Mission, Values, Outcomes

Mission Statement: As an organization grounded in the Latino community, our mission is to build unity across all racial and economic sectors, to organize, empower, and defend our most vulnerable and marginalized populations and to bring justice, dignity, equality, and freedom to all the peoples of the world.

Values

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.

Outcomes

El Centro de la Raza strives to have a positive impact on people’s lives. We use evaluation tools to make sure that measureable change occurs through the services we deliver. Each of El Centro’s programs helps participants progress toward one of these Twenty-nine Core Outcomes:

• People meet their basic food needs
• People transitioning out of homelessness secure permanent housing
• Youth and adults acquire job search skills, gain employment and retain jobs
• Low and moderate income people access homeownership
• People reduce debt, improve credit, increase savings and utilize equitable banking services
• Homeowners reach resolution to prevent foreclosure
• Homeowners successfully refinance their homes
• Infants/young children meet development milestones
• Young children are prepared to enter kindergarten
• Students develop/strengthen skills and/or habits that support academic success
• Educationally marginalized students make academic progress
• Older adults maintain the highest possible quality of life
• People acquire/improve English language and literacy skills
• Parents/guardians participate in children’s learning
• Community partnerships promote children’s success
• Youth are encouraged and better prepared to pursue and/or enroll in post-secondary education
• Individuals and families in crisis receive immediate information, referral and services
• Engage Latino families and community members in Juvenile Justice advocacy and policy changes
• Increase access and awareness of human services, housing, and health resources for all Veterans
• People receive access to legal services
• People receive access to tax preparation services
• At risk expecting mothers receive culturally competent services
• Increase professional, skilled and community volunteers to strengthen a sustainable volunteer program
• Reduce smoking in communities of color
• People advocate for equitable transit oriented development
• Youth acquire technology skills
• Provide people with permanent affordable housing
• Build the “Beloved Community” through cultural events, celebrations and traditions
• People make healthier food choices

Principles

El Centro de la Raza “Familia” adopted twelve guiding Principles (english) (spanish) in the fall of 1976, four years into our existence.

It was a defining moment in our organization’s history for it clarified what we were determined to become as a new and innovative organization born out of the violent worldwide struggle to create a better world.

In essence these twelve principles become our “constitution” and have been critical in guiding us through the agony and ecstasy of our 37 years.

They were adopted during a weekend statewide conference of students, farmworkers, academics, women, unemployed and organizers from Chicano/Latino, Black, Indian, Asian and White communities.

(A special “Gracias” is reserved for the leadership of the exiled Chilean community for their extraordinary clarity and political maturity reflected in these principles.)