SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA), and Alcohol Justice, are pleased to announce the dates and times for the 5th Annual CAPA Summit – The Movement Toward Social Justice in Public Health.  The virtual event will take place this year via Zoom over the first three Fridays in November.  #CAPASummit2020 registration is fast and free for CAPA member agencies, and just $10 for qualified non-members for all three days. Pre-registration is required.

“COVID-19 presented us with a major challenge for our annual summit,” said Veronica de Lara, Co-Chair of CAPA. “Though we cannot come together with members from throughout the state to celebrate our victories and plan new strategies, I think the virtual turnout will produce unexpected excitement and opportunities for great personal and organizational growth.”

Participation will be spread over three successive Fridays beginning this Friday, November 6^th.  On each Friday there will be two two-hour sessions with the first starting at 9:30 and the second at 12:30.

Summit topics and speakers include:
DAY 1 – Equity, Alcohol Injustice

• Chanchanit (Chancee) Martorell, Thai Community Development Center
• Kandee Lewis, Positive Results Corporation
• Jose Guevara-Johnson, The Wall Las Memorias Project
• Tasha R. Fridia, JD, Tribal Law and Policy Institute
• Yvette Lopez-Ledesma, The Wilderness Society
• Dinora Heredia, A.K.A. Fémina Fatal, Batallones Femeninos

DAY 2 – COVID-19 and Alcohol

• Dr. Barbara Ferrer, L.A. County Department of Public Health
• Dr. Lello Tesema, L.A. County Department of Public Health Division of Substance Abuse Prevention & Control (SAPC)
• Diana Zúñiga, L.A. County Department of Health Services, Alternatives to Incarceration Workgroup
• Nicolle Perras, L.A. County Department of Public Health
• Nelly Arias, L.A. County Department of Mental Health
• Franklin Romero, L.A. County Department of Mental Health
• Raul M. Herrera, AJUPEME USA – Turtle Island, International Ulama Mesoamerican Hip-Ballgame association
• Carson Benowitz-Fredricks, MSPH, CHES, Alcohol Justice
• Vanessa Ramirez Garcia, Future Leaders of America
• Xavier Flores, Pueblo y Salud, Inc.

DAY 3 – Social Justice-Informed Policy

• Antonio Cortez Appling, The Long Beach Poetry Slam
• Brian “SuperB” Oliva, Multi-title slam champion, Slam Poetry Coach
• Kat Magill, 2x National Poetry Slam finalist, HBO Def Jam Poet,
• Brenda Villanueva, Co-chair, Los Angeles Drug and Alcohol Policy Alliance
• Gilbert Mora, MS, Co-chair, California Alcohol Policy Alliance
• Jorge Castillo, Alcohol Justice
• Raul Verdugo, Alcohol Justice
• Veronica De Lara, MPA, Co-chair, California Alcohol Policy Alliance
• Mayra Jimenez, Alcohol Justice

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that public health needs to be reevaluated to provide fair access to all, especially for low earning communities and communities of color,” stated California Assemblymember Moique Limón. “A pandemic of this magnitude comes with many risks and concerns beyond the virus. Losing a loved one, a job, and not interacting with those around you can be very difficult, and for many, it is challenging to seek help. I applaud CAPA for having conversations about the risk of alcohol abuse during these times and interconnecting social justice with public health as we continue seeing the need for improvement in our system.”

“As a project of Alcohol Justice, CAPA has truly developed a dynamic character all its own,” said Bruce Lee Livingston, MPP, Executive Director / CEO of Alcohol Justice. “CAPA has provided a strong presence and a unified voice on alcohol policy to many organizations and individuals throughout the state who are deeply concerned about alcohol’s influence on their communities. We couldn’t be prouder of their leadership role over the past two years in stopping California legislation to expand last call beyond 2 a.m. We look forward to supporting CAPA’s continued advocacy in the years to come.”

CAPA Mission:
The California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA) shall unite diverse organizations and communities in California to protect health and safety, and prevent alcohol-related harm through statewide action.

CAPA Platform:
Current core issues leading to specific advocacy and policy change action items.

• Raise the price of alcohol through taxes and fees, supporting the “Charge for Harm” concept that the industry should pay for treatment, prevention and all other costs to government.
• Limit alcohol advertising in all media, especially on government-controlled property and where children or targeted populations are exposed.
• Make the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control effective, efficient, transparent, and accountable to public health and safety concerns of the community, and not to cater to industry profits and license expediency, through policies that reduce alcohol outlet density and increase funding for alcohol control, regulation, and enforcement.
• Eliminate product lines (such as alcopops and malt liquors) oriented to underage youth and vulnerable or targeted populations.
• Reduce the allowable blood alcohol content for drivers as “Point .05 Saves Lives”
• Improve labelling and out-of-home advertising of all alcohol products to ensure a) no marketing to youth, b) no indications of unsubstantiated health claims, c) display of alcohol content by volume and percentage and d) display of harms.

For daily summit updates and schedules go to: https://alcoholpolicyalliance.org/ 
On Twitter @CAPA_Alcohol
On Instagram @caalcoholpolicy
On Facebook @AlcoholPolicyAlliance

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SOURCE Alcohol Justice; California Alcohol Policy Alliance