Category: Newsletter

Senator Patty Murray Introduces Bill to Protect Migrant Children

The Stop Cruelty to Migrant Children Act would end family separations at the southern border, strengthen health and safety protections for children and families, and provide additional guardrails and stronger standards to ensure that government funds are not used to traumatize or harm asylum seekers. This mistreatment towards migrant children and their families in border facilities are reminiscent of Nazi concentration camps’ appalling conditions and traumatic impact.

Per Senator Murray, “This legislation is just a step toward mitigating the harm done to these kids and holding those responsible accountable, but it’s a critical one we must take immediately before the kids in our care are even further hurt and traumatized.”

Thank you to the leadership of Senator Murray and other Senate Democratic leaders for looking out for our children as the Trump Administration creates and enforces nationalistic policies overnight. Click here to view a section-by-section breakdown of the Act and a one-pager for the bill.

Let’s Talk Primary

Primary Elections happen at the local and state levels and they precede a general election. Primaries represent a critical time when voters exercise their civic duty by selecting the candidate they believe should be their party’s candidate to run for elected office during the General Election. Primary Elections are important because they determine which convention delegates and party leaders will represent us in the General Election.

Timeline and Dates to Remember
Washington State’s Primary Election is on August 6 meaning it is less than a month away. If you have not updated your voter registration or registered to vote, do not delay because now is the time. Leading up to Election Day, eligible voters can register eight days before and in-person registration on Election Day itself. Online registration is a quicker way to register.

  • July 29 to August 5 – Last eight days to update or register online or through mail.
  • August 6 – Primary Election Day. In-person registration is an option, but you must do it during business hours or any time before drop boxes close. They close promptly at 8 PM.

How Do I Register?
Whether you plan to register online, by mail, or in-person, the most important thing is that you do register and vote. This is a great opportunity to jump in and be a part of the conversation during a politically troubling period. It is worth the time to invest in your community by making your voice heard in the election process. Are you ready to register to vote online today? Follow this link to get started on the next steps: MyVote.

Updates: How We Are Responding to ICE Raids

For the month of July, we have two major updates to share. First, in response to the imminent ICE raids, we have been meeting with various local stakeholder groups to ensure that our community members know what to do in the event of an ICE encounter. Second, we have been working alongside our partners to include an automatic adjustment for inflation in all Human Services Department contracts.

How We Are Responding to ICE Raids
Today, immigrant communities are hunkering down yet again to prepare for imminent ICE raids. Adults are avoiding seeking care for their health. Families are practicing their religion behind closed doors. Children are not getting the education they deserve because they are afraid to attend school.

These instances of what widespread fear can do to children and families must cease immediately. Recently, Senator Patty Murray introduced a bill titled Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, effectively blocking ICE raids from happening at schools and churches. The bill codifies the Department of Homeland Security’s existing policies and expands them to ensure that immigrants are able to access education, criminal justice, and social services without fear of deportation.

As a Sensitive Location since 2017, by definition, immigration enforcement activities are prohibited on El Centro de la Raza’s campus. It is critical that community members safely seek services. To that end, we have met with school district administrators, healthcare professionals, rabbis, and other nonprofit leaders to be better prepared for potential ICE encounters. To date, we provided two Know Your Rights trainings in Spanish over the radio. This outreach method allows us to reach thousands of people. Currently, we are building relationships with rabbis and Jewish organizations to declare synagogues as a Sensitive Location. It is important that community members can take sanctuary in a synagogue as well as other places of worship. This work is not easy, but it is necessary. Raids have no place in our schools, churches, daycares, community centers, places of worship – much less our country. We applaud the leadership of Senator Patty Murray and fellow community partners.

To learn more about Sensitive Locations, click here for the toolkit, which includes a list of FAQs. We are also offering workshops. For the schedule, please contact Adriana Ortiz-Serano, our Sensitive Locations Project Coordinator, via email at aortiz@elcentrodelaraza.org or by phone at 206-717-0089.

Automatic Adjustment for Inflation to HSD Contracts
Mil gracias to our allies who supported and rallied for the City’s historic piece of legislation to ensure nonprofits’ contracts with the Human Services Department (HSD) keep pace with inflation. Seattle City councilmembers voted unanimously for this law said to be the first of its kind in the country. The City recognized the work we are doing on their behalf to make our community a better place. While this law does not compensate all nonprofit contractors fairly, we are proud of this milestone because it is a step in the right direction. To send a thank-you note to your councilmembers, click here.

From Pre-K to Kindergarten

When Emily first enrolled in the José Martí Child Development Center at the beginning of the school year, she was very quiet and timid, and cried when arriving at school. The teachers supported her transition by helping her to learn the routine, make friends with her classmates and read books about feelings and emotions, and she began to develop confidence in herself.

Emily’s social/emotional development has progressed immensely, so much that she now shows great happiness to come to school each day and to interact with her classmates and teachers. She also loves to welcome guests who visit the classroom, giving them gifts and reciting poems or songs in both English and Spanish.

Academically, Emily has developed greatly in all areas of development. She recognizes and makes sounds of all the letters in the alphabet in both English and Spanish, and she knows numbers 1-100. By sounding out the letters, she is even beginning to read some words, including the names of all of her classmates! Emily’s first language is Spanish, but she can also now understand and speak in her second language, English, at the same level as her first language, holding conversations in English and enjoying books and stories in both English and Spanish.

Emily’s success is also due to her mother’s active involvement in her education. Even though she has two jobs, she frequently asks the teachers for bilingual books and other activities she can do at home to support Emily’s development.

Due to the supportive environment at JMCDC and at home, Emily now loves to learn and play and with her teachers and friends. By the winter assessment, she was already meeting all expected developmental levels, so when she starts kindergarten in September, she will be well-prepared for a successful transition to school!

Violet’s Transition

Violet, an African American woman and former service person who served in the US Army, initially came to El Centro de la Raza through a referral from 211-Crisis connections in June 2016. Like more than 50% of the service persons assisted by the Veteran Pathfinder program, Violet was experiencing homelessness during her initial intake interview. Violet also suffers from epilepsy and is physically disabled.

After her initial enrollment into the Veterans program, Violet received supportive services and was able to move from unsheltered homelessness to a shelter bed. Through our efforts at El Centro de la Raza, Violet was able to move into an apartment in Renton and was provided with a care aide to assist her with travel to and from scheduled appointments.

Violet returned to El Centro de la Raza in March of 2019 as a participant in our Food Bank program. Violet re-connected with the Veterans Pathfinder staff and now is able to access additional resources such as bus tickets, and veteran meet-up social engagements that enable her to stay connected to other veterans in the area.

Rosa’s Story: A Journey is Nonlinear

Rosa came to El Centro de la Raza looking for an opportunity to open her food business when she learned of the Business Opportunity Center (BOC). After learning more about the BOC, Rosa realized the exciting possibility of becoming her own boss. However, she first needed to improve her credit score in order to apply for a loan.

The BOC Coordinator referred Rosa to our Financial Empowerment program to begin financial counseling. Rosa went through the program and learned, in her native language, the importance of reviewing expending habits and how to pull her credit report. She left with a plan to pay down her debt aggressively and was referred to Mercy Corp’s Northwest IDA Grant Program to apply for a loan. After undergoing the extensive application process, Rosa received word that she was eligible to take out a $5,000 loan. She used that money towards obtaining a food cart.

She is grateful for programs at El Centro de la Raza, such as Financial Empowerment. She said, “Having these services helps our community further understand the importance of budgeting, a credit score, and money management.”

To learn more about the Business Opportunity Center, including getting on the waiting list, please contact Liliana via email at lparedes@elcentrodelaraza.org or by phone at 206-957-4636.

There is More Than What Meets the Eye

Chris*, who was 18 months old, lived with his family in a little space that resembled a basement. His family had many needs that affected their quality of life. His parents were able to afford a heater to combat the winter cold. To sit, they had a table with two chairs. There was no other furniture.

When one of El Centro de la Raza’s program coordinators visited Kevin’s home, she noticed that he was sick with the flu and was kept warm by his mother’s warmth. His mother held him in her arms the entire time because the floor was cold. When the program coordinator asked Kevin’s mother, Rosario*, how long they had lived there, she responded, “Nearly three years.” The coordinator believed it was unfair for the family to live in those conditions and asked what the family needed. Rosario stated they needed only diapers and a high chair for Kevin.

The next time the program coordinator visited, she brought what Rosario needed – and more. She brought food from our Food Bank, a larger space heater, some furniture, dishes, clothing, and blankets. With Westside Baby’s help, Kevin now had diapers, clothing, and a high chair. With more resources and fewer needs, Kevin feels more comfortable in his own home. He is more engaged during home visits and has made considerable improvement in his speech. His vocabulary has grown and wants to participate during home visits actively.

* Name has been changed to protect the individual’s identity and privacy.

Recap: Latino Legislative Day 2019

Speaker Chopp with El Centro de la Raza’s youth on Latino Legislative Day – Mar 18, 2019

On March 18, over 1,200 Latinos advocated for their community in Olympia as part of Latino Legislative Day. El Centro de la Raza organized 56 youth and individuals to speak to legislators in person about the community’s needs. We asked for support of our capital projects, including purchasing a building in Federal Way to expand programs and services to South King County, as well as on House Bill 1873 that intends to tax electronic cigarettes, electronic devices, and vape pens in the same way tobacco products are taxed. The experience was inspiring and motivating. A Chief Sealth High School senior expressed the desire to become a Senator one day, standing on the steps of the State Capitol after listening to Senator Rebecca Saldaña encourage students to achieve their dreams.

Recap: Senator Murray Held Press Conference in El Centro de la Raza’s Child Development Center to Champion #ChildCareForAll

Senator Patty Murray came to El Centro de la Raza on March 18 to advocate for working families the access to high quality, affordable child care. She explained the comprehensive bill and how her co-sponsors are making child care a budgetary priority. This bill would cap expenses for eligible families, pay child care providers a respectable wage, and expand child care access to all families. Parents could return to the workforce without exhausting their family’s financial resources. It is also predicted that young children would benefit tremendously from quality care because they spend more time in the classroom developing their brains.

Write a letter in support El Centro de la Raza’s expansion

The Washington State Legislature is now considering which capital requests they should fund. 53% of the Latinx community lives in South King County due to our city’s lack of housing affordability.  El Centro de la Raza requested capital funding to respond to our community’s needs by purchasing an office building located in Federal Way. It is clear why there is a need to expand our programs and services:

  • 12.9% of Latinx students are proficient in math (the state’s average is 31%).
  • 28.4% of Latinx students are ELA proficient (the state’s average is 45.5%).
  • 38% of Latinx ninth graders are failing at least one core class (compared to 18% for white students state-wide).
  • For ELL students, outcomes are even lower with 5% of students meeting targets.

We ask you to join us in urging each of the key decision-makers of the Capital Budget committee to approve our community’s request for funding the necessary purchase of an office building based in Federal Way. Each letter you help send makes a stronger case for why our expansion to South King County is key. Please help us spread the word by asking another friend of El Centro de la Raza to send their letter of support ASAP.

Here is the template and you will find all the key legislators’ contact information below:

Estimad@ Senator / Representative <<their last name here>>,

I am <<your first name here>>, a friend of El Centro de la Raza. I am writing today to ask you for your support in funding one of El Centro de la Raza’s capital budget request to purchase an office building in Federal Way for their program expansion ($1.78 million; legislative district 30).

It is important to stress the need for their culturally appropriate services to be available in South King County. Services will include academic, after-school, and leadership development and support services because of the staggering student demographics and outcome information in the Federal Way School District. Here are some examples:

  • 60% of the children qualify for a free or reduced lunch;
  • Only 12.9% of Latinx students are proficient in math (the state average is 31%); and,
  • Just 28.4% of Latinx students are ELA proficient (the state average is 45.5%).

Compared to white students statewide, 38% of Latinx ninth graders are failing at least one core class. For ELL students, the outcomes are even lower with 5% of students meeting targets. This kind of data is seemingly daunting to address, but El Centro de la Raza is prepared to do the work by purchasing an office building in Federal Way and establishing a presence.

I believe trusted community-based organizations like El Centro de la Raza can help move the needle. Please fund El Centro de la Raza’s capital request to purchase an office building. Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

Respectfully,

 

<<Your full name here>>
District <<number>>
<<Your full address to verify your legislative district>>
<<Phone number>>

Contact information for Capital Budget committee members: