Estela de los Rios

FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS ONLINE WORKSHOP MARCH 22

East County News Service

March 13, 2024 (El Cajon) — CSA San Diego, a nonprofit based in El Cajon, will host  “Home Sweet Home,” an online workshop for first-time homebuyers.  The free online workshop will be held on Friday, March 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.


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METSCHEL AND HARPER IN NEAR DEAD-HEAT FOR EL CAJON COUNCIL DISTRICT 2; ORTIZ WINNING ELECTION HANDILY IN DISTRICT 4

Update November 9, 2020: Metschel has opened a lead of 57 votes. Letitia Dickerson has pulled into second place,with Stephanie Harper just 13 votes behind Dickerson

 

By Briana Gomez

Miriam Raftery and Jonathan Goetz also contributed to this story

Photo, Michelle Metschel (Left) and Stephanie Harper (Right)

November 4, 2020 (El Cajon) – Demonstrating that every vote counts, the top two candidates in El Cajon’s City Council District 2 were tied at 936 votes each through most of the night. This morning, Michelle Metschel has nosed ahead by a slim 44 vote margin (1,061 to 1,017) in a race that’s still far too close to call at 21.1% to 20.23%. A close third is Letitia Dickerson with 19.81 percent of votes.

 


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HIGHLIGHTS FROM EL CAJON DISTRICT 4 CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES FORUM

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

Oct. 9, 2020 (El Cajon) El Cajon’s City Council District 4 candidates participated in a forum sponsored by East County Magazine, moderated by ECM editor, Miriam Raftery, via Zoom.  John Sepulvado was the cohost and timekeeper.

Scroll down to read highlights and excerpts of the forum, which covered a wide range of issues with questions from the public as well as the moderator.  Topics covered included racial justice and policing, homeless, housing and renters’ issues, the future of Parkway Plaza and the Magnolia performing arts center, COVID-19,  budget priorities, hate crimes, pedestrian safety/street racing, and more.

You can watch the full forum, recorded on Zoom, at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z213Qn_Cyo&feature=youtu.be

The three candidates vying for the seat are (alphabetically) Estela de los Rios (D), Phil Ortiz (R), and Dunia Shaba (R). A fourth candidate, Billy Thigpen, did not participate. He has suspended his campaign and encouraged voters in the Nov. 3rd election to support Estela de los Rios.


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ESTELA DE LOS RIOS: AN ADVOCATE FOR HER COMMUNITY

 

Human rights leader is an organizer of hate crimes forum July 17 in El Cajon

By Mimi Pollack

July 14, 2018 (El Cajon) -- As the executive director of CSA-Center for Social Advocates, Estela de los Rios cares about the well-being of the community. She also has a strong sense of justice, which she developed at an early age. As a human rights activist, she strives to make the world a better place and doesn’t want others to feel the pain of discrimination, something she herself has faced in her life.

CSA is a place where people can come and voice their concerns. It is made up of six agencies that provide community services to East County, including fair housing, immigrant and refugee rights, civic engagement, hate crimes, and human trafficking. It is a place that in her words, “embraces newcomers and community.”


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LOCAL LATINOS REACT WITH FEAR, SORROW TO NEWS OF TRUMP ELECTION

Meeting Nov. 12 planned for communities of color concerned about the election outcome

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Estela de los Rios, past victim of a hate crime in El Cajon

November 11, 2016 (San Diego) – Maria, a maid and legal U.S. resident who has raised her daughter here,  tearfully put her elderly,  frail mother on a plane Wednesday night and said goodbye,  perhaps forever.  “She is going back to Mexico, before Donald Trump can deport her,” Maria told East Magazine.

President-Elect Trump has vowed to deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants in America—including those brought here as children and the parents of U.S. citizens.  Even children who were brought here as babies, who have never known any other home.  Even ill and elderly parents such as Maria’s mother,  who has survived cancer and suffers from  diabetes.  Maria fears she is too ill to survive long on her own in Mexico—but the prospect of her mother languishing in a detention camp was even more frightening.


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EAST COUNTY MAGAZINE WRITER AMONG WOMEN HONORED AT LA MESA SUNRISE ROTARY TEA MARCH 5

 

 

East County News Service

 

January 30, 2016 (La Mesa) – the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club invites you to a Spring Tea fundraiser honoring four distinguished San Diego women. The honorees are Kathi Anderson, director of Survivors of Torture International, Bobbi Brink, founder of Lions, Tigers and Bears, Mimi Pollack, a writer for East County Magazine, and Estela de los Rios, executive director of CSA of San Diego County.  The tea will be held on Saturday, March 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Noah Homes, 12526 Campo Road in Spring Valley.


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KNSJ RADIO ANNOUNCES PEOPLE’S MIC AWARD WINNERS

 

 

August 3, 2013 (San Diego) – KNSJ 89.1 FM , the Network for Social Justice, will present its first-ever People’s Microphone Awards at the new public radio station’s launch party on Saturday, August 3 from 6-9 p.m. at Mission Trails Regional Parks. Tickets are available at www.knsj.org.

The awards are presented to individuals and organizations who have demonstrated leadership and commitment to social justice causes on behalf of people in their communities or our environment. The winners, a majority of whom will be present to accept their honors, are: Bonnie La Chappa, Elizabeth Lou, Dave Patterson, Estela de los Rios, Lori Saldana, Lisa Kove, Martha Sullivan and Ray Lutz with Decommission San Onofre,Donna Tisdale with Protect Our Communities Foundation, Cleveland National Forest Foundation, San Diego Dream Team, and Save Mission Trails.


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IMMIGRATION BILL PASSES U.S. SENATE WITH LARGE MAJORITY, FACES BATTLE IN HOUSE

 

By Nadin Abbott

June 27, 2013 (San Diego)—The United States Senate passed a comprehensive immigration bill today with 68 Senators voting for it, and 32 Senators voting against it.

In addition to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants and other provisions, the bill contains many provisions that would impact many in East County, including businesses, agriculture, and bolstering medical personnel.

It also calls for a border security “surge” including hundreds of miles of new border fencing and 18,000 additional federal agents on the U.S.-Mexico border.  Former Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who supports the bill, said it would create “the most militarized border since the fall of the Berlin Wall.”


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LOCAL LATINO LEADER REACTS TO PRESIDENT OBAMA'S IMMIGRATION POLICY CHANGES

By Miriam Raftery

Sierra Robinson also contributed to this report

June 18, 2012 (Washington D.C.)— "It makes no sense to expel talented young people who are, for all intents and purposes, Americans," said President Obama Friday, speaking at the White House. View a video.

The President noted that many children of undocumented immigrants have grown up in America, only learning of their own undocumented status when they apply for a driver’s license or a job.

Under a new policy announced by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, young immigrants who meet certain criteria will no longer be deported. Instead, those who qualify will be eligible for deferred action for two years, subject to renewal.


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EL CAJON’S CENTER FOR SOCIAL ADVOCAY RECEIVES NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD

By Miriam Raftery

August 13, 2010 (El Cajon) – The Center for Social Advocacy in El Cajon has been awarded the Organizational Leadership Award from the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Socioeconomic Status. The award recognizes CSA’s dedication and leadership on behalf of poverty and socioeconomic issues.


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NATIONAL LATINO LEADERS TARGETED BY DEATH THREAT, VANDALISM & COMPUTER THEFT



 

ADL OFFERS $2,000 REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO ARREST & CONVICTION

 

By Miriam Raftery

 

May 6, 2010 (El Cajon) –On Monday, April 26, a man with a shaved head banged his knuckles against the office window of a prominent Latino rights leader in El Cajon and issued a death threat. 

 

Since then, vandalism and a break-in have occurred, raising concerns that a prominent Latino organizer here may be the target of hate-motivated crimes. Now the victims are fighting back--determined not to let threats of violence intimidate them into silence.


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OBAMA SIGNS MEASURE TO EXPAND PROSECUTIONS OF HATE CRIMES

By Miriam Raftery
 

November 1, 2009 (Washington D.C.) – Last week, President Barack Obama signed a defense budget bill which contains language to broaden the definition of hate crimes to include attacks based on gender, sexual orientation, or disability—adding to protections already in place for attacks based on race, religion or national origin. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act also creates a new federal crime for attacking U.S. military personnel because of their service.

News of the signing was hailed locally by Estela de los Rios, who led efforts to organize a Hate Crimes Conference recently in El Cajon. “I rejoice and embrace this grand victory,” de los Rios told East County Magazine. “Passing this bill will only strengthen and support the civil rights of all.”


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STEELED IN ADVERSITY: ONE WOMAN’S COURAGEOUS BATTLE AGAINST HATE

Estela de los Rios, Organizer of Oct. 1st Hate Crimes Summit in El Cajon
 

By John Falchi
ECM Editor Miriam Raftery also contributed to this story
 

September 25, 2009 (El Cajon)--Estela de Los Rios is leading an effort that will bring a Hate Crimes Summit sponsored by United for A Hate Free San Diego forum to El Cajon’s Ronald Reagan Community Center On Thursday October 1, 2009. In this exclusive interview with East County Magazine, she shared details about shocking hate crimes in our community, including many in local schools.  She also shared personal insights into the hardships and challenges that have steeled her resolve to achieve reforms.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.