On January 4, 2024, Soma Spring Branch was formed as a Texas Nonprofit Corporation, with David Lopez, Patricia Cabrera and Diana Martinez Alexander as Directors on its board of Directors.
The Certificate of Formation states the Purpose as:
“Engage in community organizing and civic engagement initiatives within the Spring Branch community. Our mission is to foster active participation, collaboration, and empowerment among community members. Through strategic efforts, we aim to build collective power, advocate for social justice, and ensure fair representation at all electoral levels. This organization is committed to upholding the principles of transparency, inclusivity, and democratic values in our pursuit of a vibrant and equitable community.”
501(c)(4) Status
In a recent YouTube video, Diana Martinez and David Lopez appeared as President and Treasurer, respectively, for Soma Spring Branch, acknowledging the 501(c)(4) status. David Lopez stated that they got involved in Soma Spring Branch when they saw a need for representation on the school board after he ran an election for school board in 2019. He found out that at Northbrook High School that there were reports of students were being told that they could not speak Spanish in non-instructional settings, which are possible violations. So they started organizing around that, doing community walks, know your rights session.
The interviewer asked Diana Martinez “why would having kids speak Spanish be a negative,” and “why is it that this even becomes a problem?” Diana said that it’s a “short-sightedness about what linguistic and cultural diversity brings to a community,” and as a long-time resident of Spring Branch, we haven’t embraced, and felt embraced, by the powers that be and those who make decisions about schooling and resources haven’t been in that mindset; and it speaks to the need for representation, it speaks to the need for having those crucial and difficult conversations because we’re here and we’re not going anywhere. She said it’s about pushing for change where decisions are being made.
David Lopez said that most recently, they reactivated Soma Spring Branch because SBISD announced school closures that were disproportionately affecting Latino and working class families on the northside of Spring Branch; and they knew that Soma Spring Branch could be a vehicle for members in the community to make their voice heard. Diana Martinez and David Lopez have supported organizing around a voting rights lawsuit against Spring Branch ISD. They oppose at-large Trustee positions. David Lopez said the lawsuit is to hold SBISD accountable to a systemically racial voting system forever, has really hampered the ability of people of color and everyone in the community to have a representative of their choice on the board. The interviewer, who said he is an activist himself, described the students in these school districts as “just the widgets of production for the rich folks” who want to be on the board “because of what they actually get in supplying your students; so therefore, you supply the widgets for them and they do everything else.”
Source: YouTube Video
