The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About3B - Public CommentCongress of the United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 MARK TAKANO 41ST DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA &200,77((219(7(5$16·$))$,56 CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION & LABOR TAKANO.HOUSE.GOV PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER DC OFFICE 420 CANNON HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, D.C. 20515 (202) 225-2305 FAX: (202) 225-7018 DISTRICT OFFICE 3403 10TH ST., SUITE 610 RIVERSIDE, CA 92501 (951) 222-0203 FAX: (951) 222-0217 June 27, 2022 Palm Springs City Council 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 To Whom it May Concern, I write to you in support of the request submitted by DAP Health and Queer Works to design a guaranteed income pilot program in the city of Palm Springs. DAP Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center, and Queer Works, a nonprofit social service agency, both serve constituents in my Congressional district through their public health and housing programming. This program would benefit extremely low-income transgender and nonbinary individuals in Palm Springs through direct financial aid and other social services offered to participants for a period of 18 months. Transgender and nonbinary individuals experience a heightened risk of unemployment, homelessness, discrimination, and assault, and the onslaught of anti-transgender legislation introduced across the country has increased that risk. This pilot program aims to address the income disparity experienced by the transgender community in the area and bases its design on extensive research conducted on similar pilot programs around the country. I offer my enthusiastic support for DAP Health and Queer Works’ application for a guaranteed income pilot program. I look forward to its development and know that the aid and services offered will make a significant difference in the participants’ lives. Sincerely, Mark Takano Member of Congress 7/28/2022 Public Comment Item 3B July 28, 2022 Dear Palm Springs City Council: I write this letter in support of DAP Health and Queer Works’ request for $500,000 from the City of Palm Springs to fund a Universal Basic Income (UBI) pilot program serving extremely low-income residents. I have had the pleasure of partnering with Queer Works through past research collaboration and educational initiatives centering on trans and non-binary health in Southern California. Through my work as a university-based researcher, I have come to recognize Queer Works and their partner organization, DAP Health, as community leaders in LGBTQ+ healthcare in Palm Springs. This pilot program will ensure 18 months of guaranteed income assistance to low-income individuals, specifically those who face compounded forms of marginalization. By targeting Hispanic/Latino and Black trans and non-binary people, DAP Health and Queer Works will bring desperately needed financial relief to community members who are traditionally underserved. DAP Health and Queer Works are uniquely positioned to serve this community , given their combined years of service directed towards trans and non-binary populations. In addition to providing financial resources, the enrollment of UBI beneficiaries within healthcare services will ensure access to resources intended to improve quality of life . Furthermore, this pilot program will provide DAP, and Queer Works the opportunity to demonstrate the potential efficacy of UBI as a policy initiative to alleviate disparities experienced by vulnerable populations. I am confident that if awarded, this vital funding will revolutionize these incredible organizations’ capacity to improve the lives of community members while simultaneously creating a body of knowledge to serve as inspiration to guaranteed income programs across the nation. Sincerely, Joshua Liashenko, PhD Postdoctoral Scholar University of California Riverside School of Medicine TEL: 7 14 -266-5662 • Email:j o s h ua . l i a s he n k o @m e d s ch . u c r. e d u 7/28/2022 Public Comment Item 3B Palm Springs City Council 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 Re: Palm Springs Universal Basic Income Pilot To Whom It May Concern, The California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus supports the request by Desert AIDS Project, Health Works, and Queer Works to implement a guaranteed income pilot program serving extremely low-income clients. While this program targets several subgroups within Riverside County’s Transgender/Nonconforming/Intersex (TGI) community in high numbers. The direct financial aid and additional social services offered to participants addresses the income disparities experienced by the transgender and nonbinary community. Discrimination towards TGI identified people is well documented and pervasive across many demographic differences. This pilot aims to decrease the disparities resulting from higher unemployment, homelessness, discrimination, and harassment rates. Employment is critical for most adults but is far from guaranteed for TGI individuals. According to the 2015 United States Transgender Survey, 30% of employed TGI respondents were either fired, refused promotion, or mistreated due to their gender, while 77% either hid or delayed gender transition or quit their job to avoid discriminatory treatment. While many organizations are becoming more tolerant and inclusive of TGI identities, not all workplaces protect their TGI employees. Interpersonally, TGI individuals may experience intolerance, rejection, and other overt and/or subtle mistreatment from their colleagues and supervisors. Research has shown that up to 57% of trans people experience workplace discrimination. TGI individuals struggle for support and representation. We have the opportunity to step up and counteract the anti-trans rhetoric and policies we have seen throughout our nation. Our support of this pilot embraces the needs of a marginalized community who face extreme hardships over the intersections of their identities. Now is not the time to turn our backs on the TGI community; now is a time when support is needed to combat the attacks being waged against them. By supporting this request, we begin to fill the systemic gaps in our social safety nets and lead the charge towards inclusivity and equality. 7/28/2022 Public Comment Item 3B Sincerely, As semblymember Evan Low Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman, Chair Vice Chair Senator Scott Wiener 7/28/2022 Public Comment Item 3B Re: DAP Health and Queer Works UBI Project Dear City Council Members, The CA LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network writes to you in support of the request submitted by DAP Health and Queer Works to design a guaranteed income pilot program in the City of Palm Springs. DAP Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center, and Queer Works, a nonprofit social services agency, both serve the LGBTQ community through their public health and housing programming. This program would benefit extremely low-income transgender and nonbinary individuals in Palm Springs through direct financial aid and other social services offered to participants for a period of 18 months. Transgender and nonbinary individuals experience a heightened risk of unemployment, homelessness, discrimination, and assault, and the onslaught of anti-transgender legislation introduced across the country has increased that risk. This pilot program aims to address the income disparity experienced by the transgender community in the area and bases its design on extensive research conducted on similar pilot programs around the country. The Network offers our enthusiastic support for DAP Health and Queer Works’ application for a guaranteed income pilot program. I look forward to its development and know that the aid and services offered will make a significant difference in the participants’ lives. July 25, 2022 Palm Springs City Council 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 7/28/2022 Public Comment Item 3B 1127 11th Street, Suite 925, Sacramento, CA 95814 californialgbtqhealth.org | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM Sincerely, Dannie Cesena Director CA LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network 7/28/2022 Public Comment Item 3B 7/28/2022 Public Comment Item 3B