remark, "I found that the only way to get things done in this city is to do it -- and then work it out… It took five to six years for the building to become up to code. Everything had to be repaired, replaced or installed. With the help, love and dedication of the community, the organization's building was refurbished piece by piece. Money was donated. Grants were awarded. Materials were donated, as well. Laborers volunteered time. Plumbers gave services. Heating and plumbing were installed. The roof was fixed. Vinyl siding was put in place. The classrooms were spruced up." In 2007, El Centro celebrated its 35th anniversary with a gathering of nearly 1,000 people at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle. Social activism During the early 1980s, when the Reagan Administration was supporting the Nicaraguan Contras, El Centro played a major role in convincing the Seattle City Council to adopt Managua as a sister city, despite strong initial opposition from Seattle City Council. El Centro's bond with Nicaragua was forged before the Sandinistas took power in 1979. The relationship between El Centro and Managua began following the 1972 Nicaragua Earthquake and El Centro was able to coordinate relief efforts in the Seattle area. The organization continued to practice direct action. When the Washington Natural Gas Company cut off El Centro's heat the teachers and children of the child-development center sat in the office of the CEO of Washington Natural Gas until the gas was restored. Affordable housing In 2015 El Centro de la Raza built moderately priced apartments south of its main building – 110 units, home to about 350 people. These apartments are designed for families making 30-60 per cent of the average median annual income in Seattle, or $24,000 to $49,000. The apartments have been built within easy access to El Centro de Raza and the Beacon Hill Light Rail station Notes External links Oral history interview with Roberto Maestas, 2005 — Seattle Civil Rights and Labor History Project 1972 establishments in Washington (state) Beacon Hill, Seattle Hispanic and Latino American culture in Washington (state) Non-profit organizations based in Seattle Organizations established in 1972