Advocating for Change: Outreach and Community Engagement
Last month, Centro Romero’s Executive Director Daysi Funes, along with Associate Director Diego F. Samayoa traveled to Washington DC to participate in a national strategy conference centered around the state of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a status granted to certain eligible nationals of countries that the United States government deems unsafe to return to. TPS is an essential program that many within the Chicago immigrant and refugee community rely on, and Centro Romero’s participation and advocacy at conferences such as these is essential to ensuring that TPS remains available for all who need it.
Also in March, members of Centro Romero’s staff and community participated in a City Key event put on by Chicago’s City Clerk Anna Valencia, and hosted by Malcolm X College. The City Key is an ID card that all people who live in Chicago are eligible for, and which will function as a government ID, Chicago Public Library card, a CTA Ventra card and a prescription discount card. At this specific event, over 490 City Key cards were successfully issued.
Through continued advocacy at important events such as these, Centro Romero continues to follow in the legacy of the late archbishop Oscar Romero by helping its clients achieve security and self-sufficiency for themselves and their families in the United States.
A recent conference on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Central American nations was held thanks to a collaboration between Centro Romero, and Alianza America. The purpose of the event was to increase public awareness of the urgent need to extend TPS to Central Americans who are struggling with issues like political instability, violence, and poverty. The conference aimed to advance the discussion on TPS and emphasize the significance of protecting vulnerable populations in the area by bringing together community leaders, immigration activists, and policymakers.