East Bay Community Law Center to Host a Community Health Day

October 13, 2021

On November 6, 2021, the East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) will provide free in-person legal services to promote wellness and family resilience for women of color and their networks. Alongside EBCLC staff, the Alameda County Department of Public Health will set up a mobile vaccination unit on site at EBCLC’s South Berkeley office. 

"Our staff are experts at navigating ‘race neutral’ systems that produce racially disparate outcomes,” said Executive Director Zoë Polk. “COVID-19 and its collateral consequences have devastated historically excluded communities. We understand that the holistic legal care EBCLC has provided for over thirty years is key to the recovery of our systems-intended clients and their families.” 

EBCLC launches this effort six months after its study on vaccination rates among its largely women- of- color client base. Based on interviews with cis and trans women clients, EBCLC found that low inoculation rates were due to systemic failures, including difficulty scheduling vaccine appointments and early messaging on vaccine prioritization. Ahead of the organization’s health day event, EBCLC staff will be conducting women of color-centered outreach to our clients and their networks, including children, co-workers, partners, elders, students, friends and patients. 

“We are looking forward to saying ‘hello’ and ‘we are still here for you’ to our Berkeley neighbors,” said Polk. “While we have been operating remotely, we hope our community has felt our impact from the eviction moratorium to the ‘Know Justice, Know Peace’ mural that adorns our entrance.” 

Legal services and COVID-19 vaccines will be provided at EBCLC’s office at 2921 Adeline Street in Berkeley, California. Face masks are required. EBCLC will provide limited legal information and consults in all eight of its practice areas including eviction, criminal record expungement, immigration, income support and public benefits and debt collection. Individuals interested in receiving a Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer vaccine can pre-register or drop in. All persons vaccinated at this EBCLC event will also receive $100 Visa gift card.