Seattle gives visitors the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of cultures.  Among the tapestry of cultures in the city, the Latino community is a group that due to economic circumstances has been forced to work in this area.

Seattle posses among other crops, a big cherry and apples, attracting undocumented workers to pick them.  To assist these families, some living in deplorable conditions, El Centro de la Raza was born.

Carmen Miranda, who was raised in the farm fields, works for El Centro del la Raza.  She has had the opportunity to see up close the problems that almost 300 families have on a daily basis.  "You see children playing next to the river and mothers cooking on top of stones and the government promising money for housing that will only get here in a long term," Carmen said. 

In a city with a limited Latino population, there's now real "barrio."  El Centro de la Raza has provided a place the area's Latinos can gather.  For 27 years the center has given moral, legal and economic support to thousands of Latino families that have no place to go.

Director Roberto Mestas said the center has the support of the minorities in Seattle.  "The center wouldn't be here without African American, Native American, and Asian American support." Mestas said.

 "We started attending each other's events, and at the same time invited them for our events, when we needed their help, they were there."