El Centro Cultural De Mexico

What El Centro Cultural De Mexico does

El Centro Cultural de México is a volunteer-run, community-based nonprofit cultural center founded in 1994 in Santa Ana, California, operating from 837 N Ross St. It serves immigrant and Latino communities in Orange County through cultural programming and grassroots social justice organizing. Its core offerings include over 20 donation-based cultural classes (Son Jarocho, Ballet Folklórico, Danza Mesoamericana, Salsa, Auto Defensa), an annual Día de Muertos celebration (Noche de Altares) running since 2002, a community radio station (Radio Santa Ana), and an ecosystem of organizing programs including Nuestras Manos (domestic workers), Techo (housing rights), Tierra (land justice), Lxs Esenciales (mutual aid), Santanero Project (youth), and El Frente (community organizing).

The organization is governed through a six-cuadro consensus-based democratic structure (voluntarios, maestros/coordinators, Frente, community partners, transnational collaborations, and Mesa board) with leadership drawn primarily from the immigrant community. El Centro functions as an organic hub organization, incubating and housing partner groups such as Breath of Fire Theatre, Educacion Sin Fronteras, Orange County Dream Team, RAIZ/Resilience OC, Nuestras Manos, Colectivo Tonantzin, and Proyecto Tenayuca, with UCI offices embedded in the building under a formal university partnership.

Revenue derives from monthly Semilla recurring donations (target 500 donors), one-time PayPal donations, foundation grants (notably Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), donation-based classes, and limited space rental and partnership services. The organization has 5 listed employees supported by approximately 50 active unpaid volunteers, and it has reached over 1,000 households through its pandemic-era mutual aid efforts.

Name

El Centro Cultural De Mexico

Legal name

El Centro Cultural de México

Website

https://elcentroculturaldemexico.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

El Centro Cultural de México is a volunteer-run nonprofit cultural center in Santa Ana, California, founded in 1994, serving Orange County's immigrant and Latino communities through donation-based cultural classes, a community radio station, and grassroots social justice organizing on worker, housing, land, and youth rights.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Cultural Center Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises (BPAGALAO)

Keywords

• Cultural education programs
• Community organizing services
• Traditional Mexican dance classes
• Worker rights advocacy
• Immigrant community services

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Ana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: Monthly Semilla program where community members become recurring donors; one-time donations via PayPal; goal to build 500 Semilla (monthly donors)
2. Classes and Programming: Classes are donation-based, providing modest revenue while maintaining accessibility; cultural programs like Son del Centro generate some income for the Centro
3. Space Rental and Partnerships: Subsidized and free space provided to partner organizations after volunteer approval; some organizational incubation services; partnerships with UCI provide some operational support
4. Grant Funding: Funding from foundations including Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for specific programs like Vecindario de Lacy en Accion

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

El Centro Cultural de México operates a community cultural center and grassroots organizing hub in Santa Ana, California, providing donation-based cultural classes (Son Jarocho, Ballet Folklórico, Danza Mesoamericana, Salsa, Auto Defensa), community media via Radio Santa Ana, annual cultural events such as Noche de Altares, and social justice programs addressing worker rights (Nuestras Manos, Lxs Esenciales), housing justice (Techo, Tierra, TUSA), youth organizing (Santanero Project), and immigrant community support. The organization runs a participatory democratic governance model with six cuadros (volunteers, teachers, community partners, Frente, transnational collaborations, and Mesa board) and incubates multiple community organizations.

Product overview

El Centro Cultural de México is a community cultural center and grassroots organizing space in Santa Ana, California, offering cultural classes (Salsa, Ballet Folklórico, Danza Mesoamericana, Auto Defensa, Son Jarocho), community media (Radio Santa Ana), annual events (Noche de Altares), and social justice programs (El Frente, Lxs Esenciales, TEJER, Nuestras Manos, housing and land justice initiatives). The organization operates through a participatory democratic structure with six cuadros (volunteers, teachers, community partners, Frente, transnational collaborations, and Mesa board) and serves as a hub for immigrant worker rights, housing justice, and community organizing in Orange County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Salsa para niños / Salsa for Kids Children's salsa dance class teaching choreography, social dance, music, and Mexican/Latin American culture. Held Fridays 5-6pm and Sundays 10am-12pm at donation-based pricing for children and families.
• Ballet Folklórico (Adults) Traditional Mexican folk dance class for adults covering regional dance traditions from various Mexican states and preserving indigenous, European, and African cultural influences. Classes held Wednesdays 8-10pm and Saturdays 9:30am-12pm at donation-based pricing.
• Ballet Folklórico (Niños / Kids) Children's traditional Mexican folk dance class emphasizing physical health benefits (flexibility, strength, coordination, cardiovascular health) while teaching Mexican traditions and history. Held Mondays 5-8pm in three age-based groups at donation-based pricing.
• Danza Mesoamericana Cultural dance class focusing on Mesoamerican traditions, welcoming people of all ages, orientations, and ethnic backgrounds to learn ancestral practices. Classes held Thursdays 7-10pm and Sundays 7-9pm at donation-based pricing.
• Auto Defensa (Self-Defense) Free bilingual self-defense classes for kids and adults held on Sundays, requiring community service participation and parent signatures for youth confirming academic achievement and behavior. Instructed by Oscar Nudo.
• Son Jarocho y Son del Centro Traditional Son Jarocho music program founded in 2002, developing generations of musicians through workshops and presentations based on fandango and community work, featuring jarana instruments from Veracruz. Composed of diverse youth and adults including students, workers, teachers, and organizers.
• Radio Santa Ana Community radio station serving Orange County's 80% Latino population with educational programming about culture, music, food, resources, civic participation, and local to global news relevant to the Santa Ana community. Available at radiosantaana.org.
• Noche de Altares Annual community-based Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration organized since 2002, bringing families, students, community organizations, activists, and artists together to build altars honoring deceased loved ones or raising awareness about social issues, featuring cultural performances and live music.
• Escuelita del Centro Educational module series including orientation, organizational sustainability, and consensus-building training for community members, with online components delivered via Google Classroom.
• TEJER (Transformative Justice Committee)
• El Frente del Centro Grassroots organizing initiative connecting culture, political power, and economic justice, working with immigrant, tenant, and cultural rights efforts. Volunteer lead: Laura Pantoja; Community Organizing Coordinator: Gema Suarez.
• Lxs Esenciales Mutual aid relief fund that supported over 1,000 households through worker networks during the pandemic, connecting essential workers to organizing efforts around wage theft, worker rights, and housing counseling. Partners include VietRise and Orange County Justice Fund.
• Nuestras Manos Domestic workers organization (primarily female-identified) with approximately 30 active women supporting workers and about 200 reached through local calls, advocating for local and state policy changes including SB1257 for occupational health and safety protections for household domestic workers. Supported by the National Domestic Workers Alliance.
• Mercadito Carrusel Monthly community market connecting worker cooperatives and local entrepreneurs, creating equitable prosperity for Santa Ana residents.
• Santanero Project Youth-led initiative advocating for city-sponsored recreational space for high school-aged youth, creating a Youth Steering Committee to gather perspectives through Zoom sessions on youth space needs in Santa Ana.
• Vecindario de Lacy en Acción Community-based participatory action research project on households in the Lacy neighborhood, guiding funding from a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant to study housing insecurity, displacement, and overcrowding in gentrifying Santa Ana neighborhoods, with Mexican, Guatemalan, and Salvadoran immigrant women as community researchers.
• Techo (Housing Rights) Housing organizing with 50 members working on tenant rights, eviction support, and Know Your Rights trainings as part of TUSA (Tenants United Santa Ana) citywide coalition, Rights to the City Alliance, and Homes for All campaign.
• Tierra (Community Lands) Community lands organizing in coalition with THRIVE Santa Ana, Tenants United Santa Ana, CRECE Co-Op, Santa Ana Active Streets, and Protect Puvungna movement, mobilizing for democratic community control of land and fighting displacement.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• UCI Law, UCI Community Sustainability, UCI Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of California Irvine has an established partnership with el Centro with offices in the building. UCI faculty and students collaborate with the Centro on research, legal clinics, and community sustainability projects, creating a space accessible to both university and workers.
• Nuestras ManoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDomestic workers organization founded with Centro's support. Has solid base of 30 women supporting workers and reaches up to 200 domestic workers throughout Orange County. With NDWA support, pushing for local, state, and national policy changes including SB1257 for occupational health and safety protections.
• National Day Labor Organizing Network (NDLON)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEl Centro partnered with Colectivo Tonantzin since its inception organizing with day laborers. For almost two decades, Colectivo Tonantzin has fought racist ordinances prohibiting day laborers from seeking employment.
• VietRisesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerInter-racial and inter-organization solidarity partnership coordinating efforts in building community bases and supporting worker, housing, and immigrant justice at local and county scale.
• Orange County Justice FundsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization housed at the Centro space, coordinating on inter-racial solidarity and immigrant justice efforts.
• AORTAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized group providing trainings on patriarchy, sexual harassment, sexism, culture, systems of oppression, conflict resolution, and communication. Crucial in helping Centro learn and unlearn new ways of communicating and relating within the space. Conducted evaluation and provided recommendations for TEJER committee.
• Peace Over ViolencesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization with more experience in sexual harassment that helped lead a community circle including the volunteer who came forward with a complaint.
• Latino Health AccesssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOVID-19 testing coordination and pandemic resources partnership. Contact: (714) 805-7838 or [email protected] for testing appointments in Santa Ana and Anaheim.
• THRIVE Santa AnacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity land trust organization that Centro's Community Lands Organizer Patricia works closely with, along with Tenants United Santa Ana, CRECE Co-Op, Santa Ana Active Streets, and local Acjachemen activists in the Protect Puvungna movement.
• Tenants United Santa Ana (TUSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCitywide coalition of tenants and community organizations fighting for dignified housing where community members can remain and thrive collectively. Centro is a founding member.
• Breath of Fire TheatresecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncubated organization housed at Centro working in theatre and social justice.
• Educacion Sin FronterassecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncubated organization housed at Centro focused on education without borders.
• Orange County Dream TeamsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncubated organization housed at Centro, focused on immigrant rights and DREAM Act advocacy.
• RAIZ/Resilience Orange CountysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncubated organization housed at Centro, now known as Resilience Orange County.
• Colectivo TonantzincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDay laborer organizing organization that has been at the forefront for almost two decades fighting racist ordinances. Partner since inception with over 10 years of relationship-building.
• Proyecto TenayucasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNewer organization housed at Centro doing social justice work in Southern California.
• National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization supporting Nuestras Manos at Centro with resources, training, and policy advocacy at local, state, and national levels.
• Santa Ana BHCsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in accountability and healing process following sexual harassment incident, supporting circles for learning and unlearning.
• SACReD (Santa Ana Collaborative for Responsible Development)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partner working on responsible development in Santa Ana.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Little Tokyo Service Center: Japanese American community development corporation combining affordable housing, cultural preservation, and community organizing — comparable hybrid cultural/community-development model.
• Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA): Historic Filipino American community center in Los Angeles offering cultural programs, youth services, and community organizing — analogous structure to El Centro as a cultural anchor for an immigrant community.
• Plaza de la Raza: Latino cultural center in East LA offering performing arts classes, education programs, and cultural events serving a similar immigrant community with comparable programming structure.
• CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights): Immigrant rights organization providing services, advocacy, and community organizing across Southern California — overlapping El Centro's immigrant justice and worker justice programs.
• CARECEN (Central American Resource Center): Los Angeles-based immigrant rights organization providing legal services, civic engagement, and cultural programming with similar immigrant-serving and advocacy focus as El Centro.
• East LA Community Corporation: Community development and organizing nonprofit serving predominantly Latino neighborhoods with housing, tenant rights, and community organizing programs — closely aligned with El Centro's Techo/Tierra housing justice work.
• Esperanza Community Housing: South LA-based organization providing housing, health, and economic development services through community organizing — closely aligned with El Centro's housing justice and mutual aid approach.
• IDEPSCA (Institute for Popular Education of Southern California): Day laborer organizing network operating worker centers across Southern California; directly comparable to El Centro's Colectivo Tonantzin and worker-justice programs.
• Self-Help Graphics & Art: Chicano/Latino arts center in East Los Angeles offering cultural programming, art classes, and community organizing with similar heritage-preservation and grassroots-governance characteristics as El Centro Cultural de Mexico.

Broad incumbents

• National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA): National organization that provides resources, training, and policy support to El Centro's Nuestras Manos domestic worker program — broader umbrella operating at state and federal advocacy scale where El Centro operates locally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ElCentroCultural
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/el-centro-cultural-de-mexico

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about El Centro Cultural De Mexico