Latino Advocacy Coalition Of Henderson County Inc

THE MISSION OF EL CENTRO IS TO CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY FOR LATINOS BY PROVIDING UNIQUE SERVICES, DEVELOPING GRASSROOTS LEADERS, AND WORKING TOGETHER TO ACCESS COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

MENTAL HEALTH: WE ADDED A LICENSED SOCIAL WORKLICENSE SOCIAL WORKER HIRED TO OFFER THERAPY TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. WE ALSO HAD FOUR INTERNS WHO WERE WORKING ON THEIR MASTERS DEGREE IN LOCAL UNIVERSITIES. WITH ALMOST ONE HUNDRED REFERRALS FROM PARTNER AGENCIES AND HAVE SERVED SIXTY CLIENTS SO FAR, WITH A TOTAL OF OVER 1000 HOURS OF THERAPY. THERAPIES INCLUDED ONE-ON-ONE AND GROUP THERAPY.

EDUCATION: HI-SET HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES PREPARE STUDENTS TO PREPARE TO TAKE THE GED AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MORE TRAINING IN THE TRADES OR COLLEGE AND TO BETTER THEIR ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE JOB MARKET. WE ALSO WERE CERTIFIED AS AN ACT (AMERICAN COLLEGE TESTING) SITE TO OFFER THOSE WHO ARE BOUND FOR FURTHER EDUCATION THE FIRST STEP OF THAT JOURNEY. WE SERVED APPROXIMATELY 40 STUDENTS DURING 2021. ENGLISH/SPANISH CLASSES BRING NATIVE SPANISH-SPEAKING AND NATIVE ENGLISH-SPEAKING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER WEEKLY TO LEARN TO SPEAK WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS IN A CONVERSATION. THE PROGRAM LEADS TO BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS BETWEEN LATINX COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND NON-LATINX COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ALLOWS THE PARTICIPANTS TO NOT ONLY LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF ANOTHER CULTURE, BUT TO FORGE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT REACH THROUGHOUT THE GREATER COMMUNITY. WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON A TRADE PROGRAM TO TRAIN FOR PLUMBING AND ELECTRICITY AND HAVE ATTRACTED THE INTEREST OF OVER EIGHTY PEOPLE INTERESTED IN TRAINING FOR BETTER JOBS IN A SPANISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM. WITH THE CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS IN EARLY 2020, WE STARTED TO OFFER OUR CLASSROOM FOR TUTORING AND USE OF THE INTERNET FOR GRADE SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR SCHOOL WORK IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.

DURING 2021, OUR ORGANIZATION CONDUCTED A TOTAL OF 18 EVENTS AROUND OUR ADVOCACY PROGRAM GOALS. THESE EVENTS INCLUDED BUILDING BRIDGES LINK MEETINGS WHERE NON-PROFIT, PUBLIC AND SOCIAL SERVICE PARTNERS WHO WORK WITH THE LATINO COMMUNITY MEET TO NETWORK AND SHARE PROGRAMS OVER LUNCH, A DAY OF THE DEATH FESTIVAL TO CELEBRATE OUR HERITAGE, VOTER REGISTRATION AND GERRYMANDERING EDUCATION EVENTS TO EMPOWER THE COMMUNITY, AND A CHILDREN'S DAY FESTIVAL TO BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE OUR CHILDREN ADVOCACY GETS BROADER YEAR-BY-YEAR. WE WORKED AS A SAFE PLACE LATINX RESIDENTS TO FILL OUT THE CENSUS. OUR ONGOING ADVOCACY INCLUDES TRANSLATION SERVICES, COMBATING THE SEPARATION OF LATINX FAMILIES FROM DEPORTATION. WE MAKE STATEMENTS TO OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT AGAINST 287G. WE MAINTAIN A TELEPHONE HOTLINE IN CASE A FAMILY MEMBER IS DETAINED, AND THE FAMILY LEFT BEHIND NEEDS SUPPORT IN ANY WAY: LEGAL, FOOD, TRANSPORTATION OR MONEY. WE ADVOCATE FOR FAIR STATE LEGISLATION FOR THE LATINX COMMUNITY, SUCH AS DRIVER'S LICENSES. PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR THE NON- LATINX MEMBERS FULFILS OUR MISSION OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER. WE BROADENED OUR ADVOCACY TO MAKE SYSTEMIC CHANGE SO THAT THE LATINX COMMUNITY BY EMPOWERING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LEARN ABOUT THE ELECTION PROCESS. WE REGISTER VOTERS AND MEET THEM AT THE POLLS WITH INFORMATION IN SPANISH AND WITH MUSIC AND FOOD TO MAKE VOTING MORE COMFORTABLE. VOTER REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION IS A STAPLE OFFERING.