Mission

The Tepeyac Association is a non-profit 501 (c) 3, community based-organization whose mission is to promote the social welfare and human rights of Mexican immigrants, specifically the undocumented in New York City. The Association informs and educates immigrants and their families about their rights and resources. Founded in September, 1997 by Mexican community leaders, the Association is the only public resource dedicated to organizing Mexican immigrants in the five boroughs of New York City. Through its grassroots structure and leadership the Association serves and influences over 10,000 members.

The Association has a central office with only two paid staff people and several volunteers. With this central staff, the Association carries out many of its projects (which are described in the section Mayor Activities). Currently, the Association is centrally located in Manhattan so members can easily access staff from any of the five boroughs.

From our office we coordinate the support of a lot of people who are suffering from the raids conducted by the department of the immigration. Lots of people come also to us who are suffering from labor violations, human rights violations during the raids that officers of INS are doing, and lawyer fraud.

The Association also serves as a social service agency for those who cannot go to city agencies because they lack proper documentation. For instance, the Association receives cases where people detained by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Often detainees need to inform their families of their whereabouts. Other cases include helping families with funeral costs for those who have died here and need the body to be returned to Mexico.

The Association receives cases of adults who have been abused in the city, adolescents are in need of help as well. Many have to turned to gangs in order to find support in a world that continually discriminates against them.

Those who are undocumented live under inhumane conditions, yet are ineligible for most services provided by the city. The Tepeyac Association of New York responds to those needs by organizing Mexicans to defend their human rights, educate them concerning these rights, as well as foster a sense of community through social, economic, and cultural activities. Additionally, the Association’s monthly publication, El Popocatéptl, serves to inform members about their rights, and about the services the Association and other organizations in the city can offer them.

As long as city agencies fail to meet the needs of our undocumented population, the Association serves as a social service resource. Cases that have been brought to the Association’s attention include: INS detainees, work place abuses, fraud of lawyers who pretend help Mexican people to apply for immigration process, etc. Clearly the community knows that Association is here to serve them. The media is always paying attention about the situations, plans and events that the Tepeyac Association is addressing.

Our tasks are to organize, inform, educate and form new groups with their leaders tackling urgencies, necessities, and human rights. Maintaining a leadership among Mexicans and pushing the development of the Mexican Community in New York State and City.