De Colores Resource Center Inc

De Colores Resource Center Inc. is an emerging volunteer based non-profit that was born from the vision of 3 Latinas who imagined a Yolo County more supportive and representative of its monolingual Spanish speaking community, including Farmworkers. Often limited through their respective organizations to do more for this community, they sought to promote inclusivity of Latinos in the county by creating an organization they can relate to and trust, where they can feel belonging. Feeling undervalued and underrepresented in the workforce themselves, De Colores was also born from their yearning to thrive as leaders without compromising who they are inherently- Mexicanas, daughters of immigrants and farmworkers, with strong cultural qualities and the life experiences to center community voice and lead with humility.

The name De Colores is derived from the traditional Spanish language folk song "De Colores." The song is a celebration of all creations and promotes Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. It was incorporated into the organization's name for its iconic presence in Latino culture, and because it keeps us grounded with humility, reminding us that uniquely, we come in all sorts of colors.  But, when we come together, lucimos como un arcoíris- we make a rainbow. 

De Colores Resource Center is an emerging nonprofit organization currently with 3 areas of focus:

1) Apoyo al Campesino/Farmworker Support: this program is aimed at addressing the unique challenges of many farmworkers in this region. Due to average housing costs that are higher than surrounding counties, farmworkers in Yolo County are struggling to meet their basic needs with their seasonal income. Yet, we depend on their labor to maintain a thriving agricultural industry. Existing housing support is not enough, leaving gaps in services for those that need help the most. Restrictions on federal funds prevent some farmworkers from benefiting from rental or utility assistance. The current political climate on immigration is further impacting their access to local government resources, making our work even more indispensable.  De Colores is seeking unrestricted funds for our Farmworker Assistance Program that aims to meet the unique needs of each farmworker and their families, whether that utility assistance, help accessing legal resources, addressing food insecurity, or preventing homelessness, and more! 

2) Los Colibris Promotores Program: this program is fundamental to the work of De Colores.  We believe that social connectedness is crucial for a thriving life.  When we feel socially connected, valued and a sense of belonging, we are more inclined to make healthier choices and are better equipped to cope with stress and adversity. Los Colibris is a leadership program designed to drive community engagement and empower local individuals to be the voice of their community by proactively engaging in participatory research and budgeting and spearheading public communications.  As we strive for equity and inclusion, it's important that we intentionally create space for the people we aim to serve and give them the tools they need to become successful leaders to inform our programs and processes so that we may truly meet the needs of our community. Currently, we have 2 Colibri programs, one in Knights Landing and the other in Woodland.

3) Community Engagement: At De Colores, we aim to maintain meaningful community engagement that leads to long-lasting relationships with the people we serve. This means we intentionally create opportunities where we share a meal, time, and space with the community outside of any grant or program initiatives. This type of engagement leads to organic interactions with people that in the long-term forge trust, communication, and collaboration. In this fast-paced society, time is valuable, and we are honored when community members choose to spend their time with us. This means that we may plan a Noche de Loteria, or a Pozolada, or sponsor the local soccer team's annual celebration just so that we may spend time with the community in a way that is meaningful to them.