What the org has to say: “Taller Puertorriqueño uses art to promote development within its community and the Latino Diaspora and build bridges to the Greater Philadelphia region. We are a community-based cultural organization whose primary purpose is to preserve, develop and promote Puerto Rican arts and culture, grounded in the conviction that embracing one’s cultural heritage is central to community empowerment.”

What we found: Taller Puertorriqueño’s education director, Marilyn Rodriguez, says her organization strives to help the community in any shape or form. The colorful exterior of its Kensington location invites neighbors in and highlights the community beyond the violence. The organization offers tours of their gallery and the Fairhill neighborhood’s murals as an introduction to the neighborhood’s rich Latinx history and community. Taller Puertorriqueño serves Kensington by offering bilingual services, holiday meals for those in need, a free after-school arts program, and community events.

What the org has to say: “The Center for Returning Citizens is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of returning citizens (formerly incarcerated people), their families, and communities. Our goal is to fight social injustice and mass incarceration by helping returning citizens transition and build new lives, advocating for their rights, and educating the public about the detrimental effects of mass incarceration.”

What we found: TCRC works primarily with people impacted by the criminal justice system and who are looking to fulfill their court-mandated community service. The organization aims to help these individuals have a meaningful community service experience that benefits the communities they’re from. TCRC is run by individuals who were previously incarcerated themselves, which they say gives them a unique perspective on their work. “We’re formerly incarcerated and we’re OGs,” says founder J. Jondhi Harrell. “We’re former bank robbers, former gang leaders, former drug dealers, and we’re uniquely qualified to show kids something different and be positive role models in their lives.”