Vax All 58: A REP 559 Zine

REDEFINING EQUITY THROUGH POLICY (REP 559) IS A POWER-BUILDING AND ORGANIZING PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR INTERESTED IN ADVOCATING FOR SOCIAL AND RACIAL EQUITY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM ARE HEALING CIRCLES, LEADERSHIP TRAINING, AND IMPLEMENTING CAMPAIGNS.

REP 559 BUILDS ON THE VALUES AND LEGACY OF FRESNO BOYS AND MEN OF COLOR, A YLI PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN 2012. OVER THE LAST DECADE, OUR YOUTH HAVE CALLED FOR A SPACE INCLUSIVE OF ALL GENDER IDENTITIES –AND FOR MORE LEADERSHIP TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT CAMPAIGNS ON THE ISSUES THEY CARE ABOUT. YOUTH ARE OFTEN AT THE CUTTING EDGE, VOICING COMMUNITY NEEDS LONG BEFORE THEY ENTER MAINSTREAM DIALOGUE. IN FRESNO FOR EXAMPLE, YOUTH HAVE BEEN TALKING FOR YEARS ABOUT THE NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, COMMUNITY PARKS, AND FREE TRANSPORTATION – ALL ISSUES THAT ARE NOW BEING ADDRESSED IN LOCAL POLICY.

BE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @REPTHE559

THIS ZINE IS A COLLABORATION WITH VACCINATE ALL 58, A MOVEMENT AIMED AT INCREASING COVID-19 VACCINATIONS BY HELPING TO SPREAD FACTS AND ADDRESS MISINFORMATION

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT VACCINATEALL58.COM

VACCINATE,IT'S NOTTOOLATE

byRamiZwebti

IllustrationbyKieraKaiser

One who doesn't utilize a tool Is what we may define as a fool

When faced with a challenge so great

Why does humanity choose to take the bait

Set out by those who seek to spread lies

When will it be too late, when somebody dies?

Decades of research, ignored

While spreading false rumors is adored

Hours of work poured by scientists who seek to aid

To eliminate the virus in which mankind has been paid

It seems as though COVID-19 is finally gone

However, you can't beat a virus with just brawn

It lurks in the shadows waiting to strike

So keep that in mind the next time you see a spike

I'm sick of hearing newsmen talking about a surge

Soon our neighbors will be missing like it's the purge

Some people have lost all whom they love

But we keep acting like we are above

The simple act of taking a shot

We must take our chance to show that this battle can be fought

And so I beg, I plea

Don’t let this virus force humanity on a knee

Together, we are stronger than ever before

We no longer need to remain in this war

Vaccinate yourself and you’ll understand

Herd immunity and prosperity go hand in hand

Stay safe, take care

We’ll get through this, I swear

PolicyWise is an intergenerational podcast by yli focused on bringing young people into the policy conversation. Check out our episode by scanning the QR code below!

MYTH: the ingredients in the COVID-19 vaccines are dangerous

FACT VS

by Nancy Aguilar-Aquino

FACT: Nearly all of the ingredients in the COVID-19 vaccines are also ingredients in many foods ie: fats, sugars, and salts

MYTH: the natural immunity from being sick with COVID-19 is better than the immunity from the COVID-19 vaccination

FACT: a COVID-19 vaccination is a safer and more dependable way to build immunity to COVID-19 than getting sick with COVID-19

MYTH: a COVID-19 vaccine will make me sick with COVID-19

FACT: noneoftheauthorized vaccinesintheU.S.contain thelivevirusthatcauses COVID-19,theycannot makeyousick

MYTH: COVID-19vaccines causevariants

FACT:

COVID-19 vaccines don't create or cause variants of the virus - in fact, vaccines can help prevent new variants from emerging

FACT: mRNA vaccines work differently than other types of vaccines, but they still trigger an immune response inside your body

MYTH: COVID-19 vaccines can alter my DNA

FACT: COVID-19 vaccines do not change or interact with your DNA in any way

VACCINATIONS IN THE MIGRANT COMMUNITY

What do vaccination rates look like in the agricultural community?

In December of 2021, the Center for Disease Control reported that 85% of adults in the United States were vaccinated against COVID19. Restrictions have eased as a result of this, and most people have returned to life as it was before the pandemic. However, are we really safe from the threat of COVID-19? While the numbers stated previously show tremendous progress in vaccinations as a nation, they do not necessarily indicate how well our community has responded to the virus. According to state data, Fresno is currently 60.5% vaccinated.

This means that we still have a long way to go before reaching herd immunity. But in order to keep getting people vaccinated, we must know about specific issues preventing those not already vaccinated from receiving their doses. One community I decided to focus on was the migrant worker community, which is especially prevalent in the Fresno area.

The main questions that I had were about how many workers were vaccinated and whether or not they believed in the efficacy of the vaccines. To gather this information, I connected with one of my family’s contacts who works almost exclusively with migrant workers.

Together, we conducted a survey of 20 people regarding these questions, and what we found hinted to me that the problem was more complex than I previously conceived.

At first, we asked about the state of health care facilities. It seemed as though almost every worker that was interviewed had access to a variety of clinics, many of which were specifically catered to migrant workers. However, it was clear that these clinic

Multiple people mentioned that the services th were below average, with the most common is being long response times and too much pape After many reports of the same problems, it wa revealed why this was the case.

by Anirudh Srikrishna

Most of these workers were on medical benefits, and because of this, the clinics didn’t expect their patients to have documentation or be able to pay their expenses upfront, and subsequently gave them less care. This is a major concern when getting people vaccinated. If clinics give less importance to those with worse financial situations, it creates lots of inconveniences for the migrant workers and may dissuade them from receiving the vaccine.

Another question that we had was about whether the workers believed in the efficacy of the vaccine or not, which produced equally intriguing results. Most mentione doubts about the effectiveness of the va be a common set of misinformation abo

While most had no problem with the vac didn’t receive their doses due to the bel only needed the vaccine if their immune compromised. However, personal prote not the only benefit of the vaccine. It is made to protect other people, as a hea person can still end up spreading the disease to someone who is more vulnera

Another misconception that seemed to be prevalent was about the side effects of the vaccine. Many were slightly hesitant to take it because of what they’d heard about other people’s experiences with the vaccine’s side effects. Now, it may seem as though taking a vaccine is a bad idea when seeing a family member or close friend go through the side effects, but it must be understood that the consequences of not taking the vaccine at all could be several times worse for these loved ones.

It is no argument that the vaccination rate in our community is lower than it needs to be. It is clear that our clinics need to develop better relationships with their patients to encourage them to vaccinate. It is also mandatory that we educate ourselves on the purposes and effects of the vaccine before we form preconceptions about it.

Although it may take some time before these actions take place, there is no doubt that they will lead to a safer Fresno for everyone.

INFECTED

by Ashens Limon