News

Tualatin River storwater murals will celebrate Latino and Muslim views on water

We're partnering with Tualatin Riverkeepers and Muslim Education Trust to create cultural Stormwater Murals in Hillsboro/Cornelius.
One of our Directors was quoted: "[We] love how we’ll be able to create artistic expression in a public space, somewhere on the west end that reflects culture and identity, and of course, laces it with such strong Oregon values".
Read more on Metro's website!

Defend DACA- 800 Candle Vigil (10/12/17)

We lit 800 candles on October 6th to raise local awareness for the 800,000 DACA recipients - 1 candle symbolically represented 1,000 DACA recipients - in the United States. The executive decision to rescind DACA not only impacts hundreds of thousands of youth across the country, but hundreds here in Washington County. October 6th is the first day the program prevents recipients from renewing their permits.

"Centro Cultural's Juan Carlos Gonzalez said Friday's action was meant to send a message to the community.
'It strengthens the fabric of our community, and it builds solidarity,' he said. 'With all the rhetoric out there, people can sometimes feel helpless. For me, it puts the emphasis on the local community … If people think that that people here don't care, they are wrong. We care very deeply about it here in Hillsboro and in Oregon.'"

The Hillsboro Tribune covered the vigil. Read to hear what we have to say! Thank you for showing us support! Click the link to read more about our event last Friday.

Centro to Launch New "Esperanza Deportation Relief Fund" with $20,000 Investment from The Collins Foundation (7/18/17)

Centro Cultural proudly announces the Esperanza Deportation Relief Fund - a project aimed at providing: immigration advocacy services, direct economic relief to families that have a main household income earner deported or in the process of deportation, and referral networks for youth experiencing trauma - with a $20,000 seed investment from The Collins Foundation.

The project is a result of Centro Cultural's project development team and The Oregon Immigrant and Refugee Funders Collaborative, a partnership between The Collins Foundation, MRG Foundation, Oregon Community Foundation and Meyer Memorial Trust.

The Esperanza Deportation Relief Fund is expected to launch services in Mid-August 2018.

Project Description:

Centro Cultural has played a critical role in the development of Washington County Latino and Immigrant communities for the last 45 years and has served families with an ever-growing range of programs designed to create self-sufficient, engaged and active citizens. Our mission focuses on empowerment by addressing education, economic advancement and cultural enrichment.

We've learned the immigration/deportation process can throw a family into disarray; losing an income-earner threatens housing stability, job stability, higher childcare costs, legal fees, and much more. Currently there is little support available to families that experience these hardships. Although programs exist to help offset legal fees or cover housing with temporary housing vouchers, we find that the burden of deportation can make basic survival a struggle for families. There is a significant need in the region to help families’ transition when a household member is deported and we are keen to ease distress and heal trauma wherever possible.

The primary goal of the Esperanza Deportation Relief Fund is to offer financial assistance to families that lose an income-earner in their household. Easing the financial and economic hardship thereby associated. The program will dedicate staff time to advocacy, supporting clients in navigating systems (accompanying to a legal appointment, translating legal documents, etc.), civic engagement, and connecting clients with other resources and programs to assist families during this time.

For more information please contact Juan Carlos Gonzalez (Development Director) at jgonzalez@centrocultural.org.

Centro Awarded $150,000 in Community Development Block Grant dollars to Renovate Building (7/13/17)

Washington County, Oregon has awarded Centro $150,000 of Community Development Block Grant FY 17-18 dollars from the Public Facilities Portfolio to renovate Centro Cultural's Cornelius campus facilites. The award will be invested in updating infrastructure, repairing aging HVAC systems, improving space usage and access, and enhancing security features across the Cornelius campus. The funded projects will take place from July 2017-June 2018.

For more information please contact Robert Rios (Operations Director) at rrios@centrocultural.org.