Feel Good Friday - Centro Legal de la Raza

It's National Hispanic Heritage Month, a celebration through October 15 of the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans with roots in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. Today I'm spotlighting Centro Legal de la Raza, right here in the Bay Area.

Founded in 1969 and headquartered in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, California, Centro Legal de la Raza was started by Latino law students from UC Berkeley to provide legal aid to low-income Latino residents of Oakland. Since then, it has grown to serve thousands of people across Northern and Central California. Their mission is "to protect and advance the rights of low-income, immigrant, Latinx, Black, and communities of color." Their vision grounds the work in "three core pillars: leadership, empowerment, and equity."

Centro Legal's Immigrants' Rights practice represents families living in poverty, long-residing undocumented immigrants, asylum seekers, and people facing deportation, including those in detention. Through the Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership, Centro Legal also helps ensure people facing detention, deportation or immigration emergencies have access to legal services and community education. The Tenants' Rights team fights displacement through eviction defense, drop-in legal clinics and rent board hearings across Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The Workers' Rights program helps low-wage immigrant workers facing wage theft, unsafe conditions and retaliation, including immigration-related threats.

Two more programs round out the work. Impact Litigation has taken cases before the U.S. and California Supreme Courts, and the Youth Law Academy is a three-year program that gives Oakland high school students a clear pathway to college, part of Centro Legal's effort to mentor the next generation of attorneys and judges of color.

Centro Legal has had a big impact in the community. Its work helps protect the rights of more than 10,000 people every year!

Volunteering as an interpreter is one way you can support Centro Legal, and there are many others. Attorneys can explore pro bono opportunities and all of us can make a donation and amplify their message on social media. Follow Centro Legal on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and share their work with your network.

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!