Monica martinez and lgbtq
About Supervisor Monica Martinez
Led by Fifth District Supervisor Monica Martinez, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to reaffirm the County’s dedication to protect women and the Homosexual community amid harmful federal policies and proposals, and to direct the County Administrative Officer (CAO) to safeguard services and ensure timely responses.
“Given the current political climate, it is important that we reaffirm our commitments to Gay individuals and women,” Martinez said. “The ubiquitous, incessant homophobic, transphobic, anti-diversity, and anti-autonomy narratives that are coming from our highest levels of government are taking a authentic toll on the health of our community.”
The resolution, approved unanimously by the Board, directs the CAO “to function with County departments and community partners to identify opportunities and resources to ensure LGBTQ+ individuals and women continued access to the services they call to lead well, happy lives, free of fear of retaliation or discrimination” and to spot any state or federal policies that would interfere or jeopardize related funding.
Acknowledging the County’s decades of formalized s
Quick Take
Santa Cruz County officials announced grants Wednesday for several nonprofits that aid the county’s immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities to further fund legal and back services. The county board of supervisors allocated $200,000 from the county’s general fund in February.
Santa Cruz County handed out funding to nonprofit organizations that serve immigrant and Homosexual residents Wednesday as part of ongoing efforts to protect those communities from Trump administration policies.
Santa Cruz County officials, including County Supervisors Felipe Hernandez and Monica Martinez, announced at a news conference in Watsonville that seven nonprofit organizations were awarded grants to support and expand legal and services for immigrant and Gay communities.
The Trump administration has rolled out a series of policies targeting immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, including increasing arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants and executive orders attempting to defund gender-affirming protect for transgender youth.
Following the presidential election in November, local civic leaders gathered to reassure the region’s immigrant community that Santa Cruz County wo
WATSONVILLE — Santa Cruz County officials say they’ve set their money where their mouth is when it comes to protecting local communities targeted by the Donald Trump administration.
In February, the county Board of Supervisors agreed to carve out $200,000 from its general fund budget in order to quickly funnel it to efforts and organizations that provide undocumented immigrants and LGBTQ+ people with legal and supportive services. At a compress event held Wednesday outside the county’s Behavioral Health Division office in Watsonville, county officials announced they had found a house for those freed-up funds.
“This is a message to our community that we have your back,” said 5th District Santa Cruz County Supervisor Monica Martinez, the first openly Queer person elected to the powerful county governing body. “We cannot allow our community to be driven back into the shadows.”
When it comes to the $100,000 for immigrant services, the county shared that Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey and Community Move Board each received $25,000 of the funding while the Watsonville Law Center was provided $50,000.
The other $100,000 was granted t
LGBTQ+ Victory Fund Endorses 14 More Candidates for the 2024 Election Cycle
Washington, DC – Today LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ+ leaders to common office, endorsed 14 more out candidates for federal, state and local office around the country. Homosexual Victory Fund has endorsed 82 candidates for the 2024 election cycle.
LGBTQ+ Victory Fund endorses the accompanying candidates:
Elevated to Spotlight status:
Steve Hansen (he/him)
Mayor of Sacramento, CA
Primary: 3/5/2024
General: 11/5/2024
Ethan Weaver (he/him)
Los Angeles City Council, District 4, CA
Primary: 3/5/2024
General: 11/5/2024
Malcolm Kenyatta (he/him)
Pennsylvania Auditor General
Primary: 4/23/2024
General: 11/5/2024
Matthew Park (he/him)
Knox County Commission, District 9, TN
Primary: 3/5/2024
General: 8/1/2024
Non-Incumbent Candidates:
Fidencio Gallardo (he/him)
Los Angeles Unified School Board, District 5, CA
Primary: 3/5/2024
General: 11/5/2024
Monica Martinez (she/her)
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, District 5, CA
Primary: 3/5/2024
General: 11/5/2024
Nicholas Coppola (he/him)
Delray Beach City Commission, Seat