From the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains to the glimmering Outer Banks, North Carolina has much to showcase, including more than 100,000 residents who came to this state from other countries, comprising nearly ten percent of the population overall, according to census data. People are drawn to the state’s favorable climate and rich natural resources, employment opportunities and relatively low cost of living. And all across the state, these neighbors are enriching us with their vibrant cultural traditions, food, art, music and fellowship.
Unfortunately, immigrants are enduring attacks on multiple fronts, including racial profiling, arrests and mass deportations, erasure of histories and the elimination of funding for protection, social services and cultural enrichment. The false and harmful rhetoric pervading American dialogue is emboldening physical violence, property damage and verbal harassment.
Thankfully, there are organizations protecting, serving and celebrating the vibrant array of cultures through arts, education and community solidarity. One here in the Triangle is El Vínculo Hispano (EV), or “the Hispanic Liaison,” which offers a free year-round “Orgullo” Latinx Pride Youth Program. Orgullo empowers teenagers to excel academically, take charge of their mental health and become confident community leaders. In May, the newest cohort of Orgullo seniors and their mentors gathered to celebrate graduation. Many of the graduates will be the first in their families to attend college.
EV hosts workshops, exhibits and festivals to promote pride, including an annual Hispanic Heritage Fiesta. In addition, the organization helps people secure legal documents, provides education about state and local laws and individual rights, and offers one-on-one problem-solving support. During COVID, EV facilitated testing, vaccines, mask distribution, education and financial assistance. It educated communities in culturally appropriate ways via social media posts, flyers and one-on-one outreach. El Vínculo empowers Latinx folks to develop leadership skills and curate strategies to address community concerns. This includes everything from know-your-rights training and rapid response to raids and deportations to free legal clinics and nonpartisan get-out-the-vote work.
The organization is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, but EV Founder Ilana Dubester and Youth Program Director Selina Lopez say they had to forgo their annual fundraising campaign, typically centered around Valentine’s Day to attend to urgent community needs. In its place, Dubester and Lopez are hoping to raise funding through social media, email outreach and other online channels. Visit EV’s website to learn more about its work, sign up for email updates and explore ways to contribute to its vital work.
The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation is partnering with El Vínculo under MDBF’s new grantmaking approach, which aims to be more accessible, reducing red tape and helping organizations be more effective and innovative. Under this new approach, MDBF hopes to foster creativity, innovation and learning in the Triangle with meaningful collaboration and reliable, flexible general operating resources. Its goals include helping nonprofit organizations like El Vínculo build momentum, stay curious and creative, and shape Triangle communities into being the best places to live, work, learn and play.