Luis Cortés Jr.
Esperanza
Philadelphia, PA USA
"Something you love becomes something you do becomes something you teach, and it can become something that leads in a community."
Career Roadmap
Luis's work combines: Entrepreneurship, Education, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Sociology
City College of New York
Graduate Degree
Community and Economic Development
Southern New Hampshire University
Graduate Degree
Divinity
Union Theological Seminary
Doctorate
Humane Letters
Eastern University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I grew up in Spanish Harlem, where I witnessed both the challenges of poverty and the strength of community.
2.
In 1981, I moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to teach theology, but I quickly realized I wanted to focus on community action.
3.
Civil rights work—fighting for bilingual education, fair policing, and better schools—ignited my passion for systemic change.
4.
In 1986, I founded Esperanza with the mission to build institutions that empower our community to thrive.
5.
By prioritizing education and economic development, we shifted from reactive civil rights work to proactive institution building.
6.
Esperanza grew from one employee to over 675, transforming Philadelphia’s poorest neighborhoods with schools and green spaces.
