ESTAMOS AQUÍ

Estamos Aquí celebrates the neighborhood through streets, avenues, and symbols. It offers a backdrop for the community to be heard and seen, following the mantra “Estamos Aquí (We Are Here).” 

The project resulted in significant works of art by the artist José Ortiz Pagán, Cartografía de Otro rincón (2023), installed in the atrium, and El Maestro de Dos Mundos (2023), affixed to Taller Puertorriqueño’s facade. These artworks represent the forces that attracted people to the area, including the textile factories central to Fairhill’s employment landscape, and encapsulate the history of Puerto Ricans seeking recognition and fair treatment. Ultimately, the project is a vehicle to center the neighborhood in our consciousness and speak to its history and the people’s resilience.

As part of the project, Taller Puertorriqueño and Experience Eastern North are announcing a new initiative of community-led tours and discussions on the project. With input from the residents of the neighborhood and led by community members, Experience Eastern North offers socially responsible tours of the Fairhill neighborhood and other neighborhoods in North Philadelphia. Experience Eastern North is a partnership of Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha, Inc. (APM), Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia, HACE, Taller Puertorriqueño, and the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. Together, they seek to “amplify our neighborhood’s arts, culture and history and spark dialogue with neighborhoods and visitors.”