La Voz Unida gives City Council and update on the PRIDE Card

Last week, Norma Rodriguez from 501c3 La Voz Unida gave members of the Plymouth Common Council an update on the PRIDE, Plymouth Resident Identification Card Program. In 2019 Latino residents asked the city to consider the implementation of a government-issued ID Card to assist city residents with a means to show where they live. 

Rodriguez explained that the Bureau of Motor Vehicles requires four categories of identification, one of which is a social security card, which some of the Latino population doesn’t have.  She said some of our neighbors need to fill a prescription at the pharmacy or provide proof of identification when a law enforcement officer or emergency first responder asks.

Since 2020 La Voz Unida has issued 550 PRIDE Cards in Plymouth.  Residents from Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and El Salvador have requested the city’s identification card.  Rodriquez said at its inception the demand was the highest and has tapered off to 75-80 per year.  They work with La Casa de Amistad in South Bend to produce these cards, as La Voz Unida is busy taking the intake information.  She said scheduling conflicts have caused a slight reduction.  They only issue the ID Card days one evening every other month.

The PRIDE Card events have been held at Plymouth High School, St. Michael Catholic Church, the Neighborhood Center, the Community Resource Center, and will be at the Plymouth Public Library in December.  While La Voz Unida requests applicants register before the event, they always have a decent number of walk-ins.  The PRIDE Card fee is $25. 

Rodriguez told the city council they are extremely vigilant and demanding the minimum requirements to obtain a card.  They have turned away many individuals because they simply can’t qualify with the documents they present.  To secure a PRIDE Card the applicant must provide a passport, driver’s license or ID Card from any country, Consular ID, or Voter Registration Card.  They also must present one of these: a birth certificate, EBT Card, ITIN Letter/Social Security Card, marriage or divorce certificate, or Income Tax Return form.  The final list is for proof of address and must include name, address, and date.  The date can’t be older than 30 days: a gas, electricity, water, or telephone bill; a letter from any Social Service Agency, a letter from a religious organization and a bank statement.  The documents must be original or certified copies. 

Rodriguez said, “La Voz Unida feels that this program will continue to be necessary in our and other communities.  We have launched a fundraising campaign to raise $8,000 for La Voz Unida to purchase the expensive printer to produce these cards and offer them to other communities where we have built good relationships such as Warsaw, Ligonier, Logansport, and Frankfort to name a few.  This effort would help La Voz Unida as a 501c3 to raise money for all our other projects and ideas that are often held back due to lack of funding.”

Rodriguez told city council members the PRIDE Card is a community ID card for residents and is not a substitute for a state ID, state driver’s license, or federal passport.