Empowering the Hispanic faith community around the country.

Over the past 15 years, Esperanza National Programs has served the “least of these” by strengthening local churches, organizations, and individuals that are engaged in serving the Hispanic community. We come alongside church leadership and laity, contributing our skills and resources to help equip and strengthen them, posturing the Hispanic faith community for even greater success.  We also serve as a national intermediary providing sub-grant funds to help Hispanic nonprofits grow.

We do this through a diverse national network of Hispanic clergy, congregations, lay leaders, and nonprofits. Together we strengthen the Hispanic community throughout the United States with a particular focus on youth leadership development. We provide capacity building, mentoring, grassroots and degree level education, faith engagement, housing counseling, we develop relevant resources, and provide other opportunities as they arise.

Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity (HCPV)

HCPV is the founding organization of Esperanza. It is led by a Board of Directors who are local Pastors and Ministers with a desire and commitment to minister God’s love, hope, and faith to the Hispanic Community in the Delaware Valley and Vicinity.  The organization’s aim includes assisting and supporting its membership in ministry by stimulating ministerial communication, cooperation and fellowship, providing leadership, training, spiritual, and technical assistance as well as representation before government entities and other institutions both civil and private.

Esperanza Youth Leadership Institute (EYLI)

Esperanza Youth Leadership Institute (EYLI) inspires vision and provides educational opportunities and resources for those that work with Latino youth to reach, disciple and give voice to young people to become agents of transformation in urban communities. We are proud to have more than 70 graduates of this program who are creating change each day in their communities! Click here to access the main EYLI page.

Rev. Ruben Ortiz – Director of National Programs

Rev. Rubén Ortiz has served in ministry for over 30 years. His professional emphasis has been in Leadership Development, Youth Ministry, Church Planting and Community Development. He is Executive Director of Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity and Director of National Programs at Esperanza. In this role, he oversees Esperanza’s national initiatives and the Esperanza Youth Leadership Institute, a grassroots and degree level program in partnership with Esperanza College of Eastern University. Rev. Ortiz planted Iglesia Del Barrio (IDB) and served as its Senior Pastor for 10 years. IDB was the first bi-lingual church in Philadelphia that was founded specifically to serve 2nd and 3rd generation Hispanics. He’s worked in prior roles with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, helping to design and implement AMACHI, a national mentoring program for children of incarcerated parents and Communities United to Empower Youth, a program to prevent gang activity, reduce youth violence, child abuse and neglect. Rev. Ortiz has a Master’s of Theological Studies from Palmer Theological Seminary. He was born and raised in Philadelphia and continues to minister there with his wife of 32 years. Together they have three children.

Anthony Ramos – Project Director

Anthony Ramos was raised in North Philadelphia and currently lives in Northwood, Pa. Anthony and his wife, Bridney, have been married for 6 years and have three children, Zoryanie, Azariah, and Jaazaniah, and are expecting their fourth later in 2022. Anthony Ramos is a product of Esperanza, graduating in December of 2011 as co-valedictorian of his graduating class in Esperanza College. Anthony Ramos has obtained his Bachelor of Social Work from Eastern University and holds a Master of Divinity from Missio Seminary (formerly Biblical Theological Seminary). Anthony Ramos, who has worked on Esperanza’s National Programs team for six years, has helped the development, launch, and oversaw the Esperanza Youth Leadership Institute, Renovación Pastoral, and Thriving Congregations. Anthony oversaw youth mentoring programs in 7 cities across the country, oversaw and helped the implementation of Esperanza’s Bible engagement (Vive la Vida, Vive La Palabra) that engaged over 2,000 people in diverse Bible reading plans, and spearheaded the highly successful online #GoAndDo Campaign to encourage acts of kindness. Anthony Ramos utilizes his Hip Hop platform as a medium to communicate his faith and life experience; his music played in 91 countries and has amassed over 400,000 streams in the past 2 years. Serving at Esperanza, Inc. Anthony Ramos is able to see his faith come alongside his passion for serving his community.

Kayla Gonzales – Associate Project Director

Kayla Gonzales serves as the Associate Project Director of the Esperanza Youth Leadership Institute. She is a Philadelphia native who was educated and currently lives, works, worships, and serves in the Hunting Park community. Kayla is a product of local church youth ministry, and currently serves locally as a Youth Pastor. In 2017, Kayla was a member of the very first cohort of the Esperanza Youth Leadership Institute and was also part the 2019 cohort of the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative. She is passionate about urban youth and aims to empower those who come from “unfavorable” places to rise within their own communities and generate the impact and change necessary for those communities to thrive. Kayla currently oversees the Go and Do Youth Civic Engagement Program at Esperanza, where she educates and engages young people in exploring civic topics that are meaningful to them and their communities. Kayla’s work in youth ministry and mentoring for over 8 years has inspired her to pursue a master’s degree in counseling from Missio Seminary (formerly Biblical Theological Seminary). She hopes to continue serving young people and their families through the mental health field and beyond.