How we started and what we've accomplished

JOB was launched in 2004 by a group of clergy, lay and community leaders. The goal was to expand community organizing and develop greater political power among immigrants and low-income people who have historically been marginalized from decision making on policy issues that directly impact them. Here is a quick summary of what we have done:

Organizing:

1. For our founding event JOB organized 2,000 people for a public meeting to address health, housing, education and immigrant issues.
2. Organized a historic march in support of immigrants, drawing over 100,000 people to the streets of San Diego in 2006
3. Trained over 2,000 community leaders on important issues, including community leadership and organizing, policy power analysis, health care, immigration reform, voter registration, and naturalization
4. Have held Public Actions— including prayer vigils, press conferences, teach-ins and meetings
5. Founded Fiesta del Sol San Diego in 2006— now the largest family festival in the County
6. We have built strong partnerships with local and national ethnic and general market media.

Immigration:

1. In January 2010, JOB worked with local Haitian Community in response to the earthquake and on Temporary Protected Status
2. In preparation for the Fall and Winter 2010 House and Senate votes on the Federal DREAM Act, JOB partnered with the San Diego DREAM Team, a coalition of DREAMers and Allies at college and university campuses across the County; together, we organized numerous phone banks to generate calls to the White House and the Senate, held a vigil at Mesa College, and organized 5 simultaneous vigils on bridge overpasses across San Diego County. WE received coverage from every TV station and major newspaper in San Diego, and even made the New York Times!
3. During the 2007 San Diego County wildfires, JOB mobilized 80 bilingual advocates to translate and monitor the treatment of people of color in shelters throughout the County and insure that their civil liberties were being respected.

Civic Participation:

1. For the November 2010 elections, JOB leaders, ages 11-86, made 10,000 calls to Latino Voters, urging them to get out and vote.
2. Engaged the community in massive outreach for the 2010 Census.
3. We have conducted free citizenship workshops every year across San Diego County. This has involved training dozens of community leaders and has resulted in our assisting many immigrants in getting on the path to their citizenship.