José E. López, Co-Founder & Executive Director
José E. López, born in San Sebastián, Puerto Rico, in 1949, has dedicated his life to community empowerment and the pursuit of Puerto Rican self-determination. After his family migrated to Chicago during the great Puerto Rican migration of the 1950s, López earned degrees in history from Loyola University and the University of Chicago. In 1973, he co-founded the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC), Juan Antonio Corretjer, where he continues to serve as Executive Director. Under his leadership, the PRCC has become a national model for community engagement—linking education, health, and culture through institutions such as Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School and El Rincón Community Health Center, both founded in 1974.
For over five decades, López has shaped a vision of collective transformation rooted in the idea of “community as a campus.” His work at the PRCC has inspired initiatives in educational reform, public health equity, and cultural preservation throughout Chicago’s Greater Humboldt Park. A tireless educator and advocate, he has spoken at universities and international forums, including the United Nations Decolonization Committee. He has worked closely with Puerto Rican and Latino elected officials on policy reform. Honored with numerous awards—including the Cook County Hispanic Heritage Award and the Chicago Cultural Alliance’s Outstanding Community Leader Award—López remains a defining voice in the ongoing project of Puerto Rican liberation and community self-determination.
Juan M. Calderón-Cuza, Acting Deputy Executive Director
Juan M. Calderón-Cuza is a public health expert, policy strategist, and longtime advocate for racial and LGBTQ+ equity. With more than two decades of experience advancing health equity, housing stability, and economic opportunity, he has become a leading force in strengthening Chicago’s Puerto Rican and Latinx communities.
As Acting Deputy Executive Director, he has guided major organizational initiatives at the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) and helped steward its growth into a multimillion-dollar institution grounded in community self-determination. Calderón oversees more than ten community-based programs, many of which function as independent initiatives serving diverse needs across Greater Humboldt Park. He remains driven by a deep commitment to Puerto Rico and its diaspora, working to ensure that equity, dignity, and opportunity remain central to the PRCC’s mission.
Lisette Fuentes, Chief Financial Officer
Lisette Fuentes serves as the Chief Financial Officer of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC), where she oversees all aspects of the organization’s financial strategy, including budgeting, planning, cash flow management, and regulatory compliance across federal, state, county, and city levels. Her leadership ensures the PRCC’s fiscal integrity and sustainability as it continues to expand its programs and impact across Chicago’s Puerto Rican and Latino communities.
Since joining the organization in 2001, Lisette has played a pivotal role in guiding the PRCC’s financial growth, first as a Financial Assistant, then as a Financial Manager, and then as Chief Financial Officer. She has guided the PRCC from a $500,000 annual budget to an institution employing more than 200 people with an operating budget of over $19 million. As part of the executive leadership team, she leads the Fiscal Department. She works closely with the Executive Director and Board Treasurer to align financial management with the PRCC’s mission of self-determination, education, and community empowerment. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Northeastern Illinois University and is the proud mother of two daughters.
Clarisa López-Ramos, Human Resources Director
Clarisa López-Ramos serves as the Human Resources Director at the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC), where she fosters an inclusive and mission-driven workplace that empowers staff to serve the community with purpose and integrity. With a Bachelor’s in Business Administration focused on Human Resources and an MBA in Global Management, Clarisa brings a strong foundation in organizational development and workforce management, refined through eight years in Puerto Rico’s governmental sector in San Juan.
Since joining the PRCC in 2022, Clarisa has aligned her professional expertise with her deep commitment to community engagement and social transformation. At the PRCC, she advances a workplace culture grounded in the Center’s core philosophy of self-determination, self-actualization, and collective empowerment. Through her leadership, the PRCC continues to strengthen its role as a model of cultural resilience and community-based development for Puerto Rican and Latino communities in Chicago and beyond.
Natasha Brown, Director of Human Services and Housing Initiatives
Natasha Brown leads a diverse portfolio of programs focused on housing stability, youth development, and community well-being. A graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Master’s in Urban Planning and Policy focused on Community Development, she brings more than two decades of nonprofit experience to her leadership role.
With over 8 years of experience at the PRCC, Ms. Brown currently oversees key initiatives, including the HUD Engagement and Outreach Team, which connects with individuals experiencing homelessness, and El Rescate, an LGBTQ+ shelter and transitional living program for young adults. She also directs the PRCC Innovation Program, Safe Passage, and several youth employment initiatives that create pathways to stability and opportunity. Through her work, Ms. Brown continues to advance the PRCC’s mission of building self-determination and fostering a culture of care within Chicago’s Puerto Rican and Latino communities.
Luis V. Gutiérrez, Senior Policy Advisor
Luis V. Gutiérrez, born in Chicago to Puerto Rican parents, is a pioneering political leader and lifelong advocate for social justice and Puerto Rican self-determination. In 1992, he became the first Latino from the Midwest elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Illinois’ 4th Congressional District for over 25 years. Known nationally as a champion for immigration reform, LGBTQ+ rights, and workers’ justice, Gutiérrez earned a reputation as a fearless advocate for marginalized communities—his fiery passion earning him the nickname “El Gallito,” or “The Little Rooster full of Fight.”
Today, Gutiérrez continues his work as Senior Policy Advisor for the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC), advancing its mission to promote self-determination and social empowerment. His policy focus includes defending Puerto Rico’s right to self-governance, supporting food sovereignty initiatives, and challenging laws like Act 22/60 that fuel displacement and gentrification. From his early activism in Chicago’s City Council to his leadership in freeing Puerto Rican political prisoners and ending U.S. military exercises in Vieques, Gutiérrez remains a defining voice for justice and equality across Puerto Rico and the diaspora.
