Take Action: Requiring King County Businesses to Accept Cash and the 2023 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Awards Nominations

King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles has introduced an ordinance that would make it illegal for businesses in unincorporated King County to refuse payments in cash. There is a lot of data out there that shows cashless businesses hurt communities of color, seniors, undocumented residents and refugee and immigrant communities, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and those experiencing homelessness. Everyone should be able to participate in our economy, be able to purchase food and other basic items, and be able to pay with cash if they’re unbanked or underbanked or prefer not using bank cards because of privacy concerns.

The first hearing on this ordinance will on March 28 at 9:30 in the Local Services Committee. Please email or call your Councilmember to show your support of this ordinance! You can find your district and Councilmember contact information here and sample email and phone messages below.

Sample email:

Dear Councilmember [NAME OF YOUR COUNCILMEMBER]:

My name is [YOUR NAME] and I live in the [DISTRICT NUMBER] District. I’m writing to you to express my support for the recently introduced ordinance by Councilmember Kohl-Welles that would make it illegal for businesses in unincorporated King County to refuse cash payments
. Cashless businesses have been show to hurt already marginalized communities, like people of color, seniors, undocumented, refugee and immigrant communities, disabled people, and those experiencing homelessness

According to the FDIC’s Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2020 (May 2021), 18% of adults in the U.S. are unbanked or underbanked, meaning they may lack access to digital forms of payment, including credit or debit cards. This problem is worse for minority households, adults with less education and adults with lower income.

Another concern is that noncash transactions generate vast amounts of data. Paying with cash provides consumers with significantly more privacy than do electronic forms of payment.

Furthermore, when consumers are forced to pay for goods and services in cashless transactions, they (as well as the businesses where they shop) are also often forced to incur added expenses in the form of network and transaction fees.

It is crucial for people to be able to obtain necessities at their local stores and restaurants without being turned away because they want to pay with cash.

Thank you for your leadership on these important issues,
[YOUR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION]

Sample phone message:

My name is [YOUR FIRST & LAST NAME] and I am your constituent. I’m calling to express my support for the recently introduced ordinance by Councilmember Kohl-Welles that would make it illegal for businesses in unincorporated King County to refuse cash payments.

Cashless businesses hurt communities that are more likely to be unbanked or underbanked, which include people of color, seniors, undocumented, refugee and immigrant communities, disabled people, and those experiencing homelessness. Cash payments also provide more privacy and do not incur added expenses in the form of network and transaction fees which burden lower margin businesses.

It is crucial for people to be able to obtain necessities at their local stores and restaurants without being turned away because they want to pay with cash.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue!

Also, read the ACLU blog post about the importance of requiring businesses to accept cash.

2023 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award Nominations

El Centro de la Raza’s late founder, Roberto Maestas helped organize the 1972 peaceful occupation of the abandoned Beacon Hill school, which later became El Centro de la Raza as we know it today. Roberto Maestas’s life was dedicated to building “Beloved Community” through multi-racial unity. He deeply believed that poverty, racism, and social inequity could only be eradicated if people of all races and backgrounds came together to do so.
 
In honor of Roberto and his legacy, the 13th Annual Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award recognizes two individuals who have exemplified Building the Beloved Community through multi-racial unity and working to eliminate poverty, racism, and social inequity. We encourage people of all races, ethnicities, ages, and gender identities to apply for this award. 
 
El Centro de la Raza will celebrate awardees and their contributions by making a $1,000 gift in their name to an organization of their choice. Award recipients will be recognized at El Centro de la Raza’s Building the Beloved Community Gala, which is set to take place on Saturday, October 14, 2023.
 
Legacy Award applicants can self-nominate or be nominated by someone else here.

The Deadline for application submission is Tuesday, May 31, 2023 at 5:00pm Pacific Time.

Cuentos from Our Work: March 2023

Skate and Connect Community Night

On Monday February 20th, we welcomed over 200 attendees to our Skate and Connect event at our recently acquired El Centro Skate Rink.

Familias from across King County came out to enjoy our skate rink and connect with local community organizations. The event was an opportunity for community members to create relationships while also having fun and staying active.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support this event, and to our community partners who helped make it a success! We look forward to continuing to provide opportunities for our community to come together and connect in meaningful ways.

Hip Hop is Green

Some of our youth program participants have recently been working with Hip Hop Is Green (HHIG), the first Hip Hop plant-based climate change health and wellness organization. They give the students the opportunity to increase their leadership skills and participate in multiple community-based projects throughout the Seattle area. Through workshops and activities, our scholars have learned about the global impact of external factors such as pollution and government. They have also learned about the importance of selecting healthy food decisions and advocating for their rights. Most importantly, students have developed their confidence on how to create community-driven innovative solutions in their community.

Federal Way Mirror Article of the Year 2023

The Federal Way Mirror recently named the story of our acquisition of the former Pattison’s West skating rink as their 2023 Article of the Year. It is a testament to the dedication and support of our community. Gracias to reporter Alex Bruell for his wonderful article and the whole Federal Way Mirror for this honor!

Read the original winning article on the Federal Way Mirror website.

Our Executive Director Estela Ortega, left, stands with Mirror reporter Alex Bruell and Liz Huizar, director of Youth Services at El Centro de la Raza.
(Photo credit Olivia Sullivan / The Mirror)

PRESS RELEASE: Nonprofit El Centro De La Raza to Save Beloved Skating Rink in Federal Way as Part of South King County Expansion Purchase

Contact: Maria Paguada | Email: mpaguada@elcentrodelaraza.org | Phone: (206) 957-4605 |
For immediate release – Oct. 4, 2022

The purchase is part of a grand master plan to build a community center, affordable housing and other services in the area

SEATTLE—Nonprofit El Centro de la Raza has bought Pattison’s West Skating Center in Federal Way as part of a planned expansion into Federal Way that will bring a community center, affordable housing, a child development center and other services into the area.

The $6.5 million transaction has been finalized today.

Pattison’s West Skating Rink was slated to close, but El Centro de la Raza, which already has an office at the site, bought the venue because of the positive impact it has in the community.

“The rink brings the community and families together and creates jobs for area youth, so we saw it as an essential piece of our plans,” said Estela Ortega, executive director of El Centro de la Raza. “It is not just about the community center and affordable housing. The rink is a local cultural fixture that we see as part of our overall efforts to bring services to the area.”

Ortega stressed that the development in Federal Way will support all small businesses to set up shop at the location. Plans also include social services and the development of a mercado, or market, for small businesses and entrepreneurs to sell their products.

The complex will be built in phases, which will include construction of a total of 208 affordable housing units. The community center will include youth services and space for artists. It is located at the intersection of Pacific Highway South and 16th Ave. S.

Funding for the development is expected to come from the state of Washington, federal funds, a loan from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, and other sources. Construction is expected to begin in 2025.

The Federal Way project is not the first large project El Centro de la Raza has undertaken. Plaza Maestas, a mixed-use building in Seattle containing 112 affordable housing units, an early learning, and office and retail space, was built in 2016.

The organization is also getting close to completing fundraising for another affordable housing development in Columbia City. That $58-million, family-oriented building will have 87 apartments, most of which will be two-and three-bedroom units. It will also provide community services and will have murals by local artists.

“Affordable housing development is new to community-based organizations and communities of color,” Ortega said. “When community-based organizations develop affordable housing and services, it creates stability for the organizations, communities, and other good things begin to happen.”

Estela Ortega is available for interviews.

About El Centro de la Raza

As an organization grounded in the Latino community of Washington State, it is the mission of El Centro de la Raza (The Center for People of All Races) to build the Beloved Community through unifying all racial and economic sectors; to organize, empower, and defend the basic human rights of our most vulnerable and marginalized populations; and to bring critical consciousness, justice, dignity, and equity to all the peoples of the world. We envision a world free of oppression based on poverty, racism, sexism, sexual orientation, and discrimination of any kind that limits equal access to the resources that ensure a healthy and productive life in peace, love and harmony for all peoples and our future generations. Learn more at www.elcentrodelaraza.org.

Upcoming Events – May-June 2022


Redistricting Discussions Resume

May 19, 2022 – In response to the drastic growth of Seattle since 2010 of 21.1%, the Seattle Redistricting Commission is currently examining how to redraw the boundaries of Seattle’s seven City Council Districts and is inviting community members to learn about the process and provide feedback at upcoming public forums. They are considering expanding boundary lines in District 1, 2, 5, and 6 and contracting Districts 3, 4, and 7.

This is an opportunity to present our concerns and ask questions about how redistricting can impact civic engagement, geographic boundaries, and waterways.

We will be hosting one at El Centro de la Raza, and invite you to register and join in person or virtually if you can.

Register in advance at https://seattle.surveymonkey.com/r/VXM2PGW.


District 2 Public Forum: May 19, 2022 from 5:30pm-7:30pm
Thursday, 19th of Mayo
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
El Centro de la Raza, Centilia Cultural Center
1660 S Roberto Maestas Festival St, Seattle, WA 98144
In-Person or Virtual: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81813406544


Art for (Summer) Days with Beacon Arts!

June 11, July 9, Aug 13, Sept 10– Join us for sunny days filled with art, good company, and people showing love for plants and pop artists in the neighborhood at the Beacon Arts Street Fairs!

June 11| July 9 | Aug 13 | Sept

10:00AM- 4:00PM @ Roberto Maestas Festival Street


Two more weeks to nominate a Community Leader for the Roberto Maestas Legacy Award!


El Centro de la Raza turns 50 this year! Help us celebrate by nominating someone who is doing important Social Justice work in our community for the Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award. The Legacy Awards are our way of honoring of our late founder, Roberto Maestas, who helped organize the 1972 peaceful occupation of the abandoned Beacon Hill school, which later became El Centro de la Raza as we know it today. Roberto Maestas’s life was dedicated to building “Beloved Community” through multi-racial unity. He deeply believed that poverty, racism and social inequity could only be eradicated if people of all races and backgrounds came together to do so.

The 12th Annual Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award will recognize two individuals who have exemplified Building the Beloved Community through multi-racial unity and working to eliminate poverty, racism and social inequity. We encourage people of all races, ethnicities, ages, and gender identities to apply for this award. 
 
El Centro de la Raza will celebrate awardees and their contributions by making a $1,000 gift in their name to an organization of their choice.  Award recipients will be recognized at El Centro de la Raza’s 50th Anniversary Building the Beloved Community Gala, which is set to take place on Saturday, October 8, 2022.
 
Legacy Award applicants can self-nominate or be nominated by someone else. Recipients are asked to attend El Centro de la Raza’s Building the Beloved Community Gala.
 
Deadline for application submission is Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 5:00pm Pacific Time. 

Please nominate yourself or someone you know today via our form.

Read about our 2021 honorees, Dr. Estell Williams and Edwin Lindo

The health and success of El Centro de la Raza begins with you. Support from a broad base of community members including foundations, individuals, and corporations is critical to our success and we ask that you carefully consider making a personally meaningful gift – it may be the largest gift you have ever made.

Pictures from Recent Events

For the first time since 2019, we were able to celebrate our culture with you all again in-person! Thank you to everyone who attended despite the chilly weather to dance, play, and support our local artists and vendors!

Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more coverage of our events, including pictures and videos from our events:

Facebook | Instagram | Our Event on Fox 13!

From Nicaragua to the Embassy of Guatemala

“I give it a ten,” said Fatima Trana de Flores, when she was asked how important El Centro de La Raza is for the Hispanic community.   

Originally and very proudly Nicaraguan, Fatima Trana de Flores was happy to share her story about how El Centro de La Raza helped her interview and land a job at the Embassy of Guatemala. 

Like many immigration stories, she spent several years separated from her husband, as he worked in the US several years before she could join him.  Once she arrived, it took time to adjust to the climate, food, different culture, but the hardest by far was the language barrier.  

When she indicated to her human resource manager where she worked that she wanted to grow professionally, they referred her to El Centro de La Raza to find training opportunities for Spanish-speakers.  Though she had worked in Nicaragua, she definitely appreciated the ability to refresh several work skills she had not used in a while. 

Through El Centro de La Raza, she was able to improve her resume, develop her office skills, practice job interviewing, and find a great fit by attending career fairs.  

Her recommendation? Always study to better yourself as a worker and a person.  She encourages people to study and to find ways to contribute their grain of sand to the economy and development of this country.   

Fatima says her next steps include practicing English on a daily and eventually, she hopes to find work in defense of human rights with a nonprofit or government agency and address gender violence, in particular. We look forward to continuing to see her grow and inspire! 

The health and success of El Centro de la Raza begins with you. Support from a broad base of community members including foundations, individuals, and corporations is critical to our success and we ask that you carefully consider making a personally meaningful gift – it may be the largest gift you have ever made.

How one business navigated the PPP program and the Pandemic

According to the NIH, in early 2020, the number of active businesses dropped in the US by 22%.  Latinx business owner activity dropped by an astounding 32% and women-owned businesses also took disproportional losses of 25%.

Elizabeth Sevilla, Owner of Yayis Service LLC

Like other residential construction businesses, by early 2021, Yayis Service LLC, saw their revenue decline as homeowners postponed projects due to the pandemic and material expenses continued to increase.  After several years of running a successful business, Yayis Service LLC owner, Elizabeth Sevilla, decided to reach out to our Business Opportunity Center Small Business Development (SBD) program to see how she could help her business cope with the pandemic.

To her relief, SBD walked Elizabeth through all of the requirements for eligibility of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a government funded program that provides low interest rates turned into grants through the Small Business Administration.  Through one-on-one conversations, SBD helped her navigate the process, in Spanish.  Together, they completed the application, from documentation gathering to contract signing.  The SBA approved Elizabeth for a $19,400 loan at 1% interest rate.  This allowed Elizabeth to keep her team on and fund payroll and continue her business.  

A photo from a Yayis Service LLC project on Thumbtack.com

Beyond navigating the process together, the SBD kept in touch with Elizabeth to ensure Yayis Service LLC was keeping records of its spending on eligible expenses, such as payroll.

In January 2022, Elizabeth became eligible to apply for forgiveness of her SBA loan. SBD guided Elizabeth on the forgiveness application process and she was indeed approved for loan forgiveness.  Thanks to the PPP and its forgiveness program, Elizabeth was able apply for a $19,400 loan, apply for forgiveness, and successfully turn her loan into a business grant – meaning no money owed!

The health and success of El Centro de la Raza begins with you. Support from a broad base of community members including foundations, individuals, and corporations is critical to our success and we ask that you carefully consider making a personally meaningful gift – it may be the largest gift you have ever made.

February 2022 : Noticias Relevant to Our Community

FAFSA Support

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
Dat
e: 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

February 2022: Cuentos from Our Work in the Community

Organizing & Training Our Environmental Justice Leaders

Training has begun for El Patio and Plaza Roberto Maestas residents in environmental justice leadership, education and community organizing in the Latino community.

Through this program, Beacon Hill residents are learning how to advocate for better health and environmental outcomes and influence policymakers to protect their community from the disproportional impacts of massive transportation developments in the works.

For context, Beacon Hill is already surrounded by major roadways.  On average, every 90 seconds, an aircraft will fly over Beacon Hill.  70% of aircraft traveling to and from Seattle fly over Beacon Hill. This causes intense noise pollution, which has adverse effects on stress levels, sleep, cardiovascular health, and youth’s learning capabilities. Though they are certainly considered a vertical fenceline community, they are not a fenceline community and are not eligible for mitigation. Additionally, residents of Beacon Hill are predominantly people of color, who already tend to be disproportionately harmed by environmental issues.

Apart from learning to measure air and noise pollution and advocate for bills that address this issue, participants were able to connect with other environmental justice-based organizations such as the nonprofit organization Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition (DRCC).  Residents learned how other communities are organizing and supported the DRCC’s signature-gathering efforts for their petition on Change.org. 

Through storytelling, community building, and leadership development, participants are prepared to effectively fight the proposed Sea-Tac Airport Sustainable Air Master Plan (SAMP).  Follow and join our movement against SAMP here:  We Fight For Environmental & Health Justice – El Centro de la Raza

Our Highest Turnout and Certification for New Homebuyers Yet!

In the face of a deepening housing crisis, we are proud to report the highest level of enrollment and certification for our first-time homebuyer workshop of 2022.  A total of 84 participants enrolled, and 42 received a two-year certificate that will grant them access to Washington Housing Finance Commission programs and Down Payment Assistance.

Apart from providing these classes online in English and Spanish at no-cost, our program is unique in providing home loan options for ITIN holders. 

To offer a comprehensive overview of the process, we welcomed a real estate agent and a lender certified by the Washington Housing Finance Commission.  The topics we covered ran the gamut from credit-strengthening and budgeting to title, escrows, home insurance and inspection.

Please share our joy with the future homeowners from our program below:

The health and success of El Centro de la Raza begins with you. Support from a broad base of community members including foundations, individuals, and corporations is critical to our success and we ask that you carefully consider making a personally meaningful gift – it may be the largest gift you have ever made.

Legacy Award Nominations are Open


El Centro de la Raza turns 50 this year! Help us celebrate by nominating someone who is doing important Social Justice work in our community for the Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award. The Legacy Awards are our way of honoring of our late founder, Roberto Maestas, who helped organize the 1972 peaceful occupation of the abandoned Beacon Hill school, which later became El Centro de la Raza as we know it today. Roberto Maestas’s life was dedicated to building “Beloved Community” through multi-racial unity. He deeply believed that poverty, racism and social inequity could only be eradicated if people of all races and backgrounds came together to do so.

The 12th Annual Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award will recognize two individuals who have exemplified Building the Beloved Community through multi-racial unity and working to eliminate poverty, racism and social inequity. We encourage people of all races, ethnicities, ages, and gender identities to apply for this award. 
 
El Centro de la Raza will celebrate awardees and their contributions by making a $1,000 gift in their name to an organization of their choice.  Award recipients will be recognized at El Centro de la Raza’s 50th Anniversary Building the Beloved Community Gala, which is set to take place on Saturday, October 8, 2022.
 
Legacy Award applicants can self-nominate or be nominated by someone else. Recipients are asked to attend El Centro de la Raza’s Building the Beloved Community Gala.
 
Deadline for application submission is Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 5:00pm Pacific Time. 

Please nominate yourself or someone you know today via our form.

Read about our 2021 honorees, Dr. Estell Williams and Edwin Lindo

The health and success of El Centro de la Raza begins with you. Support from a broad base of community members including foundations, individuals, and corporations is critical to our success and we ask that you carefully consider making a personally meaningful gift – it may be the largest gift you have ever made.