her Navy veteran father’s chronic homelessness, and her own mother’s work and activism with homeless communities in the non–profit sector put her on the path to progressive politics and solutions, she says. After attending college on the East Coast- where she says she was finally recognized as a Puerto Rican- and working in housing, economic development, and public policy, she returned to California to earn a Master’s in City Regional Planning from UC Berkeley.

Young Keyanna volunteering at a beach clean up. Activism and giving back to her community has always been a key part of her upbringing. Courtesy photo.

Young Keyanna volunteering at a beach clean up. Activism and giving back to her community has always been a key part of her upbringing. Courtesy photo.

Her vast interest in the urban success of underserved communities even took her abroad to Israel and Palestine when she was an undergraduate college student. “I’ve seen the border with Gaza, I’ve had homestays with farmers in the West Bank,” she says. “For me personally, Palestine is an issue that is really close to the heart.”

“I have a very intimate understanding of the conflict and I’m very disturbed by the way in which the [Democratic] party has not been willing to engage in what I would perceive to be a thoughtful enough conversation about the conflict,” Ortiz-Cedeño says. “The issue of Palestine is going to be one of those that is a make or break issue for her. It has not been one that has been taken seriously enough by the party.”

Ortiz-Cedeño is not under the illusion that one candidate will address every policy issue she wants to see tackled by the president. But she believes it’s better than what former President Donald Trump has to offer.

“Trump has made it very clear what his intentions are with Palestine, and what his relationship is with [Benjamin] Netanyahu,” Ortiz-Cedeño says. “I understand the political strategy that many people are trying to engage in by withholding their vote, but I would also encourage them to re-engage in the political process.”

Casting her vote for Harris is a decision grounded in calculation rather than outright support. “I think I can vote in this election in order to have harm reduction… because I have deep care and concern for other communities that are going to be impacted by a Trump presidency,” Ortiz-Cedeño says.

She also hopes that American politicians will consider the nuance and perspective that Afro-Latinos bring to the table when it comes to politics, policy, and race in America, “When we don’t think expansively about who is Latino in the United States, the breadth of Latino experiences in the United States, we miss an opportunity to capture how diverse Latinos interests are politically.”

This story was reported in collaboration with PBS VOCES: Latino Vote 2024.

Continue Reading

Alameda County

Access Better Health with Medically Tailored Meals – Transforming Health Through Nutrition for Medi-Cal Patients

Launched in 2018, the Medically Tailored Meals pilot program was designed to help Medi-Cal patients with congestive heart failure by reducing hospital readmissions and emergency department visits by providing tailored meals meeting specific dietary needs. The program’s success in improving health outcomes and reducing costly emergency room visits encouraged the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to expand the Medically Tailored Meals program to all 58 counties through Medi-Cal transformation and a new set of services called Community Supports.

Published

on

Stock Photo
Stock Photo

Advertorial

Launched in 2018, the Medically Tailored Meals pilot program was designed to help Medi-Cal patients with congestive heart failure by reducing hospital readmissions and emergency department visits by providing tailored meals meeting specific dietary needs.

The program’s success in improving health outcomes and reducing costly emergency room visits encouraged the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to expand the Medically Tailored Meals program to all 58 counties through Medi-Cal transformation and a new set of services called Community Supports.

Medically Tailored Meals are one of 14 new services offered through Medi-Cal that provide members with access to new and improved services to get well-rounded care that goes beyond the doctor’s office or hospital.

Medically Tailored Meals: Overview

Malnutrition and poor nutrition can lead to severe health outcomes, especially among Medi-Cal patients with chronic health conditions. Medically Tailored Meals aim to improve health outcomes, reduce hospital readmissions, and enhance patient satisfaction by providing essential nutrition.

Key Features:

  1. Post-Discharge Delivery: Meals are delivered to patients’ homes immediately following discharge from a hospital or nursing home.
  2. Customized Nutrition: Meals are tailored to meet the dietary needs of those with chronic diseases, designed by registered dietitians (RD) or certified nutrition professionals based on evidence-based guidelines.
  3. Comprehensive Services: Includes medically tailored groceries, healthy food vouchers, and food pharmacies.
  4. Educational Support: Behavioral, cooking, and nutrition education is included when paired with direct food assistance.

Key Benefits:

  • Address Food Insecurity: Mitigates poor health outcomes linked to food insecurity.

 

  • Support Complex Care Needs: Tailored to individuals with chronic conditions.

 

  • Improve Health Outcomes: Studies show improvements in diabetes control, fall prevention, and medication adherence.

 

Patient Testimonial:

“My diabetes has gotten better with the meals. I’ve kept my weight down, and I feel much better now than I have in a long time. I’m one of the people this program is meant for.” — Brett

Eligibility:

  • Eligible Populations: Eligible Medi-Cal members include those with chronic conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, congestive heart failure, stroke, chronic lung disorders, HIV, cancer, gestational diabetes, and chronic mental or behavioral health disorders. Also, those being discharged from a hospital or skilled nursing facility or at high risk of hospitalization or nursing facility placement are also eligible.

 

  • Service Limitations: Up to two meals per day for up to 12 weeks, extendable if medically necessary. Meals eligible for reimbursement by alternate programs are not covered.

 

Cost Savings and Improved Health Outcomes:

  • Health Outcomes: Research indicates a 22% to 58% decrease in emergency department visits and a 27% to 63% decrease in inpatient admissions among Medically Tailored Meals recipients, translating to significant health care cost savings.

 

Project Open Hand: A Success Story

Project Open Hand has been a leader in providing Medically Tailored Meals, significantly impacting the lives of Bay Area Medi-Cal patients with chronic illnesses. Since its inception, Project Open Hand has delivered nutritious meals to individuals with diabetes, HIV, and other serious health conditions, demonstrating remarkable health improvements and cost savings.

 

Key Achievements:

  • Improved Health Outcomes: Project Open Hand’s research found a 50% increase in medication adherence among recipients of Medically Tailored Meals.

 

  • Reduced Hospitalizations: Their program showed a 63% reduction in hospitalizations for patients with diabetes and HIV.

 

  • Enhanced Quality of Life: Patients reported better health and increased energy levels.

 

Project Open Hand ensures that each meal is prepared using fresh, wholesome ingredients tailored to meet the specific dietary needs of its clients. By partnering with Medi-Cal managed care plans, Project Open Hand continues to provide life-saving nutrition to those who need it most.

Join Us in Our Mission

You can experience the profound impact of Medically Tailored Meals by joining the Medi-Cal Community Supports services initiative. Your involvement can make a difference in promoting your health through nutrition.

Learn More

For more information about Medically Tailored Meals and how to get involved, call the state’s Medi-Cal Health Care options at 800-430-4263 or contact your local managed care plan.

In Alameda County, Medi-Cal recipients can contact:

*   Alameda Alliance for Health: 510-747-4567

*   Kaiser Permanente: 855-839-7613

In Contra Costa County, Medi-Cal recipients can contact:
*   Contra Costa Health Plan: 877-661-6230

*   Kaiser Permanente: 855-839-7613

In Marin County, Medi-Cal recipients can contact:
*   Partnership Health Plan of California: 800-863-4155

*   Kaiser Permanente: 855-839-7613

In Solano County, Medi-Cal recipients can contact:
*   Partnership Health Plan of California: 800-863-4155

*   Kaiser Permanente: 855-839-7613
Your health and well-being are your health care provider’s top priority. Medically Tailored Meals are designed to enhance quality of life by advancing health care through the power of nutrition. Experience the benefits today, and take the first step toward a healthier you.

Continue Reading

Subscribe to receive news and updates from the Oakland Post

* indicates required

CHECK OUT THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE OAKLAND POST

ADVERTISEMENT

WORK FROM HOME

Home-based business with potential monthly income of $10K+ per month. A proven training system and website provided to maximize business effectiveness. Perfect job to earn side and primary income. Contact Lynne for more details: Lynne4npusa@gmail.com 800-334-0540

Facebook

Activism18 hours ago

Oakland Post: Week of October 30 – November 5, 2024

Keyanna Ortiz-Cedeño at her graduation from UC Berkeley after receiving her master’s degree in City Regional Planning. Alongside her, are her parents holding a Puerto Rican flag. Courtesy photo.
Activism3 days ago

“Two things can be true at once.” An Afro-Latina Voter Weighs in on Identity and Politics

PPIC
California Black Media4 days ago

Ahead of Nov. Election, Event to Check Pulse of California’s Political Landscape

Stock Photo
Alameda County4 days ago

Access Better Health with Medically Tailored Meals – Transforming Health Through Nutrition for Medi-Cal Patients

Courtesy of National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Art4 days ago

A Prolific Painter: Artist and Advocate Lois Mailou Jones

iStock Photo
California Black Media4 days ago

Not So Sweet: California State Health Campaign Highlights Dangers of Sugary Drinks

Yahushua Robinson
California Black Media4 days ago

New California Law Will Protect Students During Extreme Weather

California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber. Photo Courtesy of ShirleyWeber.com.
California Black Media4 days ago

More Than 1.2 Million Youth Pre-Registered to Vote, Secretary of State Weber Announced

Courtesy of Art Harris.
Black History4 days ago

Health is Our Wealth: An Afrocentric Perspective to Health & Wellness

On Sept. 19, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bipartisan legislative package to improve housing initiatives and address the homelessness crisis.
California Black Media4 days ago

Gov. Newsom Signs Legislative Package to Increase Housing, Improve Accountability

Shutterstock
Activism4 days ago

On Your November Ballot: Prop 6 Could End “Involuntary Servitude” in California Prisons

Minister King X
Activism4 days ago

Minister King X, Civil Rights Group Sue California Prisons Over Right to Protest

Photo courtesy UC Berkeley News.
Community4 days ago

Advanced Conductors Provide Path for Grid Expansion

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Blanche Richardson of Marcus Books. Photo by Cherysse Calhoun.
Arts and Culture4 days ago

Faces Around the Bay: Blanche Richardson

Jack Smith during a statement regarding the indictment of Donald J. Trump. (Wikimedia Commons)
Community4 days ago

New Filing: Trump’s Attempts to Overturn 2020 Election Were Part of Private Scheme, Not Official Acts

Trending

Copyright ©2021 Post News Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.