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Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (MOLA) Newsletter |
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From April 24th to May 5th, MOLA in collaboration with the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GWHCC), and members of The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) announced Latino Restaurant Week: “Flavors From My Barrio” at several Latino small business restaurants. The motivation of Latino Restaurant Week is to showcase our Latino culinary culture to the rest of DC and empower the success of Latino-owned businesses. Embodying the rich diversity of flavors, traditions, and stories within Latino cuisine, Latino Restaurant Week not only brings people together but inspires deep respect for the invaluable contributions of our dynamic cultural group.
Happy Cinco de Mayo! MOLA is dedicated to exposing the diverse Latino community to the rest of DC. On May 5th, 2023, MOLA brought Mariachi and Salsa music to Downtown DC. This is in collaboration with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) and Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME). For MOLA, exposing Mexican culture is an important aspect for uplifting an integral community in DC. This is a way to celebrate the conclusion to Latino Restaurant Week. MOLA is dedicated to highlighting our diverse culture to the rest of DC.
April was Language Access Month! In Washington DC, the reflection of the language access is seen in different levels of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s policy making. At MOLA, we don’t only work in making sure vital documents are delivered in Spanish but also delivered in a culturally appropriate way. For MOLA’s family, language access is a form to build equity and a way to inform our DC Latinos of the wide range of services they are eligible to. I encourage my fellow colleagues in DC Government when encountered with limited and non-English proficient (LEP-NEP) to continue using the Telephonic interpretation via the Language Line. This service enables District staff to provide immediate interpretation services to LEP/NEP customers. For helpful tips for working with an over the phone interpreter please use the following link:INTERPRETER CODE OF ETHICS (dc.gov)
On April 18th and 20th, MOLA, in collaboration with the Department of Employment Services hosted the application process for the Summer Youth Employment Program 2023. This program is unique because it allows the opportunity for youth ages 14-24 that are living under a limited immigration legal status to have the same career experience as their peers. MOLA-DOES SYEP is another example on how Mayor Muriel Bowser continues to celebrate our diversity and respect all DC residents no matter their immigration status. DC is a Sanctuary city because our leaders recognize we are stronger and safer together.
You can also learn more about upcoming events by visiting our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter @OLADCGov. Also, to learn more about grant opportunities, language access, and other initiatives, read this new edition of La Voz de MOLA or call us at 202-671-2825.
Remember, MOLA is open, and we are here to serve you!
Estamos aquí para servirle,
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 Eduardo Perdomo
Executive Director
Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (MOLA)
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Welcome Monet Jones to MOLA’s Team- Staff Assistant
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Monet Jones is a native Washingtonian who recently joined the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs as the Staff Assistant. Monet obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from The University of The District of Columbia in 2022. Monet is of Dominican decent on her Mother’s side, with family still residing in Samana and La Romana. Monet has worked in various sectors of DC government, as well as non-profits in the Washington DC area. In 2018, she served as a Mayor L.E.A.D intern which sparked her interest in working to serve DC residents.
Monet is most excited to help MOLA fulfill its needs of connecting the Latino community in the city to DC agencies so they feel supported and heard. When Monet is not in the office, she enjoys visiting different restaurants in the city, eating ice cream and going to the spa. Monet is not fluent in Spanish but has goals to be able to conversate more in her native language while at MOLA.
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Welcome Lucy Hernandez Romero to MOLA’s Team- Language Access Monitor
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Lucy Hernandez Romero has been a Washingtonian since 2000. Lucy recently joined the Mayor’s Office of Latino Affairs as the Language Access Monitor. She obtained her Bachelor's Degree in English and a Minor in Women’s Studies from Trinity Washington University in 2017. Lucy was born in El Salvador and became a US citizen in 2020 because of DC Mayor’s fund as Lucy’s legal fees were waived because she is a DC resident. Before MOLA, Lucy worked for DC Public Libraries, providing Spanish Conversation circles and programs for adults for all DC residents.
Lucy has always had a passion for providing advocacy for underserved communities and is excited to be a part of the MOLA team. In their free time, Lucy is a foster cat parent for the Human Rescue Alliance and enjoys reading while snuggling with her cat, Leonardo DiKitty.
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Mercado en tu Barrio
On April 26th the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs performed the free monthly food distribution. MOLA distributed 2,458 pounds of fresh produce in Ward 4. MOLA has been organizing a series of activities around the food distribution program to promote healthy lifestyles among DC Latinos.
Budget Oversight Hearing
On March 31th, at MOLA’s Budget Oversight Hearing, Director Eduardo Perdomo took the oath before the Chairperson of the Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs, Council Member Trayon White. Director Perdomo highlighted the accomplishments of Mayor Bowser’s Office on Latino Affairs and the big plans the mayor has for DC Latinos. Even during tough times, Mayor Muriel Bowser has an irrevocable commitment to making sure that DC Latinos get a fair shot in the process of improving their quality of life.
Free Tax and Resource Fair
On April 1st, on behalf of Mayor Muriel Bowser, MOLA hosted a successful resource fair with a focus on Free Tax Preparation for Washingtonians. Several DC government agencies provided vital information to our constituents in the area of education, health and wellness, housing, immigration legal services, and much more. Director Eduardo Perdomo wants to thank all the community partners that supported the event. Thank you for your constant support!
Street Vendors Obtained Street Vending License
On April 5th, the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs and the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DSLBD) incorporated Mayor Muriel Bowser’s vision to support residents by successfully assisting the first group of street vendors to obtain the DC street vending licenses. “This makes me feel proud and empowered. Having my license makes me feel accomplished. Thanks to Mayor Bowser for her support in helping us to obtain this license”. Yanira Menjivar, another street vendor that benefited from this project said: “In 2009, I was shot twice and left in a wheelchair, however, thanks to all the assistance available at the District of Columbia, I was able to raise my family. DC is a District of opportunities”.
Metro D.C. Hispanic Contractor’s Association 7th Annual Gala
On April 5th, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Director Jackie Reyes-Yanes, and Director Eduardo Perdomo attended the 7th Annual Gala of Metro D.C. Hispanic Contractor’s Association which was honoring the diversity in construction. The event hosted numerous personalities among them Highlighted were construction pioneers who have promoted local small businesses, construction industry mentors, and future builders. The event was held to raise awareness of their training programs and, create a venue for sustainability to keep serving a much-needed community. The organization’s purpose is to grow and expand its trade business through networking opportunities, training and capacity development programs, seminars, and other activities.
Amigos Park Community Meeting
 On April 11th, on behalf of Mayor Muriel Bowser, Director Eduardo Perdomo participated at the Amigos Park Community town hall. Amigos Park is an initiative meant to create welcoming community spaces where individuals from different backgrounds can fulfill their agency.
During the town hall, Director Eduardo Perdomo listened to the community’s inputs and communicated the latest status on the project. “This is a great opportunity to build a community from within the community. This is a beautiful project that has the full support of Mayor Muriel Bowser”. Said Director Eduardo Perdomo.
Summer Youth Employment Program (Recruitment Fair)
 On April 18th and 20th, the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs hosted the annual Summer Youth EP Recruitment Fair which allows interested youth to gather information between a couple of participating Community Based Organizations that provide an Employment Program and pick their top three programs of interest to apply to. The program is a 6-weeklong summer program that brings youth ages 14 to 24 the opportunity to have a meaningful summer experience that will allow them to improve their prospect for a brighter future.
Emancipation Day
 On April 15th, the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs celebrated Emancipation Day commemorating the emancipation of slaves in Washington DC. The DC Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862 signed by Abraham Lincoln ended slavery in the district, freeing 3,100 individuals, reimbursing those who had legally owned them, and offering the newly freed women and men money to emigrate. It is an official public holiday in Washington DC.
The Greater Washington Business Expo
 On April 24th, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Director Eduardo Perdomo from the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs were a part of the GWHCC Business Expo connecting minority-owned businesses with potential clients and organizations that support their growth. Mayor Bowser delivered a speech sharing the DC initiative to support the growing number of businesses here. GWHCC is one of the most dynamic business communities in the tri-state area. They support economic development by facilitating the success of Latino and other minority-owned businesses through networking, advocacy, education, and access to capital.
Latino Restaurant Week
 On April 24 to May 5th, the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs and The Greatest Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GWHCC) initiated the first Latino Restaurant Week in Washington DC. The purpose of Latino Restaurant Week was to ignite the fire of Latino culinary culture in our city and empower the success of Latino-owned businesses. The Latino immigrant community has grown rapidly over the last couple of years and our vision is to cultivate a thriving environment where entrepreneurship and wealth-building are made accessible. We hoped to achieve this by showcasing the rich diversity of flavors, traditions, and stories within Latino cuisine, we aim to not only bring people together but to inspire a deep respect for the invaluable contributions of our dynamic cultural group. We are dedicated to strengthening our community and propelling the growth of Latino-owned businesses for a brighter, more prosperous future.
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 On March 22, Mayor Muriel Bowser presented her Fiscal Year 2024 Budget and Financial Plan to the council of the District of Columbia. $19.7 billion FY24 includes strategic investments that ensure to maintain a strong and equitable comeback for Washington DC.
Below are some of the initiatives that MOLA is a part of for FY 2024:
Multicultural Summer Youth Employment Program:
The program in partnership with the Department of Employment Services (DOES) is intended to provide District of Columbia youth ages 14-24 with meaningful and structured summer experience and career readiness opportunities and services with a variety of community-based partners regardless of legal status. This allows recently arrived documented Latino youth the same opportunities as other DC youth.
Immigrant Justice and Legal Services Grant (IJLS Grant):
This grant program will support the provision of legal services to the DC immigrant population. This allows DC’s immigrant families to feel safe and welcome regardless of legal status.
IJLS grants will support a variety of activities and services, including:
- Know Your Rights briefings and workshops;
- Brief and full legal representations;
- Filing applications for S, T, U, Special Immigrant Juvenile visas and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) or petitions for D.C. residents or family members of D.C. residents;
- Providing legal help for family reunification efforts for families with at least one D.C. resident such as through spousal visas, or adult children sponsoring their parents;
- Providing legal representation services in some instances to low-income D.C. immigrant tenants in residential landlord-tenant disputes, but not to use in litigation where the Government of the District of Columbia is a named party;
- Organizing and conducting Full legal campaigns to protect temporary protected status (TPS) holders;
- Providing culturally competent language access services, offering an interpretation of legal documents and on legal matters across a broad range of languages spoken by immigrants in Washington, DC.
Latino Community Development Grant:
Grants are given based on the degree to which grantees target their efforts to serve DC’s Latino community by eliminating barriers to services in the areas of education, health and wellness, public safety, jobs, and economic development, civic engagement, youth engagement, and arts and the creative economy.
Street Vendors:
Over three decades, street vendors, a significant number of them Latino DC residents, have operated in the commercial corridors of Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant, adding to the history and vitality of these areas, but operating without the appropriate licensing and requirements established by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and Department of Health (DOH). Assisting local small entrepreneurs in meeting these requirements and facilitating the permitting process for DC residents Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) is crucial for Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Administration in promoting pathways to the middle class, reason why the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs has been eagerly assisting street vendors in Columbia Heights in incorporating into the formal economy, by bringing them in compliance with DC laws and regulations. MOLA has successfully assisted the first group of street vendors to obtain the DC street vending licenses, and is currently working towards achieving vending licenses for food street vendors in the area.
Below are some of the investments and initiatives that Latino Community would benefit from:
Education
What we’re doing now:
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$2B in funding from the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) towards public and public charter schools
New investments in FY 2024:
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$20M to continue supporting schools feeling the effects of the pandemic through the Mayor’s Recovery Fund
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$116M to support raising the wages of teachers in both public and public charter schools
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$6.8M in the Special Education Enhancement Fund to fund dedicated childcare slots for infants and toddlers with disabilities and out-of-school time slots for children with disabilities and a referral system
- Raising the eligibility for the childcare subsidy from 250% of the federal poverty line to 300% of the federal poverty line.
Legacy Initiatives & Public Housing
What we’re doing now:
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$10M for Black Homeownership Fund
New investments in FY 2024:
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$31M to fund the Housing Production Trust Fund at $100M
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$8M to increase available down payment assistance through HPAP
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$13M to support 600 families in Career Map
Expanding and Improving Public Housing:
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$115M to rehabilitate and modernize public housing units managed by the DC Housing Authority
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$68M for comprehensive rehabilitation of housing properties in alignment with independent needs assessment
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$25M to prioritize urgent repairs in areas such as electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and roofing
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$8.4M to enhance fire safety systems, including detectors, alarm systems, and suppression
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$3.7M to enhance security systems
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$2.1M for focused mold remediation and other efforts to reduce childhood asthma risk
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$7.4M for staffing to maximize the effectiveness of these new investments
Public Safety
New investments in FY 2024:
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$6.7M for grants for victims of sexual assault and other victim services, including crisis intervention and advocacy
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For May, the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs is proud to highlight the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE). Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office on Latino Affairs has strengthened its partnership with DOEE throughout the years. There is a program in place called Latinos GO Solar, which has brought financial savings to Latino Constituents as well as environmental gain with renewable energy.
It is important to highlight that this program is free, and it saves DC Residents up to $500 per year on their electricity bills. There is no installation required since solar panels are located offsite all over the city, families receive a credit on their PEPCO bills once enrolled, and households will only have to sign up once to receive credits for 15 years. Eligibility criteria are as simple as being a DC resident, having the electricity bill under the applicant's name, and meeting some income guidelines.
Solar energy has saved District households nearly $5 million on their energy bills. The program to date has generated around 42.5 Gigawatt Hours (GWh) of electricity. SFA has prevented roughly 30,000 Metric tons of CO2 emissions - this is around the same emissions as 75 million miles driven by gasoline-powered cars.
The Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs in partnership with DOEE, is creating workforce development for youth in DC ages 14- 24. Through our Summer Youth Employment Program DOEE will participate in our 6-week solar photovoltaic systems installation and, job training program. The program intends to train youth District residents on how to install solar systems on up to 300 low-income single-family homes in the District over three years. The training program offers stipends for youth which is a great incentive while they learn a skill that will make them highly marketable and industry employers
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Florentino Duarte and Cecilia Perez, his wife, are a clear example of a family that has received the blessing of dedication to the Latino community on a daily basis which is to serve our community to improve their quality of life by connecting them to services available to all DC residents. Florentino has survived his cancer thanks to the prompt technical assistance and support from the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs to apply for Medical Insurance through Alliance, Florentino was able to get treatment at no cost and was able to tell his story that fills our hearts with joy.
Florentino and his wife were able to get Rental assistance (STAY DC), and Utility bill assistance (LIHEAP) which alleviated their burden through the difficult moments of his treatment and recovery process.
The Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs stands by its mission and will not let anybody leave our doors without a solution to any of their problems. Our main goal is to make Latino Community get access to vital services and change their lives for the better.
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If you are feeling depressed, anxious, stressed, or just not yourself, remember that you are not alone & help is only a phone call away.
The District's Mental Health Hotline provides free, confidential mental health support 24/7.
Talk to someone at 1-888-793-4357 or call 988. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINE.
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Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (MOLA)
mola.dc.gov
202-671-2825
2000 14th Street NW, Ste. 206
Washington, DC 20009
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