By Carmen Glover
During the “One Voice: Unity on Capitol Hill” advocacy event on Sept. 27 to 28 which was organized by the Hispanic Federation, Southside United HDFC-Los Sures took a very active role, meeting with legislative representatives in Congress to press various causes.
“I feel grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to be the voice for many Dreamers who deserve to stay here in the United States, and for our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico,” said Southside United HDFC-Los Sures Deputy Property Management Director Iris Minaya, reflecting on her participation. She explained that it felt good to be able to advocate for those who could not be there to speak for themselves.
Southside United HDFC-Los Sures Community Organizer Raul Flores said the experience was packed with activities but they were well worth the trip because the day of advocacy allowed him to advance the extensive community outreach that he does daily.
“The Hispanic Federation provided Los Sures the opportunity to advocate on Capitol Hill for more funds for affordable housing, health reform and more resources for education, plus demand more resources to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico,” Flores said.
The team from New York joined “a diverse group of over 250 people from across the country to educate policymakers about the most pressing issues facing communities of color and immigrant communities across the nation,” the Hispanic Federation stated on its website. “Our aim is to connect community-based experiences to national policy impacts, and speak with ‘One Voice’ about the issues that so deeply affect our communities.”
The Hispanic Federation further indicated that the joint advocacy was designed to “come together to advocate for access to quality healthcare, humane immigration policies, education reform that serves our communities, environmental justice, and protection of our civil rights.”
Advocacy is the foundation of the Southside United HDFC-Los Sures strategy to fulfill its 45-year-old mission of developing and managing affordable housing in the Southside of Williamsburg, New York. The nonprofit also provides tenant and community advocacy and organizing. Additionally, it operates a pantry, fresh produce distribution center, senior center and a museum.