This is a full-day workshop organized by the Small Business Development Center Sonoma County.

Monday, Sept 21, 2026
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
50 Old Courthouse Square, #110, Santa Rosa, CA 95404

Cost: $149.00
(includes class and certification exam)

This official ServSafe Food Safety Manager's Training required by California law for food establishments. Whether you're running a restaurant, food truck, or catering business, this certification is essential to ensure food safety and meet health department regulations.

Led by a certified ServSafe instructor, the course covers being a certified Food Safety Manager and prepares you for the Servsafe exam (included):

• Foodborne illness and prevention
• Safe food handling and preparation
• Cleaning and sanitizing procedures
• Time and temperature control
• Personal hygiene
• Regulatory compliance

The day includes six hours of training followed by the official 2-hour ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Exam.

For more information, order the coursebook, and to register,
use this LINK to register.

Premier Sponsor: Marble Bridge Funding!

Senator Cabaldon’s office has shared a college scholarship opportunity from the AAPI Legislative Caucus Foundation for students in Senate District 03.

The scholarship award is $2,500. Students attending college outside of Senator Cabaldon’s district are still eligible to apply, as long as their permanent home address is within SD03.

The application deadline is 11:59 PM on September 1, 2026, and applicants will be notified by October 1, 2026.

To apply, students must be logged into a Google account and complete the application form here: https://forms.gle/uZGTdHcNQD5znixz8

The Sonoma County Youth Commission on Human Rights Health Care Cohort has launched a community-wide Health Care Art Competition and is inviting submissions from participants of all ages.

The contest encourages artwork exploring themes related to:

• Health care access
• Wellness and healing
• Mental health
• Equity and community care
• Human rights and public health

All artistic mediums are welcome.

Deadline to submit: August 24, 2026

Submit artwork here: https://tinyurl.com/5d45nxpz

This project was developed by local youth leaders committed to creating thoughtful conversations around health care and human rights in Sonoma County.

Interested in becoming more involved? Learn more about joining the 2026–2027 Youth Commission on Human Rights below.

Applications are now open for the 2026–2027 Sonoma County Youth Commission on Human Rights — an educational leadership opportunity for Sonoma County high school students in grades 9–12.

Students can participate in two ways during the academic year:

Seasonal Youth Commissioner Volunteer

A flexible volunteer opportunity for students interested in:

• Human rights education
• Community engagement
• Volunteer service hours
• Local events and projects

No interview required.

Focused Youth Commission Cohort

A deeper leadership opportunity where Youth Commissioners:

• Meet monthly with students across Sonoma County
• Develop action-oriented human rights projects
• Complete volunteer service hours
• Explore topics such as health care, education, environmental justice, labor rights, and systemic equity

Applications and interviews will take place throughout the summer.

Apply and learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/2026YCHRapp

The current Youth Commission Health Care Cohort has also launched a countywide Health Care Art Competition open to all ages, with submissions due August 24, 2026.

https://www.rohnertparkchamber.org/events/details/2026-business-showcase-3553?calendarMonth=2026-08-01

AAPIC is partnering with the Rohnert Park, Cotati, Hispanic, and North Bay Black Chambers of Commerce for the 2026 Business Showcase!

This free, family-friendly event typically welcomes more than 500 attendees and is a great opportunity for local businesses and nonprofits to connect with community members, share their work, and gain visibility.

Wednesday, August 19 | 4–7 PM
SOMO Village, Rohnert Park

Booth registration is open to members of all participating chambers. Register by July 31 for discounted pricing, and please write AAPIC North Bay in the comments section when registering.

Booth registration deadline: August 12

Learn more and reserve your booth through the Rohnert Park Chamber event page.

Running a small business in Sonoma County comes with real challenges — from navigating funding to figuring out regulations to simply finding time to plan.

Sonoma County Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

SBDC exists to help you do exactly that, at no cost. Whether you're just starting out or ready to grow, their team of expert advisors offers confidential, one-on-one guidance tailored to your business goals.

• The Sonoma County SBDC network offers free, confidential advising on business planning, funding, marketing, and more
• Helped launch 1,900+ businesses and unlock $1.56B in capital across Northern California
• No cost to you — funded by SBA and state partners

Workshop Spotlight — Cottage Food Launchpad

Want to sell food from your home kitchen? This free online series covers everything you need to launch and run a home-based food business legally and confidently:

• Session 3 – June 2, 1–2:30 PM · Kitchen setup, hygiene, packaging & labeling
• Session 4 – June 9 · Part 2 of running your cottage food business

Click on the session links above to register 

• Read more about Sonoma County SBDC
• See all Sonoma County SBDC trainings 

A community storytelling exhibit
where people share meaningful objects
and the stories they carry—
exploring migration, memory, loss, and belonging.

September 4 - October 4, 2026
Petaluma Historical Library & Museum

You are invited to share a meaningful belonging and the story it carries. You may enter anonymously. No experience needed-everyone is welcome.

Submission deadline: July 1. 2026.

 * Learn more about the project
* Submit your story

The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS), Sonoma County Chapter, is now accepting applications for the Katherine "Kay" Baguio 2026 Scholarship, designed to support students of Filipino/Filipina descent in pursuing their educational goals.

Eligibility: Open to graduating high school seniors and recent high school graduates (within the past 2 years) of Filipino/Filipina descent.

Application Deadline: May 20, 2026

To apply or learn more, reach out directly to FANHS Sonoma County:

•  fanhs.sonomacounty@gmail.com
• 707-837-0883 (Karen)

Please share this opportunity with any eligible students or families in your network!

We're proud to share that our Board President, Laurie Fong, was recently featured on the podcast "We're the Leaders We're Looking For" — a series from United Way of the Wine Country exploring transformational leadership in our local community.

The podcast is built on a simple but powerful belief: that the capacity for meaningful leadership already lives within each of us. Hosted by Lisa, the series features candid conversations with extraordinary local leaders on themes of courage, compassion, belonging, and leading with purpose in uncertain times.

Laurie's episode is joined by two other compelling voices — J Mullineaux and Herman G. Hernández — each offering a unique perspective on what it means to show up for your community with clarity and heart.

Whether you're tuning in for the first time or revisiting these stories, it's a series worth your time.

️ Check out "We're the Leaders We're Looking For" wherever you listen to podcasts.

May 2026, 2026 
Published by AAPI Data & the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research

Personal finances are a source of stress for most AAPI adults, along with health concerns. And many are also stressed about discrimination, with 1 in 4 experiencing a hate crime or incident in the last year .

When asked about confidence in medical professionals to act in the best interest of public health, AAPI adults report the most confidence in doctors, nurses, scientists, and medical researchers according to a new AAPI Data/AP-NORC Poll. Nine in 10 express at least some confidence in each of these professions, and about 6 in 10 are extremely or very confident. Fewer express the same level of confidence in alternative medicine practitioners (58%), and more than half (56%) are not confident in the federal government to do what is best for public health. [READ MORE]