centro Cultural
At Centro Cultural, I serve as the Communications Coordinator, where I’ve learned that public relations is often about navigating nuance — balancing community values with political sensitivities. One recent challenge captured that perfectly.
We organized a press conference featuring community leaders speaking out in response to the county’s discussions around potentially ending DEI initiatives. In addition to promoting the event on social media, I helped edit the press release shared with local news outlets, ensuring the tone conveyed both the urgency of the issue and the values of our organization.
Following the event, I developed the social media recap, knowing our messaging needed to walk a careful line. I chose to center the narrative on unity, resilience, and shared values, framing the moment not around fear, but around collective strength. I highlighted quotes that emphasized mutual support and reminded our audience that being a community means standing together, not turning on one another.
I avoided alarmist language and instead grounded the message in facts, referencing Oregon’s sanctuary state law, and closed the statement with trusted resources for immigrant families. Every word was chosen intentionally to reflect our community’s voice while maintaining respect for our institutional partners and allies.
To me, that’s the heart of public relations: being thoughtful with language, knowing when to lead with bold truth, and when to be strategic to maintain trust and coalition. It’s also about understanding your audience, what they need, what they fear, and what they hope for.
The post ultimately received over 30 shares and 160 likes organically in instagram, a strong level of engagement for a nonprofit with a modest following. More importantly, it helped reinforce community trust while maintaining alignment with our broader communications strategy.
Local elected officials, nonprofit leaders, and community advocates came together at Centro Cultural for the Oregon for All press conference, standing united in the face of recent ICE activity and escalating anti-immigrant rhetoric.
“We are not agents of ICE—we are agents of the community,” said Councilor Angeles Godinez, reminding everyone that fear and intimidation have no place in our neighborhoods. Her words reflected the tone of the event, where speakers shared deeply personal stories of migration, discrimination, and resilience.
Throughout the press conference, leaders reaffirmed Oregon’s sanctuary state law, which prohibits local and state employees from participating in immigration enforcement. They encouraged community members to know their rights, report inappropriate ICE activity, and continue standing in solidarity across differences.
Speakers also emphasized that immigrants and refugees are essential to the fabric of Oregon, bringing strength, culture, and vital contributions to every part of the state. Executive Director Maria Caballero Rubio reinforced this, stating, “Centro has always stood for dignity, equity, and justice—today is no different.”
The event concluded with a resource overview by ACLU of Oregon, ensuring that impacted families have access to legal support, reporting tools, and crisis resources. The key message was clear: community protection begins with awareness, allyship, and unity.
Save and share these important resources:
ICE Activity Hotline: 1-888-622-1510 (Portland Immigration Rights Coalition)
Legal Help: 888-274-7292
(Equity Corps of Oregon)
Bias Response Hotline: 1-844-924-BIAS