In honor of the City’s 50th anniversary and as part of the City’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative, the City of Irvine and South Coast Chinese Cultural Center (SCCCC) are collaborating to offer the We Are Irvine: Living Resource Guide Series for Chinese-Irvine newcomers. The collective efforts of the City and SCCCC will highlight lessons learned from Chinese American immigrants and Irvine residents, and support new residents by minimizing anxieties due to language barriers, misunderstandings, or other unknowns.
On January 26, 2021 the Irvine City Council passed a resolution reaffirming Irvine's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within our community, and established a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. The We Are Irvine: Living Resource Guide Series is just one of the measures intended to advance the City’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in our community.
These lectures will also prepare residents and assist them with efficiently navigating and connecting to resources within the City.
“The project is aimed to assist our new residents in becoming familiar with local government and police while adjusting to their new environment.” said Mayor Farrah N. Khan. “My ultimate hope is that all our residents feel they are an integral part of our Irvine community. I’m beyond thrilled to see the goals of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative coming to fruition.”
In this series of lectures, the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center will introduce valuable City resources to residents in a culturally appropriate way. The project will allow new residents to retain and honor their own precious cultural customs, but simultaneously encourage them to adopt a rightfully receptive attitude and be open-minded to integrating into their new culture and lifestyle.
The We Are Irvine lecture series will be offered monthly from 6-8 p.m. at the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center. The lecture series will be presented in Mandarin and begin August 26. The series includes nine lectures covering knowledge pertaining to several essential living aspects: cultural customs, law, city regulations, the education system, mental health, parenting support, living and personal safety, and taxes and insurance. Individuals or groups (families, businesses, teams, etc.) can register for the series by completing the online registration form.
Lecture 1: Safety is Everybody’s Business: Police Resources, Personal Safety and Crime Prevention
Contents Covered: Personal safety practices; Driving and traffic safety; Explanation of common police resources; Crime Prevention
Lecture 2: Disaster-Proof My Home: Expert Education on Home Appliance, Water, Fire, and Electric Safety
Contents Covered: Disaster prevention and preparation; Understanding of home appliances and utility; Comprehension of city and individual emergency evacuation planning.
Lecture 3: Safe Living: Tools to Protect Me the Most
Contents Covered: Home safety and security systems; Neighborhood watch programs; Hate Crime and Incident Reporting; Ways to stay informed and connected with the Irvine Police Department.
Lecture 4: Right From the Start: Irvine City’s Municipal Coding and Unique Regulation
Contents Covered: Characteristics of the City of Irvine; what are the unique city codes of Irvine? Which codes pertain to homeowners, renters, and landlords? Concept and role of your HOA and property management; various city resources provided to residents.
Lecture 5: Quiet Storm: You and Your Family’s Mental Health in a New Culture—Combating Psychological Challenges and Domestic Violence
Contents Covered: Mental health is not a curse nor a taboo subject at your dinner table; Domestic violence is not gender biased or a tolerable crime; why does a happy wife mean a happy life?
Lecture 6: To Burp or Not To Burp—Cultural Differences in the New World
Contents Covered: Basic etiquette; new cultural values.
Lecture 7: Education before Expectations: A Crash Course in the American Public School System, Realities of American Education, and College Applications.
Contents Covered: The American school system; Values of the education system; Parental challenges; Advance studies/higher education; Future career choices.
Lecture 8: All Covered: The Importance of Insurance in American Life
Contents Covered: The American medical insurance system; Tax filing and retirement life; Various types of insurance in your daily life.
Lecture 9: Connected: Stay in Touch with Your Local Government through Technology
Contents Covered: Technologies available to residents to request services, submit requests and inquiries, and otherwise stay connected with the City of Irvine
For more information about the City of Irvine’s We Are Irvine campaign, please visit WeAreIrvine.org.