By Joshua Farrar

El Centro de la Raza (The Center for People of All Races) is a community staple in Seattle, WA, located on Beacon Hill. El Centro offers over 40 services including Child and Youth Programs, Human and Emergency Services, Education and Asset-Building Programs, Housing and Economic Development, and Advocacy and Community Organizing. Though El Centro de la Raza is a vibrant and welcome member of the Seattle community today, its beginning was that of struggle. It was part of the greater Washington State Chicano Movement during the 1960’s and 70’s. On October 11, 1972, a group of Latinos occupied an abandoned Beacon Hill Elementary School in response to funding cuts to Latino services in the city. They never left the building and the old school eventually became the modern El Centro de la Raza. This project by Joshua Farrar tells the story of El Centro’s beginnings and that of El Centro’s place in Seattle today.