Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) San Francisco

Programs

Immigration Legal Program

CARECEN San Francisco provides services for immigrants, supporting asylum applications, consular processing, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) applications, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) requests, naturalization procedures, and removal hearings. CARECEN also provides legal support for immigrants before the Immigration Court and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). ¹

Second Chance Youth Program

The second chance youth program is a gang-and-violence-intervention initiative that assists former gang-members with transitioning into normal life. The program was started by Brian Contreras, who spent 16 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter. ²

Tattoo Removal Clinic

The tattoo removal program provides free tattoo removal for people ages 12-25 seeking employment or a lifestyle that can be compromised, either by safety or stigma, by tattoos. [someone] says that tattoos can identify someone as a former gang member which can make them vulnerable in public. ³

Family Wellness Program

The family wellness program provides services for individuals and families in migratory crisis. The program connects participants with local recourses including health, social, and advocacy components. ⁴

Health Promotion Program

The health promotion program promotes healthy lifestyle habits such as healthy eating and exercise. The program provides nutrition classes, support groups, field trips, and cooking classes. ⁵

Leadership

Lariza Dugan-Cuadra is the executive director of CARECEN San Francisco. Prior to joining CARECEN in 2012, she worked in state policy and community development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in humanities from New College California and, per CARECEN’s 2018 tax returns collected a salary of $114,587 with an additional $11,901 in various compensation. ^{6 7}

Father Richard Smith is the vicar for CARECEN. Smith is a left-progressive clergyman known for being an openly gay priest in the politically left-leaning Episcopal Church. He earned a Ph.D. in ethics and social theory from the progressive Graduate Theological Union Berkley. He integrates his social agendas into his ministry, focusing on police reform, immigration, and LGBT interests. ^{8 9}

Political Involvement

CARECEN has been critical of the Trump administration, specifically regarding immigration and foreign policy. In a January 31, 2020 press release, executive director Lariza Dugan-Cuada described the administration’s foreign policy agendas as “xenophobic” and “racist.” The release was a response to the administration’s decision to add countries to the travel ban list. ¹⁰