El Centro de la Raza
Flag this Organization: El Centro de la Raza for removalEl Centro de la Raza (ECDLR) is a civil rights-rooted community anchor that now combines 43 programs into nine service areas: Food and Health, Benefits and Resource Navigation, Workforce Development, Advocacy and Culture, Youth Services, Housing, Small Business Services, Child and Family Services, and Financial Empowerment. This structure allows multilingual families to find culturally specific support in one place.
Programs operate from the historic Beacon Hill schoolhouse at 2524 16th Avenue S, the neighboring Plaza Roberto Maestas and Centilia Cultural Center complex, a South King County campus in Federal Way, and multiple José Martí Child Development Center sites throughout Seattle. Those hubs connect households to bilingual early learning, youth leadership, rent and utility assistance, asset-building and small business coaching, food distribution with health navigation, and frequent community clinics and cultural events, ensuring residents can stabilize housing, grow incomes, and stay engaged in civic life across King County.
For more information, see the El Centro de la Raza website.
News related to El Centro de la Raza
Cuentos from Our Work: NOVEMBER 2025
This year’s Día de los Muertos celebration at Plaza Roberto Maestas brought together approximately 2,500 community members and 28 local vendors to honor loved ones through art, music, and tradition. The event showcased the community’s unity and resilience, even amid challenging weather, and highl...
DID YOU KNOW? OCTOBER 2025
Today, on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Paula Matta Marroquin, a Mapuche and refugee, reflects on her identity and journey from Chile. She emphasizes the deep roots her Indigenous heritage provides, highlighting the loss and resilience experienced in her journey. Marroquin articulates a profound conne...
Cuentos from Our Work: OCTOBER 2025
In September, El Centro de la Raza hosted a back-to-school skate event at the El Centro Skate Rink, bringing together 45 students and their families to celebrate the new school year. Attendees received 45 backpacks filled with school supplies, with an additional 20 backpacks planned for those una...
College GANAS Program
The College Ganas Program aims to empower Latino youth in their pursuit of higher education by fostering the cultural concept of “ganas,” which signifies the desire to succeed and achieve dreams. The program provides various forms of support, including workshops focused on college readiness and c...
Cuentos from Our Work: August 2025
On Aug. 20, 2025, El Centro de la Raza celebrated the graduation of 50 children from its ParentChild+ Program, which supports early childhood development and school readiness through home visits. The event took place in a local park, fostering community joy and togetherness. The organization also...
Cuentos from Our Work: July 2025
El Centro de la Raza hosted the Chilean Consulate’s visit from July 16-19, 2025, providing valuable services like passport renewals and civil registry assistance to the local Chilean community. The summer programs for youth, including the Échale Ganas camp, began successfully, engaging 75 middle ...
Staff Corner: June 2025
El Centro de la Raza recently welcomed exceptional students from the University of Washington and Seattle University into its internship and work-study programs. These students contributed significantly to various projects, enhancing El Centro’s mission across multiple departments. Their engageme...
Cuentos from Our Work: June 2025
On June 14, 2025, the Seattle No Kings Rally and March took place at Cal Anderson Park, where hundreds gathered to advocate for democracy, justice, and equity. Organized by various groups, the event was part of a nationwide movement featuring nearly 2,000 No Kings Day events, estimated to have dr...