Communities of Color Demand Health Care Reform

For more information contact:
Sarah Mercer, Latino Issues Form, (916) 205-0860 (Sacramento)
Ellen Wu, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, (510) 832-1160 (Bay Area)
Nancy Berlin, California Partnership, (323) 422-2830 (Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside)
Nayamín Martínez, Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaquena (559) 499-1178 (Fresno)

Event on Thursday Oct. 11th
10am at Governor’s regional and state offices

Press Advisory:
Communities of Color Demand Health Care Reform

What:
With a pending veto of health care legislation and a special legislative session just getting underway, a statewide coalition representing communities of color called Having Our Say tells Governor Schwarzenegger, Assembly Speaker Núñez, and Senate President Pro Tem Perata, “We need health care now!” and delivers over one thousand (1,000) signatures from supporters around California.

We also will be sharing personal stories from several members of the community who need reform!

Locations: Statewide and Regional Offices of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sacramento: State Capitol Building
Fresno: 2550 Mariposa Mall #3013
Los Angeles: 300 South Spring Street, Suite 16701
Riverside: 3737 Main Street #201
San Diego: 1350 Front Street, Suite 6054
San Francisco: 455 Golden Gate Avenue, Suite 14000

When:
Thursday, October 11th
10 am at every location; 10:15am in Riverside

Who:
Having Our Say is a multi-ethnic statewide coalition of over 30 community organizations working to ensure that communities of color have a voice in the health care reform debate and that the solutions to health care reform provide equal access to all Californians. Among those attending at the Governor’s district office in Los Angeles are Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Korean Resource Center, California Partnership, PALS for Health, Latinos for Reproductive Justice, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles and more.

Why:
Over 7 million residents in California are from communities of color. If healthcare reform is passed this year, communities of color will see an additional 2.4 – 3.1 million increase in the number of insured. The number of insured people who are limited English proficient (LEP) will increased by 28-32% under the current healthcare proposals. We cannot let this healthcare reform year slip away. We need healthcare reform NOW!

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