| |  | 2022: An Outstanding Year of Achievements | Client Story | “This is my story regarding the Immigrant Resource Center in a rural town in southern Colorado. I had just moved here from El Paso, TX and I was seeking help for myself and my three little boys. A week after arriving in Southern Colorado, I found an apartment for us but had absolutely nothing but our clothes and a few dollars in my pocket. Thankfully, I had DACA at the time and was able to get a waitressing job at a very busy restaurant on Main St. I told myself I would work really hard to save up money to buy my kids’ beds, curtains, dishes and food. My mom knew about the Immigrant Resource Center and advised me to go ask about their resources so I did. I looked up the address online and after arriving I felt really warm and invited. All the ladies treated me so kindly and were so willing to hear what I needed. They asked me about my situation and I was so relieved when they offered clothing, food, items for the apartment and [they] even had toys for my kids to take home! A few years later, I went back because I was going through a divorce. It was then that I learned about VAWA. Once again they informed me about it and helped me with what I needed along the way. The people at the office of the Immigrant Resource Center also helped me with the electricity bill, rent, food, and anything else we needed. I am very grateful that they helped us with all the necessary items, but I am most grateful for all the legal guidance they have offered me throughout the years that they've known me; after getting divorced their great help has allowed me to become a permanent resident. I am now a licensed producer in the state of Colorado and help hundreds of people get accident and health Insurance. [Without the IRC] I wouldn’t be here today; my family will forever thank this program.” -Anonymous Client | | Meet the Newest Board Member |  | “Hello, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Samuél Maestas. I am a 12th-generation Spanish descendent and can trace my family lineage to when the Spanish Colonies settled in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado in the late 1500s. I was born and raised in the San Luis Valley. I graduated from Monte Vista High School and am a first-generation college student. I attended Trinidad State College’s CLETA Program and received a POST Certificate to be a Police Officer. I attended Columbia Southern University with an Associate's Degree in Applied Science in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Science in Criminal Justice Administration. I have worked for the City of Alamosa for 23 years. I have worked in many different capacities with the police department; Patrol Officer, Corporal, Sergeant, and Patrol Commander, and now I hold the rank of Support Services Commander. As a Captain, I oversee major crime investigations, evidence, and community policing. I manage all applications for U & T Visas for the police department and support the San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center clientele who are crime victims. I serve as a volunteer victim advocate with the San Luis Valley Victims Response Unit and support my community by serving on many other committees or functions. I am a scholar of life. I have a fascination for history, culture, and folklore. So many people have inspired me with their life stories that I strive to motivate and become an inspiration to others so they may find success in life. Since being accepted as a board member, I want to commend Flora and her team as they aspire to assist those who need help. I hope the people we serve discover opportunities to overcome any obstacles in life. I will continue to support this organization to ensure progress, success, and growth opportunity. Thank you for allowing me to be part of a fantastic team.” | | |  | Congratulations Angelica Raya Trejo! As of October 2022, Angelica received her accreditation from the Office of Legal Access Programs (OLAP) to provide immigration legal services. Prior to applying for her accreditation with OLAP, Angelica completed an intensive 40-hour immigration training in 2021 with Immigrant Hope, alongside other extensive trainings over the years, and gained insight and experience by working alongside the previous Immigrant Advocate and current accredited representative, Flora Archuleta. Now as an accredited representative, Angelica will receive supervision from Flora Archuleta. Angelica waited patiently for over a year for her accreditation to be approved, but now that she has her accreditation, Angelica hopes to assist survivors of domestic violence and other crimes under U-Visa and VAWA to attain their legal status so that they can live a secure life. | | The Power of Partnerships |  | Picture is Courtesy of the Migrant Education Program. | With great partnerships, anything is possible to achieve! This year we worked alongside many other organizations and were involved in many projects that brought resources to the community. Here are some highlights of partnerships and projects that the office participated in throughout the year: Fortaleza Fund- 1st Southwest Bank: This fund was established to provide loans to immigrant entrepreneurs and small businesses. The office has been working with the 1st Southwest Bank on this project since the summer of 2021. This year the Fortaleza Fund provided three workshops for people to learn about QuickBooks and how to keep track of business finances. The workshops were provided via Zoom, but the IRC team streamed the workshops at Tierra Nueva in Alamosa as an option to those who did not have individual access to the internet, but wished to participate. It will be very exciting to see future businesses bloom and immigrants accomplishing their dreams!
SLV Housing Coalition (SLVHC): As many might know, the Century Mobile Home Park received a purchase offer from an outside investor in 2022, which brought tremendous uneasiness for many residents. Many residents thought they had to move out and secure a home elsewhere and many were afraid that their rent would go up significantly if the purchase went through. Additionally, many of those who live at the mobile home park were previous workers at the Colorado Mushroom Farm, whom unfortunately closed its doors right before the purchase offer came to light; many of the workers had unpaid salaries or were left jobless. There were so many resident concerns and questions. Fortunately, the office partnered with Dawn Melgares, Executive Director of SLVHC, and her team to help organize the residents and inform them about their rights as tenants. There was a series of meetings that took place between August and October. This partnership helped the residents to mobilize and vote for the option that best suited their needs. At the end, the residents came to a consensus and selected the SLVHC as the best organization to purchase the park. On November 22nd, the Century Mobile Park became under contract with the SLVHC; which meant that residents could be at ease since they still had a secure and affordable home. The purchase of the mobile home park by a non-profit organization was also a huge victory for the community since it will continue to provide affordable and sustainable housing.
Migrant Education Program/Adams State University: In September, the Mexican Consulate came to Alamosa to provide their services; more than 300 Mexican nationals were able to get their Mexican passport and/or consular identification card, and benefit from other services that were offered. This success was possible thanks to the partnership between the SLVIRC, Migrant Education Program, and Adams State University. The office hopes to continue this partnership so that Mexican nationals living in the Valley can continue getting their documents.
Adelante/Los Promotores del Valle de San Luis: Due to the unexpected and abrupt closing of the Colorado Mushroom Farm, which left many immigrants without an employment or unpaid salaries, the community came together to assist these individuals during this hardship. The Adelante Family Resource Center received funding to assist the ex-employees with rental, utility, and gas expenses. The IRC worked alongside Adelante by providing Q’anjob’al interpretation since the majority of those seeking assistance primarily speak Q’anjob’al. Also, in October the office received a donation of 125 boxes of food through the AJL Foundation in Denver, and with the partnership of Los Promotores del Valle de San Luis, the 125 food boxes were successfully distributed to families affected by the closure.
It has been a great pleasure for the SLVIRC to partner with various organizations both within and outside of the Valley in 2022. The office looks forward to more collaborations since bringing as many resources together makes the community better. |  | | Partnership with Tu Casa, Inc. |  | Picture is courtesy of Tu Casa, Inc. | We had a great year working alongside Tu Casa, Inc. In March 2022, at the request of Tu Casa, the SLVIRC staff did a cultural awareness presentation for the 1st Quarterly Regional MDT meeting, in which participants from various organizations of the San Luis Valley were able to reflect on how to better serve immigrant survivors despite their varying cultural norms and perceptions. Additionally, the SLVIRC staff participated in Tu Casa’s Light up the Night event in October for Domestic Violence Awareness by giving a special speech in honor of all survivors living within the Valley. The SLVIRC Staff is very pleased to share that Tu Casa, Inc. collected over 300 canned goods/non-perishable food items during their 2022 SLV CAC’s Gingerbread Festival for the office’s small food pantry. The SLVIRC is very grateful for the continued support and partnership with Tu Casa, Inc. and looks forward to another year of great teamwork! | | “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I`ll understand.” (Tribe Unknown: legends of America.com/na-proverbs 11/03/2022) |  | The San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center offers adult English classes and opportunities for a diverse population with different English experiences to actively improve on their English skills. Students are able to understand principals of language in English and improve competency in listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Learners are active participants as they are learning about themselves, their classmates, and their environments. Students are able to use oral and written English, discuss and confer about daily experiences and share their progression using English. The following are some shared experiences and thoughts after participating in SLVIRC’s English classes: “My name is Marta and I am understanding more about what is being spoken about while I sit in church. I can sing along with my group in English and can share some of my ideas with others. My English learning is ongoing as there is much more to understand.” “Hello, my name is Cynthia. The first thing I learned while taking this English class is the importance of listening. All the different sounds of vowels, consonants, and blends are challenging and yet, I am learning new vocabulary. I appreciate how the professor explains lessons both in Spanish and English and provides lots of examples. I am excited to share with my children at home what I am learning.” “My name is Catarina Pascual. Thanks to this program, I have learned the English alphabet and now I am reading. The teacher motivates us and challenges us to continue learning as he takes his time to teach us. Also, thanks to each of the staff members for their support and encouragement. I have learned to recognize words and understand sentences. My hope is that with continued support, I can continue to increase my understanding of English as I will continue to put all my efforts into each class. Gracias.” “My name is Alicia and I know that while living in the United States it’s important to learn English. I have decided to attend classes so that I can move forward in life and help my grandchildren with their education.” In conclusion, the SLVIRC’s adult English language program offers opportunities for non-English or limited English speaking people to determine their own destiny as to where they want or need to interact with the English language. Our purpose is to scaffold learning by using a wide variety of methods and assist students with desired outcomes. We enjoy facilitating active learning by challenging learners to use English; therefore, empowering participants to be informed consumers and community partners. | | Promoting Higher Education | In 2022, three $1, 000 scholarships were awarded through the Andrew Espinoza Scholarship Fund to recent high school graduates of the San Luis Valley. Additionally, the Zoila Gomez Si Se Puede Scholarship Committee awarded four $2, 000 scholarships to San Luis Valley undocumented or DACA students. The Zoila Gomez Si Se Puede Scholarship Committee is proud to announce that additional scholarships will be given out in 2023. The application will open at the end of March 2023. Please be on the lookout for more details about the scholarship’s eligibility and deadline. For any questions regarding the scholarship, please reach out to the San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center directly at 719.587.3225 extension 11. | | 20th Anniversary Celebration |  | What an amazing journey it has been the last 20 years! On August 27th, the SLVIRC celebrated its 20th year anniversary at the Knights of Columbus in Alamosa. Guests were able to enjoy great food, and had the opportunity to listen to the melodious marimba played by the local Espiritu Maya band, and dance and sing along to the lively mariachi music played by the Mariachi Amigos de Nuevo Mexico (from New Mexico). The celebration included some very special words from the Maya Princess of Santa Eulalia Mayra Cristobal, the Board President Anna Osterhout, and Executive Director Flora Archuleta, as well as the presentation of the Proclamation by Mayor Ty Coleman and City Council member Charlie Griego. It was a great night to reflect and honor all the hard work of the past and current staff and board members, as well as the expansion and the tremendous achievements of the IRC office over the last 2 decades! The IRC staff are all looking forward to continue on the legacy and work for many more years to come! Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with the IRC staff and board members on this very special night. | | |  | We had the most joyous night on December 17th! We held a Christmas party at the gymnasium of the Sacred Heart Church to celebrate with our clients. There were so many smiles, laughter and happiness! The adults enjoyed playing Christmas bingo (lotería) in Spanish and five lucky winners took home gift baskets, while the children enjoyed playing Pin the Nose on the Snowman, making their own Christmas ornaments and breaking three piñatas. A fourth piñata was raffled off, alongside two Walmart gift cards. The food was amazing! Everyone enjoyed a delicious taco plate with rice and beans from the local Tacos Martinez. It was a great night, and the IRC staff is very delighted that they were able to bring the Christmas spirit to many families, but especially the children. | | | The IRC staff was very fortunate to have participated in a couple events within the Valley this year! On August 7th, the staff attended the Appreciation Picnic & Resource Fair hosted by the SLV Agricultural Coalition in Center, CO. Information about the resources and services that the office offers were given out to the Center community, particularly to its farmers and agricultural workers. It was also a great opportunity to connect and interact with the many other organizations in attendance. In addition, the staff participated in the 6th Annual Fright-Fest hosted by the Alamosa Police Department at the National Guard Armory in October. The staff enjoyed seeing the multitude of creative, crazy, and adorable costumes! It was definitely a great night to have mingled with the community, and the office is grateful to have participated in such a fun and safe event. | | | This final rule restores the historical understanding of a “public charge” that had been in place for decades before the Trump administration began to consider supplemental public health benefits such as Medicaid, Medicare, nutritional assistance, housing assistance, even lunch programs for the children as part of the public charge inadmissibility determination. Under the old rule DHS will not consider receipt of noncash benefits (for example, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, public housing, school lunch programs, etc.) other than long-term institutionalization at government expense. This means that the rule established during the Trump Administration is no longer in effect and the new rule is based on the previous Public Charge Rule that only affects derivatives if they are likely or need long-term institutionalization at government expense. On Oct. 5, 2022 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a July 2021 decision of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas declaring the 2012 DACA policy unlawful. The Fifth Circuit, however, preserved the partial stay issued by the district court in July 2021 and remanded the case back to the district court for further proceedings regarding the new DACA rule. During this case, it was mentioned that there are about 1.5 million who were covered by the DACA Memorandum. On Oct. 14, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas issued an order extending its injunction and partial stay of the DACA final rule. Under the final rule, USCIS will continue to accept and process applications for deferred action, work authorization, and advance parole for current DACA recipients. Due to ongoing litigation, USCIS will continue to accept but cannot process initial DACA requests. Be on the lookout for future updates about DACA. Effective Dec. 12, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, has updated the USCIS Policy Manual to allow USCIS to automatically extend the validity of Permanent Resident Cards, commonly called Green Cards, for lawful permanent residents who have applied for naturalization.
This update is expected to help naturalization applicants who experience longer processing times, because they will receive an extension of lawful permanent resident, or LPR, status and may not need to file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card). LPRs who properly file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, may receive this extension without regard to whether they filed Form I-90. USCIS will update the language on Form N-400 receipt notices to extend Green Cards for up to 24 months for these applicants. **These updates come from USCIS’ website. | | | The SLVIRC Staff and Board is very grateful for the generosity of every foundation and donor who supported our work throughout 2022. Every contribution allowed the office to continue carrying out its mission and made a tremendous impact on many lives experiencing adversities. The office would like to give special thanks to the following foundations and donors: AJL Foundation Amicas Pizza Microbrew & More Caring for Colorado Foundation The Colorado Health Foundation Community Foundation of the San Luis Valley Latino Community Foundation of Colorado San Luis Valley Federal Bank Sisters of Mercy The Colorado Trust The Denver Foundation Women & Girls of Color Anschutz Family Foundation
Lastly, to any individual who donated throughout the year or during Colorado Gives Day, the IRC staff would like to extend their gratitude and say thank you for the contribution as it will also allow fulfillment of the IRC’s mission and work. Many thanks! | | |
|
|
|
