Since 1994, Centro Nueva Creación has been dedicated to providing a place for predominantly Hispanic children to learn about their culture and have fun while their parents are away. This small nonprofit in North Philadelphia also serves as a way to create a space where children do not follow street influences or feel alone in their homes.
Executive Director Maribel Lozada Arzuaga came to Philadelphia when she was 18 from Puerto Rico. She first joined Centro as a dance instructor of traditional Puerto Rican dances in 2009. Later, as a group leader, and then in Centro’s office. However, before Centro, she had been involved with other nonprofits at an administrative level.
But there is no doubt that Centro stole Lozada’s heart from the beginning, because the moment she was called to get involved, she did. Her goal, as she narrates, is to provide services to children and not for her own financial gains.
However, it has not all been easy for Centro. Lozada said there have been times when the organization has not had the financial resources to carry out activities that keep the children motivated.
What benefits do you think Centro brings to the community of North Philadelphia?
Centro contributes benefits in three fields; one because we employ people from the community. And even though those people do not have a formal academic formation, like further than high school, they learn to create lessons for the children and improve their own writing while they plan the next class. For instance, if they talk about the environment or science, employers have to learn about the topic before they teach it to the children.
The second facet that get benefitted from Centro is the parents because they know they are leaving their children in a safe place with adults that will teach them things or will help them with their homework and don’t have to pay anything. Previously, parents had to pay $5 a week and now the government has decided that they don’t have to pay anything. That is why we are giving them help so that they do not have to worry, spend money and can work while improving their quality of life by progressing in the United States.
The third facet is that Centro is a place where children have the opportunity of learning from other topics. For example, I’m Puerto Rican, so I teach aspects from Puerto Rico in the program. Children learn about repercussions of “plena” and “bomba” because they are two different genres; so they learn how to dance “bomba” and “plena.”
Sometimes we do other dances, for example, merengue, bachata; and I think one teacher was trying to do a dance from Ecuador. We focus on the cultures that are represented in the program, whether it’s Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras, Colombia, and Panama. We try to give the children information about those countries where their parents come from or where the children come from and make them feel good about who they are.
That way, in the future, they can keep going forward and say “I’m Mexican,” “I’m Puerto Rican,” or “I’m Dominican” with a lot of pride. Hispanic cultures are very rich in history, culture, music, and gastronomy, too. So, we teach that to children, give them sports activities; as for now it has been soccer, softball, volleyball.
Opportunities to go on field trips such as to the swimming pool, amusement parks, zoo or museums. Last year, we had a partnership with the Franklin Institute and we did science-related activities; we also had another partnership with PAFA (Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts) and they were doing art activities with the children. In fact, we have an artist among our employers who teaches art content according to the lessons we prepare in the program.
Has there ever been a time where the organization has been short on resources or operational developments to provide services?
Sometimes we get a little overwhelmed by the lack of funds for the things we want to do with the children. For example, last year, the children went to see a play of The Nutcracker for Christmas. And we had a Three Kings Day celebration where the children received small gifts.
Things are very expensive and we are trying to be as creative as possible with what we have. Right now, we have 74 children and we will have 104 by February. In the mornings, we have 36 children. We have to give them content.
Some people see us as a care center; we are not a care center. We have a responsibility to pass on other types of information or instruction to them that can help them have a better life in the future.
How long has it been without the necessities of the organization?
It’s only sometimes. We need to have a plan— well, as they say, we have already lost the plan. We need to have a line of credit in the bank so that when we have the summer camp they don’t transfer the money before or during but after the summer camp.
So, it’s an “after” like two months after summer and that’s when the money comes. And we have to have some money reserves so we can have the summer camp and start the new school year. That’s the hole in finances.
Regarding resources, we need resources because almost everything is given to the employers so there’s just a little bit left for the children’s activities and for the materials. Therefore, we have to do an “empanadillas” sale to raise funds to take the kids out for a trip and later in the year we will be doing a chocolate sale for the Three Kings Day activities.
Do you think this lack of resources is due to the government? Or who do you think is responsible?
It is due to the government because they have a regulation that we have to follow. We are having problems because the government requires certain things in the budget and a certain quantity of money that Centro has to pay to the employers; and it can’t be less than that. And then we say like “wow all of this goes to the employers,” [she laughs]. And we almost have no money to go on a trip.
Maybe to pay for the school bus but then the rest is not enough for a ticket to go to a theater or a museum or anything else. Because there can’t be a program where children are always inside 4 walls. So, I don’t know— I don’t think that would be a fun experience where they would always be like “ugh this program, I have to be here everyday and that’s it.” I put myself in their place and I say “what am I learning here?”, “what am I going to do?, or “is this program fun?”
Something that happened to me once was when a girl asked “why are we always doing Latin cultures and Puerto Rico and this and that?” Then, I tell her, “Sweetie, because when you get out of here you will not listen to anything else about that.” Later on, she became a responsible dancer in the traditional music group dance we have and she is completely committed with that group.
A girl that would always ask “why?”, “why this?”, “why that?” Well, because you have to learn it now and then take it with you. Because when you go off to college maybe they don’t have a program where they will teach you about Hispanic-American literature and things about your countries.
So, this program involves more races than Hispanic children?
Yes, too! For everyone who wants to come. But almost always because they see more Hispanics than other types of ethnic groups, they think it is a camp or program for Hispanics only.
We also have African American children and we celebrate African American history in the United States and we have activities surrounding it; we try to also include it in the calendar. And try to do things but— it costs money.
Artists from that culture come and do things like African dances or African repercussions or hip hop or something else. And we bring other people from other places, and that’s the cost.
What are the challenges or struggles to keep moving Centro forward?
We need help from the bank every year. And so, I learned that it’s not only us as a small program but also big organizations like Congreso, Concilio, El Taller Puertorriqueño, or Norris Square have this type of relationship with banks or other financial entities. So, that would be my plan to continue paying employers and ensure they do not lack wages.
And for the children’s activities, keep trying to get the funds and do fundraising activities together with the board of directors because they also have that responsibility. And try to get other artists to come and do workshops of other cultures. It’s hard for me because people say yes to me and then no.
They are not here [Philadelphia] or are not available. So, I have to move forward and get something else.
And when one does something good, there are other programs that will follow us. And now that resource that was only available to us is now available to other programs, which is good, but the downside is that it is not as accessible as it used to be.
Do you believe that non-profit organizations are overlooked?
Yes, I believe that— especially the small ones. Because they think we don’t have the potential of doing a good job. And, for example, when we employ people from the community; they think these people don’t know how to do the job and they do know how to do it.
Particularly, because they are people who live in the community, children know them and they are in different stages of their lives. It’s something like coming from the past where they think, “okay, this lady is working in the school and she teaches me things, but I see this lady walking around the neighborhood.” So, I say to the lady, “Hi” and she answers “Hi” and I’m like “Where are you going? Are you okay?” And one of the teachers said the same thing.
And if you are out of place, this is not your path, you have to go back home. Those are the types of dynamics that are happening. So, we not only want people who need a job in the community, but someone who is not going to harm us.
For example, there was a lady who needed a job but she didn’t have her papers. And my heart was tempted to give her a job but we can’t because, how are we going to document that? We have to be accountable to the government; what we do in that case is talk among ourselves and see where this person can work.
How do you feel about having a non-profit organization in North Philadelphia?
It’s a very sharp job, it’s a job that does not end because one is working early and late. One works Saturdays and Sundays. In my case, I go to church on Sundays but after that and visiting my mom I think about my job.
And on Saturdays, I always do something for my job. There’s no… especially in our small organization, there’s no point in stopping and resting. And maybe that happens in bigger organizations where everyone has their role in the organization.
So, in a small organization like Centro, one has to do this one job and then leave it and now do this other job; there is no such kind of rest. That is one of the things that affect the employers the most and organizations like Centro non-profit.
I don’t even know how I am in Centro. It’s only a small pay and no benefits, so that’s what the board has to manage. And maybe it is even part-time, because the funds they give are not for executive directors or for the one that writes the proposals or for the person that works in the office. It’s only specific to the access school, so it is very difficult.
So, these funds you are telling me about, where do they come from?
Well, the funds that we will use over the summer and that then we will pay the bank come from the bank. But the funds come from Department of Human Services (DHS) and then they give it to the government institution that is called Public Health Management Corporation. They are the ones that manage what we are paid, the ones that watch out for the assistance, and the ones that are waiting for us to have all the requirements that race needed to work for an after school program.
People think “oh they are just there to take care of children” and no. We need to have all the clearances and take a lot of training.
And everything is speculated, so we have to have everything on paper. The school building ask us for things, DHS licenses ask us for the same requirements, PHS also asks us for the same requirements; so there are a lot of people who are watching what we are doing.
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