The Human Rights Campaign, U.S largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organisation, is partnering with hundreds of coalition partners to support naturalisation workshops in six cities under the ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! civic engagement campaign during July, designated as a national month of citizenship.
These cities are Phoenix, Las Vegas, Long Beach, Denver, Dallas and New York. The ya es hora campaign, born from the marches of 2006 calling for comprehensive immigration reform, provides Latino/a permanent residents with help in completing the application for U.S. citizenship.
“The Latino/a, immigrant, and LGBT communities have common hopes and dreams and face a common set of challenges,” said Cuc Vu, chief diversity officer at the Human Rights Campaign. “ya es hora provides an opportunity for us to all come together to build stronger, more united communities, and HRC is proud to be a part of this powerful national coalition since joining the ya es hora campaign in 2009.”
ya es hora is the largest and most inclusive effort to incorporate Latino/a immigrants into the American political process, consisting of civil rights, immigrant, labor, community, business, media, and faith-based coalition partners. The ya es hora national coalition embraces four coordinating national organisations – Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, the NALEO Educational Fund, the National Council of La Raza and The Service Employees International Union – and three media partners – Entravision Communications, ImpreMedia and Univision Communications – as well as over 400 local organisations.
The Human Rights Campaign joined ya es hora as the only national LGBT coalition partner in 2009, engaging five of its volunteer communities. Since then, HRC has organised hundreds of its volunteers across 16 cities.
The Human Rights Campaign leads the coalitions in Las Vegas and San Diego. In the San Diego area, it has formed diverse coalitions since 2009 to organise naturalisation workshops in Chula Vista, Escondido and Carlsbad. A naturalisation workshop is scheduled to take place on September 10th in Carlsbad, CA.
Las Vegas, which organised a new coalition last year, is HRC’s model, attracting more than 100 applicants to the naturalisation workshop in July 2010. The coalition has since held a second workshop in April this year, attracting over 400 applicants and reaching capacity within 20 minutes of the workshop’s opening. After a thorough screening process, more than 125 people completed their applications for U.S. citizenship with the assistance of over 100 volunteers. A second workshop this year is scheduled for July 16th at the East Las Vegas Community Center, and is open to the first 200 qualified participants.
“We know these workshops will continue to get bigger and bigger as word travels around the community, which is why we’re focused on helping as many people as possible,” said Hergit “Coco” Llenas of the Human Rights Campaign’s Las Vegas steering committee. “These workshops would not be possible without community support and the many organisations and companies actively involved, so we are incredibly grateful to our partners in this effort for their dedication and commitment to building a stronger community.”
In both San Diego and Las Vegas, HRC’s active role has connected more LGBT individuals and organisations to work collaboratively with immigrant groups. “As a result, greater understanding between the challenges that immigrants and LGBT people face is changing hearts and minds in both communities,” said Vu. “We are providing a vital service that will strengthen not only Nevada, but fulfil our mission to work across our different communities to achieve the American Dream for LGBT people and immigrants, that often means being fully enfranchised as US citizens with all the rights and responsibilities”
The Human Rights Campaign will continue its participation in ya es hora in the following cities:
WHAT: ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! Natural Workshop – Phoenix, AZ
WHEN: Sunday July 10, 2011│9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
WHERE: Ranch Market, 1602 E. Roosevelt St
Phoenix, AZ 85006
WHO: Sponsored by Mi Familia Vota, LUCHA (Living United for Change in Arizona) and Human Rights Campaign
WHAT: ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! Natural Workshop – Las Vegas, NV
WHEN: Saturday July 16, 2011│10 a.m.
WHERE: East Las Vegas Community Center
250 North Eastern Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
WHO: Sponsored by NALEO Educational Fund, YMCA, USCIS, APALC, State Farm, LAFLA and Human Rights Campaign
WHAT: ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! Natural Workshop – Long Beach, CA
WHEN: Saturday July 16, 2011│9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
WHERE: First Friendship Preschool
6650 Orange Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90805
WHO: Sponsored by NALEO Educational Fund, YMCA, USCIS, APALC, State Farm, LAFLA and Human Rights Campaign
WHAT: ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! Natural Workshop – Denver, CO
WHEN: Saturday July 23, 2011│Time TBD
WHERE: 2525 W. Alameda Ave.
Denver, CO 80219
WHO: Sponsored by Mi Familia Vota, Human Rights Campaign
WHAT: ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! Natural Workshop – Dallas, TX
WHEN: Saturday July 30, 2011│9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
WHERE: Nuestra Señora del Pilar Catholic Church
4455 West Illinois Avenue
Dallas, TX 75211
WHO: Sponsored by Proyecto Inmigrante Inc., NALEO Educational Fund, Dallas Casa Durango, 1270AM La Voz del Pueblo, 107.9 FM La Kalle, Univision 23/ Telefutura 49 and Human Rights Campaign.
WHAT: ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! Natural Workshop – New York, NY
WHEN: Saturday July 30, 2011│11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
WHERE: Washington Heights (exact location TBD)
WHO: Sponsored by NALEO Educational Fund, CUNY Citizenship Now!, Assembly Member Guillermo Linares, Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Council Member Robert Jackson, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer , LiUNA-Latino Caucus, Northern Manhattan Coalition For Immigrant Rights, Global Citizen Services, Children’s Aid Society, Hispanic National Bar Association, Latino Justice PRLDEF, Legal Aid Society, Dominican Bar Association and the Human Rights Campaign.
