“We are a people torn from time to time. It is logically, morally and psychologically constructive for us to resist oppression, united as families … inner strength and integrity will make us whole again. “
-Martin Luther King, Jr. (1967)
This is our story
The fall of 1972 was not the “best of times” for Seattle, the Northwest, the United States, or the world at large. Seattle was struggling with the “Boeing collapse,” the area’s worst recession since the 1930s. The deep racial divide, as well as the nightmarish war in Vietnam, were tearing at the soul of our nation. At one point, anonymous “carpenters” made national news by erecting a creative and stylish billboard along a major highway that read, “Will the last person out of Seattle please turn off the lights?” (Accompanied by a drawing of a light bulb and a hanging rope).
As fall rolled in, the days shortened, the rains came, and the air cooled in one of Seattle’s coldest winters.
A regressive government decision demonstrated how the lines between international, national and local issues could easily become one. A core “War on Poverty” program, just after the much publicized “WAR” began, was abruptly underfunded, sparking a problem that led to the creation of “El Centro de la Raza.”
About seventy Latino students and ten staff members of the Chicano: English and Adult Basic Education Program at the Duwamish branch of the fledgling South Seattle Community College found themselves without an educational home.
The first big bold step
At approximately 8:00 am on October 11, 1972, a three-person delegation was greeted by the Seattle Public School District facilities manager, showing a dilapidated and dilapidated facility to representatives of “some” organization interested in rent or buy the three abandoned. One story elementary school building located in the middle of a one square block.
When the lock clicked open, the delegation leader pulled the lock out of the mechanism and put it in his pocket, confusing the custodian who said nothing.
Thus began a historic journey of more than 50 years in which basic staff, students and their families walked nervously and silently behind the bushes and parked cars through the open door.
The occupation of the abandoned Beacon Hill School located at the top ten minutes from the heart of downtown Seattle had begun. At that time Beacon Hill School ceased to exist and El Centro de la Raza was born.
The context
This incident reflected the innumerable political and social demonstrations and tenor of the previous decade and intensified in 1968 with the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (after his short but magnificent two decades of struggle for racial equality).
The following year, Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay was occupied.
In 1970, Fort Lawton, a surplus military installation in Seattle, was occupied by indigenous people seeking the restoration of their treaty rights, including salmon fishing and land rights. Large farmworker strikes were taking place in California and the Yakima Valley of Washington state. Asian residents in Seattle’s “Chinatown” adjoining the Beacon Hill neighborhood were fighting the gentrification of the area by repeatedly taking to the streets.
Most of the university campuses of the state, the nation and the world were experiencing mass demonstrations and occupations against the Vietnam War. The entire nation was stunned by the military killings of students protesting at Jackson State and Kent State Universities under the presidential supervision of the infamous Richard Nixon.
Those who led the peaceful occupation of the decaying Beacon Hill School had participated in many of these activities and had experienced the power to join forces across racial and class barriers.
El Centro De La Raza: Center for people of all races
From the beginning, those who occupied and began to transform the old elementary school were joined by hundreds of allies of the previous movement from all races and economic sectors who were clear and we are confident in our decision. Like the surrounding neighborhood and Seattle as a whole, we represent the rainbow of humanity.
So, although the founding of El Centro de la Raza was caused by Latinos and acquired a Spanish name, it began, and continues to be, “The Center for People of All Races.” It is the “home” of all the people who are interested in continuing the fight for a better world by serving, educating, defending and organizing each other and our people to build the “beloved community” as envisioned by Rey, Bolívar, Zapata, Ghandi , Martí, Joe Hill, Mother Teresa, Ho Chi Minh, Emma Tenayuca, Che, Black Elk, Geronimo and thousands of others of our heroes and martyrs.
From the beginning, El Centro de la Raza has provided a gathering place for those who were otherwise scattered … and in 1972, the largely invisible Latino community welcomes all people with open arms.
Definitive moments
We peacefully occupying Beacon Hill School created a “beloved community,” with no running water or heat, while negotiations with the City of Seattle and the Seattle Public Schools took place. As a result of months of official “inaction”, it became necessary to fill the seats and Chambers of the Seattle City Council to underscore our determination to develop a truly grassroots and truly democratic community center on site.
One of the key debates centered on the most appropriate location for a Latino center. We were convinced that the Beacon Hill site was the most appropriate due to its centralized location, availability, and potential for expansion and development.
Mayor Wes Uhlman’s final approval to secure the facility came only after the peaceful occupation of his office and the subsequent arrest of El Centro de la Raza leaders. The three-month occupancy, in one of Seattle’s coldest winters, resulted in a five-year lease of the building at $ 1 a year.
Now what?
After the victory, reality prevailed and those of us who had endured and organized for three difficult months realized that the real work had just begun.
Since 1972, the sweat, tears, songs, study, sacrifice and creativity of the people have been built and now own lock and cannon, and in all modesty, one of the most uncompromising and productive community organizations in the nation. .
Citing just two of the innumerable international, national, state and local awards, El Centro de la Raza is probably the only organization in the world to carry out, on the one hand, the “10th Anniversary of Nicaragua.” Medal of the Sandinista Revolution ”( 1989), and the “Thousand Points of Light” award (1991) from the White House of George Bush Sr. (Since these two governments were mortal enemies. Two awards lie a remarkable story).
The mission, the vision
Centro de la Raza has sought to serve and empower everyone we reach to learn from each other and unite our energies in the noble struggle for basic social change. The provision of a wide range of survivable services alone is only a temporary relief for deep social wounds; it does not address the roots of poverty, discrimination, alienation, and despair.
Centro de la Raza strives to use social, cultural, educational, economic, and civic activities as vehicles to unite peoples of all races and refuses to separate our nation’s economic model from the historic tragedy of racism, poverty, and war. Our organization tries to combine a strong sense of self-worth and connection to one’s family and culture with active participation in community affairs. Our collective self-government has developed an extensive network, at the local, national and international level, to unite diverse peoples, with common problems, in search of effective and just solutions.
We will never surrender to injustice
We all know that it is a difficult fight. The organization faces head-on issues of racism, sexism and other forms of inequality that have plagued the world for centuries. These problems were created over many generations and only the progressive march of history will solve them.
El Centro de la Raza’s dedication to solving them by building a sense of community is best expressed in the words of the first of our 12 Principles; all of which speak of autonomy and a global agenda and that they have clearly and successfully guided us through a tumultuous time in history.
“Share, disburse and distribute our services, resources, knowledge and skills to our participants, community, visitors and human family in general with due dignity for their individuality, needs and condition. To do it creatively with warmth, cultural sensitivity, fairness, enthusiasm, compassion, honesty, optimism, patience and humility in all areas of work ”.
The mainstream media, whenever they saw fit (or necessary) to cover snippets of our story, has always been incomplete, distorted, sensational, or completely false.
Now, with the bright progressive possibilities of cyberspace, we will continue to tell our story unfiltered.
Always welcome to El Centro De La Raza
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