Indigenous, Latino and immigrant advocates step up to inform vulnerable communities with COVID information

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Local organizations Mixteco Indigena Organization Project or MICOP and CAUSE say advocates are working really hard to inform the indigenous, Latino and farmworker communities about COVID, as the virus surges across Santa Barbara County.

MICOP program director Ana Huynh said the office is closed due to the increase in COVID cases. However, the team is still taking calls and in-person assistance by appointment only.

Huynh said the biggest challenge right now is how the virus is spreading so quickly and everything is happening so fast.

One of the ways MICOP is informing the indigenous community is by Facebook, phone calls, and in-person drop ins they come across.

MICOP's message to the community is to keep the indigenous people in mind, throughout Santa Barbara County.

Local organization ‘CAUSE’ is in the same boat, advocates say they’ve been doing their best to reach out to farmworkers. 

“Our immigrant farm working community has been in the front line since the beginning of the pandemic,” said CAUSE advocate Lucas Zucker. “This omicron wave has been devastated. So we’re on the ground working with our community to get boosted, tested, and using high quality masks.”

To reach out to 'CAUSE,' click here.

To reach out to MICOP, click here.