MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Hispanic community is rallying together after five Latinos were killed in just the past two months.

The group has no name, but told WREG they are a grassroots organization protesting violence against Hispanics.

The organizer of the rally, Miguel Rosales, is dying. His kidneys are failing, and he is in desperate need of a transplant. But Rosales isn’t dwelling on his own health. Instead, he’s spending his energy rallying for the Latino community in Memphis.

“There’s no protection,” Rosales said, with the help of a translator. “They are very poor neighborhoods, and people are getting killed every day.”

Rosales said there have been five Latinos killed in the past couple of months and at least nine attacks.

He helped organize a rally protesting the violence last Saturday. Now he’s planning another, more public one this weekend.

He said legal status and language barriers often make Hispanics easy targets for criminals.

“This past weekend, two other people were assaulted, and a lot of other assaults happen, but are not reported on,” he said.

Rosales himself is a victim of Memphis crime. He was robbed at gunpoint three different times.

Rosales said he wants to see more Latino or Spanish-speaking officers on the streets, and wants the Latino community to take a stand and not be afraid to report crime.

“Just as we are held accountable by the law for the most minor of things, we also want other people to be held accountable when our community is being attacked,” he said.

The second rally is planned for this Saturday at 3 at the intersection of Highland and Poplar.