Mayor
Muriel Bowser

Jackie Reyes-Yanes,
Executive Director

Camilo Manjarres,
Director of Operations

Marjhorys Ibarguen,
Public Information Officer

Dian Lammy,
Staff Assistant

Eduardo Perdomo,
Grants Management Specialist

Nathan Gomez,
Grants Monitor

Ronal Avila,
Language Access Coordinator

Angela Gonzalez,
Language Access Monitor

Ingrid Gutierrez,
Community Outreach Specialist

Alexis Valdovinos,
Community Outreach Specialist

In This Issue

• Letter from the Mayor
• A message from the Executive Director
• Agency Updates
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events

A message from the Executive Director

Querida Comunidad, Early this month, as part of the campaign #dontwaitvaccinate Mayor Muriel Bowser was at Mary's Center inviting DC parents to vaccinate their children before school starts. MOLA joined this campaign because we believe vaccines can protect families against any severe and sometimes deadly disease. Adding to what have been said, we are aware of the fears that many of our immigrant community has at the moment, so Mayor Muriel Bowser wants to remind you that Washington, DC is still a sanctuary city. Here, our Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) does not collaborate with ICE and Mayor Bowser welcomes and protects everybody who decides to call the District home. From my office, we want to make sure that all of our constituents get the resources and the support that they need. With that in mind, we hosted an Immigration Resources Fair with the participation of the Mayor's Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (MOAPIA), Mayor's Office on African Affairs (MOAA), DC Office of Human Rights (OHR), MPD, Ayuda, Legal Aid, CARECEN, Trabajadores Unidos por Washington and many more organizations who volunteered  to participate and help our immigrant community in the District of Columbia. We had a great turn out in spite of the extreme heat. DC constituents joined us and got the help they were looking for. I would also like to take this opportunity to invite community-based organizations to apply for the Immigrant Justice Legal Services Grants Program (IJLS), which is currently available. Please take the time to review the frequently asked questions and file the application so we can keep doing an extraordinary work for our immigrant community; keep in mind that the deadline is August 16th.  To our Latino constituents, I want to tell you that we are getting ready for the next Census 2020. We have to be prepared and make sure that everyone gets counted as this defines how many resources can be allocated to our community. We also want to ensure that we can benefit from those resources, which can be reflected in better school programs, health programs, transportation services, and more. We also met with the Commission on Latino Community Development to discuss ways to engage more Latino to our programs, and we had a special guest from DC Health Link.  In the meantime, this summer has been a sweltering season! it is imperative that you stay cool and protect your loved ones. Staying safe in your own neighborhood is equally important. In that sense, our Mayor has invited all Washingtonians to get involved in the Private Security Camera Incentive Program “Safer Stronger DC” so that we can protect each other. Through this program the District will pay or reimburse you for the cost of a security camera; this would allow the city to have access to recordings, combat crime, and reduce the number of unsolved cases. As Mayor Muriel Bowser said:  “We’ve seen it time and time again – when we have clear video footage of a crime, we can act faster to get dangerous people off our streets. Participating is easy and free, and installing a camera is one small but effective way neighbors can work together to prevent and solve crimes in our community.”  Mayor Muriel Bowser.  If you are interested, you can learn more HERE!  That’s all for this month. We are here to work for you, and our doors are always open to support you. See you in our next issue and let’s keep DC moving forward.  Mil Gracias!   Jackie Reyes-Yanes Executive Director Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (MOLA)

Happy

Fourth of July DC!

Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrated the Fourth of July with two of the District’s traditional parades at the Barracks Row and the Palisades.

Both parades were well attended by DC residents who took the opportunity to celebrate and had a family fun day around the city.

Sister City Agreement: Washington DC and San Salvador!

The San Salvador Steering Committee of the Sister City Agreement between Washington, DC and San Salvador met this month to discuss project proposals in the areas of culture and tourism. The meeting is part of the Sister City Agreement signed last year between Mayors Muriel Bowser and Ernesto Muyshondt.

PS: Mark your calendar to the San Salvador Sister city 1st Anniversary celebration on August 20, 2019, at 7:00 PM at Freedom Plaza. 

Colombian Independence Day Celebration!

Executive Director, Jackie Reyes-Yanes participated in the ceremony celebrating the 209th Anniversary of Colombia’s Independence at the Organization of American States (OAS). For the occasion, Mayor Muriel Bowser proclaimed July 20th as Colombia Independence Day in DC. During the ceremony, Director Reyes presented the proclamation document to the Colombian community on behalf of Mayor Bowser.

UniverSoul Circus kicked-off S.O.S. Resiliency Campaign

Executive Director, Jackie Reyes-Yanes spoke before youth at the UniverSoul Circus to launch the campaign “Saving our Sons, Saving our Sisters… is Saving our Souls” at the National Harbor.

The campaign is designed to organize and sustain community-based interventions that foster health, resilience, and inner strength in youth.

Fiesta Sunset at Columbia Heights Plaza!

The Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs along with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation celebrated Fiesta Sunset at Columbia Heights Plaza. During the evening, people enjoyed performances by musician Lilo Gonzalez and Caribbean dance by Soka Tribe. Participants also learned hands-only CPR with the DC Fire and EMS Department.

Peruvian Independence Day Celebration!

Executive Director, Jackie Reyes-Yanes joined the Embassy and Consulate of Peru at a ceremony celebrating the 198th Anniversary of the Independence of Peru. Mayor Muriel Bowser sent a greeting to the Peruvian community in DC, where she acknowledged all their contributions in education, culture, and diversity to the city.

MOLA hosted an Immigration Resources Fair!

In partnership with government agencies, MPD, and legal services providers, the Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs organized and hosted an immigration resource fair, which included an emergency planning workshop and a Know Your Rights presentation for adults and children. There was a good flow of attendees who left the fair with knowledge and a better understanding of the many legal resources available to them in the city.

Learn more HERE.

MPD Beat The Streets celebration

MOLA's Community Outreach Specialist, Alexis Valdovinos alongside other government agencies joined the Metropolitan Police Department at the Petworth neighborhood for the MPD Beat the Streets festival to meet residents of Ward 4 and provide information about the services and resources offer by Mayor Muriel Bowser's Administration. 

Age-Friendly DC Task Force

MOLA’s Language Access Coordinator, Ronal Avila supported the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Health and Human Services in providing Spanish interpretation during the Age-Friendly DC Task Force meetings held at Vida Senior Center. DC Age-Friendly is an initiative to transform DC into an easier city in which to grow older. The task force met with Spanish speaking seniors to learn about their needs in strategic areas such as housing, transportation, access to care services and others.