2020 Census Campaign

One of LUNA’s milestones is the 2020 Census Campaign. This campaign began the year prior in October by training 13 promotoras to distribute information about the census. During the early part of the campaign, the promotoras were able to speak to more than 600 people about the importance of being counted. In February 2020, the organization held its first Census event for the community. It was titled “Que No Nos Cuenten Cuentos". 

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It was a small play that focused on letting people in the community know the importance of being counted in the census and how they can be involved. The messaging centered on togetherness because “we are not one, we are not a hundred, we are millions, count us well!”. ​

Due to lockdown and the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, LUNA turned in person activities into virtual ones where community members could still receive important information. One such event was held on May 29th 202, alongside the Si Se Puede Collective.

During the pandemic, August did outreach door knocking whole west-side of East Palo Alto with 15 promotores in San Mateo County. Other events were held such as a car caravan to spread awareness around the census.

Mariposa Park 2023

Tropicana-Lanai was the first neighborhood chapter that LUNA established. In 2013, residents in the chapter identified having an open space for recreation as a top priority. At the time there had been no recreational space in the neighborhood, this resulted in families having to travel to take their children to a place to play. As these discussions continued, residents also identified a triangle of land that had long been covered in trash and human waste as their site to build a park. This was the corner of Midfield and Havana.

Together, residents and LUNA hosted community meetings to discuss visions of what the community park should look like and organized pivotal next steps to make their vision a reality. 

Thanks to the tireless dedication from residents, a grant was won! They won the first grant from a non-governmental group from the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority. Caltrans’ Clean California State Beautification Program provided a second grant to fund this new public space along the state highway system.

On October 24, 2023 the Mariposa Park ribbon cutting ceremony was held. Although it took ten years to open this park, in those ten years leaders of Tropicana-Lanai grew as leaders as they took on the arduous process that was ultimately successful.

The name ‘Mariposa Park’ reflects the mural, titled “El Sueño de la Mariposa” or “The Butterfly’s Dream,” by Bay Area muralist Morgan Bricca.

This picture was captured during Tropicana-Lanai's 2024's National Night Out. Demonstrating how the dream residents have become a reality.