Nicky Cao is Vietnamese, queer and trans. She calls it being a minority within a minority at a time when her identity is hyper-politicized and under attack in policy, rhetoric, and in practice.
Health Equity & Social Justice
For Vietnamese seniors living in a mobile home park in Santa Ana, limited English proficiency make navigating leases, code enforcement, or eviction notices difficult to understand. They teeter on the edge of eviction for failure to comply with the numerous demands from the management.
Unhoused and Housing unstable Vietnamese seniors gather on the streets in Little Saigon, communing with each other and preferring that "freedom" over shelters. Severe rent burdens, an aging population, and low labor force participation are factors that have increased homelessness risk in this population.
For far too many Asian families, finding enough food is a daily struggle. As prices climb and government aid wavers, more Chinese immigrant families in Los Angeles County are turning to food distributions for help. Language barriers and fears about their immigration status make this daily struggle even harder.
A musician's openness about schizophrenia spotlights persistent stigma and provider shortages in mental health care.
Advocates in Sacramento say domestic violence is one of the leading drivers of homelessness for women, particularly Black women, who already face disproportionate barriers in housing and health care. Women leaving abusive partners often have few safe places to go, and the trauma compounds when children are involved.
Federal rollbacks are leaving farmers and schools struggling, but local investment is helping Tucson’s program endure.
After Camp Resolution was cleared, Black Sacramentans like Satearah “Murphy,” Chop, and James describe loss, displacement and the need for support.
Black Sacramento residents face severe housing inequities — 35% of the homeless population but only 9% overall —amid rising rents and cuts to support programs.
The Observer offers a look through the eyes of advocates and community members working directly with Black homeless people and exploring how to provide solutions.