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Policy & Advocacy

MICOP’s policy priorities are to uplift the Indigenous community and to address the exclusionary policy practices that further marginalize and create systemic structural racism in our society. MICOP’s advocacy plays a crucial role in building more robust policies in language equity, language access, health, immigration, labor, and environmental justice.

Highlights

During the summer, the California Coalition for Worker Power (CCWP) invited MICOP’s Policy Director and Community Organizers to co-host a “Worker Power Policy in 2024” workshop and lead legislative visits to advance pro-worker policies. These efforts included preserving PAGA, advocating for a Permanent CWOP, supporting SB 1340 (anti-discrimination), and establishing unemployment benefits for undocumented workers.

As key partners in statewide coalitions, MICOP also advocated for immigrant rights and economic, food, and health justice through policies like Food4All (SB 245/AB 311), Health4All Covered California (AB 4), Safety Net for All (SB 227), Public Health Inspections in Detention Facilities (SB 1132), and California’s Immigration Legal Services Programs.

MICOP’s Policy & Advocacy team successfully championed SB 1016 (Gonzalez), the Latine and Indigenous Disparities Reduction Act, signed into law by Governor Newsom on September 28, 2024! This groundbreaking legislation requires the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to collect anonymous demographic data on specified Latino groups, Indigenous Mesoamerican nations, and languages, addressing longstanding data disparities and ensuring equitable public health resources.

This achievement builds on AB 1726 (Bonta), which set a precedent for data equity in the AAPI community. Our success was made possible through strong partnerships with co-sponsors: the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC), Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño (CBDIO), and Comunidades Indígenas en Liderazgo (CIELO).

As part of the CAPS805 Coalition, we advocated for the protection of California’s Indigenous farmworker communities' health and safety by calling for a formal review of the Department of Pesticide Regulation’s (DPR) notification system and emphasizing the need for transparent pesticide application notifications.

Aligned with our commitment to health equity and climate justice, MICOP leaders also advocated at a Department of Conservation meeting to seal idle oil and gas wells in Oxnard, which pose safety risks. Community members delivered public comments in Mixteco, achieving key milestones in language accessibility and Indigenous representation in environmental policy.

Camino a la Salud

Health Advocacy | Pathway to Health

The Health Advocacy program addresses the gap separating Ventura County’s indigenous immigrant population from the medical systems in our county. The team performs outreach and education to the community about low-cost or free health programs available for immigrants, regardless of immigration status. Through this outreach, we learn about the systemic barriers preventing our community from accessing these services. Our team utilizes strategic advocacy strategies to collaborate with the leadership of local health providers and health systems. The purpose of this work is to increase accessibility and clarity within local safety-net health programs for the uninsured immigrant community.

Examples of the work within our program:

  • Development of Ventura County Health Access Guide
  • Outreach and Education
  • Conduct Surveys and Data Collection
  • Engage in Statewide Policy

 

  • Bi-annual Immigrant Health Roundtable
  • Stakeholder Coalition for the Uninsured
  • Community Organizing
  • Public Charge Education and Outreach
  • #Health4All