Dear Upward,

We know the year has had a rocky start. Our immigrant and queer communities, women, and other underserved and marginalized communities are being threatened by those in positions of power. There is a lot of confusion, fear, and anger. We feel these emotions, too. But above all, we feel love and warmth for you. We feel power in the unity and trust we have built together. We will prevail. Together, we will come out stronger.

Please take care of yourself and each other. Stay vigilant and informed, share resources, and take a break to do something fun, relaxing, and recharging with loved ones.

We are here for you and remember that you are also here for each other. Our community will get us through this challenging time. Stay safe!

Please read this newsletter, which includes Know Your Rights information, immigrant legal and child care resources, mental health resources, and other community events and resources.

Upward Scholars Announcements

You can download red cards in various languages here or pick up Spanish red cards from the Upward Scholars office (330 Twin Dolphin Dr, Ste 101, Redwood City, CA 94065).

Upward Scholars staff is typically in the office from 9 am to 5 pm on Tuesdays to Thursdays. If you plan to stop by for red cards, please let our team know ahead of time.

Comprehensive Immigrant Legal Resources and Support Services in San Mateo County

The County of San Mateo Office of Community Affairs is addressing community concerns about safety and anxiety related to public charges and mass deportations by providing updated resources on its revamped website. It will also continue to share information via social media and keep partners informed about available County resources.

Find Legal Assistance | County of San Mateo, CA—Free and low-cost immigration service providers, US Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) resources, housing legal services, employment legal services, DACA resources, and more.
Immigration Preparedness Toolkit—Prepared from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC). More info and languages can also be found on the OCA website here.
Keep your Benefits—Get the facts about public charges and immigration, including a guide to see if public benefits could affect different immigration options.
Immigrant Services Resources and Information—This includes community and mental health resources, translation and interpretation services, and information about the San Mateo County Rapid Response Hotline at 203-666-4472 (203-NO-MIGRA).
Immigrant Services Spotlight Series—On Know Your Rights with ILRC and Faith in Action. These are held live on the County of San Mateo's Facebook page.
We Have Rights—A video empowerment campaign to prepare for and safely defend our rights during encounters with ICE. These videos will help you know what to do when ICE Is outside your door, in your home, in our communities, if they arrest you, and how to document ICE arrests: English, Español, and 中文.
Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) Redwood City—Staff provides immigration legal services, monthly citizenship workshops, and free citizenship classes in San Mateo County.
Immigrant Legal Resource Center—A national nonprofit resource center that provides immigration legal training, technical assistance, and educational materials and engages in advocacy and immigrant civic engagement to advance immigrant rights.

Know Your Rights (Save or Download this Information Here)

All people are protected under the law, regardless of immigration status.

If immigration comes to your home, work, or neighborhood, or if there are ICE raids nearby, call the San Mateo County Rapid Response Hotline at 203-666-4472 (203-NO-MIGRA).
Know your rights. Keep the red card handy at all times. If you encounter ICE, remember you have constitutional rights. (You can download a red card here.) Upward Scholars also has physical red cards you can pick up at our office.
Have a plan for you and your family in case someone is detained. Find plan templates here.
Do not sign ICE documents or speak to ICE officers without an attorney. Get advice from an attorney about your immigration options.
Find various resources for Legal Assistance here.
The SMC Office of Community Affairs also offers an immigrant resource guide in English, Spanish, and Chinese. You can find that resource here, and you can also request free copies of the guide on that site.
Find more resources on the County’s Immigrant Service page here.

From the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office

California Values Act (SB 54)

No resources can be used to assist federal immigration enforcement.

Law enforcement cannot:

Ask about your immigration status,
Arrest you for only an immigration violation,
Use Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Border Patrol agents as interpreters,
Share your personal information, like your home address, with ICE or Border Patrol, unless it's publicly available,
Hold you in jail for immigration agents to pick you up,
Let immigration agents interview you without your written consent (you have the right to refuse the interview).

California TRUTH Act (AB 2792)

If you are booked into jail (not all arrests are booked into jail), law enforcement is required to:

Provide a written consent form before an ICE interview
The form must explain the purpose of the interview, that it is voluntary, and that the individual may decline.
Notify an individual and their attorney or permitted designee if they provide ICE with an individual's release date and time (publicly available information).

Spiritual Counseling with Reverend Gerardo García Palacios

Upward Scholars offers students and their families free spiritual and emotional counseling with Rev. Gerardo García Palacios. People of all beliefs are welcome, and Rev. Gerardo is bilingual in English and Spanish.

To schedule a session with Rev. Gerardo, email him at pastorgarcia1679@outlook.com or call/text him at (650) 387-9174.

Community Opportunities

Parent and Child Connections Series

Join the Parent & Child Connection Series to strengthen your bond through fun workshops and practical tips. Topics include emotions, mindfulness, problem-solving, self-esteem, and more.

This series will be in Spanish, and food and childcare will be provided.

Every Wednesday, February 26 – April 2, 2025

6:30–7:30 pm

PAL Center

3399 Bay Road, Redwood City

Linking Immigrants to Benefits, Resources and Education (LIBRE)

LIBRE is a collaborative that provides:

Information about immigration, public benefits, and public charge
FREE application assistance for public benefits such as Medi-Cal, CalFresh, at:
Nuestra Casa: (650) 330-7472
Fair Oaks Community Center: (650) 780-7500
Coastside Hope: (650) 726-9071
FREE public benefits legal services
FREE immigration consultations for:
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Renewals
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)
U Visa
Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

Learn more here. Contact LIBRE at (650) 517-8936.

Cañada College's ESL Conversation Club

Do you want additional English conversation practice? Cañada College ESL Conversation Club is a great way to practice.

Starting again in the spring, they will meet on Tuesdays from 12:30–1:30 pm in person in the Cañada College Cultural Center and on Fridays for "Cafecito" from 9:30–11 am on Zoom. For additional details, contact Meg Brosnan at margaretbrosnan@my.smccd.edu.

Yoga Breathwork and Meditation

Join Pal Center for a free, relaxing, beginner-friendly 60-minute session of gentle yoga, breathwork, and meditation. Find balance, release tension, and reconnect.

Every Friday from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

3399 Bay Rd, Redwood City

Cañada College Puente Project

Do you want more support on your college journey? Cañada College Puente Project can help. Their mission is to increase the number of educationally underserved students who enroll in four-year colleges and universities. Puente provides students with the following benefits:

Priority Registration
First Day to Last Support
Puente Mentorship for the First Year
Puente Counselor's Transfer Support
Motivational Transfer Conference at a UC campus
Social Mixers and Field Trips
One Big, Supportive Puente Familia
Support with Puente Classes: English, Career & Life Planning and Transfer Essentials

Learn more about Puente here.

Immigrants Rising’s Mental Health Connector For Students in California

Immigrants Rising’s Mental Health Connector provides psychological support to undocumented students in California. It allows them to access their strengths and resiliency and focus on their personal goals and healing journey.

To qualify for services through the MHC, individuals generally need to meet the following criteria:

Have an undocumented status
Click here for more information on how Immigrants Rising defines “undocumented.”
Be enrolled at a California higher education institution
This includes any of the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), California Community Colleges (CCC) campuses, and private colleges and universities located in California.
Be in California during sessions
Have a tool for online sessions (phone, laptop, etc.)
Be between the ages of 18 and 45
Have no health insurance or means to pay out-of-pocket
Feel comfortable conversing in English

Clients will receive approximately 28 telehealth (online) sessions as part of the program’s commitment to providing accessible mental health support. While these are the standard guidelines, the MHC may accommodate those who fall outside this criteria upon request and availability of volunteer therapists.

Learn more here. Ready to sign up? Fill out this screening questionnaire.

Redwood City Tenant-Landlord Counseling Services Project

Redwood City now provides phone and e-mail assistance for tenants and landlords throughout Redwood City. They provide information on all tenant-landlord issues and offer dispute resolution options. They serve all areas of Redwood City, including incorporated and unincorporated areas.

Services are available to all tenants and landlords within Redwood City, regardless of income or immigration status.

View the flyer or click here for more information.

Medical Equipment Loan Program

MELP/AbleCloset created a medical equipment loan program to provide durable medical equipment, including wheelchairs, walkers, knee scooters, and more, to help those who need the equipment but may still be waiting for their own equipment to arrive or be covered by their insurance. This program helps ensure medical equity and improves lives while recycling and reusing donated equipment. And the equipment is loaned at no cost!

To borrow medical equipment from MELP, visit their website.

CORA’s Family-Centered Mental Health Services

CORA is the only agency in San Mateo County solely dedicated to helping those affected by intimate partner abuse. Their services are designed to provide safety, support, and healing, from counseling to emergency housing to legal assistance.

They have a general mental health program, one focused on the LGBTQ+ community, and a First 5 and children’s program. If you are overcoming intimate partner abuse, CORA is there to help! Visit their website or call their 24-hour emergency hotline at (800) 300-1080 for support.

Employment Opportunities

Sequoia District Adult School (SAS) Job Board

SAS has a job board to help students like you find jobs. There are a variety of positions in various industries. Visit their website to learn more.

Scholarship Opportunities

The following is a list of external scholarships with upcoming deadlines. Click on the links to learn more about each scholarship.

NOTE: If you need help applying to any of these, contact Programs Director Diana Viscarra at diana@upwardscholars.org to be paired with a volunteer who can work with you one-on-one.

Federal & State Financial Aid

The FAFSA and California Dream Act applications for the 2025–2026 academic school year are NOW OPEN for those who are eligible! Complete them as soon as possible and before March 2, 2025, to secure your financial aid.

SMCCC Foundation Scholarships

The next scholarship cycle for the San Mateo County Community Colleges Foundation is NOW OPEN! This is a single application that allows you to apply to multiple scholarships all at once. The application deadline is approaching on March 3, 2025, at 4:30 pm. Apply now!

Curry Award for Girls and Young Women

Application Deadline: February 28, 2025
Some qualifications: female aged 18–26; 3.3 GPA or higher; San Mateo County resident

Crain Scholarship Program

Application Deadline: February 28, 2025
Some qualifications: transferring to a 4-year university in fall 2024; community involvement; 3.5 GPA or better; high school or equivalent in San Mateo or Santa Clara County; full-time student in 2024

The Marie A. Calderilla Scholarship

Application Deadline: February 28, 2025
Some qualifications: female; attending a college in the San Mateo County Community College District; U.S. citizen, legal permanent resident, or AB 540 student

10,000 Degrees Scholarship

Application Deadline: March 3, 2025
Some qualifications: full-time student

Immigrants Rising List of Scholarships and Fellowships

Immigrants Rising has curated this list of scholarships and fellowships that don't require proof of U.S. citizenship. The list has general application eligibility requirements, including education level, region/state, and immigration status. Use the filters to find scholarships that could be right for you.

Click here to find an array of scholarships specific to your major or area of study.

If you know of any other job or scholarship opportunities with deadlines in the next few weeks or months, please email the information to Jessica, Marketing & Development Manager, at jessica@upwardscholars.org so she can share them with all Upward Scholars students.

Onward & upward,

Upward Scholars Team

Our Programs Team

Contact our Programs Team with any questions regarding our programs and services.