Advocacy
Providing Pandemic Relief and Ensuring Democracy
During 2020, LULAC Lambda supported local organizations that were providing pandemic relief. Members volunteered to assemble emergency food boxes at the Capital Area Food bank and LULAC Lambda received a grant and donated $2000 worth of household goods to Ayuda, a local immigrant services organization, for the relief efforts. We've taken part in demonstrations to support our African American/Black siblings. We also helped promote the 2020 Census in D.C.’s Latinx neighborhoods and continue to register voters in D.C. and the neighboring counties.
Standing Up for New Americans
LULAC Lambda hosts Citizenship Workshops during the summer. LGBTQ+ permanent residents who are ready to become U.S. citizens are invited to come hear a presentation from an immigration attorney discussing the application process and common issues experienced by LGBTQ+ immigrants. Classes are free and available in Spanish at various locations within the district.
In 2019, LULAC Lambda helped charter a new council in Maryland to help protect Latinx immigrants. Latinx immigrants in eastern Maryland were being harassed by law enforcement and denied resources. Local folks wanted to start a LULAC council, and after a town hall meeting with 17 people who filled out membership forms, a council was started in January 2019. LULAC Lambda provided membership funds and mentorship to new council leaders.
Investing in Youth
LULAC Lambda began mentoring two high schools in 2018: E.L. Haynes Public Charter and Columbia Heights Education Campus. Inaugural meetings took place that fall. LULAC Lambda sponsors and students meet every two weeks to 1) provide professional development, 2) share Latinx history, 3) partake in community service, and 4) celebrate our culture.
In that same year, LULAC Lambda launched its annual scholarship. One of our goals is to increase access to education and equity, so the scholarship committee looks at academic performance as well as the student’s work in social justice and community service accomplishments in the Latinx and/or LGBTQ+ community. LULAC Lambda hopes its $1,000+ scholarships help D.C. students achieve their dreams.
Addressing Poverty in our Community
Members of LULAC Lambda alongside local partners hold drives for shampoo, soap, toothpaste, blankets, combs, deodorant, socks and other items for the unhoused in the District. In addition to material items, we partner with other LULAC councils in the area to make monetary donations to organizations working to uplift neighbors experiencing poverty. More than half of the population served by community partners are Latinx and immigrants who are also often undocumented with little to no access to social services.
Combatting HIV in the District
Washington, D.C. is one of the areas hardest hit by HIV in the United States, with an epidemic on par with some developing nations. In D.C., approximately 2.7 percent of the population is living with HIV according to the CDC. D.C. has the highest AIDS diagnosis rate of any state in the nation. To help combat the spread of HIV, LULAC Lambda partners with The D.C. Center to construct free safe-sex kits that are distributed at bars and clubs locally. Members insert a condom package, two lube packets, and safe sex instructions into a small plastic bag that is sealed.
LULAC Lambda hosts a table at DC Pride to promote safe sex and advocate for community involvement, and has partnered with Whitman-Walker Health to administer testing at the event.
Engaging our Federal Officials and Supporting Latinx Youth
LULAC Lambda hosted a Town Hall with U.S. House Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton at the Human Rights Campaign to learn about immigration reform, affordable housing, and protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. We partnered with the Latino GLBT History Project (now the Latinx History Project) and Empodérate to help get members of the immigrant community and the transgender community to attend this event. The hour-long event was held in both English and Spanish thanks to translation equipment provided by the D.C. Office of Latino Affairs.
In October, LULAC Lambda members joined other LULAC members from around the country to participate in National LULAC's "ACTober: Fall Advocacy Day.” LULAC members conducted advocacy visits with more than 60 congressional offices from both the U.S Senate and the U.S House of Representatives. LULAC members met with members of Congress from the Judiciary Committee, Education and the Workforce Committee, Natural Resources Committee, Energy and Commerce Committee, and members from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
LULAC Lambda and received funds to support the nutrition program at the Latino Student Fund in Washington D.C. The center helps tutor immigration children in the area. We also collected 100 pieces of winter clothing for Goodwill, Christmas toys and books for children enrolled at Latino Student Fund, and donated more than 300 cans of food and $200 in cash to the Food & Friends pantry.
