Activate! San Diego
Resources for Our Community
We are stronger when we are informed. Below you will find resources for immigration rights, legal protections, protesting safely, digital security, food assistance, and more — all gathered in one place for East County San Diegans.
Get Involved, Not Just On Election Day
Ways to Show Up in East County
Voting is one Tuesday. Organizing is every week. Here’s where to find us.
← Swipe for more →
Friday Action — Lakeside
Every Friday · 10:00–11:30am
Our standing East County gathering. Bring a sign, bring a neighbor, bring yourself — no experience needed.
Find Us →Friday Action — Barrio Logan
Every Friday · 3:00–4:00pm
The other half of our weekly rhythm, same commitment, a different corner of San Diego.
Find Us →East County Candidates Forum
Sept 29
Meet the people actually on your local ballot — organized by East County community members ahead of Nov 3.
Details →Peace Keeper & First Aid
Oct 3rd and 10th · 8:30 – 9:00am
We prioritize community safety on the ground through trained peacekeeping and first-aid preparation. Join us at Wells Park in El Cajon.
Directions →Where We Organize
Every Corner of East County
East County doesn’t have one official map — depending who you ask, it stretches from the suburbs right up to the backcountry. If you live in any of these, this is your coalition too:
Civic Action
Contact Your Representatives
Your elected officials work for you. Calling or writing is one of the most effective things you can do. Use these tools to find and contact your local, state, and federal representatives quickly.
Find Your Federal Representatives
Enter your address to find your U.S. Senators and House Representative, with direct phone numbers and contact forms. Calls are the most effective — takes less than 2 minutes.
California State & Local Representatives
Find your California State Assembly member, State Senator, County Supervisor, and local city council representatives. Local officials often have the most direct impact on your daily life.
Tips for Calling Your Representatives
Not sure what to say? Use 5 Calls — it identifies your reps by location, gives you a script, and tracks your impact. Five calls a week can shift legislation.
Local Races & Measures
Know Who’s On Your Ballot
School board. Water district. City council. County supervisor. These are the races that decide what happens on your own street — and the ones people skip most. Start here.
Look Up Your Sample Ballot
See every race and measure on your specific ballot, from the San Diego County Registrar of Voters.
California Voter Guide
The state’s own nonpartisan guide to every statewide race and ballot measure.
League of Women Voters SD — Measure Guide
Nonpartisan positions on statewide ballot measures — never candidates. A second, independent read before you fill in a bubble.
Immigration & ICE Rights
ICE / Immigration Rights & Protections
Regardless of immigration status, everyone in the United States has constitutional rights. These resources help you understand those rights, report abuse, and prepare your family.
Report ICE / Federal Agent Misconduct
The ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties has launched a hotline to report unlawful conduct by federal immigration agents. If you or someone you know experiences or witnesses abuse, report it immediately.
Know Your Rights: Immigrants’ Rights
Detailed, scenario-based guidance for what to do when law enforcement asks about your immigration status, what to do during a home visit, and how to assert your rights safely and clearly.
Know Your Rights: Immigration Bond
Explains how immigration bond works, recent changes since 2025, and what families can do if a loved one is detained — including how to request a bond hearing.
Red Cards / Tarjetas Rojas
Printable wallet-sized cards — available in multiple languages — that help people assert their rights when ICE comes to their home or stops them in public. Print and share widely.
Family Preparedness App
A free app to help immigrant families prepare safety plans, document important information, and share instructions with trusted contacts in case of an emergency or detention.
Know Your Rights
Protest Rights & Street Safety
Peaceful protest is a constitutionally protected right. These resources help you show up prepared, stay safe, and know exactly what law enforcement can and cannot do.
Protest Preparedness & Know Your Rights Guide
A comprehensive guide covering what to bring, how to protect yourself digitally before and after a protest, your legal rights on the street, and how to stay safe as a group. Available in English and Spanish.
Protesters’ Rights
The ACLU’s definitive guide to your rights at a protest — what police can legally do, when you can be arrested, what to do if you are, and how to document misconduct effectively.
Tips for Preparedness, Peaceful Protesting & Safety
Practical pre-protest checklist covering what to wear, what to bring, buddy systems, medical considerations, and what to do if you feel unsafe or are targeted during an action.
Safety
De-Escalation Strategies
A core principle of Activate! is nonviolent action. These resources teach you how to identify and respond to provocations, reduce tension, and keep everyone safe at actions and events.
De-Escalation & Nonviolent Action Guide
Covers how to identify types of agitators, when and how to intervene safely, bystander techniques, and the principles behind keeping a protest peaceful and powerful. Includes guidance on working as a team.
Safety & De-Escalation Tips
Practical tips for staying calm under pressure, communicating with law enforcement, supporting fellow protesters, and making decisions as a group when tensions rise.
Digital Safety
Digital Safety Resources
Protecting your digital privacy is part of protecting your right to protest. These resources help you secure your phone, your communications, and your identity before, during, and after an action.
Digital Security Guidelines for Protests
Step-by-step guidance on encrypting your device, removing biometrics, using Signal for secure communications, scrubbing photo metadata before posting, and protecting yourself from surveillance at events.
Protect Yourself Digitally Before & After a Protest
A quick checklist: encrypt your device, replace biometrics with a strong PIN, sign out of accounts, use Signal, back up data, and avoid posting others’ faces online. Practical steps you can do right now.
Food Assistance
Food Banks & Nutrition Resources
No one in our community should go hungry. These organizations provide free food, CalFresh enrollment help, and emergency nutrition assistance throughout San Diego County.
Food Distribution & Pantry Finder
Feeding San Diego distributes millions of pounds of food each year through a network of partner pantries, mobile distributions, and direct programs. Use their locator to find a distribution near you.
Free Food & Emergency Pantry Network
The San Diego Food Bank serves the county with free groceries, produce, and emergency food boxes through dozens of distribution sites, including locations in El Cajon and East County.
CalFresh & Medi-Cal Food Access
CalFresh and Medi-Cal are undergoing significant changes in 2026. Call 2-1-1 for help navigating food benefit eligibility, applications, and renewals — available 24/7 in multiple languages.
Community Support
General Assistance & Transportation
211 San Diego — Your Community Lifeline
211 San Diego connects community members with health, housing, food, transportation, and disaster services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Available in multiple languages. Completely free and confidential.
Public Transportation in San Diego
San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System covers buses and trolley routes throughout the county. Reduced-fare programs are available for seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income riders.
Transportation Assistance
Need a ride to a medical appointment, job interview, or essential service? 211 connects San Diegans with free and low-cost transportation programs, including Medi-Cal rides and senior transit options.
Health & Human Services
San Diego County’s Health and Human Services Agency offers programs for families, seniors, individuals, and children — including mental health, child welfare, housing support, and public health services.
We Don’t Stand Alone
Our Coalition, and Where Else to Turn
Our Coalition
We’re one part of a bigger network of East County and San Diego organizations doing this work alongside us. See who we’re standing with.
See Our Full Coalition →More Resources Worth Knowing
East County Assist
A resource directory built specifically for East County — food, housing, healthcare, legal help, and support for immigrants and new arrivals, organized by city.
Legal Aid Society of San Diego — Immigration
Family-based petitions, naturalization, and immigration court representation. 1-877-534-2524.
ACLU San Diego & Imperial Counties — Immigrants’ Rights Hub
Know-your-rights materials and flyers, in English and Spanish.
SD County Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs
The County’s own office connecting immigrant and refugee residents to services and legal assistance.
Support the Work
Support the Organizations Fighting for Us
These groups do the hard, daily work of protecting rights and building community. If you are able, please consider donating to keep them funded and effective.