History | Buffalo | Latino Communities
While the Latin American Democratic Club was focusing on political rights and social activities, leaders of the club realized that a direct aid social service organization was also needed. The Puerto Rican American Community Association (PRACA) was organized in the late 1970s as a non-profit organization to apply for grants and provide needed human services to the Latino community. Although the name of the organization specified Puerto Ricans, the organization served the needs of Spanish-speaking people of all nationalities.
The 1970s saw a substantial growth in the number of organizations seeking to address the social service needs of the Latino population of Buffalo. On the campus of the State University of New York at Buffalo, students and administrators formed the Puerto Rican-Chicano Committee (PRCC). The group was designed to respond to the community and address issues of housing, education, employment, criminal justice, and health. The Buffalo Hispanic Association was also formed during this time, but only remained in existence for a few years.During this period, Anna Cotton began the Los Tainos Seniors Center, which offers housing for seniors over 62, meals-on-wheels, and legal services. In 1981, Juan Gonzalez and other artists began El Museo Francisco Oller Y Diego Rivera, which celebrates contemporary art and culture by exhibiting fine art by Latinos, Caribbeans and African-Americans.