Serving a Growing and Diverse Community

The need for Nuestras Raíces’ work is backed by compelling demographic reality. Residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino went from roughly 4.5% of Baltimore’s population at the beginning of the last decade to 8% from 2020 to 2024, according to a Baltimore Banner analysis of U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

In Baltimore County, the Hispanic population increased from about 5% to 7% between 2010 and 2020, while in Anne Arundel County, the Hispanic population grew from 6% to nearly 10% of the county’s population during the same period. This rapid demographic growth across the entire metropolitan region underscores the urgency and importance of organizations like Nuestras Raíces that are equipped to serve these communities with cultural competence and genuine care.

Many members of Baltimore’s Latino community, representing people from 25 different nations, often feel detached from their home countries. When adjusting to American culture, they frequently risk losing their own language, traditions, and sense of cultural identity. Nuestras Raíces exists precisely to close that gap.

Fiesta Baltimore: Celebrating Culture on a Grand Scale

One of the organization’s most visible and beloved contributions to the region is Fiesta Baltimore, an annual festival that has grown into one of the most anticipated cultural events in the city. Held in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, this free, family-friendly, and community-oriented event is open to all and welcomes people of every background to experience Latino culture together, featuring live music and dance performances, traditional and contemporary cuisine, cultural exhibits, artisan vendors, and activities for all ages.

Now in its fifth year and growing, the festival has expanded to a two-day celebration at Patterson Park, offering music, folklore, food, arts and crafts as a way for people to celebrate the richness and diversity of Latino culture. The event also features the Parade of Latino Nations through Highlandtown, bringing the streets of East Baltimore alive with color, rhythm, and cultural pride.

With 25 different nations represented at the festival, attendees come from across Latin America, Central America, and South America, reflecting the extraordinary diversity of Baltimore’s Latino community. Fiesta Baltimore has become far more than a celebration — it is a statement of presence, unity, and belonging.

“We hope that this is a statement to show people that we are here. We are part of the community. We are strong. We are united.” — Angelo Solera, Founder & Executive Director, Nuestras Raíces Inc.

Casa de la Cultura: A Home for Heritage

Beyond its annual events, Nuestras Raíces operates one of its most impactful ongoing initiatives through Casa de la Cultura, its Latino educational and cultural empowerment center located in East Baltimore. Through Casa de la Cultura, described as Maryland’s first and only Latino educational and cultural empowerment center, the organization provides a space where members of the Latino community, representing 25 different nations, can reconnect with their roots, culture, and sense of belonging.

The center is a living, breathing home for Latino identity — where traditions are taught, artists are uplifted, elders share their stories, and the next generation grows up proud of who they are and where they come from. It is a place of preservation, education, and cultural affirmation that serves the community year-round, not just during Heritage Month.

Programming at Casa de la Cultura includes cultural education programs, hands-on workshops, and youth mentorship initiatives, along with preservation of heritage and oral histories through digital archives, cultural exhibitions, and storytelling initiatives that ensure the traditions, languages, and histories of Latino communities are never forgotten.

Training, Education, and Community Empowerment

Nuestras Raíces has built a comprehensive suite of programs designed to strengthen the Latino community from the inside out. The organization provides training, education, mentoring services, and financial support to the Latino community, cultural organizations, associations, marching bands, and folkloric groups, while also planning, organizing, implementing, and sponsoring community cultural events including educational workshops, parades, and cultural festivals.

The organization also develops networks of Latino cultural associations, artists, and organizations to provide mentoring programs and professional and financial support, while building partnerships with Latino and non-Latino businesses, foundations, and corporations to expand resources and opportunities for the community.

Nuestras Raíces has also partnered with institutions such as Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of Maryland Medical Center to bring health programming directly to the Latino community in East Baltimore, including programs focused on diabetes prevention and management. These partnerships demonstrate the organization’s commitment to holistic community well-being that extends well beyond cultural programming.

Building Partnerships Across the Region

The strength of Nuestras Raíces lies not only in what it does independently but in the broad network of partners it has cultivated across Baltimore and surrounding counties. The organization receives support from key funders including the Baltimore Community Foundation and the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund, and maintains an operating presence that serves the broader Baltimore metropolitan region.

Community partnerships have extended to institutions such as Johns Hopkins Medicine’s Workforce Development Office, which has sponsored participation in Fiesta Baltimore, with volunteers from Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, and Community Relations joining alongside local community members. These collaborations reflect the growing recognition among Baltimore’s major institutions that Nuestras Raíces plays an indispensable role in the city’s cultural and civic life.

The Maryland State Arts Council has also recognized Nuestras Raíces as part of its official arts organization directory, further affirming the organization’s standing as a legitimate and impactful cultural institution serving the broader state of Maryland.

Standing Strong in Challenging Times

The work of Nuestras Raíces has taken on even greater significance in recent years as Baltimore’s Latino community has faced increased uncertainty. Angelo Solera and the Nuestras Raíces team have chosen to stand strong in the face of a difficult political climate, feeling more emboldened than ever to showcase Latino culture and prove that the community is here, united, and unwilling to be made invisible.

Baltimore’s Hispanic population has steadily grown over the past four years, increasing 4.7% in a single recent year, with international migration helping offset population losses in other demographic groups and contributing to the city’s overall growth. Nuestras Raíces has been at the forefront of ensuring that this growing population is welcomed, supported, and celebrated rather than marginalized.

The organization’s resilience in the face of challenge is a reflection of the community it serves — one that has consistently demonstrated strength, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to preserving its identity and contributing to the city it calls home.

Get Involved with Nuestras Raíces Inc.

The impact of Nuestras Raíces Inc. is a testament to what dedicated community leadership can accomplish — but this work depends on the continued support of individuals, organizations, and partners who believe in a Baltimore where every culture is honored and every community thrives.

Whether through volunteering, attending events like Fiesta Baltimore, donating to support programs at Casa de la Cultura, or simply spreading the word, there are meaningful ways to become part of this mission. To learn more about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, fundraising initiatives, and ways to support the mission, the organization can be reached at 3403 Gough Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, by phone at 443-202-3009, or by email at solera.raices@gmail.com.

Nuestras Raíces Inc. is more than an organization — it is a movement rooted in love for culture, community, and the generations to come. Together, we can ensure that the richness of Latino heritage in Baltimore continues to grow, thrive, and inspire for years ahead.