Editor’s Note: CSEA has long worked to support working people from marginalized communities. One way that our union has strived to do so is through the members’ involvement in AFL-CIO constituency groups.
This month, we are highlighting the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), the AFL-CIO constituency group that advocates for Latino workers and their families. CSEA members have long played an active role in LCLAA, which has four chapters in New York. The following article focuses on LCLAA’s Long Island Chapter, which is led by Nassau Educational Employees Local 2nd Vice President Richard Acevedo.
LCLAA’s Long Island Chapter advocates for Latinos both on and off the job.
CSEA Nassau Educational Employees Local 2nd Vice President Richard Acevedo is one of the founders of LCLAA’s Long Island Chapter and is the chapter’s current president.
“When we established the Long Island chapter, I felt that we had a lot of Latinos in CSEA’s workforce and many times we don’t have a voice,” said Acevedo.
“We have to remember that LCLAA isn’t just for CSEA members. There are multiple unions, community organizations, church leaders, youth organization leaders and community members that are a part of our chapter,” said Acevedo. “The diversity of our group helps to expand our network.”
LCLAA’s Long Island Chapter’s commitment to their work can be seen in the many ways they have been able to help the community.
“We’ve done a lot of community support by using our pro bono lawyers to help people gain their citizenship for free,” said Acevedo.
The group also supports youth organizations, provides children with uniforms as well awarding several scholarships at their annual gala.
“We wanted to establish a gala that recognized community leaders and also awarded scholarships to children in the community,” said Acevedo. “The scholarship winners write essays about the importance of the labor movement.”
While the annual scholarship gala was canceled due to the pandemic, the chapter still awarded five scholarships.
One of the Long Island Chapter’s greatest success stories is a scholarship recipient who was in the United States due to the DREAM Act, which is a law that granted legal status to certain undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and went to school here.
Five years after she received the scholarship, the recipient reached out to LCLAA to share that she has become an immigration lawyer and is working side-by-side with families who are in need of help, as she was.
“Everything we [members of the LCLAA Long Island chapter]do is voluntary; hearing feedback from people we’ve helped is our payback for the work that we do,” said Acevedo.
LCLAA’s community outreach has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There are certain school systems that don’t have the funds to give laptops to students to do schoolwork from home,” said Acevedo. “We partnered with the Long Island Latina Teachers Association and we were able to provide about 40 laptops to students in need.”
The group also established a food bank for families in need.
The chapter is practicing social distancing by having online meetings instead of meeting in person. The chapter also regular updates its website, lclaalongisland.org.
Acevedo said it’s important for CSEA members to join constituency groups like LCLAA. “You’re going to become empowered by [interacting with]people from different walks of life who may be able to help you with your activist plans down the line,” he said. “The more people you know, the more people you can learn from. You get the chance to learn from each other.”
Acevedo believes the missions of CSEA and LCLAA are completely aligned.
“Both organizations are about labor and unionism.” Said Acevedo. “We’re all advocating for the rights of the working class people as a whole.”
— Wendi Bowie
About LCLAA
The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) is the leading national organization for Latino(a) workers and their families. LCLAA was born in 1972 out of the need to educate, organize and mobilize Latinos in the labor movement and has expanded its influence to organize Latinos in an effort to impact workers’ rights and their influence in the political process.
Today, LCLAA represents the interests of more than 2 million Latino union members, including fighting for social, racial and economic justice. LCLAA is also a leading voice for advocating for workplace safety and health protections, including for workers who have provided essential services during the pandemic.
LCLAA has 26 chapters in 11 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, including four in New York. Learn more about LCLAA at lclaa.org.
