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Luis Cortés Jr. Highlight
Something you love becomes something you do becomes something you teach, and it can become something that leads in a community.
About Luis
- I grew up in Spanish Harlem, where I witnessed both the challenges of poverty and the strength of community.
- In 1981, I moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to teach theology, but I quickly realized I wanted to focus on community action.
- Civil rights work—fighting for bilingual education, fair policing, and better schools—ignited my passion for systemic change.
- In 1986, I founded Esperanza with the mission to build institutions that empower our community to thrive.
- By prioritizing education and economic development, we shifted from reactive civil rights work to proactive institution building.
- Esperanza grew from one employee to over 675, transforming Philadelphia’s poorest neighborhoods with schools and green spaces.
