Extraordinary Transformation of a City and Its Schools: A New Podcast Featuring Centro Hispano
In the years following the Great Recession, many cities across the country were quietly labeled as places in decline. Reading was often counted among them. Over 40% of residents lived in poverty. Thousands of students were chronically absent from school. We were a city that, to outside observers, seemed defined by struggle rather than possibility. But that was never the full story.
What was always missing from those headlines was the strength of the people who call Reading home and the community leaders who refused to accept a future shaped by despair. That deeper story is now being shared through Extraordinary Transformation of a City and Its Schools, a powerful two-part podcast series co-produced by Courageous Conversations About Our Schools and The Harwood Institute.
Centro Hispano is proud to be featured prominently in this series, with Executive Director Michael Toledo and Director of Community Impact Laura Cordero sharing their experiences, insights, and leadership from the heart of Reading. This podcast is not simply about education. It is about listening. It is about trust. It's about what becomes possible when a community turns outward and works together.
A Podcast Rooted in Real Community Experience
The podcast tells the story of Reading through the voices of those who live and lead here. Rather than focusing on abstract policy solutions or quick fixes, the series centers on people and relationships. It captures how progress began not with a new program, but with a shift in mindset. It’s about people–all of us at Centro, our partners, and most of all, our community members.
Across both episodes, listeners hear how community leaders stopped assuming they knew the answers and started asking better questions. What do families care about most? What do young people need to feel safe, supported, and hopeful? What is standing in the way of progress, and what strengths already exist within the community?
For Michael Toledo, this approach aligns deeply with Centro Hispano’s mission and daily work. For more than 55 years, Centro Hispano has served as a trusted anchor institution in Reading, providing vital education supports, workforce development, family services, food access, empowerment programs, and civic leadership rooted in dignity and respect. He passionately conveys that our work is about “creating a community where all individuals are part of the whole, where everyone’s voices are listened to, where we are all proud of our past and are working toward a stronger future together.”
Turning Outward and Breaking Down Silos
One of the central themes emphasized in the podcast is the idea of “turning outward,” a core principle of The Harwood Institute’s work. At its core, Turning Outward means shifting focus away from organizational agendas and toward the shared aspirations of the community. It requires leaders to move beyond silos and work together in new ways.
In Reading, this shift was transformative. Michael Toledo describes how, for years, many organizations were doing important work, but often in isolation. Competition for limited resources and a lack of coordination made it difficult to achieve lasting impact. Through the Harwood process, leaders across sectors began to see one another not as competitors, but as partners. Centro Hispano played a critical role in this transition. As an organization deeply connected to families, schools, and neighborhoods, we help bridge gaps between nonprofits, educators, faith leaders, and residents.
One example of how this played out is the collaboration with local youth after-school sites through the At-Risk Snack and Dinner Program. This federally supported initiative provides nutritious meals to children and teens participating in educational or enrichment activities after school, removing a basic barrier to engagement and healthy development. This is just one way out of many where we strengthen the community, each day.
This work aligns with our broader focus on supporting youth and families in tangible ways. Through programs like Escalera / Taking Steps to Success and Abriendo Puertas / Opening Doors, we help young people build educational momentum and empower parents to be advocates for their children’s success.
Listening to What Families Really Need
Laura Cordero’s voice is especially powerful in the second episode of the podcast. As Director of Community Impact at Centro Hispano, Laura was closely involved in engaging young people, parents, and educators in honest conversations about what was working and what was not.
We hope one message came through clearly: how impact started with listening. By interacting with participants, we found that students needed safe, supportive spaces after school. Families wanted opportunities for enrichment and connection. And many young people were facing food insecurity that made learning and participation even harder. These insights were not theoretical. They directly informed our actions.
Centro Hispano already prepares and distributes thousands of meals each day as part of its commitment to food access and nutrition for families and seniors. In fact, our work includes running Mama Angie’s Casa de la Amistad Senior Center, where older adults receive meals, social activities, and wellness support each day. We note in the podcast how the expertise and infrastructure developed through these longer-standing programs allowed Centro Hispano to extend support into after-school settings effectively.
When meals were added to after-school programs, participation increased. Students stayed engaged longer, and families felt more supported. This is the kind of impact that emerges when listening leads to action.
Building Trust Through Visible Impact
A recurring lesson throughout the podcast is that trust is built through follow-through. Communities that have experienced broken promises and failed initiatives are understandably skeptical. Listening alone is not enough. People need to see action.
The stories shared by Michael and Laura show how trust grows when organizations deliver on their commitments. When families saw their feedback lead to real changes, engagement increased. When organizations coordinated rather than duplicated efforts, resources went further. When leaders showed humility and openness, new relationships formed.
This mirrors our long-standing approach across its range of services. Whether helping a family navigate financial resources, offering culturally appropriate advocacy and referrals, or supporting youth leadership and development, Centro strives for outcomes that strengthen individuals and the larger community.
A Model That Reflects Centro Hispano’s Mission
While the podcast is deeply rooted in Reading’s experience, its lessons reflect the values that guide the work of everyone on our team, every day. Community members are not passive recipients of services. You are partners. Your voices matter. Your aspirations shape our work.
As Michael Toledo reiterated in the podcast, when people know they are heard and valued, extraordinary things can happen! That belief is at the core of Centro Hispano’s impact across education, food access, family support, youth leadership, and civic engagement. Our recent blog post, A New Civic Path Forward: Coming Together in Reading, explores how these same principles are reshaping local collaboration and trust across sectors.
An Invitation to Listen and Engage
Extraordinary Transformation of a City and Its Schools is both a reflection and an invitation. It invites listeners to rethink how change happens and who gets to shape it. It challenges organizations to turn outward, listen deeply, and build with their communities rather than for them.
Centro Hispano is honored to be part of this story and grateful for the partnerships that made it possible. We invite you to listen to the podcast, explore the work highlighted throughout the series, and consider how these lessons might apply in your own circle via our updated Harwood Institute program page.
Reading’s story is still unfolding. So is yours. But as this podcast makes clear, extraordinary transformation begins when listening leads to action, and when communities move forward together.
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