WE’RE SUPER BOWL BOUND 💙🏈
February 6, 2026 – At El Centro de la Raza, community is everything, and that includes showing love for our home team. As we head into the super bowl, we’re celebrating the spirit that brings Seattle together: pride, resilience, and unity.
From our community to the field, we’re cheering loud and proud.
¡Vamos Hawks! 💚
Rooted in Advocacy: El Centro de la Raza at January 26 Solidarity Rally
On January 26, 2026, El Centro de la Raza proudly participated in the ICE Out for Good: Don’t Fund ICE peaceful solidarity rally at the Federal Building in downtown Seattle. Rooted in our long-standing commitment to advocacy and justice, we joined Roxana Norouzi of OneAmerica and stood alongside a multigenerational, multicultural community united in calling for dignity, safety, and accountability for immigrant families.
El Centro de la Raza was represented by Co-Founder and Executive Director Estela Ortega, Associate Director Miguel Maestas, and Director of Human Services Marcos Martinez—reflecting our organization’s leadership and continued presence in moments that demand moral clarity and collective action.
This nonviolent gathering brought together elders, youth, families, and allies from across cultures to stand in solidarity with communities in Minnesota and nationwide, and to call for an end to continued funding for ICE.
With peacekeepers present and community care at the center, the rally embodied the values that guide our work: solidarity, respect, and shared responsibility.
February 2, 2026 – Latino Legislative Day
Staff, Jovens from our Youth Programs, and elders from our Senior Hub showed up strong at Latino Legislative Day, hosted by Latino Civic Alliance in Olympia on February 2, 2026 — raising their voices alongside advocates and civil rights leaders.
Through meaningful conversations with state senators and representatives, they reminded us that real change starts with showing up.
Special thanks to Miguel Maestas, our Associate Director for introducing our Jovens and elders to Senator Rebecca Saldaña and leaders from Washington’s 37th Legislative District.
At El Centro de la Raza, advocacy is action. When we share our stories and engage directly with elected leaders, we help shape policies that protect and empower Latino families across Washington.
Lobbying isn’t just a meeting — it’s a commitment to impact.
El Centro de la Raza 
National Wear Red Day/ Go Red for Women
Today we wear red to raise awareness for women’s heart health—because cardiovascular disease remains the #1 cause of death for women, impacting 1 in 3 lives each year. Stress, access to care, and health inequities continue to affect our communities, including Latinas.
El Centro de la Raza proudly supports this national movement by uplifting prevention, education, and community wellness. Wear red, stand together, and help protect the hearts of the women we love.
Valentine’s Joy Across Our Classrooms
At José Martí Child Development Center, love and creativity are in the air!
From our classrooms at Hirabayashi Place to Beacon Pacific Village, our little ones have been busy making Valentine’s Day crafts — sharing friendship, laughter, and lots of corazón. Handmade cards, colorful art projects, and big smiles are filling our schools with joy this week.
Our bilingual, bicultural early learning program serves children ages 15 months to 5 years, nurturing cultural pride, social justice, and community connection while building strong foundations for kindergarten and beyond.
✨ Now Enrolling!
• Immediate openings for all ages at Hirabayashi Place
• Openings for children ages 2.5–5 at Beacon Pacific Village
We would love to welcome new families into our learning community.
🔗 Learn more and enroll today:Seattle Child Development Daycare Center
We’re on the cover! 🎉
Our José Martí Child Development Center (JMCDC) at El Centro de la Raza is featured on the cover of Seattle’s Child January/February 2026 issue. The cover story, “Universal Child Care: What can Seattle learn from New Mexico?”, explores the future of accessible child care — and we’re proud to represent what’s possible when community leads the way.
At El Centro de la Raza, our mission is rooted in building the Beloved Community through social justice, equity, and self-determination. That vision lives every day inside our bilingual, bicultural classrooms.
Turn to pages 16–17 to see JMCDC in action — where cultural diversity is celebrated, families are true partners, and children are nurtured to thrive with pride in who they are.
This feature reflects more than a cover moment — it reflects our collective impact. Together with our educators, families, and community, we are advancing equity in early learning and creating spaces where children don’t just learn — they belong.
We gathered in circle.
On February 19th, El Centro de la Raza hosted our Intertribal Healing Jam — an evening grounded in reflection, resilience, and collective care.
Held at our Centilia Cultural Center, more than 100 community members gathered for drumming, singing, and storytelling — creating a powerful space for cultural connection, reflection, and collective healing.
Hosted by our Immigrant and Refugee Program in collaboration with Seattle Colleges Office of Access, Community and Opportunity Center (ACO), the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Muckleshoot Canoe Family, and the King County Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy, this gathering reflected our values of solidarity, dignity, and building the Beloved Community — where every voice matters and every story belongs.
Thank you to everyone who brought their spirit, their voice, and their heart.
Photos by Tonia Galindo
On February 19th, El Centro de la Raza hosted our Intertribal Healing Jam — an evening grounded in reflection, resilience, and collective care.
Held at our Centilia Cultural Center, more than 100 community members gathered for drumming, singing, and storytelling — creating a powerful space for cultural connection, reflection, and collective healing.
Hosted by our Immigrant and Refugee Program in collaboration with Seattle Colleges Office of Access, Community and Opportunity Center (ACO), the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Muckleshoot Canoe Family, and the King County Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy, this gathering reflected our values of solidarity, dignity, and building the Beloved Community — where every voice matters and every story belongs.
Thank you to everyone who brought their spirit, their voice, and their heart.
Photos by Tonia Galindo
