The fight for justice is never easy, nor is it ever over.

It’s hard to believe that in 2020, CASA will enter its 35th year of working in our community. Fighting for justice, standing in solidarity with our community, and building power, so all Latino, immigrant, and working class people can enjoy a dignified, thriving life here — these have been our goals and values, since the beginning and while those haven’t changed, so much around us has. We’ve achieved so much, but we know none of it would have happened without the courage of our members, the dedication of our staff, or the support of our allies in the community. So, as we look back at 2019 — for the first time ever with a fully digital version of our annual report — it is with equal parts pride, gratitude, and determination to make 2020 even better.

2019 was a special year. In late 2019, with the help of a monumental investment from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, CASA launched People Are Power, a national training institute to teach allied organizations across America how to implement CASA’s successful model. This is an incredible opportunity for CASA to bring the lessons we’ve learned over 35 years to the national stage. 2019 was a fantastic year in our home turf too: Construction and renovation of the historic Belnord Theatre into our brand new Baltimore Regional Education and Employment Center kicked off, slated to open in early 2020 and we opened our new office in Lancaster, PA. Our Lancaster office is home to a growing number of new CASA members, many of whom are part of the vibrant Puerto Rican community that has called Lancaster home, since the 70’s and, more recently, in response to island-wide displacement in the wake of Hurricane Maria. We welcome them to the CASA family and are grateful to be able to serve these new members right in their own community.

2019 also saw our sister organization, CASA in Action, win important political battles in Virginia and Pennsylvania. CASA in Action canvassers and members knocked on over 109,000 doors in Virginia to mobilize progressive voters, including many first time Latino, immigrant, and working class voters. Few accomplishments match the pride we feel knowing we inspired so many to cast a vote for the very first time, and for those votes to win complete Democratic political leadership in Virginia for the first time since 1993. We won crucial local battles for key legislative and judicial positions in both Virginia and Pennsylvania that will open a pathway to justice for our members and their communities in the years to come. By the end of election day, 19 of CASA in Action’s endorsed candidates won their races. Our cause is just, our members are strong – when we organize, we win, and we’re setting our sights even bigger in 2020.

For all in our community who suffer, who fear, and who struggle to get the basic rights they deserve, we continue to demand JUSTICE NOW! For those whose voices have been silenced for too long, whose challenges have been ignored, whose liberation has been put on hold, we will achieve JUSTICE FOR ALL. And for our children, for our planet, and for our future, CASA will incessantly fight for JUSTICE FOREVER.