Voz Workers' Rights Education Project (VOZ) is a small non-profit in Oregon dedicated to empowering day laborers and immigrants. Its budget included a $75,000 grant they expected to get from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). But then CCHD informed the group that it would not get funded it if didn't cut its affiliation with the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) a national Latino/a advocacy organization because NCLR supports marriage equality. Voz refused to do so and lost the grant.
National Council of la Raza voted to adopt a position in support of marriage equality in 2012.
This is not the first time that groups have been asked to drop relationships with national organizations, or risk losing funding. A Colorado group that helps low-income Latinos had a similar experience several years ago.
In Oregon, Tom Chamberlain of the AFL-CIO told the Oregonian that he was concerned about the vital resources provided by Voz' Worker's Center and the impact that their reduction in services would have on the state's "lowest-paid workers."
Voz has launched a petition and released a statement asking for local and national support.