To print this page properly - use Print icon located on the page.
Please note that JavaScript has to be enabled.
     

                             

                                  Improving the Lives of Latinos in Colorado since 1964

Join us in the national movement against AZ- SB 1070.

 

  Note that we only have L and XXL left to sell, sorry, but they are going fast, especially at the NALEO conference held in late June in Denver.

  Good news is that the prices are reduced now: $10 for one shirt, $18 for two shirts, $25 for three shirts and $32 for four shirts. Order yours today! 

                                                                           

LARASA Position

 

Against ARIZONA’S SB 1070

by

Estevan Flores, Ph.D., Executive Director

7/16/2010

 

LARASA is a 45 year old Denver community based organization that has long fought for the civil rights of Latinos, against police brutality, for language, immigrant, and political rights and against injustice such as SB 1070. LARASA  testified in the Colorado state legislature this spring in support of restricting pay-day lenders and in support of SB 191 for teacher and principal assessments.

 

As the Executive Director of the Agency, I speak for the Board of Directors on this issue. It is clear that the context for this onerous Arizona legislation is the lack of passage of national comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). However, this does not excuse Arizona for its actions, but merely highlights the need for humane, just and fair immigration reform, not laws which are discriminatory in impact and abridge constitutional rights. 

 

Today we maintain our civil liberty concerns, as noted by Alessandra Soler Meetze, the Director of the Arizona Civil Liberties Union, on SB 1070 she stated: 

 

“By signing this bill into law, Brewer has just authorized violating the rights of millions of people living and working here.

 

She has just given every police agency in Arizona a mandate to harass anyone who looks or sounds foreign, while doing nothing to address the real problems we're facing."

 

SB 1070 is a racially polarizing piece of legislation as racial profiling is likely to ensue. In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice, for the Obama administration, has recently brought suit against the state as the issue of a federal prerogative to enforce immigration laws will be violated, on July 29th, the day the bill is scheduled to go into effect.

 

The first day of hearings were July 15th in Arizona and no decision has been made in that case. Yet, more suits are to be heard as the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund or MALDEF has sued the state along with 9 other organizations.

                                                  

       

 

Governor Ritter signs Payday Lending

 and Pay Equity bill today - May 25, 2010  

     A bill to restrict payday lenders was signed by Governor Ritter today with many of the organizational supporters present at the signing. The new law restricts payday lenders to a 45% interest rate, down from 300% and allows for an initiation fee and a small maintenance fee.

     LARASA's Executive Director, Dr. Estevan Flores, testified in the House for the bill. The Colorado Progressive Coalition and the Bell Policy Institute led the fight and many other organizations successfully pushed the bill forward. 

     This new law shows that we can succeed to protect Colorado

NEW BOARD MEMBERS ADDED

At the March board meeting, four new Board members were added including Ms. Theresa Solano, CEO of the Latina Chamber of Commerce, Hon. Paul Lopez, Denver City Councilman,

Hon. Ed Casso, State Representative and Mr. Luis Espinosa-Organista, Field Campaign Coordinator with the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.  

 

 
 

Latin American Research and Service Agency (LARASA) l 309 W 1st Ave l Denver CO 80223 l 303.722.5150 l webmaster@larasa.org