As a result of her tenacious efforts and well-developed network, Davis Street CEO Rose Padilla Johnson managed the growth of the San Leandro, California, community center from a small operation into a $10 million organization that serves tens of thousands of clients annually. A visible presence in several community-focused organizations, Rose Padilla Johnson advocates on behalf of the most disadvantaged residents of San Leandro, many of whom arrived in the city within the past decade after skyrocketing home prices pushed them out of the Bay Area. According to a study conducted by the Urban Displacement Project under the direction of researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, rising housing prices in the Bay Area are disproportionately driving out low-income families of color. Between 2000 and 2015, despite rent prices growing by 30 percent, the number of low-income white households remained relatively stable. Conversely, during this same period, 20 percent of economically disadvantaged families of color relocated to lower-priced areas such as Antioch and San Leandro. This migration pattern has resulted in neighborhoods that are less racially and economically diverse. The impact is especially profound for low-income African American households, who are far more likely to live in a low-income neighborhood than their white economic peers. Economic segregation results in a litany of social problems, including a lack of accessible job opportunities and increased difficulties securing housing.
In recognition of her tireless work to improve the circumstances of families and children with low-income backgrounds, Rose Padilla Johnson, the former president of the San Leandro Chamber of Commerce, received the prestigious Global Citizen Award from the United Nations. For nearly three decades, Rose Padilla Johnson has overseen operations for Davis Street Community Center, serving residents from San Leandro and the surrounding county. Davis Street’s McCammon Health Center delivers high-quality primary and preventative medical care, including breast cancer screenings. A low-cost or free breast cancer screening is one of the most effective ways to address the disparity in breast cancer survival rates between women with high incomes and women with low incomes. Women who are wealthier are also more likely to have access to regular screenings and follow-up care. Conversely, women from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages and delay treatment, which results in higher breast cancer morbidity rates. To reverse this, clinics serving women from low-income backgrounds must increase access to routine breast cancer screenings and educate the women on their treatment options.
The CEO of the Davis Street Community Center, Rose Padilla Johnson has been a highly visible presence in the San Leandro community for many years. Under the direction of Rose Padilla Johnson, Davis Street tackles the issue of food insecurity by providing food and nutritional assistance to more than 6,000 San Leandro and Alameda County residents every year.In Alameda County, about 13 percent of residents were food insecure in 2016. The Alameda County food bank estimates that one-fifth of the county’s population has accessed food assistance services. Poverty and food insecurity are interrelated. In Alameda County, households must earn more than $92,000 dollars a year to afford housing, food, medical care, and other basic necessities. However, thousands of local families make less than half of this amount. Families facing financial issues may have difficulty purchasing enough food for their household and must turn to food pantries and other community services.
