The needs of marginalized communities are always a high priority for RALIANCE. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re especially cognizant of the needs of the Latinx and Hispanic communities.
We aim to support these communities by issuing grants to key organizations in partnership with the National Football League – you can find a number of RALIANCE grantees that are supporting the Hispanic and Latinx communities here.
Throughout the year, RALIANCE’s blog has published expert perspective on the impact of sexual harassment, misconduct, and abuse on these communities, and we’ve gathered some of the best insights from each post below:
• RALIANCE Co-founder Sandra Henriquez: “People of all identities can be survivors of sexual violence, because it happens everywhere, but being a Latina immigrant has helped me to see the way discrimination and oppression layer on top of sexual violence. For example, early in my career, many of the survivors I worked with from my community were undocumented, which made them especially vulnerable…That injustice has always stayed with me.” Read More
• Imelda Esquer Rico, YWCA of Southern Arizona, a RALIANCE grantee: “Latina survivors face significant barriers to seeking help. For example, many women in our community fear that reporting abuse will draw unwanted attention to their immigration status. Additionally… intervention services…often lack Spanish speakers, which makes it challenging for survivors to receive meaningful support when seeking help. Meeting this community where they are by communicating with them in a language that makes them comfortable is critical to ensuring they receive the support that suits their needs.” Read More
• Alejandra Valles, Ya Basta Center, a RALIANCE grantee: “Many janitors are immigrant workers – this means there are language barriers that may prevent them from seeking help in a way that’s comfortable for them, and some may be concerned about their undocumented status. They worry that if they come forward and file a complaint that it could threaten their ability to stay in the country and could separate them from their family.” Read More
Together, these quotes highlight some important trends. Specifically, it’s impossible to effectively support Latinx and Hispanic communities without providing culturally competent services and acknowledging the impact of socioeconomic status on issues of sexual violence.
To read more perspective on the Hispanic and Latinx communities, check back for additional blogs on this subject through the end of October!
RALIANCE provides consulting, assessment, and employee development services to help build more equitable workplace cultures and create environments free from sexual harassment, misconduct and abuse. We stand ready to support your organization’s goals – contact us today at info@raliance.org to get started.