El Centro de la Raza

"Para los niños y jóvenes trabajamos porque ellos son los que saben querer, porque ellos son la esperanza del mundo (It is for the children and the young that we work, for they are the ones that know how to love, for they are the hope of the world)." — Roberto Maestas, co-founder of El Centro de la Raza

KABF gave again in 2020 to the impressively kind and active Seattle nonprofit El Centro de la Raza, whose mission includes building unity “across all racial and economic sectors, to organize, empower, and defend our most vulnerable and marginalized populations and to bring justice, dignity, equality, and freedom to all the peoples of the world.”
 
El Centro offers a large array of services. There are fourteen programs geared to children and teens, which include bilingual childcare, after school tutoring and mentoring programs, workshops that teach Latino history and Hip Hop and the Arts as a medium for social change and community activism. They offer DACA scholarships and immigration services, as well as housing and economic programs.
 
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, El Centro stepped up its emergency services. Their phones rang off the hook with hundreds of calls a week for help from people like Luis, whose work hours were cut drastically, and Maria, who had to leave her job to care for their six children. El Centro created an emergency relief fund assisting Maria and Luis and 1,351 other people with help in the form of grocery gift cards and diapers, along with practical assistance in applying for other relief funds.
 
KABF is happy to know our grant went to the emergency fund. El Centro’s executive director Estella Ortega wrote an end of the year thank you and update:
 
“Your support meant that we were able to help offset some of Luis and Maria's expenses, so they were able to pay rent on time. We are currently working with them to gain the technology needed for their older children to continue with virtual learning. To aid in the younger children's ongoing learning, our staff provided worksheets to cover the basic concepts of the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and colors. The worksheets are in Spanish so that the young children can retain their native language.”
 
Ortega felt that despite the challenges, El Centro was “at the precipice of the long journey towards rebuilding and healing.” Always looking towards the future, Ortega was excited to report their latest efforts:

“In 2021, I look forward to further fortifying our COVID-19 economic relief efforts and investing in the future health of El Centro de la Raza’s communities. In partnership with Group Health Foundation and environmental justice groups throughout the Puget Sound Region, we are excited to implement new funding that will help us improve air quality and reduce noise pollution for our Plaza Roberto Maestas Affordable Housing Complex and El Patio Apartments on Beacon Hill.
 
“A portion of this funding will be used to hire a part-time Environmental Justice Manager as well as a full-time Environmental Justice Organizer to mobilize community residents. Support will also allow us to continue multilingual and multicultural education and empowerment, enabling residents to tell their stories, provide effective public testimony, write letters, and take additional community action to effect systemic change in health equity and environmental justice.
 
“In 2021, we will also pursue long-term employment and educational opportunities for South King County residents alongside the Port of Seattle. Recent funding from the Port will allow us to provide outreach, education, and referrals for Latinos and multi-cultural program participants interested in pre-apprenticeship programs with Port-related industries such as construction, carpentry, and maritime trades.”

KABF is grateful for all they do. Click here for more information.