SOCIAL SECURITY LAUNCHES REDESIGNED WEBSITE AT SSA.GOV

By G. Samson ocia ec rity ic A airs ecia ist in the ay Area

Have you visited the redesigned SSA.gov yet? In December 2022, we updated our homepage with a new design to help you find what you need ore easily.

“SSA.gov is visited by over 180 million people per year and it is one of our most important tools for providing e cient and e uitable access to service,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, at the launch. “Whether providing service in person or online, our goal is to help people understand what they may qualify for and seamlessly transition them to an application process.”

Now, with improved self-service accessibility to online services, you might not have to call or visit an o ce to get what you need. This helps our staff focus on serving custo ers who need in-person assistance.

Reimagined website prioritizes customer experience

The redesign is intended to provide a clear path to the tasks you need to accomplish. Many of the most visited sections of SSA.gov are now live with a more user-friendly and task-based approach. New pages and improvements based on public feedback will continue to be unveiled in the co ing onths, as part of our ongoing efforts to improve how the public can do business with us.

When you visit SSA.gov, you can use interactive tools to:

Check eligibility for benefits

The new benefit eligibility screener is a convenient and simple way for you to learn if you ight be eligible for benefits.

Save time on Social Security number (SSN) and card online services

If you lose your SSN card, you may not need a replacement. In most cases, simply knowing your SSN is enough. If you do need a replace- ment card, you may be able to request it online by visiting our Social Security Number and Card page at www.ssa.gov/ssnumber.

You can also start an application for an updated card or request an for the first ti e. ou ay never need to go to an o ce, but if you do need to visit an office to co plete the application then you can save a lot of time by starting online.

Start an application for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) pply for ocial ecurity benefits and other online services or ost benefits, you can apply online or start an application online. In many cases, there are no forms to sign. We will review the application and contact you with any questions or if we need more information. Visit our Online Services page at www.ssa.gov/onlineservices to apply for retirement, disability, or Medicare. f you re not yet receiving benefits, you can use your online account to get a personalized Social Security Statement, which provides your earnings information as well as estimates of future benefits. The portal also includes a retire ent estimator tool and links to information about other online services. We encourage people without a personal my Social Security account to create one today at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

You can start the application process online and request an appointment to apply for SSI benefits by answering a few uestions on our page at www.ssa.gov/ssi.

Many Social Security services do not require an o ce visit. f you have a personal y ocial Security account, you can start or change direct deposit, request a replacement SSA-1099, or print or download a current benefit verification letter if you need proof of your benefits.

By Elpidio . E tioko

SAN FRANCISCO - The reason why Asian Americans are easy prey is because they are reserved, very quiet, law-abiding citizens, and seldom go out in the community and mingle with others.

This was the observation of longtime public o cial and currently erryessa chool istrict oard e ber, for er California Assembly member for District 25 Kansen Chu in an interview.

Chu said Asian Americans need to make their presence felt in the community, they need to be brave enough to report to the police or to the authorities if they are mistreated or bullied and have to testify if needed.

In his years of public service, Chu observed lots of Asians shy away from controversies and are afraid to come out when bullied or so.

“Ia think we need to mobilize social media to encourage them to go out and to show their presence in the community,” he said. “Also, during elections, I observed that they are not studying the credentials and qualities of the candidates they are voting for. They need to scrutini e their ualifi cations, spend their time to know their candidates, and vote for the candidates who are worthy of serving the community,” Chu said.

To avoid being prey, Chu said Asians need to show their presence in the community, be vigilant, concerned with what’s going on in the area, and connect with their o cials and leaders in the community.

He said Asians need to assert their rights and be more courageous enough to report incidents of injustice or personal physical injuries they incurred as victims. “They need to be assertive and brave for any injustices… not remain silent or reluctant to report a crime to the police… they need to come out in the open,” he added.

Chu also urged Asian organizations to extend their support and services to fellow Asians who are victims of injustices, targets of extortion or other means of damaging activities, especially the elderly who are usually the victims of exploitation and robbery.

As a school board member, Chu is representing a group of schools in the district that are diverse, 13 elementary and a middle school. Of the total student population, Chu said about 50 percent are Asians, 10 to 15 percent Latinos, and 20 percent Caucasians and the rest of the population.

As a result of the Jorge Floyd in- cident, many San Jose schools are not allowing policemen in their campuses, so school o cials are not only busy in instructions but also in making their campuses safe.

Damaging Storms and Power Outages: California Prepares for More Severe Weather

By Ethnic edia er ice Antonio ay ar ey alifornia Black Media

In a public information campaign driven by Listos California, a program of Cal OES, safety checklists and other resources are being shared with all Californians.

The overnor s ce of ergency Services (Cal OES) is asking all residents across the state to prepare for another round of severe weather systems and potential power outages this week.

In a public information campaign driven by Listos California, a program of Cal OES, safety checklists and other resources are being shared with all Californians.

Diana Crofts-Pelayo, Cal OES Assistant Director of Crisis Communication and ublic ffairs said during a arch 13 briefing that the state is offering lifesaving resources” and providing an update on the states co prehensive effort to protect California communities during these rounds of storms.”

“Gov. Gavin Newsom has activated the State’s Operation Center, which is essentially the full weight of the State,” Crofts-Pelayo said. “The state has to be able to have tightly coordinated responses and rapidly deploy resources to protect impacted communities.”

Cal OES is reporting that so far this year California has experienced multiple large and damaging storms in the form of snow, gusty winds, lightning and torrential rain. It is warning that storms continue to be dynamic and pose a threat to communities throughout the state.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has activated the State Operations Center to bring state support to county-led emergency response efforts and coordinate utual aid from neighboring jurisdictions.

To elevate the state’s response, Newsom has declared a state of emergency in counties ador, utte, l orado, Fresno, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, ake, os ngeles, adera, ariposa, endocino, erced, ono, onterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacraento, an ernardino, an rancisco, an uis bispo, an ateo, anta ar- bara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yuba, Calaveras, Del Norte, Glenn, ings, an enito and an oa uin counties have been warned that disaster may occur.

According to Crofts-Pelayo, the impact of the “extreme weather has been significant. There are 33 shelters opened in 14 counties, about 15,800 people are under evacuation and 6,800 people in 16 counties are without power.

“Our climate is changing and at the end of the day the hots are getting hotter, the wets are wetter, and the dry dryer,” Crofts-Pelayo said. “So, with that we are having to rapidly evolve our response and preparedness messaging to really fit a whole host of different co unities. think that we never really went away from the January storms.” n arch 13, resident oe iden approved the Governor’s emergency declaration request and has authorized federal assistance to support the storm response effort in California.

Listos California has provided “Preparedness Tips that the o ce says will play a critical role in keeping communities safe.

Californians residing in affected counties are encouraged to sign up for their local community’s warning system at CalAlerts.gov. Use Television, radio, and county emergency services social media channels to get the information to be safe, authorities say.

If asked to evacuate, do so immediately and know that personnel at emergency evacuation centers cannot ask for identification. veryone is welco e at emergency evacuation centers.

Never drive around barricades and never drive into ooded areas. o not walk, swi , or drive through ood waters.

Visit Listos California for information on the range of resources to help Californians in need.

Above: One of a series of storms known as atmospheric rivers heads towards California, which has been battered by heavy rains and wind causing destruction and loss of life across the state.