Latino Trailblazers: Frances Lucerna

Published On: Fri, Sep 28th, 2012

Community | By Urban Jibaro

Latino Trailblazers: Frances Lucerna

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Celebrate the importance of Latino culture with Being Latino, Best Buy and our partners.

We’re paying tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society. A new tribute airs each weekday from September 17 – October 12

Today’s Trailblazer is Frances Lucerna, pioneer of community arts and education for the past 20 years.

Ms. Lucerna is the founder of the Williamsburg Arts and Cultural Center as well as the co-founder of El Puente, a Brooklyn based community/youth development organization nurturing holistic leadership for peace and social justice.
As Artistic Director of El Puente and with the Williamsburg Arts and Cultural Center as its cornerstone, Ms. Lucerna has developed Brooklyn’s most comprehensive Latino Arts and Cultural Center, providing pre and professional training in five arts disciplines. She has also nurtured three professional performing companies in Dance and Drama comprised of former El Puente students, and has produced and presented the talent of local as well as international artist to the community.
As an advocate for the recognition and support of community-based holistic arts services and institutions, Ms. Lucerna has broken new ground on the frontier of national school reform as the Founding Principal of El Puente Academy for Peace & Justice, a New Visions/New York City Board of Education High School. It is one of the only schools in the country dedicated to Human Rights and a nationally recognized model for “CBOSchools.”