NCLR Recognizes TODEC Legal Center with Affiliate Award for Advocacy

NCLR Recognizes TODEC Legal Center with Affiliate Award for Advocacy

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—At a luncheon held Monday, July 13, at the 2015 NCLR Annual Conference, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) honored TODEC (Training Occupational Development Educating Communities) Legal Center with the Affiliate Award for Advocacy. Based in Perris, Calif., TODEC is a grassroots community-based organization that promotes self-sufficiency in immigrant communities throughout Southern California, administering programs in naturalization, education, health and civic engagement.

“Over the past year, TODEC has successfully merged their advocacy efforts on issues such as immigration, health care access and education with their electoral work to educate and empower Latino voters in their community,” said Eric Rodriguez, Vice President of the Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation, NCLR. “They have used targeted strategies including congressional meetings, public rallies, voter registration drives and others to effectively engage the community and grassroots leadership on a number of issues critical to Latino immigrant communities in California. We applaud TODEC for their unwavering dedication to advocating on behalf of the Latino community and thank them for their valuable partnerships with NCLR over the past year.”

During the 2014 NCLR National Latino Advocacy Days, TODEC served as a state lead for California and a key partner during the California Latino Policy Issues Summit, engaging in training sessions and meeting with members of Congress. TODEC also registered nearly 300 new voters as part of the Latino Empowerment and Advocacy Project.

TODEC joined NCLR in organizing phone banks to generate thousands of calls to legislators in support of immigration reform and led a rally with Representatives Luis Gutiérrez (D–Ill.) and Mark Takano (D–Calif.) to elevate the support in California for immigration reform. During the Health for All campaign, TODEC joined NCLR in efforts to provide health care access for people in vulnerable communities.

“We are greatly humbled and honored to be receiving NCLR’s Affiliate Award for Advocacy,” said Luz Gallegos, Community Programs Director, TODEC Legal Center. “Advocacy and civic engagement have always been the driving engines of TODEC. We will continue raising the voices of our community and building our community’s political power.”

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

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