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 DC invests in youth in several ways. Launching its annual scholarship awards in 2018 with a goal of increasing access to education and equity, 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 now $2,500+ scholarships help D.C. students achieve their dreams.
Ongoing mentoring sessions at area schools is also central to our youth investment efforts including scheduling visits of LGBTQ+ Latinx professionals in area schools and our recent multi-year bi-weekly sessions with students at E.L. Haynes Public Charter and Columbia Heights Education Campus.
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
DC is one of the nation's areas hardest hit by HIV, with an epidemic on par of some developing nations. Roughly 2.7 percent of DC's population is living with HIV according to the CDC and DC has the highest AIDS diagnosis rate of any state. In response, LULAC Lambda DC partners with The DC Center to construct free safe-sex kits that are distributed at bars and clubs locally. Members assemble a package in sealed plastic bags that include condoms, lube, and safe sex instructions. We also host a table at DC Pride to promote safe sex and advocate for community involvement, and have partnered with Whitman-Walker Health to administer testing at the event.
Engaging our Federal Officials and Supporting Latinx Youth
LULAC Lambda DC regularly organizes a variety of special events to enhance access of Latinx youth to national leadership, including:
--Hosting 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.
--Joining with LULAC members from around the country to participate in National LULAC's "ACTober: Fall Advocacy Day." Making advocacy visits to more than 60 congressional offices, LULAC members also met with members of Congressional Committees for Judiciary, Education and the Workforce, Natural Resources, Energy and Commerce, as well as members from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
