As Medi-Cal changes loom, Santa Cruz County’s immigrant families face a new health crisis — and a call for collective action

As Medi-Cal changes loom, Santa Cruz County’s immigrant families face a new health crisis — and a call for collective action

On a weekday morning in Watsonville, sunlight filters across the lobby of La Manzana Community Resources, where families gather in the steady rhythm of a community center that has become a lifeline. Parents rock toddlers on their hips. Elders wait with renewal packets folded sharply in their hands. Conversations drift between Spanish, English, and Mixteco as advocates help residents navigate the network of public services that keep many local ho…