Dear Ward 5 Neighbors,
As school starts, I wish all of our Santa Ana students a warm welcome back and best wishes for the new school year! Unfortunately, our students are returning to school during a difficult period for immigrant and mixed-status families. As we’ve seen since early June, our beautiful city and residents have been under attack by increased ICE presence and unlawful detainments that ignore our right to due process. Everyday, I am keeping my eye on the actions of ICE and Border Patrol operating within our city. Please know, I am extremely passionate about immigrants rights and stand with our many neighbors and hardworking business owners who find themselves under attack. We do not deserve this mistreatment, and I will always do my best to be at the forefront defending our neighbors.
In light of increased ICE presence this summer, I implore you to mobilize your communities and take chances to celebrate our culture and our neighbors. This August, my office put together two events to gather and celebrate our community. First off, my office hosted Santa Ana’s first ever Community Defense Conference on Aug. 22 at Santa Ana College. We were joined by active local groups like OC Rapid Response Network, the Harbor Institute, and the Public Law Center who shared their work and resources to empower our community to stand tall against ICE and aggressive enforcement tactics.
Then on Aug. 24, we had a day of fun and celebration at Centennial Park during our 4th Annual Chicano Heritage Festival! Planned by our Parks and Recreation staff, we were blessed by the music of local artists and performers such as Danza Azteca Xochipilli, El Chicano, Thee Midniters, and many more. Come out for a day full of celebration and love for Chicano Culture.
Finally, another exciting project is in the works at El Salvador Park. La Artista Marina Aguilera is working on a new mural on the side of the park’s new restrooms building, funded by the City of Santa Ana.
Our city can do great things when we band together.
STAY TRUCHA!
Your councilmember and neighbor,
Johnathan Ryan Hernandez
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Building Community
Community News
Completed Projects: Delhi Library and Jerome Outdoor Library Openings
Exciting news for our community! The first new library in Santa Ana in 50 years just opened and I, alongside our entire City Council, attended the ribbon cutting to celebrate this accomplishment.
The Delhi Library is now open and operational within the Delhi Center at 505 E. Central Ave. Check out the new space and all it has to offer to our youth and families.
I also joined a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Outdoor Library at Jerome Park. This innovative outdoor educational space is not only the first in Santa Ana, but one of the first of its kind anywhere.
Local Resident and Business, La Santa, Raise Over $7,000 for Immigration Defense
Local Santanero Tsui Vasquez and local bar La Santa teamed up last week to host an event, Musica Not Migra, to connect our community over our shared love of music. Hosting bands such as Milpa, Ingrediente 10, and Valley Rats, the event connected residents to OC Rapid Response Network and brought people together to dance, sing, and resist ICE’s unlawful detainments. Keep an eye out for future fundraisers hosted by Tsui!
Washington Square Neighborhood Association Celebrates 40-Year Anniversary
On July 19th, Washington Square Neighborhood association celebrated 40 years of existence at a summer gala with food, music, and Lucky the parrot. We were treated to wonderful food and entertainment at a neighbor’s home and heard wonderful words from past WSNA presidents. Washington Square is a beautiful neighborhood only rivaled by the people living there.
Southwest Community Center Distributes Over 250 Backpacks to Local Students
On July 18th, Southwest Community Center (SWCC) gave out about 280 backpacks and school supplies to students from Santa Ana. Our office donated about 50 backpacks and presented Southwest Community Center with a certificate for this event that gave so many families the resources they need to keep their students successful and engaged in school. I believe in the importance of education and was proud to support this event in any capacity we could.
See more of the programs offered by CAP-OC!
Juneteenth Festival Returns to Centennial Park!
On June 14th, we welcomed the Juneteenth Festival back to Santa Ana at Centennial Park where the OC Heritage Council planned out a day of fun, music, and good food for all to enjoy. Highlights of the event included various local groups like the NAACP, LibroMobile, and the presentation of the Orange County Heritage Council scholarship to local student, Emily Tucker.
Upcoming Events & Meetings
Chicano Heritage Educational Celebration of Culture at the Library
Join Santa Ana Public Library for an Educational Celebration that will feature an Author Hour presentation with local author Luis F. Fernandez and a Chicano History Walk Photo Exhibit.
Luis F. Fernandez will sign copies of his book, “Mexican American Baseball in Orange County,” and have a meet and greet with attendees. Giveaways will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. The photographic exhibit will highlight the Chicano community experience in Santa Ana from the 1950s to today. This powerful collection invites you to walk through living history — exploring the everyday lives and achievements of the Chicano community.
- Thursday, Aug. 28
- 4:30-7 p.m.
- Santa Ana City Hall Courtyard, 20 Civic Center Plaza
September Next City Council Meeting
Our next City Council Meeting will be on September 16th at City Council Chambers. I encourage you to join to learn about city updates and comment on any decisions the council is making. The agenda is available the week prior on Wednesday for public access.
If you’d like to make a public comment, please see the following:
Public comments are limited to three (3) minutes per speaker, unless a different time is announced by the presiding chair. Speakers who wish to address the Council must do so by submitting a “Request to Speak” card by 4:00 p.m. for Closed Session items and by 5:45 p.m. for all other designated public comment periods as listed below.
Find upcoming meetings and agendas here!
City of Santa Ana Resources
Ayuda Sin Fronteras Immigration Fund Now Available on City Website!
At the City of Santa Ana, we understand that the current federal immigration enforcement activity in our community is creating fear and uncertainty. We are committed to empowering every resident with the tools they need to support themselves and their families. That’s why I’m happy to share our immigration fund program, Ayuda Sin Fronteras, which is now active on the COSA website.
On July 1, 2025, the City Council unanimously approved an emergency housing assistance program for Santa Ana families impacted by immigration enforcement. The program uses local funds from the City’s events budget; $100,000 has been set-aside for this program.
We offer emergency housing assistance grants for families that have been impacted by immigration enforcement (ICE/CBP/Border Patrol) activity. We offer up to one month’s worth of housing expenses to help with past due rent and utility bills.
If you or someone you know needs such assistance, please direct them to the website to submit!
Access the Ayuda Sin Fronteras page here! https://www.santa-ana.org/departments/ayuda-sin-fronteras/
Need help with an ongoing problem? Report it on the mySantaAna app!
Free Santa Ana Days
Resident Days at the Zoo • Third Sunday of each Month
Bowers Museum free Sundays • Santa Ana residents get in free each Sunday
Discovery Cube Waste Free Days • Santa Ana residents get free admission to the Discovery Cube on the first Tuesday of the month
Finding Art Near You
Everyone should be able to create and be creative in their own way. Below are a few Santa Ana resources for art and arts education: