Saludos,

Where We Came From / Nuestra Historia

When we began in the 1970s, led by Puerto Rican activists and Latinx residents, our grassroots goals were to protect and preserve our community's children, youth, and families from the effects of drugs, gangs, and violence. When we incorporated as a nonprofit in 1978, our goals grew into a mission of addressing economic and social disenfranchisement through employment and training opportunities, youth development, and neighborhood revitalization efforts that centered and honored our culture and community members.

In 2007, we were almost uprooted from the Lower East Side due to gentrification. Community residents, organizers, and clergy activated and helped replant us in our original space with an official resolution requiring that our voice be a part of any city development plans for our property. With renewed sustainability from the Acacia Network , we have reinforced our mission to lift our people, and reaffirm, preserve, and highlight the culture, art, and contributions of Puerto Ricans and Latinx to this city and nation.

Who We're Taking With Us / Nuestra Familia

Together, we are the sounds, scents, tastes, flavors, and air of our Latinx and Caribbean cultures, both traditional and contemporary. We are the product of resilience, makers and keepers of place, and voices to be heard. We are storefront churches, spray-painted murals, and gatherings on the corner. We are artesanias, mercaderos, storytellers, and keepers of the home. We are a  unique cultural and racial mosaic. We are a neighborhood ecosystem with a right to the city and a right to access all that we need to maintain and build our place in this society. 

Libertad Guerra