On February 7, about 300 people attended our Open House event in Federal Way. We opened our latest location in Federal Way because 56% of Latinos who live in King County live in the southend where there is a lack of culturally appropriate programs and services. We are responding to that gap as a result of the shift in demographics. We are providing 17 different programs and services out of this new office including services for veterans, small business development, workforce training, and home visiting programs for parents and their young children.
Our role as El Centro de la Raza is to work with our community, friends, and allies at building a fair and just society by promoting life-changing programs, culture, and community engagement. Dr. King would call that the building of the Beloved Community. Our community will become stronger because the families and individuals who walk through our doors in Federal Way and are seeking support will be uplifted to work towards achieving stability and resiliency. “We will work very hard to be good neighbors with our values of fairness and equality to continue to work at building Dr. King’s Beloved Community,” said Executive Director Estela Ortega.
Mil gracias to our speakers and supporters: Joseph Martin, Senator Claire Wilson, Representative Mike Pellicciotti, Auburn City Councilmember Chris Stearns, Representative Jesse Johnson, Mayor of Federal Way Jim Ferell, Mayor of Auburn Nancy Backus, Unidos @ Work program participants Vanessa Enamorado and Luis Guarnis, Rudy Reyes, Verizon’s Vice President and Associate General Counsel for the Western Region, and Jennifer Chastain, Community Relations Manager at Bank of America.
Also, special thanks to Senator Claire Wilson, Representative Mike Pellicciotti, former Representative Kristine Reeves, Speaker Emeritus Frank Chopp, Senator David Frockt, Representative Steve Tharinger, and King County Councilmember Peter von Reichbauer. Each person listed here supported El Centro de la Raza’s response to the lack of culturally appropriate programs and services in South King County by helping us purchase an office building in Federal Way.
Finally, thanks to KING 5 News and Federal Way Mirror for their coverage of our successful Open House event.