Seattle Promise will be hosting two FAFSA/WASFA Completion Workshops for all Seattle Public Schools students during the month of February. These workshops are for any students/their families who would like to learn about state and federal financial aid applications.
Below, a checklist for the documents needed to successfully complete the FAFSA or WASFA.
Additionally, Seattle Promise will host the Discover Seattle Colleges series, where instructors will share different career streams and trajectories.
Applications for Seattle Promise and Seattle Colleges are due March 1, 2022. To apply or to learn more, click here.
Get Free Citizenship Assistance
February Citizenship Day Date: Saturday, February 26, 2022
Time: 10am-5pm by appointment. Location: OneAmerica Offices in Seattle
More information: To make an appointment please fill out our intake form.
It is important to have all the required documents ready for Citizenship Day. For a full list of required documents, check here . If you have ever been arrested, detained, or have had to appear in court, you will need all the certified court documents and police reports.
If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment, please feel free to contact us at (206) 926-3924 by call or text. You can also reach us at wna@weareoneamerica.org.
Free Tax Preparation until April 21st!
Inquilinos: Tienen derecho a Apoyo Legal para Evitar el Desalojo
Biden Administration Proposes Change to ‘Public Charge’ Rule, Allowing Immigrants More Benefits
On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a change to the “public charge” rule that would increase the number of government benefits immigrants can receive without affecting their green card applications. Read More Here
From Sensitive Locations to Protected Areas: How to Ensure Safe Access to Essential Services and Activities to Immigrants
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a new policy to guide immigration enforcement actions in or near protected areas. The guideline, which is effective immediately, supersedes and rescinds all previous sensitive locations guidance, providing a more comprehensive and clear protection to immigrants against enforcement actions in places they regularly go to access health care services, education, exercise their freedom to worship or publicly convene and at the end, accessing essential services.
In recent years, El Centro de la Raza has devoted its efforts to promote and disseminate the sensitive locations policy issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2011 and that restricted immigration enforcement actions in public places that were defined as sensitive locations. These included educational institutions, health care centers, places of worship, religious or civil ceremonies, and public demonstrations such as marches or rallies. For El Centro, the recognition of sensitive locations was one of the most powerful tools available to support and protect undocumented immigrants from the disproportionate and arbitrary prosecution of immigration agents. This is it, especially during the former federal administration, where ongoing threats of deportation made immigrants live in fear and anxiety, thinking they could be arrested at any time, anywhere they go, even in places where they were looking to satisfy their more urgent needs or exercise their human rights, those that are intrinsic to everyone, regardless of their immigration status.
To promote the sensitive locations policy, El Centro de la Raza undertook an aggressive strategy that included several activities. We prepared a toolkit for potential sensitive locations (that you can access here); created a universal symbol to identify sensitive locations and prepared and provided banners to any sensitive location interested in being identified as such. We also hosted informative sessions to potential sensitive locations interested in learning about the policy; and informed immigrants about sensitive locations so they could keep attending the places where they access essential services fearlessly. We believed and still do, that disseminating the policy will prevent immigrants to restrain from attending the places that provide them with the basic needs and services anyone needs to live a dignified life.
Despite our efforts, and the potential sensitive locations had to protect immigrants from enforcement actions, we were aware the policy fell short in ensuring immigrants’ safe access to some essential services. The policy identified just a few places as sensitive locations adding immigration officers should exercise special care when carrying out enforcement operations in places assisting children, pregnant women, victims of crime or abuse, or individuals with significant mental or physical disabilities. Even though the list was not restricted, leaving to the discretion of immigration officers, whether or not to undertake enforcement operations did not provide certainty to immigrants on which services or institutions they can safely attend without the risk of being approached by immigration authorities. This uncertainty restrained them from access to some crucial services. On the other hand, the policy was not clear about immigration enforcement actions near sensitive locations. The lack of clarity led to considerable confusion about how close immigration agents can be to a sensitive location. Several cases of questionable arrests took place near, but not at sensitive locations, implying that immigration officers, rather than immigrants were taking advantage of the sensitive locations policy. These circumstances clearly showed the policy should be modified and improved despite being helpful at a time where anywhere was a safe and welcoming space for immigrants.
Fortunately, for the benefit and wellbeing of immigrant communities, the policy has changed. On October 27th the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas announced a new policy to guide immigration enforcement actions in or near sensitive locations, now called protected areas. According to DHS, the change in name, from “sensitive locations” to “protected areas” aims to provide a more precise/ accurate understanding that certain areas are in need of special consideration. Rather than only being, “sensitive” they rise to a level of being protected because of the functions performed in those places.
The new guideline provides greater clarity on what types of locations are protected areas by providing an expanded non-exhaustive list of protected areas, including new designations such as vaccination or testing sites, places of religious study, places where children gather (such as playgrounds, recreation centers, or school bus stops) disaster or emergency relief sites, and social service establishments.
Moreover, the guideline recognizes that “an enforcement action taken near-and not necessarily in- the protected area can have the same restraining impact on an individual’s access to the protected area itself”. Therefore, it calls for immigration authorities to not take enforcement action near the protected area, to the fullest extent possible. As there is no bright-line definition of what constitutes “near” the guideline calls immigration authorities to exercise judgment by asking themselves whether an enforcement action would restrain people from accessing the protected area to receive essential services or engage in essential activities.
The new policy provides a broader, more sensible protection for undocumented immigrants, ensuring they can access essential services and activities without fear, and it backs up the idea that people, regardless of their immigration status should be able to access essential services without threats. However, it is essential to train and educate immigration officers on its implementation, ensuring they apply a reasonable and human judgment to their actions. In turn, El Centro de la Raza will promote the new guideline and inform potential protected areas and the community on its scope and limits making sure immigrants always feel safe, welcome, and respected.
For accessing the Guidelines for Enforcement Actions in or Near Protected Areas click here.
If you have any questions regarding protected areas, please contact Adriana Ortiz-Serrano at aortiz@elcentrodelaraza.org
Internet discounts still available through the Emergency Broadcast Benefit program
The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) is a program that has been temporarily launched to help households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. EBB provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households.
The program will end when the EBB fund runs out of money, or six months after the Department of Health and Human Services declares an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency, whichever is sooner. Households are eligible if they receive Medicaid, SNAP, or other public benefits, are school lunch eligible, are already in the Lifeline program, receive Pell education grants, or have lost jobs and income during the pandemic. More eligibility information: getemergencybroadband.org/do-i-qualify.
King County launches Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA)
Updated vendor schedule for Plaza Roberto Maestas!
Internet discounts still available through the Emergency Broadcast Benefit program
The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) is a program that has been temporarily launched to help households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. EBB provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households.
The program will end when the EBB fund runs out of money, or six months after the Department of Health and Human Services declares an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency, whichever is sooner. Households are eligible if they receive Medicaid, SNAP, or other public benefits, are school lunch eligible, are already in the Lifeline program, receive Pell education grants, or have lost jobs and income during the pandemic. More eligibility information: getemergencybroadband.org/do-i-qualify.
King County launches Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA)
Updated vendor schedule for Plaza Roberto Maestas!
Interested in finding out how you can help to get out the vote? Reach out to our amazing Volunteer coordinator Mandela Gardner for more information: volunteer@elcentrodelaraza.org
King County launches Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA)
Updated vendor schedule for Plaza Roberto Maestas!
Free Tax Preparation & Expanded Child Tax Credit Information at El Centro de la Raza – Every Tuesday from 2-8 PM in our Centilia Cultural Center until September 28th
Este parque está nombrado en honor de Santos Rodriguez, un niño chicano de 12 años quien vivía en Dallas, Tejas. Durante la mañana del 24 de Julio de 1973, dos policías arrestaron a Santos y a su hermano David de 13 años, y los tomaron en un carro detrás de una estación de petróleo para cuestionamiento sobre el robo de una máquina de refrescos.Según el testimonio, el oficial Darrel Cain le avisó a Santos que el revólver contenía solo un cartucho, giró el cilindro y apuntó a la cabeza de Santos, urgiéndolo a “decir la verdad”; hizo clic el revólver pero no disparó. Como Santos reiteraba su inocencia, el policía otra vez apretó el gatillo y al instante mató a Santos mientras su hermano lo miraba.
Unos días después del asesinato, miles de personas protestaron en las calles de Dallas, descargando su enojo y su frustración. Luego una investigación determinó que las huellas de la escena no correspondieron a los de Santos ni su hermano. Cain fue condenado por asesinato con mala intención de un jurado de todas personas blancas, pero recibió una sentencia de solo 5 años; y solamente sirvió 2 ½. La comunidad estalló con furia sobre la brevedad de la sentencia, pero falló cada intento de tener el juicio reconsiderado.
Los trabajadores de El Centro de la Raza han llamado de nuestros niños parque Santos Rodríguez no sólo en la memoria de esta joven víctima del racismo, pero en desafío a la sociedad que le causó la muerte, y la confianza de que vamos a ganar en nuestros esfuerzos para acabar con el racismo. Utilizamos su nombre no de luto, sino para conmemorar el día en que creamos una sociedad verdaderamente democrática, que asegure la igualdad de derechos y una vida plena y digna para todos los pueblos. Se nombró este parque Santos Rodriguez Memorial Park para recordarles a todos de la importancia de respetar, querer, cuidar y proteger a todos los niños del mundo.
This park is named in honor of Santos Rodriguez, a 12-year old Chicano boy who lived in Dallas, Texas. On July 24, 1973, Santos and his 13-year old brother David were taken in a squad car behind a gas station to question a burglarized soda machine. According to testimony, Officer Darrel Cain warned that his gun contained only one cartridge, spun the cylinder, and pointed it at the back of Santos’s head, urging him to “tell the truth.” Santos maintained his innocence; the gun clicked once and did not fire. After Santos reiterated his innocence, Cain again pulled the trigger, and this time Santos was killed instantly, as his brother looked on.
Thousands of protesters marched through downtown Dallas just days after the shooting, venting their anger and frustration. An investigation later determined that the fingerprints at the scene of the burglary did not match those of Santos or his brother. Cain was tried and convicted of murder with malice by an all-white jury, but he was sentenced to a mere 5 years in prison for this heinous crime; he only served 2 ½. Outrage over the brevity of his sentence erupted from the community, but all attempts to have the case reviewed failed.
The workers of El Centro de la Raza have named our children’s park Santos Rodriguez not only in memory of this young victim of racism, but in defiance of the society that caused his death, and confident that we will win in our efforts to do away with racism. We use his name, not in mourning but to commemorate the day when we create a society that is truly democratic, that assures equal rights and a dignified, fulfilling life for all peoples. This park was named Santos Rodriguez Memorial Park to remind us all of the importance of respecting, loving, caring for, and protecting all of the world’s children.
Please participate in this survey from our friends at ArtsFund
ArtsFund: Covid Cultural Impact Study (CCIS) – Public Participation Survey
Please help support ArtsFund by taking their short Public Participation Survey – responses you share will provide important information to plan for reopening, guide future operations, and inform future investment.
ArtsFund is an organization with a history of providing timely and quality data to the sector to better advocate conversations in the public and private sectors. The data collected will become a baseline for future conversations about the impact of COVID-19. Your participation will help to ensure that the data being collected is robust, meaningful, and relevant. You all know that our sector has permanently changed. This study attempts to capture some of that change and serve as a starting point for conversations about how to operate in the future. Thank you in advance for completing this survey and sharing it with your friends.
The result will help to a stronger foundation for important conversations we will be having for years to come. Thank you for being a voice for the sector and thank you for supporting the mission of ArtsFund.
King County launches Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA)
Updated vendor schedule for Plaza Roberto Maestas!
Free Tax Preparation & Expanded Child Tax Credit Information at El Centro de la Raza – Every Tuesday from 2-8 PM in our Centilia Cultural Center until September 28th
A speech on Child Tax Credits by our José Martí Child Development Center Director HildaMagana
Good Morning, my name is Hilda Magaña. I am the program Director for the José Martí Child Development Center at El Centro de la Raza.
We are here today to spread the good news about this important benefit for our Children and Families. The American Resource Plan Expands the Child Tax Credit to Provide Support to more families during the 2021 Tax year. Families could get up to Three-thousand Six Hundred dollars per child under six years old and three-thousand dollars for Children up to 17 years of age.
This benefit will reach about thirty-nine million households by making the credit fully refundable. Nearly 90% of all the American children will now benefit from the Child Care Tax Credit.
Our champion representative Suzan DelBene was working hard to make the Child Care Tax Credit a reality. She is fighting to make this expansion permanent. This long-term goal is estimated to cut childhood poverty in half. El Centro de la Raza since our founding has always been committed to helping our families and children fight poverty.
Representative DelBene, El Centro de la Raza is committed to Support the financial benefits to our families and children. We support families with tax prep support in conjunction with the United Way of King County every Tuesday this summer here at El Centro de la Raza.
Our families who will not want to receive the 2021 child tax credit in advance can opt out through the IRS.
The IRS created two websites to allow non-filers to sign up and receive the monthly payments. Including the households that did not file in 2020-2019.
Thank you so much.
A note from our Tobacco & Marijuana Prevention & Cessation Program for NATIONAL PARENTS’ DAY – July 25, 2021
DÍA NACIONAL DE LOS PADRES – 25 de julio de 2021 | Nacional hoy , se celebra para apreciar a los padres, reconocer su trabajo en equipo en la crianza de los hijos, y simplemente bañarlos de amor y afecto. Recuerda que incluso si la persona o las personas que te criaron con amor no están biológicamente relacionadas contigo, han estado allí durante los buenos y malos momentos. ¡Honrémoslos a todos!
Muchos jóvenes y adultos jóvenes en nuestra comunidad LatinX están en medio de una epidemia de tabaco y vapeo. A nivel nacional, el consumo de tabaco sigue siendo la principal causa prevenible de enfermedad y muerte. ¡Nuestros hijos son un reflejo de nosotros! Todas nuestras peculiaridades y manierismos son reflejados por nuestros hijos; promovamos una generación libre de humo/vapeo. Obtenga ayuda para dejar de fumar :: Washington State Department of Health
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NATIONAL PARENTS’ DAY – July 25, 2021 | National Today, is celebrated to appreciate parents, recognize their teamwork in raising children, and just shower them with love and affection. Remember that even if the person or people who raised you with love aren’t biologically-related to you, they have been there during good times and bad. Let us honor them all!
Many youth and young adults in our LatinX community are in the midst of a tobacco and vaping epidemic. Nationally, tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of disease and death. Our children are a reflection of us! All our quirks and mannerisms are mirrored by our children; let’s promote a smoke/vape-free generation. Getting Help to Quit Tobacco :: Washington State Department of Health
Updated vendor schedule for la Plaza Roberto Maestas!
ECDLR’s Tobacco & Marijuana Prevention & Cessation Program
As our current legislative session ends, El Centro de la Raza’s Tobacco & Marijuana prevention & cessation program would like to thank everyone in WA for their dedicated, hard work in fighting for tobacco laws that need to be changed. Our prevention efforts focus on educating our youth, young adults and members of our LatinX community about the health effects associated with the use of tobacco, vape and e-cigarettes. We continue to promote the prevention of nicotine dependence and provide the educational resources to do so successfully. Our hope is that our work will empower and encourage individuals in our Latino/LatinX communities to stop smoking/vaping by offering services/cessation tools that may be beneficial in helping them quit successfully.
One of our strongest collaboration efforts has been reflected in our teamwork with the Tobacco, Marijuana, and Other Drugs Coalition. We worked together in addressing our support to several bills that we believe will help make a change in our fight for a smoke & vape free WA. We testified via zoom during live hearings as well as provided written testimony supporting the following bills, which affect Vape and PUP bills:
HB 1345 – 2021-22: Concerning the regulation of products sold to adults age 21 and over
HB 1550 – 2021-22: Concerning methods to prevent nicotine addiction
SB 5129 – 2021-22: Concerning the possession of vapor, vapor products, tobacco, and tobacco products by minors.
We were happy to have learned that on April 29, 2021, the FDA announced a federal action to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars from gaining new generations of smokers. We have recently learned that US Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) is also in support of this federal ban on menthol.
We as Washingtonians can do our part in having our voice heard that we want this change too! We want to give a HUGE Thank you to everyone in WA fighting to make this possible. We plan to continue to spread our message for tobacco cessation within our LatinX community via virtual/interactive means; COVID-19 will not stop us!
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Aunque la última sesión legislativa acaba de terminar, el programa de prevención y cesación de tabaco y marihuana de El Centro de la Raza desea agradecer a todos en Wa por su dedicado y arduo trabajo en la lucha por las leyes del tabaco que necesitan ser cambiadas. Nuestros esfuerzos de prevención se centran en educar a nuestros jóvenes, adultos jóvenes y miembros de nuestra comunidad latina sobre los efectos en la salud asociados con el uso de tabaco, vapeo y cigarrillos electrónicos. Continuamos nuestro trabajo en prevención contra la dependencia de nicotina y proporcionando los recursos educativos necesarios para hacerlo con éxito. Nuestra esperanza es que nuestro trabajo empoderará y alentará a las personas de nuestras comunidades latinas/latinasX a dejar de fumar/vapear ofreciendo servicios/herramientas de cese que pueden ser beneficiosas para ayudarlos a dejar de fumar con éxito.
Uno de nuestros esfuerzos de colaboración más fuertes se ha reflejado en nuestro trabajo en equipo con la Coalición Tobacco, Marijuana, and Other Drugs. Trabajamos juntos para abordar nuestro apoyo a varios proyectos de ley que creemos que ayudarán a hacer un cambio en nuestra lucha por un WA libre de humo y vapeo. Testificamos a través de zoom durante las audiencias en vivo, así como proporcionamos testimonios escritos que respaldan los siguientes proyectos de ley, que afectan las facturas de Vapeo y PUP (Posesión, Uso, Compra):
HB 1345 – 2021-22: Relativo a la regulación de los productos vendidos a adultos mayores de 21 años
HB 1550 – 2021-22: Relativo a los métodos para prevenir la adicción a la nicotina
SB 5129 – 2021-22: Relativo a la posesión de vapor, productos de vapor, tabaco y productos de tabaco por menores de edad.
Nos alegró saber que el 29 de abril de 2021, la FDA anunció una acción federal para poner fin a la venta de cigarrillos mentolados y cigarros aromatizados de ganar nuevas generaciones de fumadores. Recientemente nos hemos enterado de que la representante estadounidense Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) también apoya esta prohibición federal del mentol.
¡Nosotros como washingtonianos podemos hacer nuestra parte para que nuestra voz sea escuchada que también queremos este cambio! Queremos dar un enorme agradecimiento a todos en WA luchando para hacer esto posible. Planeamos continuar difundiendo nuestro mensaje para el cese del tabaco dentro de nuestra comunidad Latina a través de medios virtuales/interactivos; COVID-19 no nos detendrá!
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.
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