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Latino Events Calendar
LARASA is putting together a calendar of Latino events for the next year. We want to add events that are taking place all around the state. If you sponsor, host or attend an event that you think should be on our calendar - please send the info to events@larasa.org.
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SB 146 Goes Down
LARASA's President and CEO, Thomas Ogas, joined with representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC), Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and others to testify against SB146 which would mandate impoundment of vehicles operated without a driver's license. The bill, introduced in the Senate, was sent to the State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee where it was postponed indefinately on February 11.
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Welcome New Board Members!
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Irene Aguilar, Mr. Lloyd Lewis and Ms. Yolanda Ortega to our Board of Directors!
For a complete list of Board members, please visit our website:
www.larasa.org
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Take Action on Tuition Equity
Thomas F. Ogas, President/CEO
In 1964, at the dawn of the Civil Rights movement, full of spirit and optimism for the future of the Latino community in Colorado, a multicultural group of visionaries came together to create the organization that has become LARASA. In 2007, LARASA's Board of Directors set forth this vision: "LARASA, an agency committed to the Latino community, will lead a collaborative multicultural effort to move the state of Colorado to a future without disparities in education, health, or quality of life".
We recently witnessed the historical election and inauguration of Barack Obama as the President of the United States. For some of us, this life-changing event rekindled a spark of hope... perhaps there can be a future without disparity. However, with this hope there is also a note of caution: we have seen how long authentic change can take and we know that we must continue to be proactive as we face the challenges and hard work still ahead.
Case in point: Tuition Equity
LARASA is supporting the efforts of the Higher Education Access Alliance, the Colorado Progressive Coalition and other partners to work on the Tuition Equity bill (Senate Bill 170) now moving through the Colorado legislature. This bill, sponsored by senators Chris Romer, Bob Bacon, Paula Sandoval, Abel Tapia, and Senate President Peter Groff, will provide undocumented students who graduate from Colorado high schools the ability to attend public colleges at in-state tuition rates like other Colorado students. LARASA agrees with the Alliance and Coalition partners that every young person in Colorado should have a fair shot at a higher education. Unfortunately, most undocumented students currently do not enroll in college because they cannot afford out-of-state tuition which is up to five times higher. Ten other states have passed similar legislation, including most of our neighboring states. Anti-immigrant groups are aggressively attacking this bill with hateful and deceitful phone calls and emails to legislators. On behalf of the Higher Education Access Alliance, the Colorado Progressive Coalition and other partners, LARASA is asking for your urgent help to counter these attacks with supportive emails and phone calls to your legislators. Please click "Take Action" below to send a scripted email (which can be personalized) to your state legislator now. It takes less than five minutes and could provide many deserving young people the opportunity for higher education.
TAKE ACTION NOW
To learn more about this bill visit www.heaacolorado.org. |
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LARASA Helps People Become New Citizens!
 Dave Archuleta, LARASA Learning Centers Manager, spends most of his Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church helping immigrants become legally documented residents and new citizens. Mr. Archuleta teaches both English as a Second Language (ESL) and Citizenship to an enthusiastic group of individuals who want to be Americans. In the past year, Mr. Archuleta has assisted more than 30 people in becoming new citizens and even more with their resident paperwork.
Plans are underway to develop a full service adult education center and computer lab in partnership with Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. If you would like more information about this program, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Dave Archuleta at 303-720-4085 or darchuleta@larasa.org. |
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Connecting to a Healthy Life / Conectarse con la Vida Sana
With grants from the Colorado Health Foundation and the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, LARASA has launched a multi-faceted health outreach project entitled Connecting to a Healthy Life Conectarse con la Vida Sana. The project provides needed health-related[1] outreach, education and referral services to monolingual and bilingual Latino/Hispanic communities of metro Denver.
LARASA strongly believes that connection is an essential solution to the challenge of health disparity in our community. Connection to needed information and to trusted advocates whose purpose is to help people learn how to successfully manage and utilize that information.
LARASA's Family Health Advocate helps members of the community connect to the resources they need.
If you are interested in more information about LARASA's Family Health Program or Connecting to a Healthy Life project, please contact Chy Montoya-Sanchez, Family Health Advocate, at 303-720-4084 or cmontoyasanchez@larasa.org.
[1] In LARASA's holistic strategy, the term health-related encompasses physical, mental, emotional, behavioral and financial health.  
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