Bay Area
The Multicultural Institute Honored as 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year
The Multicultural Institute (MI) has been selected as a 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year by California State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks of Assembly District 14, which includes Richmond. The nonprofit’s Executive Director Mirna Cervantes and Senior Programs Director Rudy Lara attended a luncheon at the State Capitol in Sacramento earlier this month, where they were honored with a resolution and met with Assemblymember Wicks to mark the occasion.

By Kathy Chouteau
The Multicultural Institute (MI) has been selected as a 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year by California State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks of Assembly District 14, which includes Richmond.
The nonprofit’s Executive Director Mirna Cervantes and Senior Programs Director Rudy Lara attended a luncheon at the State Capitol in Sacramento earlier this month, where they were honored with a resolution and met with Assemblymember Wicks to mark the occasion.
MI is “one of the nonprofits that will be honored by their state senators and assemblymembers for their outstanding contributions to the communities they serve,” said the nonprofit in a statement.
The nonprofit—which has offices in Richmond, Berkeley and Redwood City—envisions a community where immigrants, regardless of their immigration status, are valued in their live/work communities, per the statement.
To this end, MI provides an array of services including job placement assistance for day laborers and domestic workers, immigration/health support, weekly food distributions, after school tutoring, adult education courses, day laborer housing and more centered on serving immigrant families.
Cervantes, said that “The Multicultural Institute’s staff and Board of Directors work daily to improve the lives of day laborers, domestic workers and their families and we are deeply humbled to be recognized by California State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks as a 2023 Nonprofit of the Year.”
Learn more about the organization at https://mionline.org/
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025

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Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025

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Activism
Oakland Poll: Tell Us What You Think About the Cost of Groceries in Oakland
Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.

By Magaly Muñoz
In 2023, the average spending on groceries increased by nearly $30 each month from the year before;people are spending over $500 a month to put food on the table.
Through previous reporting by the Post, we’ve learned that families in Oakland are depending more and more on free or low cost groceries from food banks because they can no longer afford the rising costs of food at the store.
Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.
We’ve recently spoken to families across these two areas of Oakland and have heard several stories that all point to one problem: food is expensive. Some individuals are spending upwards of $150 a week for themselves or double if they have teens or small children in the family.
We’ve also heard stories of people with chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure struggling to maintain their diets because they’re having a hard time affording the food that helps them stay healthy.
Do these experiences sound similar to what you or your family are dealing with every month? Are you struggling to afford your basic groceries every week? Do you depend on food banks to help you get by? Are there any chronic illnesses in your household that need to be managed by a special diet?
We want to hear about your experiences and ideas for solutions!
The Oakland Post is investigating food access in Oakland and how residents are surviving as the cost of living continues to increase. Your experiences will help shape our reporting and show local leaders the need to invest in our communities.
In order to get as much feedback as possible, we ask that you click this link to fill out a brief questionnaire or visit tinyurl.com/Oakland-Post-food-survey. You can also scan the QR code above to reach the survey. After you fill it out, please consider sharing the link with your friends and family in Oakland.
If you have questions, please reach out to our Oakland reporter Magaly Muñoz at mmunoz@postnewsgroup or text/call her at (510) 905-5286.
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