Each year at our Building the Beloved Community Gala, we celebrate two individuals in the community who exemplify Building the Beloved spirit through multi-racial unity and work to eliminate poverty, racism, and social inequity, with a Felipe Maestas Legacy Award. We will celebrate our 2021 awardees with a humble $1,000 gift in their name to an organization of their choice and recognize each awardee at our 2021 Building the Beloved Gala on October 2nd.
Nia Tero and Seattle International Film Festival’s cINeDIGENOUS showcase
This program focuses on global Indigenous filmmakers sharing Indigenous stories and culture. Centering Indigenous art and artists amplifies voices and perspectives that are essential to our global well-being. cINeDIGENOUS is curated and presented in partnership with Nia Tero.
Earlier this month, El Centro de la Raza hosted another vaccine clinic, this time at our Federal Way offices. We are excited to reopen our Federal Way offices soon, but until then, we are happy that we can have a vaccine clinic on site and continue to show the support we hope to provide the LatinX and all communities in Federal Way. To find your phase, you can go here. Our clinics are equipped with translators, doctors, and volunteers to support with any questions or concerns. It’s important for everyone to get the vaccine when it is their phase to protect our community and loved ones. Jay Inslee has announced that by April 15th everyone in Washington above the age of 16 will be eligible for the vaccine.
Read testimony from El Centro de la Raza staff to Rep Frame and to Rep Pollet. Check in on the bill’s progress here.
With the COVID pandemic starting to be on the dismay, schools will soon begin to open at full capacity. What does this mean for parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and guardians of children? Children can easily be peer pressured to engage in new acts that may not be the best choice, such as smoking/vaping. It is no secret that there is a growing vaping pandemic amongst youth. One in three high school students in Washington reported vaping in the last month, and this number is on the rise! It is a delicate time in their lives, as we know children are very impressionable, especially during adolescence. Children could get a hold of money to buy these products and figure out how to purchase them if they become addicted and want them. What is a step in deterring our youth from purchasing these products aside from cessation/prevention education? Imposing a higher tax rate on these products could make them more expensive and more difficult for youth to possess the funds to purchase.
There is a current house bill in the legislative session proposed to help prevent youth smoking/vaping use. The proposed bill is HB1550, Washington State Legislature – HB 1550 Info, and offers an excise tax that would be a massive resource in our efforts for Nicotine prevention & cessation. The taxed items would be tobacco vape products that have become popular amongst youth/young adult usage. The taxes collected from this bill would adequately fund public health by directing all money collected to go towards nicotine and substance use prevention, cessation, enforcement, education, and foundational public health services.
At El Centro de la Raza, we continue to reach out to our LatinX community members to raise awareness about tobacco & vaping and the effects these products are having amongst our community members. We have developed youth prevention power-point presentations and collaborated with Latin Youth organizations to spread our tobacco-free message and why. These presentations and information are given in both Spanish & English to reach as many members of our LatinX community as possible in our culturally related efforts to fight against tobacco use & addiction amongst youth and young adults. Our culturally related efforts are reflected in our collaborated work by attending legislative meetings related to youth tobacco use, prevention, and constant training to keep our skillset up to date in youth tobacco prevention. The money collected from taxes would help organizations like El Centro de la Raza continue to succeed in their fight for tobacco cessation/prevention.
As a parent of two middle school-aged boys, I cannot stress the importance of education, cessation, and prevention resources on Nicotine, whether it is vaped or smoked. I do not believe there is a parent, aunt, uncle, or grandparent out there that wants their loved one to become addicted to a substance, let alone one that we know is the leading cause of preventable death in the world!
King County Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance ProgramProposal for Allocating Rent Assistance Funds to BIPOC Community Based Organizations
King County received approximately $145M in federal funds to provide rent assistance to very low-income households (below 50% area median income) who are adversely impacted by COVID and at high risk for eviction. In response to feedback from BIPOC leaders in King County, King County is adjusting the Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program (EPRAP) to provide funding to Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to support their communities. To do this effectively, DCHS will rely on the guidance and expertise of larger BIPOC CBOās to support investing and building capacity in smaller organizations.
Proposal
Ā· In 2021, King County (KC) will allocate approximately $30-45 million in rent assistance funds to CBOs to support BIPOC communities. Due to the County budget process, this may occur through multiple funding rounds.
Ā· Using a āhub and spokeā model, KC will provide grants of approximately $3 million dollars to 10-15 primary āhubā organizations. Per federal requirement, of this money, $2.7M could be used for rent assistance; $300K for administrative and operations costs.
Ā· Hub agencies then contract with smaller āspokeā organizations to provide support to their communities.
Ā· All hub and spoke organizations will need to comply with federal requirements.
Ā· King County will support the hub organizations with training, learning circles, and ongoing technical assistance to ensure that federal program requirements are met. The hub agencies would in turn support the smaller spoke agencies in meeting these requirements.
Ā· There may be a possibility of expanding the program if additional funding is allocated to King County later this year.
Next Steps
Ā· Partner with BIPOC leaders to refine model.
Ā· Through KC required procurement process, identify 10-15 organizations with the capacity to serve as hub agencies.
Ā· Create a survey that potential hub organizations can use to guage interest and service capacity of spoke organizations.
Ā· Accept applications from hub agencies detailing plans for contracting with spoke agencies and meeting federal requirements.
Ā· Allocate funds
Working Washington’s Pay Up Campaign
Gig companies have been expanding rapidly throughout the pandemic. At the same time as they’re making their executives into billionaires, they’re getting away with paying as little as $2 a job to the people who do the work. Here’s 3 things you can do to support Working Washington’s Pay Up Campaign and help raise pay for tens of thousands of people in our city:
Build the coalition: Share our sign on with other people and organizations. (Need more information? Let me know! Happy to share more detail about the policies we’re fighting for!)
Spread the word: Share our worker survey with any delivery drivers & other gig workers you may know to help us make sure the policies we’re advancing are grounded in workers’ needs.
Help make gig workers a priority at City Hall: Send a quick personal message to your city councilmembers and the mayor, letting them know that raising pay in the gig economy is a priority!
To achieve the pandemic recovery we ALL want to see, we must ensure that everyone is included in it. That means ensuring that we stabilize our workforce by protecting immigrants serving as essential workers and providing them with an earned path to citizenship. We must honor and protect those who have spent so much effort protecting us by keeping our hospitals running, stacking our grocery shelves, and cleaning our homes and offices.
We call on the Biden administration to commit to including a pathway to citizenship for essential immigration workers in the presidentās Build Back Better recovery package.
Letās truly ābuild back betterā by stabilizing our workforce and families.
Health care should be available to all, regardless of immigration status.
Access to affordable health care is particularly crucial now, as underlying inequities have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Immigrants and communities of color are disproportionately contracting, hospitalized for, and dying from COVID-19.
Urge your lawmaker to ensure the state budget includes funding for health care services for uninsured and underinsured people regardless of immigration status
To recognize this special time, we at El Centro de la Raza would like to take a moment to thank and recognize our volunteers. Volunteers assist with a variety of essential tasks that help our agency run smoothly, ranging from distributing food and tutoring to making masks, providing translation services, special event assistance and more. Our organization would be unable to provide 43 programs and services to the community without them!
During the first seven years of its existence, El Centro de la Raza was completely volunteer-run. Volunteerism was at the heart of our mission from the very beginning, and our success over the past 48+ years reminds us that we would not be where we are today without their generous support. On behalf of everyone at El Centro de la Raza, we are sending mil gracias to our volunteers!
Volunteers call participants to offer Voter Registration information as part of our Expedia Days of Caring event in OctoberA volunteer Makes masks at her home
On February 26th, El Centro de la Raza hosted an ICHS COVID Vaccine Clinic in our Centilia Cultural Center. We are happy to have used our beautiful space for such an essential purpose. We saw many important community members, including 15 qualifying tenants of Plaza Roberto Maestas and El Patio, ready to take their next steps in staying safe and keeping our community safe. To find your phase, you can go here. The space was equipped with translators, doctors, and volunteers to support with any questions or concerns. It’s important for everyone to get the vaccine when it is their phase to protect our community and loved ones.
Marisa*, 77, is one of our senior lunch program’s longest-standing participants. She has been joining us for lunch since 2004 or 2005 since she met Raquel, one of our program coordinators. Marisa has also supported the community by volunteering with our food bank and with other senior programs. She says the program has helped her with many parts of her life and she has met many people over the years, being part of this community. Marisa is a great example for our community and a wonderful member of it. We appreciate her support, her presence, and the love she brings with her.
*Name has been changed for privacy
Latino Legislative Day 2021
On March 17, 8 middle school youth from the Totem After School Program attended Latino Legislative Day Leadership workshops. To their surprise, the workshops were completely led by high school youth. Among the topics discussed were discussions around antiāBlackness in Latinx communities, mental health, and environmental justice. As youth left the workshop, they shared with the facilitators, āI learned A LOT today, Iām glad I was hereā. During reflections the next day in the after school program, youth wanted to know how they could get to that level, āHow do I facilitate a workshop like them when I grow up?ā youth were reassured, they are already capable and on track to lead their own workshops. During the cultural enrichment segment, the lessons offered are providing youth a social justice framework.
A story about El Centro de la Raza & The Plate Fund
Since March 2020 El Centro de la Raza has been partnering with the Schultz Family Foundation to distribute funding to restaurant workers impacted by the pandemic through The Plate Fund. The Plate Fund is a one-time funding source of $500 Visa gift card that can be utilized in any store to purchases necessities like food, or even for things like online payments for utility bills or rent. During the pandemic, the restaurant industry was incredibly unstable due to the constant closing and reopening of businesses due to the changing restrictions and phases. Many restaurant workers lost income due to the businesses shutting down, to severe reductions in hours, or even contracting COVID-19 forcing them to take time off work. The pandemic has shown us how difficult it is to navigate resources, however many restaurant workers also had to deal with the language barrier that they faced when they tried to find any assistance or aid.
One participant, in particular, called El Centro de la Raza and told staff that they were rejected from many other organizations and were in desperate need of support. This participant, Martin Sanchez*, is a 70-year-old man who was not able to work as a result of his age and diabetes making him at higher risk for contracting COVID-19. His daughter was also laid off from Mcdonaldās in early March and had not been able to find work since then. Both father and daughter had exhausted the last of their savings and sold their car for further income but were in dire need of financial support as they had medical expenses as well as housing and food expenses. Due to the language barrier, technology barrier, and limited ability to read or write, the family had a difficult time accessing resources for relief. Our staff at El Centro de La Raza was able to work with them to get Martinās daughter qualified to receive a $500 Visa gift card to the Plate Fund and referred them to receive rental assistance as well.
*Name has been changed for privacy
Vaping is Not My Thing Contest
Through an interdepartmental partnership, youth from the Plaza Roberto Maestas After School and FW Totem After School Program were invited to submitted entries to the Scholastics’ “Vaping is Not My Thing” contest. To enter the contest, participants had to create an infographic poster targeted to their peers and informing them of the dangers of vaping. Two youth of the Plaza Roberto Maestas After School program were able to submit entries. Through the process, both scholars developed their stance to say no to vaping and encourage their peers to steer away from vaping dangers. We are very proud of them both! Below is one of our scholar’s entries.
“Allow yourself to ask your community for help” – Nina Martinez Board Chair of Latino Civic Alliance. on March 16th, LCA hosted the annual Latino Legislative Day. The program featured experts on COVID-19 and the Latino community, advocates for safer policing in crisis, and folks working towards reopening schools safely. We look forward to continuing to participate in this day and advocating for our Latino community. Latinos have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and are disproportionately forgotten when it comes to the vaccine. We appreciate points of view from our diverse Latino community advocating for the safety and support of our community.
Please take this Mount Baker Early Learning Center Survey
We have been collaborating with the University of Washington on the Mount Baker Early Learning Center. We would appreciate if you took this survey(EspaƱol), before April 6th, which will help make sure parent, educator and community voices are heard in planning for this early learning hub.
Upcoming Town Halls
Ask this targeted question:
What actions can you take to ensure $240M of cash assistance for undocumented immigrants is included in the biennial budget?
33rd District (SeaTac, Burien) ā Rep Mia Gregerson + Rep Tina Orwall + Sen Karen Keiser
Submit questions ahead of time: surveymonkey.com/r/LSTG8BR or submit questions live during the event by leaving a question in the comment section
Facebook Live event open to all
March 31st at 6pm
For an update on the HEAL Act, which we mentioned in our last newsletter, check out this 37th Legislative District Town Hall on March 31st at 6pm. We continue to support the HEAL Act, which would take essential steps by defining environmental justice to improve all Washington residents’ environmental health conditions. This bill would prioritize improvement in areas where communities suffer most from pollution. It will be available on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter accounts for the Senate Democratic Caucus and the House Democratic Caucus. The easiest way to join will be at State Senator SaldaƱa’s FB page. Stay tuned for more details as the event approaches!
Working Washington’s Pay Up Campaign
Gig companies have been expanding rapidly throughout the pandemic. At the same time as they’re making their executives into billionaires, they’re getting away with paying as little as $2 a job to the people who do the work. Here’s 3 things you can do to support Working Washington’s Pay Up Campaign and help raise pay for tens of thousands of people in our city:
Build the coalition: Share our sign on with other people and organizations. (Need more information? Let me know! Happy to share more detail about the policies we’re fighting for!)
Spread the word: Share our worker survey with any delivery drivers & other gig workers you may know to help us make sure the policies we’re advancing are grounded in workers’ needs.
Help make gig workers a priority at City Hall: Send a quick personal message to your city councilmembers and the mayor, letting them know that raising pay in the gig economy is a priority!
To achieve the pandemic recovery we ALL want to see, we must ensure that everyone is included in it. That means ensuring that we stabilize our workforce by protecting immigrants serving as essential workers and providing them with an earned path to citizenship. We must honor and protect those who have spent so much effort protecting us by keeping our hospitals running, stacking our grocery shelves, and cleaning our homes and offices.
We call on the Biden administration to commit to including a pathway to citizenship for essential immigration workers in the presidentās Build Back Better recovery package.
Letās truly ābuild back betterā by stabilizing our workforce and families.
Health care should be available to all, regardless of immigration status.
Access to affordable health care is particularly crucial now, as underlying inequities have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Immigrants and communities of color are disproportionately contracting, hospitalized for, and dying from COVID-19.
Urge your lawmaker to ensure the state budget includes funding for health care services for uninsured and underinsured people regardless of immigration status
$1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan
What does President Biden’s recently enacted $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan mean for HUD and USDA housing programs and the people and communities they serve?
Housing Provisions in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
COVID-19 has exacerbated our nation’s already severe housing affordability crisis. Today, 1 in 5 renters is behind on rent and just over 10 million homeowners are behind on mortgage payments. People of color face even greater hardship and are more likely to have deferred or missed payments, putting them at greater risk of eviction and foreclosure. At the same time, our nation’s homelessness crisis has worsened during the pandemic, as people experiencing homelessness are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 transmission, illness, and severity due to their use of congregate shelters and their high prevalence of underlying health conditions.
The Biden-Harris Administration has made delivering housing relief a top priority. Recently, the administration announced a coordinated extension and expansion of forbearance and foreclosure relief programs, an important step towards building stronger and more equitable communities.
To bolster these efforts, Congress has passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021to deliver more aid to people struggling to pay their rent or mortgage. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021includes a number of provisions to be administered by HUD and other agencies to provide immediate and direct relief to help people across America remain stably housed during the pandemic.
Specifically, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021provides:
Ā· Emergency rental assistance. The legislation provides more than $21.5 billion in emergency rental assistance to be administered by Treasury to help millions of families keep up on their rent and remain in their homes.
Ā· Homeowner Assistance Fund. The legislation provides nearly $10 billion to be administered by Treasury to help homeowners behind on their mortgage and utility payments and avoid foreclosure and eviction.
Ā· Emergency housing vouchers. The legislation provides $5 billion for emergency housing vouchers for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness
Ā· Homelessness assistance and supportive services program. The legislation provides $5 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program to help create housing and services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Ā· Housing assistance and supportive services programs for Native Americans. The legislation provides $750 million for Native Americans and Native Hawaiians’ assistance, helping reduce housing-related health risks during the pandemic.
Ā· Emergency assistance for rural housing. The legislation provides $100 million to be administered by USDA to help people in rural communities keep their homes during the pandemic.
Ā· Funds for housing counseling. The legislation provides $100 million to be administered by NeighborWorks, for grants to housing counseling providers to provide services to households facing housing instability.
Ā· Relief measures for section 502 and 504 direct loan borrowers. The legislation provides $39 million to be administered by USDA for USDA Section 502 and 504 home loans, which help low- and very-low-income borrowers purchase, repair, and rehabilitate housing in rural areas while helping existing borrowers who are struggling to afford housing.
Ā· Funds for fair housing activities. The legislation provides $20 million for the Fair Housing Initiatives Program to investigate fair housing complaints, strengthen enforcement, and assist those who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination.
Mil gracias for your generosity and support of our Emergency Response Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic. You are helping community members rebuild their self-sufficiency during one of the worst crises in our history. With your help, we are providing emergency assistance to struggling families and small business owners. Our Emergency Response Fund has expanded our ability to answer calls for help from our community members.
With the rollout of the vaccine this year, 2021 presents opportunities for us to heal our communities and restore our local economy by getting families back to work and our children back to school. Until then, we will continue to help our community members weather the pandemic.
English
Spanish
Amharic
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Filipino
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Somali
Vietnamese