El Puente is at the forefront of youth and community development to address decades of public and private disinvestment, and displacement that limit access to housing, education, employment, health and public safety for communities of color in Brooklyn and Puerto Rico. The organization centers leadership development and civic engagement in all programs, so that those most affected by systemic challenges design and lead their own solutions. El Puente serves predominantly Latinx, Black, Spanish-speaking, immigrant and undocumented youth and families through eight sites, including a number of sites co-located with public housing in North Brooklyn. Most of El Puente’s senior leadership grew up in and/or lives in communities served by El Puente – many first joined El Puente as youth members. El Puente’s arts and education programs train and develop young leaders to identify and analyze systemic issues; plan campaigns; lead actions; speak publicly; and form coalitions for change. Their leadership has resulted in the closure of a hazardous radioactive waste storage facility, the publication of a youth-led asthma and air quality study in The American Journal of Public Health, and the founding of the nation’s first public high school for human rights. Youth leaders are currently leading campaigns for increased New York City funding for in-school and afterschool programming, federal and state dollars to mitigate harm done by racist infrastructure projects and highways in Brooklyn, and for a just transition to renewable and green energy in Puerto Rico.
