History and Achievements

History

In 1977, a group of 40 community leaders and representatives met in Washington, D.C. at the invitation of the U. S. Commission on Civil Rights to discuss the future of the stateside Puerto Rican community. The Commission had released a report in 1976, Puerto Ricans in the Continental United States: An Uncertain Future, and convened the meeting to discuss what the community leadership could do at the national level to bring about change. A consensus emerged that there was a need to establish an organization in Washington, D.C. to represent the interests of the community before national policy makers. The result was the creation of the National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. (NPRC) which brings together community leaders and organizations in an association that addresses public policy issues and provides visibility and awareness of Puerto Rican community issues and concerns at the national level. The National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. was incorporated as a membership organization in 1977.

Achievements

The National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. is the nation’s leading Puerto Rican public policy and advocacy organization in the country. NPRC has attained an impressive record of achievement, a broad-based network of support, and public recognition as the leading national Puerto Rican advocacy and policy organization responsible for representing the interests of the close to eight (8) million Puerto Rican U.S. citizens through a network of over 100 community-based organizations and leaders.

• NPRC hosted the National Puerto Rican Leadership Summit, a community agenda setting initiative in which all of the national Puerto Rican advocacy and policy organizations and 400 local non-profit organizations participated.
• In 1996 NPRC hosted 7,000 community advocates in Washington, D.C. to commemorate National Puerto Rican Affirmation Day.
• NPRC leadership role was instrumental to the security of the population of Vieques.
• NPRC has conducted homeownership, education, and financial literacy programs benefiting the Hispanic community. NPRC College to Career program (C2C) is helping prepare college juniors and seniors for jobs in corporate America.

Today NPRC is recognized as a leading voice within the national Hispanic advocacy community and has developed strong collaborative relationships with hundreds of public and private sector leaders. This visible leadership has resulted in the recognition of NPRC as a valuable partner in the national Hispanic movement. The recently elected President and CEO of NPRC, Mr. Rafael A. Fantauzzi , envisions the next three to five years as a period to re-energize the organizations mission, vision, and strategic imperatives in order to prepare us for the future.