Transmission Project

As an organization grounded in the Latino community, our mission is to build unity across all racial and economic sectors, to organize, empower, and defend our most vulnerable and marginalized populations and to bring justice, dignity, equality, and freedom to all the peoples of the world.

We envision a world free of oppression based on poverty, racism, sexism, sexual orientation, and discrimination of any kind that limits equal access to the resources that ensure a healthy and productive life in peace, love and harmony for all peoples and our future generations.

El Centro de la Raza strives to have a positive impact on people’s lives. We use evaluation tools to make sure that measureable change occurs through the services we deliver. Each of El Centro’s programs helps participants progress toward one of these “Fifteen Core Outcomes”
People meet their basic food needs
People transitioning out of homelessness secure permanent housing
People retain jobs
Low/moderate income people are able to purchase a home
Increased knowledge of banking and personal money management
Successful default counseling; families remain their homes
Infants/young children meet development milestones
Young children are prepared to enter kindergarten
Students develop/strengthen skills and/or habits that support academic success
Educationally at-risk students make academic progress
Older adults maintain the highest possible quality of life
People acquire/improve English language and literacy skills
Parents/guardians participate in children’s learning
Latina/(o) teens will become self-reliant as teen parents caring for their children
Identify, alleviate and meet the needs of at-risk pregnant women

The Collins Center, named in honor of Governor LeRoy Collins (served 1955 – 1961), was established in 1988 as a statewide nonprofit organization to seek out creative, non-partisan solutions to Florida’s toughest issues. Throughout our history, we have strived to uphold the principles maintained by Governor Collins– public and private integrity, deliberative democracy, environmental stewardship and economic fairness.

While we conduct comprehensive and quality public policy analysis, what makes the Collins Center unique is our desire to see changes in public policy implemented. To take an active role in putting these changes to the test. According to Collins Center president Rod Petrey, “We don’t just study problems and write position papers. We actually implement pilot projects and experimental programs to determine how our resolutions to problems will work. Then we’re able to share this information so others can use the knowledge.”

Since 1988, we have focused on many problems that have changed the lives of Floridians and impacted state policy.

We have heard Floridians speak with great passion about their voting rights and the importance of knowing their vote counted.
We have seen looks of relief on the faces of homeowners when they were able to reach a settlement with their insurance company following a life-threatening hurricane.
We have witnessed young men from Overtown give testimony before congressional representatives in Washington on the critical impact men’s health care has on low-income neighborhoods.
We have awarded small businesses and other organizations for new and creative ways to protect the environment while maintaining economic success.
We have received heart-felt thank you letters from people who received much needed medical attention through the efforts of our Community Health Workers.
We have worked in the Overtown community, just north of downtown Miami, to begin new development that will provide residents with new housing options, new job opportunities and a positive step toward returning this historic neighborhood to a vibrant community.
We have established a mortgage foreclosure mediation program to help resolve disputes between homeowners and their mortgage lenders, allowing many families to stay in their homes.