In the vibrant heart of Barelas, El CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos stands as a beacon for worker justice. With over 5,500 members primarily composed of low-wage Latinx immigrant workers, El CENTRO is dedicated to transforming the landscape of economic and workforce development through leadership development, policy advocacy, voter engagement and strategic communications, all aimed at fostering a more inclusive economy.
“The COVID-19 pandemic starkly highlighted the existing racial and economic inequities,” explains Rachel LaZar, Executive Director of El CENTRO. “Immigrant frontline workers, deemed essential, were ironically excluded from economic relief, dignified wages, and health and safety protections.” In response to this injustice, El CENTRO, along with its partners, formed the New Mexico Economic Relief Working Group in 2020. They launched the “Somos Esenciales” (We Are Essential) campaign, striving to ensure that the very workers who sustain local economies have the same opportunities for their families to thrive.
The journey toward this inclusive economy has deep roots, stretching back 25 to 30 years. “When we look at our past campaigns—whether it’s early childhood education, workers’ justice, dignified wages or paid sick leave—each year builds on the last,” LaZar notes. A significant milestone came in 2021 when tax reforms began to include mixed-status families and undocumented workers, reflecting the crucial role that low-wage immigrant workers play in the economy.
Since the pandemic, El CENTRO has refined its organizing process, focusing on growing its leadership pipeline. “We’ve been recruiting and meeting people where they are, hosting ‘cafecitos’ and reinstating bi-weekly worker orientations,” LaZar says. These Know Your Rights workshops inform community members about their rights and options for taking action. Forming workers’ committees has reinvigorated the organization, transforming participants from passive recipients of information into active agents of change. “During the pandemic, it was about maintenance. Now, we can do widespread recruitment.”
Their policy work is equally impactful, particularly in economic development and early childhood education. In the last legislative session, El CENTRO worked to ensure that funds from the federal emergency COVID-19 response earmarked for early education reached their intended targets, that childcare workers retained their raises post-pandemic and that early educators are able to keep up with certifications.
With their advocacy partners, El CENTRO designed a feasibility study for unemployment insurance for exempted workers, including undocumented and independent contractors. “Many didn’t qualify for federal relief,” LaZar explains. “We’re working long-term to shift the state’s safety net benefits to include immigrants, who contribute and pay taxes just like any other workers.”
El CENTRO’s groundbreaking Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) study, conducted with New Mexico Voices for Children, used a community-driven approach. Members were trained to conduct qualitative data collection for focus groups. “We use data to take a less paternalistic approach to safety net benefits,” LaZar says. “The current system places the burden on poor people to prove their poverty. We intend to shift this paradigm.”
They found that GBI can address workforce shortages in education and healthcare and can also uplift workers who need to balance jobs and further their education. “If folks are already working two jobs and need to go back to school for certification, this can support them,” LaZar notes. She sees the way it can uplift the whole family, facilitating economic stability, upward mobility, housing stability and educational attainment. “Parents were able to spend more time with their children and help with homework.”
For LaZar, the true inspiration comes from the membership. “It’s incredible to support people as they see themselves as agents of change and part of a broader movement.” Over the years, witnessing systemic changes that were historically inaccessible to the members has been transformative. “Seeing our members show up at tax and budget hearings fundamentally shifts the narrative around their contributions.”
El CENTRO’s relentless efforts and the unwavering spirit of its members continue to drive progress, ensuring that immigrant workers are not just part of the conversation but are also at the forefront of the movement for a just and inclusive economy. “We’re not just advocating for workers’ rights; we’re fundamentally shifting narratives and achieving systemic changes in New Mexico.”