After spending much of the past six months as an undervaccinated community, Hispanic vaccination rates have rebounded in Philadelphia.

Rev. Rubén Ortiz is the director of national programs at Esperanza, a faith-based nonprofit working to strengthen Hispanic communities through education, economic development, and advocacy. Even before the vaccine was available, access to COVID testing in Philadelphia’s predominantly Hispanic Hunting Park neighborhood was close to nonexistent. And according to Ortiz, many in this community make…

Premiered via livestream on May 7th, Forrópera Experiência was created out of a partnership between the Esperanza Arts Center (EAC), located in Philadelphia’s Hunting Park neighborhood, and alumni of the Astral Artists program, a music mentoring program based out of Center City. An event that showcased community arts collaboration at its most successful, a review…