'Together We Can' Hopes To Vaccinate OC's Black, Latino Youth

ORANGE COUNTY, CA —Orange County's Latino and Black youth are the focus of a new "Together We Can" campaign designed to bolster COVID-19 vaccinations among young people. The National Association for Latino Elected Officials Educational Fund, with support from Kaiser Permanente, announced a total of $500,000 in grants for organizations in Southern California communities.

The Juntos Podemos (Together We Can) campaign is designed to combat the spread of COVID-19 misinformation and boost vaccination rates, organizers said.

Among the organizations to receive funding are:

• California Black Women's Health Project.
• Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development.

Organizations throughout Southern California were invited to submit proposals outlining their project plans related to vaccination outreach efforts and were chosen to receive funding based on their strong relationships with the communities NALEO Educational Fund is working to reach.

"Data show that Latino and African-American youth vaccination rates continue to lag behind other communities and age groups," said Arturo Vargas, CEO of the NALEO Educational Fund. "Our strategic partnership with Kaiser Permanente helps us empower young people of color to make more informed choices when it comes to their health and combat the spread of vaccine misinformation."