Puerto Rican Cultural Center

Founded in 1973, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) is a community-based organization that serves the socio-ecological (culture, education, economic development, housing, health, and wellness) needs of Chicago’s Puerto Rican community. This award for general operating support strengthens PRCC as it supports place-based community economic development primarily in the Humboldt Park area.

Founded in 1973, the Juan Antonio Corretjer Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) offers a variety of community-serving initiatives including an alternative high school; an LGBTQ+ education and empowerment program; a community newspaper; HIV/AIDS prevention programs; cultural festivals, murals, and parades; and efforts to provide affordable housing. The organization was instrumental in the establishment of “Paseo Boricua,” a half-mile cultural corridor along Chicago's Division Street marked by two monuments to the Puerto Rican flag. PRCC’s archival project, “Digitizing the Barrio” seeks to preserve and promote local Puerto Rican community history by developing a multimedia exhibition. With this award, PRCC conducts a community mapping initiative to create a database of the spaces its programs have transformed on Chicago’s Northwest Side.