Rights For All People

1994 – RAP was founded as an advocacy coalition for immigrant rights.

1997 – hosted a workshop for community advocates to defend against raids using materials provided by the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

1999 – RAP became an individual membership organizing project of Latino/a immigrants led by Latino/a immigrants.

2000 – RAP developed its Know Your Rights Curriculum with the assistance of the American Friends Service Committee, the Boulder Community Action Program, the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, and attorneys Dan Kesselbrenner, Richard Garcia and Jim Salvatore.

2002 – RAP collected 4,000 surveys in support of a bill that would have provided driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants; helped to found the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition; with national and local allies, successfully protested attempts by an anti-immigrant Congressman to deport the undocumented honors student and his family; worked in coalition to prevent passage of a bill that would have given police responsibility for enforcing INS regulations; hosted 200 guests at our Posada Sin Fronteras; spoke out publicly at a press conference attended by 150 to publicize an immigrant rights legislative platform; led Know Your Rights trainings in Denver, Colorado Springs and Telluride.

2003 – RAP hired its first staff and helped bring the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride to Denver.

2004 and 2005 – RAP led the statewide grassroots policy campaign for a driver’s license for undocumented immigrants by working to insert the voices of undocumented immigrants into the policy process, and by building a strong statewide coalition of ally organizations.

2005 – RAP launched a worker’s rights campaign, successfully changing conditions at two large employers in the Denver Metro area; RAP leaders surveyed 250 immigrants about their needs.

2006 – RAP protested HR 4437 (Sensenbrenner), that would have made every undocumented person, including 6 million children, felons; we played a key role in the spring 2006 mobilizations, working with allies on the March 25 mobilization that drew 70,000 participants and the May 1 economic boycott and mobilization that drew 150,000 participants. After the passage of anti-immigrant legislation in Colorado, RAP leaders began collecting testimonies from immigrants affected by the passage of Colorado’s Special Session. Leaders launched a La Gaceta (The Gazette) to inform members about the new legislation and their rights and held a series of press conferences designed to bring an immigrant perspective to the discussion about the effects of the Special Session. Leaders kicked off RAP’s political education series.

2007 – RAP leaders started the year with a survey of 150 people about how RAP could serve them better; they led a weeklong pro-immigrant boycott with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition to raise awareness about the economic and social contributions of immigrants to our community; they presented a community forum to 80 people that presented analysis of the various immigration reform proposals and also wrote letters to their senators that night. In coordination with both nationwide and statewide organizations, members planned and assisted in mobilizing 10,000 people for a pro-immigrant march May 1. Four RAP leaders represented the organization at the United States Social Forum, traveling with leaders from Padres Unidos, Centro Compañero in Durango, and Centro Amistad, where they planned to develop strategic alliances with regional, state, and national progressive organizations and further RAP’s participation in a progressive movement for social change. Two leaders attended a conference in New York on Black/Immigrant Unity. And we launched the Saber Te Da Poder Campaign (Knowledge Gives You Power). From August to November, 15 of our leaders spoke with over 500 individuals in small groups of 5 to 10 at places like parks, family parties, schools, churches, door knocking, etc.

2008 – Through April, RAP’s Saber Te Da Poder (Knowledge Gives You Power) campaign brings rights information to 700 people through presentations given by 23 immigrant leaders. In February, RAP launches its Aurora Police Accountability Campaign.