Make the Road has a Las Vegas location and is also located in four other states where they help immigrant communities access the resources that are often difficult to find.
It now has a Reno office.
The nonprofit focuses on issues such as immigrant justice, health equity, and economic and housing justice among others. During a grand opening Saturday, there were speeches by Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, as well as a representative from U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, to inaugurate the new space.
People from the Las Vegas location were there as well as the new team and members of the public to celebrate the new location.
One of the first Reno members of Make the Road Nevada is Edgar Partida. He spoke about his background and why the organization matters to him. Partida came to Reno with his parents when he was 7 and is now pursuing becoming a psychologist.
“I was able to apply to DACA through a member named Erica. She’s an organization leader, and I was able to meet her in person because she came from Vegas,” Partida said. “I back the cause because I am a DACA recipient.”
Speaking about what Partida has experienced in Reno when it comes to discrimination, he said that he himself has been discriminated against but that it paled in comparison to what his parents have experienced.
“People [were] trying to close down their business because they’re just discriminating, so I would like to think that this organization is going to bring more awareness and help battle that,” he explained. “It gives me some proof that we can make a change because we have the organization here.”
Make the Road Nevada opened in Las Vegas in 2017. It has been trying to bring attention to issues that immigrant families often face. The nonprofit aims to make the process easier to navigate immigration as well as help those that are often unseen by state and federal governments.
