El Cafecito del Día

Deportation of Veterans, Veterans Day

We are sharing a special edition for Veterans Day of El Cafecito del Día. In this segment we had a conversation with Danitza García James, US Army combat veteran, and Chief Director of Repatriate Our Patriots, and Hector Barajas, Director of Deported Veterans Support House about the deportation of veterans and the Veterans Service Act, a proposal that addresses the serious issues that military service members, veterans and their families are facing in our country because of their immigration status.

Election Day and Latino Participation

This week in El Cafecito del Día we shared a conversation with with Sonia Vasquez Luna, the first Latina elected as Member of the City Council in Manassas, Virginia, and the first Hispanic immigrant woman elected as Business Manager for LIUNA local 572, about the importance of Latino vote and Latino candidate participation in local elections.

Opportunity for All Campaign

In this new episode of El Cafecito del Día, we talk about the initiative Opportunity for All Campaign. Alongside our guest Carlos Alarcon, from UCLA, we address key points about the need of a state-level initiative that allows job hiring for undocumented students and discussions that raise awareness among the immigrant community about the importance of creating opportunities and alternative plans to the immigration reform that have not yet been materialized.

Book Bans, Communities of Color & Teachers’ Unions

In this episode we discuss the recent wave of book bannings that has taken root across the United States alongside Noel Candelaria, a special education teacher and National Education Association Secretary-Treasurer. In 2022 we saw a 250% increase in the number of proposed bills related to book banning. This episode unpacks the impact these bans are having on teachers, parents, and students across the country. Visit http://nea.org/takeaction to learn more about what you can do to support the families impacted.

Understanding Diversity in the Latino Community

February is Black History Month, a time to pay tribute to and honor the legacies of Black and Afro-latino/a leaders, both past and present. Hear from Janella T. Hinds, an outstanding labor leader, long-standing LCLAA member, and Vice President for Academic High Schools for the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) to learn about her experience in the labor movement. Listen to learn more about the importance of centering Afro-Latino/a voices and intersectionality in the labor movement

Public Involvement: a Critical Tool for Unions and Community Activists

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is more than just an environmental law - it is a tool that helps advance civil rights. Hear from  Stephen Schima, the senior legislative council at EarthJustice to learn about how unions and community activists have utilized the law to create good paying union jobs and make environmental justice a reality.

Reweaving the Garment Industry: A conversation with the Garment Worker Center

Learn about the FABRIC Act - which stands for The Fashion Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change, and what it could mean for the Latino community. Hear from the executive director of the Garment Worker Center, and organization that supports Los Angeles garment workers as they transform the fashion industry to eliminate sweatshop labor.
 

Our Voices Decide: AARP on the 2022 Midterm Elections

We share this Cafecito with Maggie Castro, Senior Audience Manager for Hispanic Latino Strategies of AARP. AARP is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP is a non-profit and non-partisan organization that strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media. 
 

Everything You Need to Know about the Illinois Workers Rights Amendment

Illinois ballots in the November election will include a vote on an amendment to the state's constitution known as the Workers' Rights Amendment, or Amendment 1, but what does it do and why does it matter? Listen to this bilingual episode to hear from Secretary-Treasurer of the Chicago Federation of Labor Don Vilar and Jose Alcala, President of Painter's Local 184 and LCLAA’s Chicago Metro Chapter to learn more!

Unionizing while Undocumented: What You Need to Know!

Did you know that undocumented folks can benefit from the higher wages, benefits and protections that come with a union contract? In this episode, we interview AFL-CIO Immigration and Labor specialist Stephanie Sepulveda to breakdown a recently released guidance by the Department of Labor for undocumented workers engaged in labor disputes. Listen in to learn more about deferred action and other legal protections granted to undocumented folks that speak out against unfair working conditions!