Three Brooklyn Nonprofits Building Power With Hispanic Communities

Oct 7, 2025

Workers Justice Project, Brooklyn Org 2023 Spark Prize Winner

For Hispanic Heritage Month, from September 15 to October 15, Brooklyn Org is spotlighting three of our grantee partners whose leadership honors the histories and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx people across Brooklyn. Nearly one in five Brooklyn residents—over 500,00 Brooklynites—identify as Hispanic or Latino, representing one of the largest communities in the borough. These organizations strengthen Brooklyn by fighting for workers’ rights, expanding access to the arts, and organizing low-wage immigrant communities to build collective power.

This month, we are spotlighting three of our grantee partners whose leadership is making that future possible:

A person in a red cap holds food containers and opens the glass door of a laundromat, with signage visible on the storefront windows. — Courtesy of Laundry Workers Center

Laundry Workers Center

Laundry Workers Center organizes low-wage immigrant workers in food service, laundry, and warehouse jobs, many from the Hispanic community, to fight wage theft, unsafe housing, and workplace exploitation.

“With the support of Brooklyn Org, we’re going to expand our outreach to more areas in Brooklyn so we can provide information about workers’ rights, have one-on-one conversations, and see how we can support people to improve their conditions at work and in the community.”

– Rosanna Rodriguez, Co-Executive Director

Learn More

A group of people posing on the steps of a house. — A group visits Mercedes’ house. Courtesy of ¡Oye! Group.

¡Oye Group!

¡Oye Group! provides low-income residents and minority groups – especially young people and older adults – with opportunities to engage in arts education and performance arts.

“[Because of Brooklyn Org’s support], we can actually start planting really good roots at each program and get more into relationship building. We can breathe.”

– Modesto ‘Flako’ Jimenez, Founder & Artistic Director

Two men, both standing, are smiling, one is giving a thumbs up while the other is holding up his bicycle — Workers Justice Project, Brooklyn Org 2023 Spark Prize Winner

Worker’s Justice Project

Worker’s Justice Project organizes low-wage and immigrant workers across industries including construction, cleaning, food and app delivery services, tobacco processing, and more to advocate for fair wages and safe working conditions through education, leadership development, grassroots outreach, and legislative advocacy that builds a strong labor movement.

“Immigrants and low-wage workers continue to be the fabric of our city’s economy. They are the ones who run New York City. If we want families to have a dignified life in our communities, everything starts with making sure they have a dignified workplace.”

– Ligia Guallpa, Executive Director