Category: News

Dr. Gino Aisenberg, Associate Professor at the UW School of Social Work and Co-Director of the Latino Center for Health, was recently featured in an article on the School of Social Work’s website, where he highlights the importance of listening to the community as a central aspect of improving Latino health.

“Engaging the community in a respectful and authentic way is at the very core of the center’s mission to address health disparities and promote well-being across the diverse Latinx population,” says Aisenberg.

To learn more about the ways in which the Center engages the diverse Latino communities living in Washington State, click here.

Here is a list of actions you can take to help support Latinx immigrants and other disadvantaged or marginalized folks who often suffer the worst health and economic consequences in situations like these:

• The COVID-19 Latinx Community Response conference call took place last Thursday with Latinx community representatives from across the state, facilitated by the Commission on Hispanic Affairs and the Latino Civic Alliance. They compiled all the questions/issues the community had brought up and began to organize into committees/work groups to tackle the issues raised. If you are interested in being involved, email hispanic@cha.wa.gov with the subject line ‘COVID-19 Workgroup’. 
• OneAmerica has compiled a list of resources in Washington for immigrants, including for those who are undocumented. Please share this link with anyone who could benefit (https://weareoneamerica.org/2020/03/23/covid-19-coronavirus-resources-for-immigrants-recursos-para-inmigrantes/). This list includes food vouchers, emergency assistance programs, public school meal distributions, free access to internet, unemployment resources, healthcare access, a relief fund for undocumented folks, and many other resources.
• The NAACP has published a report listing equity implications of COVID-19 in the United States. You can find the report here. You can share the report widely and/or join some of the emerging equity-based efforts listed towards the end of the report.
• Casa Latina has a Workers Relief Fund that provides cash assistance to existing Casa Latina members who need funds right now for food and rent. Many provide for their families through day labor jobs and domestic work and often do not have other resources or any kind of safety net. Casa Latina is also still accepting general donations to organization. If you wish to make a contribution, you can donate online here. If you wish to restrict your gift to the Workers Relief Fund, simply note that in the comment section.
• The Consulate of Mexico has compiled a list of fact sheets, videos and audios in indigenous languages regarding coronavirus. If you know of anyone who could benefit from these resources, please share with them the following link: https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/1HMRXQ0pAY9-o62C3uPPDckHmVpunz31zsPhWE_hsMno/mobilebasic
• And lastly, here is a message from Ericka Hart, racial & social justice educator, that includes a fun (and bold!) action you can take if you have an Instagram account:
  • Some city and state governments across the country have placed a moratorium on mortgage payments and suspended evictions indefinitely due to the growing impact of the novel coronavirus on the economy. While these measures may help some, they do nothing to help the large majority of people who can’t afford a mortgage in the first place. A suspension on evictions with no legal protections for tenants in the form of rent forgiveness and a lack of permanent housing for homeless and housing insecure folks during a global pandemic is more of the same anti-poor, anti-black discriminatory housing that existed before the spread of COVID-19.Access to affordable, quality and safe housing is not only a human right but an essential aspect of public health care. So please take on this action and demand national rent, mortgage and utility payment suspension and forgiveness. No evictions, no foreclosures for at least 120 days. Support your local tenants coalitions and housing rights groups. And lastly, record yourself singing this song on Instagram:Here are the lyrics:
    We shouldn’t have to pay.
    Suspend Rent Now.
    No penalties, no pay back.
    Suspend Rent Now.
    Losing wages, can’t work.
    Suspend Rent Now.
    Add your own city/state,
    Suspend Rent Now.
  • 1. Record yourself singing the song
    2. Tag us and your governor
    Tag: #suspendrentnow #cancelrent