A new space in South Scranton is taking shape as a hub for the Latino community, where organizers hope to celebrate culture, connect families with resources, and help residents put down roots in the Electric City.
Elizabeth Rodriguez and her daughter, Sabrina Guzman, co-founded Giving Back to the Community, an all-women-run nonprofit, in 2022. The organization has hosted cultural events, including a Latino Fiesta at Nay Aug Park, while working to celebrate and promote the area’s Latino heritage.
Now, the organization has a physical home. The nonprofit recently purchased space on Cedar Avenue with a $10,000 grant. The space, called Raíces, meaning “roots,” will give Giving Back to the Community a permanent location after previously operating out of the founders’ homes.
“We envision tradition, family, security, a safe space,” Rodriguez said.
Guzman said she imagines Raíces as a place where generations of families can gather. “I see the kids running in and out of the door. My mom playing grandma outside, regulating, feeding us, and just being the grandma of the community, and then me the aunty!” Guzman said.
The founders envision the space as a welcoming hub rather than a traditional office. They plan to decorate it with cultural artifacts and murals representing Latino communities.
“We want a living room. We don’t want an office,” Guzman said. “We want a beautiful area where it represents all of the Latino communities.”
The organization also hopes Raíces can serve as a central location where families can find information about services and resources, including child care, health care, and homeownership.
“All the available resources from every organization, we want to have them here where the families can come here and ask us — ‘I want to find daycare. I want to find medical. I need help with purchasing a home,'” Rodriguez said.
Guzman said upcoming community events celebrating Scranton’s Latino population have reinforced her belief in the city’s support for the community.
“Seeing just this month with all of the events that are coming out in support of the Latino community, I’m even proud of Scranton,” she said.
For Rodriguez and Guzman, the phrase “Unidos somos más,” or “Together we are more,“ represents more than a theme. It reflects their vision for Raíces and the future they’re planting for Latino families in Scranton, one seed at a time.
