News

August 3 marked the first anniversary of the devastating El Paso shooting. Words are never adequate for tragedies, including this one. We share in the sadness of the victims’ friends and families, most of whom were people of color. The gunman’s manifesto posted shortly before the shooting read, “This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas.” In UnidosUS’ poll of Latino voters, gun violence is among the community’s top five issues.

President Trump’s leadership strategy uses primarily anti-immigrant rhetoric to inspire hate crimes and domestic terrorism. On the global stage, Trump represents our country by dehumanizing the Latino community. He has abused his executive powers to separate families at the southern border, implement the Public Charge rule, discourage immigrant and refugee communities from being counted in the 2020 Census, and attack DACA, among many other strategies to keep communities of color down.

There is courage in sorrow and action. As we remember this tragedy, let us stand together in our collective power to vote for candidates whose priority is to bring the country together. This General Election on November 3, let us elect leaders who want to protect immigrants and asylum seekers. The deadline to register or update your voter registration online or by mail is Monday, October 26.

Click for more information. Click to update your address and register to vote. For questions or more information, please contact Mandela via email at volunteer@elcentrodelaraza.org.

Timeline changes:
The Census Bureau will end its field data collection by September 30 – one month earlier than planned – after being pressured by the current administration. This change was made to meet the December 31 deadline for transmitting the state population totals used for congressional apportionment to the president. This new date gives only six weeks for non-response follow up, making it a critical time to ensure our historically undercounted communities are represented in the Census. The self-response options will also close on that date. If you have not responded to the Census already, you must do so now by visiting https://my2020Census.gov/.

Non-Response Follow Up:
As of July 30, Census takers have started to visit households on the west side of the Cascades. Enumerators will begin visiting homes on the east side of the state on August 11. A Census taker knocks on your door to help you fill out the Census and maintain resources that already exist in your community. The interview is quick, easy, and vital to your neighborhood’s next ten years of resources.

For communities who are hesitant to open their doors to officials, the Census Bureau has published several ways to identify if someone is a Census taker or Census Bureau employee:

• The Census taker will present an ID badge that includes: their name, photograph, a Department of Commerce watermark, and expiration date.
• Census takers and field representatives conduct work only between 9 am and 9 pm, local time.
• They will have an official Census Bureau-issued device, such as laptops or smartphones, with the Census Bureau logo.
• A Census taker will never ask for your social security number or banking information.
• You can also enter the name of the Census taker in the Census Bureau Staff Search.

If you have questions about a Census taker’s identity, you can call 844-330-2020 to speak with a Census Bureau representative.

Census Emails:
The Census Bureau recently announced that they would send emails out to residents who live in Census blocks with a 50% response rate or less. Previous messaging from the Census said that they would not contact individuals by email. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Census Bureau has adapted its outreach methods to ensure a complete, accurate count.  

Recipients will receive emails from the email address 2020Census@subscriptions.Census.gov that will invite them to respond to the Census online. Only households that have given the Census Bureau or commercial list their contact information will receive these email invitations. The Census Bureau is also considering sending out text messages, though no decision has been announced.

The President and the Census:
On July 21, President Trump signed a memorandum to exclude undocumented immigrants from being counted for congressional apportionment. This proposal is unconstitutional as the 14^th Amendment requires a count of “all persons” in the United States. The Justice Department, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, has confirmed that apportionment is based on the number of persons living in each state without regard to citizenship status.

The Pew Research Center estimates that if undocumented immigrants were excluded from apportionment, at least three states (California, Florida, and Texas) would lose a House seat. At least three lawsuits have been filed challenging the memorandum. The memorandum does not change which questions are asked on the Census or the protections that keep personally identifiable data for at least 72 years.

The president’s memorandum seeks to shift political representation away from places with large immigrant communities by defying the Census’ constitutional mandate to ensure that each state is represented in proportion to their population. Furthermore, the memorandum is an attempt to suppress Census participation and skew the congressional map, making it more critical than ever that marginalized communities, regardless of citizenship status, participate in the 2020 Census by September 30.

Cambios en la línea cronológica general:
La Oficina del Censo finalizará su recopilación de datos el 30 de septiembre, un mes antes de lo planeado – este resulta después de ser presionados por la administración actual. Este cambio se realizó en un intento por cumplir con la fecha límite del 31 de diciembre para transmitir los totales de la población estatal utilizados para el reparto del Congreso al presidente. Esta nueva fecha solo da seis semanas para el seguimiento sin respuesta, que es un momento crítico para garantizar que nuestras comunidades que históricamente menos contadas estén representadas en el Censo. Las opciones de auto-respuesta también se cerrarán en esa fecha. Si aún no ha respondido al Censo, debe hacerlo ahora visitando https://my2020Census.gov/.

Seguimiento sin respuesta:
A partir del 30 de julio, los encuestadores del censo han comenzado a visitar hogares en el lado oeste de las Cascadas. Los enumeradores comenzarán a visitar hogares en el lado este del estado el 11 de agosto. Un encuestador del censo llegara a su puerta para ayudarlo a completar el censo para mantener los recursos que ya existen en su comunidad. La entrevista es rápida, fácil y vital para los próximos diez años de recursos en su vecindario.

Para las comunidades que dudan en abrir sus puertas a los funcionarios, la Oficina del Censo ha publicado una lista de varias formas de identificar si alguien es un empleado del Censo o empleado de la Oficina del Censo:

• El encuestador del censo presentará una credencial de identificación que incluye: su nombre, fotografía, una marca de agua del Departamento de Comercio y la fecha de vencimiento.
• Los encuestadores del censo y los representantes de campo realizan el trabajo solo entre las 9 am y las 9 pm, hora local.
• Tendrán un dispositivo oficial emitido por la Oficina del Censo, como una computadora portátil o un teléfono que tenga el logotipo de la Oficina del Censo.
• Un encuestador del Censo nunca le pedirá su número de seguro social o información bancaria.
• También puede ingresar el nombre del encuestador del censo en la Búsqueda de personal de la Oficina del Censo.

Si tiene preguntas o dudas sobre la identidad de un encuestador del Censo, puede llamar al 844-330-2020 para hablar con un representante de la Oficina del Censo

Correos electrónicos del censo:
La Oficina del Censo anunció recientemente que enviarían correos electrónicos a los residentes que viven en los bloques del Censo que tienen una tasa de respuesta del 50% o menos. Los mensajes anteriores del Censo decían que no contactarían a las personas por correo electrónico. Sin embargo, debido a la pandemia de COVID-19, la Oficina del Censo ha adaptado sus métodos de divulgación para garantizar un recuento completo y preciso.

Los destinatarios recibirán correos electrónicos de la dirección de la cuenta 2020Census@subscriptions.Census.gov  que los invitará a responder al Censo en línea. Solo las familias que le hayan dado a la Oficina del Censo o a la lista comercial su información de contacto recibirán estas invitaciones por correo electrónico. La Oficina del Censo también está considerando enviar mensajes de texto, aunque no se ha anunciado ninguna decisión.

El presidente y el censo:
El 21 de julio, el presidente Trump firmó un memorando para excluir a los inmigrantes indocumentados de ser contados para el reparto del Congreso. Esta propuesta es inconstitucional ya que la Enmienda 14 requiere un recuento de “todas las personas” que viven en los Estados Unidos. El Departamento de Justicia, bajo las administraciones demócratas y republicanas, ha confirmado que el reparto se basa en el número de personas que viven en cada estado sin tener en cuenta el estado de ciudadanía.

El Pew Research Center estima que si los inmigrantes indocumentados fueran excluidos del reparto, al menos tres estados (California, Florida y Texas) perderían un asiento en la Cámara de los Representantes. Al menos tres demandas han sido presentadas desafiando el memorándum.

El memorando no cambia qué preguntas se hacen en el Censo o las protecciones que mantienen los datos de identificación personal durante al menos 72 años. El memorando del presidente busca desviar la representación política de lugares con grandes comunidades de inmigrantes desafiando el mandato constitucional del Censo para garantizar que cada estado esté representado en proporción a su población. El memorándum es un intento de suprimir la participación en el Censo y sesgar el mapa del Congreso. Con esto en mente, es más importante que nunca que las comunidades marginadas, independientemente de su condición de ciudadanía, participen en el Censo 2020.

We need your help. Please join us now in calling on Seattle City Council to override Mayor Durkan’s veto of the JumpStart Seattle COVID relief bill and urge the Mayor to appropriate the money for emergency relief needed for our immigrant and refugee communities. Take a few minutes to take action in two ways by: 

• Signing onto this petition. If the Mayor vetoes a bill, it is sent back to the City Council for reconsideration, and the City Council may override the veto by a two-thirds vote.
• Emailing your Councilmembers and Mayor Durkan using the sample message below. 

Before you begin composing your email to your Councilmembers and Mayor Durkan,

1. Identify or verify which Councilmembers represent you based on your address: https://www.seattle.gov/council/meet-the-council/find-your-district-and-councilmembers.

District 1 – Lisa Herbold: lisa.herbold@seattle.gov

District 2 – Tammy Morales: tammy.morales@seattle.gov

District 3 – Kshama Sawant: kshama.sawant@seattle.gov

District 4 – Alex Pedersen: alex.pedersen@seattle.gov

District 5 – Debora Juarez: debora.juarez@seattle.gov

District 6 – Dan Strauss: dan.strauss@seattle.gov

District 7 – Andrew Lewis: andrew.lewis@seattle.gov

District 8 (city-wide) – Teresa Mosqueda: teresa.mosqueda@seattle.gov

District 9 (city-wide) – Lorena González: lorena.gonzalez@seattle.gov

2. Create a new email with the following components:

To: {Your district councilmember’s email address goes here; see above}, teresa.mosqueda@seattle.gov; lorena.gonzalez@seattle.gov; jenny.durkan@seattle.gov

Subject line: Override Mayor’s Veto of JumpStart Bill

Sample message (edit as you see fit):

Councilmembers and Mayor Durkan,

I urge you to reaffirm your unanimous vote on the JumpStart COVID relief bill as soon as possible.

Our communities need support now. Federal and state aid, though vital, continues to be inadequate, particularly for immigrants and refugees who are not eligible to receive emergency assistance. The longer the city waits to act, the more families accrue rental debt and risk eviction, children suffer from food insecurity, immigrant families have nowhere to turn, small businesses go under, and our neighbors experiencing homelessness risk illness or death from COVID-19.

To let this happen is irresponsible and will delay Seattle’s economic recovery. The fallout will be felt for years, perhaps even longer for immigrant and refugee households working in food services and domestic household services. Families are clinging to hope because JumpStart Seattle is the lifeline they need. It is irresponsible to leave families high and dry without emergency assistance and with no relief in sight. They have already been excluded from four bipartisan federal pandemic relief packages.

Please act swiftly to override Mayor Durkan’s veto and authorize $18 million this year for direct financial assistance for immigrant and refugee households and language access support for people who need help accessing and understanding assistance programs. 

The rainy day is here. It is happening right now.

Thank you,

{Your full name goes here}
{Your district number goes here}

3. Send your email.

A major election is coming up, and we at El Centro de la Raza want to make sure that you have the information you need to participate. We believe that participation in our democratic electoral process is an indelible part of our society, and now more than ever, we need the community to make their voices heard.

Please read below for important reminders and information on how to get out the vote!

Primary Election – August 4
The next Primary election is Tuesday, August 4! In this election, voters will choose their top candidates for Washington State Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, and nine other state-level positions. In addition, voters will choose US Representatives for up to four congressional districts, State Senators and Representatives for up to 17 Legislative Districts, and up to three Ballot Measures for King County. It will be a large and important election for us in Washington!

Do YOU know where to go to register? You can do it: 

• Online by clicking here (Para español, oprime aquí)
• In person at your local vote center (Find your nearest vote center in King County here)
• By mail by requesting a registration form from Mandela at volunteer@elcentrodelaraza.org. 

The last day to register to vote online or by mail for the August 4 Primary election is TODAY, Monday, July 27! After today, you must register to vote in person by visiting your local voter center in order to be eligible to vote by election day. Find your nearest voter center here. Please note that, in keeping with public safety measures, voting centers will be limited in availability and may have increased wait times and capacity restrictions, so it is highly recommended that you register online today if possible!

Ask all your friends if they are registered to vote!

Who Can Register to Vote
To register to vote in Washington, you must be: 

• A citizen of the United States 
• Currently living Washington State
• At least 18 years old by election day 
• Not disqualified from voting due to a court order
• Not under Department of Corrections supervision for a Washington felony conviction 

Read more about who can vote in Washington. 

Already registered? Turn in Your Ballot
For those of you who are already registered and have received your ballot in the mail – you are halfway there! Submitting your ballot is now more convenient than ever! You have three ways to turn your ballot in:

• At a designated drop box: There are drop boxes located throughout King County. Locate your nearest drop box here. Drop boxes close at 7:59pm on election day!
• By mail: All ballot envelopes are stamped, addressed, and ready to be sent via postal mail – just make sure you give your ballot time to arrive at your voting center by Election Day! We recommend dropping your ballot in the mail by the Friday before Election Day to make sure it gets postmarked in time to be counted. If you are in doubt, use a dropbox instead.
• In person at your local voter center. Voter centers open in King County during the weeks leading up to local elections. Find your nearest voter center here.

If you are registered to vote and HAVE NOT yet received your ballot in the mail, contact King County Elections at (206) 296-VOTE (8683) or elections@kingcounty.gov. 

Did You Know?
Washington State mail-in ballots require that voters sign the outside of their ballot envelope prior to returning it. If a signature is missing or is done improperly it can delay the counting of your ballot, and even the results of the election. Do not let this happen to you! Make sure you sign the return envelope of your ballot before returning it. Please contact elections@kingcounty.gov or call 206-296-VOTE (8683) if you need assistance.

Volunteer With Us
We are so thankful to our volunteers, who have helped us spread the word about the importance of voting throughout King County. They have gone to events, agency programs, and have even taken to the phones to help the community register vote. 

Are you interested in volunteering in voter registration at El Centro De La Raza? Email volunteer@elcentrodelaraza.org for more information!

Currently, Seattle has a 0.1% sales tax + $60 car tabs to help pay for about 300,000 hours in bus service annually. A new proposal is on the table for the November ballot: a 0.1% tax, without the car tabs, which would result in 80,000 hours instead of 300,000. Due to the loss in car tab revenue, it is possible that neighborhoods in the south end could lose their bus routes. This disruption would be devastating to our communities that have been pushed out of the city due to housing affordability issues.

The Seattle Transportation Benefit District (SBTD) is a sales tax created by the City of Seattle that creates revenue for transit service. As the SBTD sets to expire this year, the City Council is voting to continue SBTD so that there is a 0.1% sales tax. The revenue from this tax will fund fare affordability programs, such as the free youth fare, purchasing service hours from Metro, and alternative solutions for West Seattle Commuters. With the passage of I-976 last year, our transit infrastructure is facing a major deficit and could stand to lost 300,000 bus service hours – which will be devastating to communities of color and low-income communities reliant on public transit. SBTD is essential to not only maintaining transit infrastructure but also the quality of life for many of our communities

We understand that there might be an amendment to increase SBTD from 0.1% to a 0.2% sales tax. While we must acknowledge that any sales tax is regressive and disproportionately puts the burden on low-income and working class Seattle residents, our communities also stand the most to lose from transit cuts. Many of our essential workers are reliant on bus service hours and fare affordability. Knowing that our communities need affordable and expansive public transit, we support this amendment with the caveat that revenue raised from SBTD prioritizes bus service hours and the maintenance of transit routes on the south end (such as the 7, 36, and 106). SBTD must prioritize and meet the needs of our most vulnerable communities through a robust racial equity lens.

There are two ways to take action right now:

1. Please urge your councilmembers to vote for the additional funds proposed by Councilmember Tammy Morales. Take 30 seconds to send them your letter of support using this form.
2. Organizations and individuals can show support for SBTD by signing up to give public comment at the City Council meeting on Monday, July 27, at 2 PM (and/or provide written comment) here: http://www.seattle.gov/council/committees/public-comment.

In May, our Senior Hub provided 681 meals to 71 adults over the age of 55. Five of those participants are new to our services. We provide senior participants to-go lunches Mondays through Fridays from 11 AM to 1 PM. In addition, we deliver 25 lunches three times a week to homebound seniors. On Wednesdays, we include a bag of groceries with their lunches.

As we continue to check in with our senior participants by phone, we ask them whether they need a face mask or other resources. When seniors come to pick up their lunches on Wednesdays, we also provide hand sanitizer and face mask, made possible by a generous donor.

Our Food Bank continues to distribute groceries during COVID-19. During the week, we provide grocery items to 700 individuals and deliver groceries to roughly 100 households, of which 40% are people who are homebound because of varying circumstances.

Each week, our Food Bank staff receive voicemails and emails from these households letting us know how helpful it is to have the option to receive weekly grocery deliveries. In particular, one family emailed to request a wider variety of fresh items due to existing dietary restrictions.

In that same week, our Food Bank staff responded by coordinating with Pacific Coast Foods to receive a weekly delivery of roughly four pallets that included boxes of fresh produce and dairy items. Produce ranged from strawberries to kale, celery, and cauliflower. The dairy boxes contained milk, cheese, and yogurt. We are grateful we can meet the diverse nutritional needs with help from our partners for our neighbors.

A Latina single mother named Brenda* with four children called El Centro de la Raza seeking rental assistance. Brenda and two of her children contracted COVID-19. The entire family was quarantined in their home, so Brenda was no longer working and could not pay rent since February.

In May, our staff assisted Brenda by providing rental assistance for that month, but Brenda had three months of back rent to pay. Our team advocated for Brenda by talking to the apartment manager about writing off some of Brenda’s debt. Fortunately, the apartment manager was willing to write off all three months of her debt. We provided Brenda with further assistance for June rent.

Because of your generous support of the Emergency Response Fund, Brenda was thrilled and grateful for the rental assistance and advocacy. She no longer owes over $5,000 in back rent. Brenda hopes to start working again soon, stating she and her family should be okay after her employer is cleared to re-open its doors.

Now through August 18, El Centro de la Raza is providing online level 1/2 ESL classes for registered students living in Washington State. Participants learn skills related to introductions and greetings; making small talk about weather, sports, and habits; telling time; talking about money, numbers, and dates; describing activities and emotions, and asking and answering simple questions. The instructor also tailors each lesson by incorporating students’ goals into the curriculum.

Nearly 100 people have emailed us regarding their interest in attending ESL classes for Spanish speakers, including out-of-state people living in Texas and Arizona.

At this time, 14 students are enrolled in ESL classes where four Spanish-speaking volunteers assist them with practicing, translating, and explaining the material. Students are learning remotely from the greater Seattle area, Anacortes, Buckley, and Yakima. Classes are held online every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 5 PM to 7:20 PM. Enrollment is for current students and on a rolling basis. To learn more information or to register, please contact Camila via email at facilities@elcentrodelaraza.org or by phone at 206-329-9442.

From now through August 6, El Centro de la Raza is providing lunch meals and snacks to our After School program participants, made possible by the City of Seattle. We will follow sanitation and social distancing practices while serving food to the currently enrolled participants.

Our After School program operates three classes daily scheduled on a rotating basis that focus on academics and cultural enrichment during the summer. On Mondays and Wednesdays, we have reading and writing; and, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, math and science. Every day, youth participate in the cultural enrichment component.

All After School participants are assigned to a cohort either UW Huskies or WSU Cougars. Participants earn points individually, which are then calculated and applied to the respective team’s totals. Each week, the winning team takes home the virtual spirit staff. By incorporating school spirit into our After School curriculum, we hope to instill confidence in our youth participants that attending college or post-secondary school is attainable.

Abdul*, a rising 6th grader, “I love everything about summer program! It’s my favorite part of the day, especially since we can sleep in. I am part of the Cougars team and getting points is my favorite activity!”

Ana*, a rising 7th grader, said, “My favorite activity has been drawing our own Mayan calendars. I have always seen them but never knew that they have meaning. I hung the one I drew on my Mom’s fridge, and I got to show her what each thing means.”

Roberto*, a rising 8th grader said, “I look forward to the start and end of each day in the program. That’s when we do circle activities, and those make the program so fun. I was mad my Mom signed me up, but I’m having a lot of fun here.”

*Individual’s name was changed to protect their identity.