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Civic Engagement

Advocacy » Civic Engagement

Members of the Canal community advocating for tenant rights at San Rafael City Hall

We work with low-income Latino residents and community activists on political issues and non-political actions that address public concerns, improve democracy, and promote quality of life in the Canal neighborhood.

Whether we are advocating for equitable public lighting or creating a public health outreach campaign to stem Covid-19 infections, our efforts are guided by the priorities and needs of the community.

The Canal Alliance Leadership Academy closes the civic participation opportunity gap for low-income, Spanish speaking Latino immigrants so they can realize their vision for a safe, clean, and healthy community where families and children thrive. Every year, approximately 75 Latino residents are recruited and trained to learn about leadership and best practices for civic engagement. The goal is to prepare Canal residents for leadership roles by building leadership skills and confidence in order to actively engage in local democracy, join existing groups/committees, or create new ones to advocate and serve our community.  

Information for those wanting to participate in the Leadership Academy can be found here,

We create civic spaces and leadership development opportunities to ensure that low-income residents have a voice in decisions that affect them and the opportunity to fully participate in democracy at all levels. We stand with Voces del Canal, a coalition of neighborhood leaders who are working to implement their vision for a stronger and safer Canal.

Increasing voter awareness and participation has been a consistent priority over multiple local election cycles; staff register new voters, sponsor candidate forums, share voter information in Spanish and English, and improve accessibility to ballot drop boxes. We played a leading role in the 2020 Census to ensure a more complete and accurate count, particularly among historically undercounted immigrant and low-income communities of color. Based upon Census results, we successfully advocated for a fair and equitable redistricting that consolidated Latino voting power in San Rafael.

Research confirms that public health pandemics like Covid-19 not only impact the physical health and well-being of communities but also often has far-reaching effects on their social, psychological, environmental, and economic welfare. We work with community leaders, UCSF, and Marin County Health and Human Services to reduce Covid-19 infection rates and mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on the health and financial stability of Latinos and their families.

Poor public lighting and inadequate neighborhood infrastructure negatively impacts quality of life for residents of the Canal neighborhood. We are proud to partner with Voces del Canal and Dominican University of California to identify neighborhood safety and infrastructure needs and successfully advocated for equitable allocation of resources.

Canal residents are disproportionately affected by lack of access to the internet and technology. To bridge the digital divide and empower the 2,000+ students who reside in the Canal to access virtual learning, we partner with local government agencies and school districts to offer a mesh WiFi network and promote awareness of commercial low-cost internet access.

We support neighborhood youth soccer leagues, advocate for equitable access to parks and green space, and partner with local artists to create original public art and murals that depict the experiences and heritage of Latino immigrants.

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Workshops & Events

Workshops, classes, trainings and community events that are bringing our community and our allies together.

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