ESPERANZA’S ORIGINAL APPROACH
The Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia envisioned that Esperanza would create the conditions for success for those willing to participate in changing their destinies.
Woven throughout Esperanza’s suite of programs and services is a belief that while transitioning poverty to opportunity relies on ramps that are both in and of the neighborhoods they serve; the spark of lasting change ultimately begins within people and our ability to reinforce alternate narratives, such as the hope and belief in the possibility of an improved life. This critical personal asset of self-efficacy underlies Esperanza’s theory of change.
In the words of Esperanza founder and CEO Reverend Luis Cortés, “a person has to believe they have a chance to take a chance.” Opportunity communities contain alternate narratives of hope that increase the likelihood of residents developing self-confidence.
All of Esperanza’s institutions and programs approach students, clients, and community members with the aim of encouraging hope, cultivating personal responsibility, exercising voice, strengthening influence, and delivering transformative experiences.