Youth Services – Back-to-School Skate Event
Back-to-School Skate Event: Rolling Toward Success! 🛼
In September, our Back-to-School Skate Event at the El Centro Skate Rink brought together students and families from across the community for a day filled with fun, connection, and purpose!
The Impact: 45 students (and 60 total attendees!) joined us to celebrate the start of a new school year, 45 backpacks filled with essential school supplies were distributed—helping students start strong and ready to learn, 20 more backpacks are on their way to students who couldn’t attend, because every child deserves the tools to succeed.
This event was more than just skating—it was about empowering our youth and reminding them that their community is behind them every step of the way.
Family & Child Services: New Mural Brightens Cedar Crossing Playground
We’re excited to unveil Storybook, a vibrant new mural by @onesevennine (Angelina Villalobos Soto) at our JosĂ© MartĂ Child Development Center – Cedar Crossing. Featuring a bilingual poem by JosĂ© MartĂ, this joyful piece celebrates our children, culture, and dual-language program. Thanks to Sound Transit for helping bring warmth and light back to the playground, and to Angelina—once a JMCDC student herself—for inspiring the next generation through art.
Benefit and Resource Navigations: Sound Transit and El Centro de la Raza hosted an info fair.
We were thrilled to see our community come together at the South King County Community Info Fair, hosted by Sound Transit in partnership with El Centro de la Raza.
Neighbors in Federal Way learned about the Federal Way Link Extension and other upcoming projects, while families enjoyed free meals, children’s activities, and transit resources. Attendees also received free and reduced ORCA cards, including youth ORCAs, and information on local services.
Events like this showcase the power of community—connecting people, sharing resources, and strengthening our region.
Plan your next trip: Sound Transit
Building the Beloved Community Gala: Celebrating Our Incredible 2025 Volunteer Team and Their Lasting Impact!
Honoring the dedicated individuals whose time, energy, and heart make our mission possible—our volunteers are the foundation of the Gala’s success and the spirit behind building the Beloved Community.
Thank You for Joining Us! El Centro de la Raza’s Gala Raises Over $674,742 to Build the Beloved Community
Your generous support helps make Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a “Beloved Community” a reality—one built on care, respect, and justice for all. Together, we raised over $674,742 to fund vital programs that serve more than 21,000 individuals and families across our region—feeding the hungry, preventing homelessness, empowering students, and supporting immigrants. We proudly honored Malou Chávez, Executive Director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, and Chach Duarte White, Director of Legal Services at LCYC, as this year’s Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award recipients for their lifelong dedication to social justice. Special thanks to Keynote Speaker and Safeguarding Democracy Award honoree, michele storms.
Congratulations to our 2025 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Scholarship Recipients, and heartfelt thanks to, emcee Enrique Cerna, guest speaker Leticia Lucero, and auctioneer Fred Granados for making the night unforgettable.
Fiestas Patrias: Our Voice, Our Strength
Students from our José Martà Child Development Center proudly embodied El Centro de la Raza’s mission through a dual-language curriculum that celebrated culture, diversity, and civic engagement. They represented the unity of Latin American countries that commemorated their independence throughout the month.
Fiestas Patrias, hosted by Sea Mar Community Health Centers in partnership with Seattle Center Festál, honored Latino heritage through art, music, dance, food, and tradition. The 2025 theme, “Our Voice, Our Strength,” celebrated the color, culture, and unity that define our community.
The two-day event at Seattle Center featured live performances, cultural exhibits, delicious food, and free health screenings. The celebration was free and open to the public.
