Saturday, September 26, 2026, | 5:00 – 8:45 PM
Summit Building (Seattle Convention Center) – Ballroom 2 & 3 on Level 5
900 Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98101

The Summit Building Parking Garage is located at 1009 Olive Way between 9th and Boren. Summit is the Seattle Convention Center’s brand-new building!

Join us in-person on Saturday, September 26, 2026, for our annual Building the Beloved Community Gala and take part in an exciting event that raises funds for 43 programs and services that benefit more than 25,000 individuals and families across our region. The evening will include live music, a reception, silent and live auctions, a three-course meal, and the presentation of our Roberto Maestas Legacy Awards and Scholarships!

2026 Quick Links:
Sponsor the event
Donate an auction item
Make a donation
Volunteer at the gala

You can also make a donation in lieu of attendance here:

Mil Gracias to our 2026 Sponsors!

2026 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award Winners:

We are proud to honor the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington (LBAW) and the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) as our 2026 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award recipients, recognizing their longstanding dedication to justice, equity, representation, and community empowerment. For more than 30 years, LBAW has advanced access to justice and helped build a more diverse and inclusive legal profession through mentorship, professional development, advocacy, and community partnerships, including collaborations with El Centro de la Raza that expand access to free legal clinics, education, and vital resources. As Washington State’s largest immigrant justice network, WAISN brings together more than 700 organizations and individuals across 39 counties to protect and advance the rights and power of immigrant and refugee communities. Through leadership development, deportation defense, advocacy, and systems change, both organizations embody the legacy of Roberto Felipe Maestas by strengthening communities, expanding opportunity, and advancing a more just and equitable Washington for all.

2025 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award Winners:

The 2025 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award honors two visionary leaders advancing justice in Washington State: Malou Chávez, Executive Director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP), and Chach Duarte White, Director of Legal Services at Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC). As the first immigrant woman of color to lead NWIRP, Malou champions immigrants’ rights through direct legal services, community education, and impact litigation that challenges unjust laws and expands access to representation. At LCYC, Chach—an engineer-turned-attorney and former president of the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington—brings deep expertise and a lifelong commitment to equity, protecting the rights and safety of young people through direct representation and systemic advocacy, serving more than 800 youth statewide in 2024. Together, their leadership reflects an unwavering dedication to justice, equity, and community empowerment.

2024 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award Winners:

Congratulations to our 2024 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award winners, Jaqueline Garcia Castillo, Founder and Executive Director of Mujer al Volante, Superacion Constante and Ruel Olanday Jr., Director of Partnerships for the Equitable Recovery and Reconciliation Alliance (ERRA)! El Centro de la Raza’s principal founder was Roberto Maestas who dedicated his life to building Dr. King’s 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. It is in honor of Roberto and his legacy that the 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. El Centro de la Raza will celebrate them and their contributions by making a $1,000 gift in their name to an organization of their choice.

2023 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award Winners:

Congratulations to our 2023 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award winners, Roxana Norouzi, Executive Director of OneAmerica and Keith Tucker, Founder & Executive Director of Hip Hop is Green! El Centro de la Raza’s principal founder was Roberto Maestas who dedicated his life to building Dr. King’s 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. It is in honor of Roberto and his legacy that the 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. El Centro de la Raza will celebrate them and their contributions by making a $1,000 gift in their name to an organization of their choice.

2022 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award Winners:

Congratulations to our 2022 Roberto Felipe Maestas Legacy Award winners, Aneelah Afzali and Carlos Jiménez! El Centro de la Raza’s principal founder was Roberto Maestas who dedicated his life to building Dr. King’s 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. It is in honor of Roberto and his legacy that the 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. El Centro de la Raza will celebrate them and their contributions by making a $1,000 gift in their name to an organization of their choice.