Ya Es Hora
Our country is rapidly changing. Its fastest-growing populations are the Latino/a and Asian Pacific Islander communities, having doubled in the past decade. Demographers predict that these two communities will account for one in every four people in the United States by 2050.
To opponents of equality, these changes represent an opportunity to divide the civil rights struggles of the immigrant and LGBT communities when in fact, we have much in common. At stake for both of our communities is fairness and full equality. That’s why the Human Rights Campaign is a partner in ya es hora (it is time), the largest and most inclusive effort to incorporate Latinos/a immigrants and other immigrants into the civic life of America.
The ya es hora national coalition embraces four coordinating national organizations – Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, the NALEO Educational Fund, the National Council of La Raza and the Service Employees International Union – and three media partners – Entravision Communications, ImpreMedia and Univision Communications – as well as over 400 local organizations who drive many of ya es hora’s initiatives. HRC is the only national LGBT organization in the coalition.
Since 2009, HRC has organized hundreds of its volunteers across 16 cities to support ya es hora’s citizenship and Census campaigns. HRC leads coalitions in San Diego and Las Vegas to organize workshops that have assisted over 1,000 legal permanent residents to apply for citizenship. HRC’s active role in ya es hora has connected more LGBT individuals and organizations to work collaboratively with immigrant groups, resulting in greater understanding about the common challenges that immigrants and LGBT people face.
