Dear Friends,

For the foreseeable future, the way we think about our Latino community will truly be different. What hasn’t changed are our values, commitment, and sense of responsibility to one another. It’s this shared sense of unity that will bring our community together and make us stronger and our bond unbreakable.

As we watch the coronavirus crisis unfold in the US, we are witnessing a new reality take shape. Like a strange Llorona or Cu-cui that our abuelitos scared us with, no one knows exactly what lies ahead in this unchartered territory. Yet one thing is certain, this crisis will have a dramatic impact on the Latino community, our most vulnerable, especially isolated seniors, immigrant communities, farmworkers, Latino families and single-parent households, those currently living paycheck to paycheck, and small Latino owned businesses.

Even before this crisis, LULAC was on the front lines, fighting for the rights of every Latino across the country. We are on the front lines fighting for civil rights, equity in our education system, voting rights, championing immigrant, environmental, and economic justice, as well as immigration reform including our DACA eligible / recipients.

All of a sudden, we are fighting for equity in sick leave, unemployment compensation, stimulus compensation, Latino and minority owned businesses and for everyone affected by this crisis. Make no mistake, legislation working its way through Congress right now will change the landscape of our economy, by picking winners and losers. If it fails, our country may slide into a depression we have not seen in generations. Latinos will suffer by falling farther behind after making such strides over the last several decades.

LULAC is also fighting to ensure that COVID-19 testing and treatment are 100% covered by our Federal government for every person in the United States and that testing and treatment cannot be used as a public charge against any person who has applied for a Green Card or will do so in the future. No one in American can be safe if our most vulnerable are left without treatment.

The enormity of the COVID-19 pandemic has created an environment where our Latino community is heeding warnings and observing social distancing. For all of us, this disruption of our normal lives can bring us further away from the things we cherish. In an effort to close the distance and keep our Latino traditions of community, we have created the LULAC@HOME website, a Coronavirus Community Resources Center, to share our collective community resources, informing you of what is available remotely in the form of online learning, virtual events, volunteer and training opportunities and all the ways you can continue to connect from home. Our goal is to update this frequently and we are encouraging all Latino community partners to share their programs with us.

Submissions may be forwarded by filling this form out.

For more than 90 years our LULAC community has been working together to solve problems and meet needs of the Latino community and we have proven that by working together as a people we can meet every challenge.

We know that our safety net of vital programs and services will see a dramatic rise in demand in the days and weeks ahead.

As a result, LULAC is working with partners and local agencies to develop plans to ensure that the most vital services remain operational. Our desire is to safeguard our most vulnerable populations as they continue to receive urgent services, including meal deliveries for isolated seniors, needed equipment like laptops and chromebooks for students and the elderly, emergency counseling across all populations and assistance for those facing serious unforeseen financial crises.

LULAC’s National Board and Staff continues to meet daily to monitor the situation and address all emerging issues. While the LULAC national headquarters and our offices in El Paso remain closed, all LULAC staff is working remotely and fully accessible to the community by phone, email and through the LULAC’s main number 202-833-6130. You may also email [email protected] to reach us.

We thank all of those who have supported LULAC throughout the years and have demonstrated faith and trust in our mission to build community and care for those in need. That is what makes this all possible.

As we go forward together under these unprecedented circumstances, let us be mindful of our need to continue to maintain the connections we have with one another and our community. Think about how you can engage with others, support one another and continue to help care for those in need. We are all learning together and welcome any feedback you may have period please write to us at [email protected].

Stay safe, stay healthy and take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Sincerely,

Domingo Garcia
LULAC National President

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About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org.