CAO Message: Thank You and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Message from Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer

Holidays are all about traditions. Ones we share, and those specific to our individual families. We all find comfort in the routines.

It’s frustrating, even disorienting, to have that disrupted, as it will be this year as we continue to fight the pandemic.

I can’t sugarcoat it. The trends lately have been bad. Case numbers have skyrocketed, and just as the epidemiologists predict, we’re now seeing that turn into rising hospitalizations. We’re all thrilled by very promising news of vaccines, but they’re not here yet. For now, we’ve got to hang tough and use the measures we have available to minimize the virus’s impact. 

Since it spreads from person to person, that means staying apart as much as possible. The exact opposite of what we look forward to and treasure for holidays. But the best thing you can do for family or friends outside your household this year is to celebrate separately.

Even if we have to give up on crowding around tables or football games, we can double down on the essence of the holidays. For Thanksgiving, we can draw a sharper focus on the things we’re grateful for. Each person you miss getting together with – be so thankful you have that person in your life, that you have someone that means so much to you it hurts not to see them. Let them know!

I’m full of gratitude for everyone at the County. You see what people are really made of when they’re tested. We’ve now spent the better part of a year weathering a crisis. From those I interact with directly to every one of you rising to the challenge of serving our residents under these circumstances, I can’t imagine enduring this time without you. You know how your stomach feels at the end of Thanksgiving dinner? That’s how my heart feels, ready to burst with appreciation for everything you’re doing.   

I hope you share in the gratitude for such amazing colleagues and for work that gives us the opportunity to help people through an especially difficult time. And I hope even if your Thanksgiving celebration is scaled down that you still enjoy an overstuffed spirit of the day.

Thanks again so much for all you do,

Shop for a Cause This Holiday Season

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There’s no safer place to shop this holiday season than from the convenience of your own couch. If you plan to shop online, be sure to visit AmazonSmile where a portion of your purchase will be donated to the San Diego County Employees’ Charitable Organization (CECO). That means buying everything from toys to technology can earn money for CECO.

AmazonSmile functions the same as Amazon, but the online retailer donates 0.5 percent of the product price of eligible purchases to a charity of your choice.

Using AmazonSmile is easy:

  1. Go to smile.amazon.com (different from the regular Amazon link).

  2. Sign in to your Amazon account or create one.

  3. If it is your first visit, pick your own charitable organization. Type “San Diego County Employees' Charitable Organization” or “CECO” as your charity. You can also visit this link and CECO will already be chosen for you as your charity.

  4. Shop as you normally would!

Bonus tip: Save the AmazonSmile link as a favorite and always shop from there.

There are several other ways to support CECO throughout the year. Make a biweekly donation via payroll deductions for as little as $2 per pay period. See CECO pledge instructions. Or you could make a one-time donation by contacting your CECO Department Representative or a member of the CECO Executive Committee.

ERGs Mark Transgender Day of Remembrance

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The African American Association of County Employees (AAACE) and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Allies Employee Resource Group (LGBTQ&A) release the following statement:

The lighting of the County Administration Center (CAC) on Nov. 20 recognizes the solemn occasion of Transgender Day of Remembrance. Tragically, 2020 has already seen at least 34 transgender or gender non-conforming people killed by violent means*, the majority of who were Black and Latinx transgender women.

To honor these victims and countless others, we stand in solidarity by lighting the County Administration Center to remember each life lost. The visibility this lighting provides is a small step to bring awareness to a grim reality for one of the most vulnerable populations in our society. Transgender people also face disproportionate health disparities, harassment, and discrimination.

It is incumbent upon all of us with privilege to use our power to do more.

To learn more about intersectionality and the realities of Transgender people in the words of some of the County’s own employees, please visit this article.

For ways you can get involved, please visit these organizations:

CSDFEA Awards $3,500 in Scholarships

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The County of San Diego Filipino-American Employee Association (CSDFEA) employee resource group awarded $3,500 in scholarships to local Filipino American students during a virtual celebration Oct. 27.

The Larry Itliong 2020 Scholarship awardees were recognized: 

  • Mia Aguimatang ($1000)

  • Alexandra Bartsch ($750)

  • Aryal Jardines ($750)

CSDFEA also recognized the Larry Itliong 2020 Art Contest winners: 

  • Madison Baines ($500)

  • Katelin Jaque ($250)

  • Martina Reyes ($250) 

The prompt for the 2020 Larry Iltiong Art Contest was, "1930's Watsonville Riots." In response, CSDFEA received eight entries - six visual art pieces, one original song and one short film. View the art pieces and hear the song online.

Produce Box Winners Announced

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Getting a flu shot really has its benefits! Five participants in the flu shot challenge were randomly selected in an opportunity drawing to win a fresh veggie and fruit box delivered to their door.

Produce Box Winners:

  • Amanda Armstrong, Planning and Development Services Office Assistant

  • Anna Kremen, Environmental Health Technician

  • Lisa Kondrat-Dauphin, Treasurer-Tax Collector Manager

  • Lindsay Ramsey, Office Assistant, Eligibility Operations

  • Detra Williams, Treasurer-Tax Collector Manager

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Thousands of County employees have already gotten a flu shot. Have you?

While worksite flu shot fairs are over – you can still get a free flu shot. Get your vaccination with Kaiser Permanente and UnitedHealthcare.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. Getting a flu vaccine during 2020-2021 will be more important than ever!

Apply to CSDFEA Board of Directors

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The County of San Diego Filipino American Employees Association (CSDFEA) is now accepting nominations for the 2021-2022 Board of Directors. Positions are as follows: president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, auditor, and three general members.

Read the position descriptions here.

This is a great opportunity to play an active role in the Employee Resource Groups while gaining leadership and program development experience. Interested individuals are encouraged to read about CSDFEA’s programs by visiting their website and/or reaching out to the current Board of Directors.

The deadline to submit the self-nomination form (open in Internet Explorer) and candidacy statement to csdfea@sdcounty.ca.gov is close of business Nov. 23. CSDFEA members will vote the week of November 30, 2020.