Most definitely! I encourage you to send me anything you like me to send my contacts. I ask that it remain positive & work towards improving our communities. Don't send attachments that take a lot of memory, include the text in the body of the e-mail. I do my best to get things out in a timely manner, I do this on my free time, so life and & work may slow things down. Please send all submissions to panayajr@cox.net

Third Annual Gospel Festival

Enjoy a day-long celebration of great gospel entertainment Saturday, June 23, at the third annual Gospel Festival, featuring: Gospel singer Fred Hammond, performing live on the Harrah's Grandstand Stage.

Also appearing will be Perfect Unity, the winners of our April 21 gospel talent audition at the House of Blues.

The singing begins at 7:00PM; come about 6:30PM to hear the announcement of the winners of the Oratorical Competition.

Great Gospel Entertainment on Four Stages!

We are so excited to report that plans are underway for one of the biggest events ever to benefit the homeless and those in transition at The Trinity House! On Saturday, August 25^th, 2007 The Trinity House will host the 2^nd Annual Recognition Galaat the Handlery Hotel & Resort, 950 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, from 12:00noon to 3:30pm.  Recognizing the biggest supporters of the homeless and those in transition, honorees include: Pastor Matt & Shannon Ortiz of Crossroads Church, Sister Markay McKinney of St. Stephens COGIC, Elder Ronald Randle of St. Stephens COGIC, and Elder Kevin Mondane of Faith Chapel COGIC.  Our keynote speaker will be San Diego's own Scott Silverman, Founder and Executive Director of Second Chance/Strive.  This prestigious recognition gala for approximately 200 guests promises to be memorable. 

As of June 1, 2007 The Trinity House has served 129 adults and 81 children, many of whom are very low-income and eligible to receive a rent subsidy from The Trinity House to assist them in avoiding homelessness.  Of those 30% were able to avert homelessness all together by coming to The Trinity House.  Please partner with us in this worthy cause which will enable The Trinity House to continue keeping men, women, and children off of the streets of San Diego and into a warm, loving, and supporting environment where they can began to rebuild there lives and become self-sufficient. 

Join us for an afternoon of awards presentation, luncheon, entertainment, and a silent auction, while at the same time helping those in need by contributing to this vital cause.  If you are not able to attend, there are a number of other ways that you can help support those in need:

1)     Advertise in the souvenir journal (click here for advertising form);

2)     Become a Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze sponsor (click here for sponsorship form);

3)     Provide in-kind donations for the silent auction and/or drawing (contact us at info@thetrinityhouse.org or 619-397-1202 if interested in

         providing a donation);

4)     Volunteer for the event (contact us at info@thetrinityhouse.org or 619-397-1202 if interested in volunteering);

5)     Provide a tax-deductible financial donation (visit www.thetrinityhouse.org/events.htm and click the Donation button);

6)     Provide a vendor table at the event's VendorVillage (click here for vendor form).

Tickets are available at a cost of $35.00.  To register and purchase tickets for the gala click here.  We invite you or your organization to reserve a special table for 10 at $350.00 each.  

The enclosed brochure provides information regarding The Trinity House.  We are appreciative of your support in any way.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (619) 397-1202.

Sincerely,

Evelyn "Ruthie" Irving-Jackson

Executive Director

The Trinity House
Transitional Housing
619-507-9568 (Mobile)
evelyn@thetrinityhouse.org

Turning Survival Skills into Life Skills

• Propose, pursue, and support policies and practices in K-12 that increases the college-going rates of underrepresented and underprivileged students.
  
• Propose, pursue, and support policies and practices in higher education that increase the participation and success of underrepresented and underprivileged students.
  
• Educate students and parents about their rights and the resources available to them to access educational opportunities.
  
• Educate the public about the state of access and the importance of increasing access so that all portions of the county are able to contribute to the economy.

Reality Changers

Dinner begins at 6pm (suggested donation: $10)

Scholarship ceremony follows at 7pm

RSVP to realitychangers@cox.net or (619) 232-1998

 

SB 180 will be heard by the Assembly Labor Committee tomorrow
 
Help farm workers get the tool they really need. Current laws are not being enforced and despite laws to protect workers, people are suffering in the fields. Bathrooms are often far away and disgusting--and sometimes there are no bathrooms. Sexual harassment is rampant. Too many workers work in the fields for 14 hours while their overtime pay is ignored. Workers are exposed to skin ailments, rashes and eye problems due to contact with pesticides. 
 
Although the state of California has many good laws designed to protect workers, these laws can not be enforced. With over 400,000 farm workers working on over 80,000 farms--sometimes for only weeks at a time--it would cost tens of millions of dollars to enforce these laws. Allowing workers to choose union representation gives them the tools they need to help themselves. It is time to end the suffering--workers lives are hard enough. 
 
Workers deserve a system which will allow them to vote without grower intimidation, retaliation and the possibility of losing their jobs. That's why the UFW-backed SB180 "Fair Treatment of Farm Workers Act" (D: Migden) is so important. SB180 will allow farm workers to choose a union by either a secret ballot election or a majority sign-up process. This could protect workers from grower abuses such as:
 
Rocio Ontiveros used to cry over how one of her supervisors harassed her.  When she first started learning to work in grapes, he would call her a "monkey" and tell her she did not know what she was doing. He yelled at her constantly, at one point, throwing grapes in her face. "No one fought back," she said. "We needed our jobs. We all have families to support."
 
Teodoro Gutierrez noticed dirt in what was supposed to be his crew's drinking water. He decided to let his foreman know to change it. Instead of providing workers with clean, drinking water, the foreman threw the dirty water out and left the crew thirsty for the remainder of the hot work day. "The foreman, they always cheat us," he said.
 
Margarita Gonzalez dreads the summer months when she has to work up to nine hours outside in the hot sun. Despite California laws designed to protect farm workers from heat exposure, Margarita's experiences reveal the laws are not always enforced. "We sweat a lot and feel like fainting. We want to sit in the shade, but if you sit down, you will get fired." 

Gloria Ramirez says female workers suffer most in the fields. "If a young female worker doesn't give into her supervisor's sexual requests, he will fire her or make her life a living hell. He'll punish all of us for days--with no food, water or restroom breaks."  She says the break times workers are given are not long enough. "The bathrooms are located too far for us to use," she said. "There have been times I have really had to use the restroom, but they are so far, I could not make it in time and accidentally had to urinate on myself."  

Please help give workers like Rocio, Teodoro, Margarita, Gloria, and others the tool they need. SB180 will be in the Assembly Labor Committee tomorrow. Dozens of farm workers will be present to ask lawmakers to help them. Please join these farm workers in their fight by e-mailing members of the committee today and tell them to support this critical bill.

http://www.ufwaction.org/campaign/sb18061207

This is an opportunity for you to ask Mayor Sanders questions about city-wide issues and community-specific concerns.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Starbucks Coffee

College Grove Shopping Center

3436 College Avenue

San Diego, CA  92115

For more information, please contact Beryl Rayford at (619) 236-7168 or brayford@sandiego.gov.

George E. Condon Jr.

Washington Bureau Chief/Director of Editorial Policy

Copley News Service Washington Bureau

And

Marcus Stern
National and Foreign Reporter

Copley News Service Washington Bureau

June 15^th - 12 Noon

San Diego Hall of Champions

Balboa Park - 2131 Pan American Plaza

$15 Non-Member Luncheon

RSVP@CatfishClub.Net or (619) 266-7278

There is Limited Seating for this Event

DUKE CUNNINGHAM was an All-American success story. The Midwestern boy who went off to war, became a hero, and rode his fame into Congress -- even bragged that Tom Cruise played him in a popular movie. But the fall of this "Top Gun" was almost as epic and just as cinematic. Today he sits in prison, branded as the most corrupt member of Congress in U.S. history.

JOIN US! Walk for JUSTICE on Justice for Janitors Day!!

June 15, 2007, Noon

Meet at SAIC, 4161 Campus Point Ct, La Jolla

"Kristen Kuriga" <kurigak@seiulocal1877.org> On June 15th, hundreds of janitors in San Diego will be marching to launch their 2008 contract campaign and demand justice from irresponsible contractors Pegasus Building Services and Professional Maintenance Systems. As workers continue to struggle with poverty wages and little to no benefits, janitors are standing together for dignity, respect, and good jobs in our community.

Join Janitors as they demonstrate their Strength and Commitment to continue the Fight for a Better Future for Families!! If you have any questions, you can call Sandra Diaz or Kristen Kuriga at 619-641-3050.