The Esperanza Theatre was filled with music, warmth, and community spirit on December 20, 2025, as residents gathered for Christmas in the Barrio, a holiday musical event presented by the Esperanza Arts Center in collaboration with AMLA, the Association of Latino Musicians (amla.org). 

Located within Esperanza’s Arts and Cultural Center, the Esperanza theatre welcomed families for an evening that blended live musical performances, holiday traditions, and local entrepreneurship. From the moment guests entered the venue, the event reflected Esperanza’s ongoing commitment to culture, education, and neighborhood engagement. Inside the lobby, Alexis Incarnation, a new local entrepreneur and co-owner of ChupiChupi, greeted theatre-goers while serving coffee, food, and sweet treats.

The presence of the local business added a festive and welcoming touch to the evening, reinforcing Esperanza’s mission to support small, community-based entrepreneurs. A central component of the evening was the collaboration between Esperanza and AMLA (the Association of Latino Musicians), whose members served as both the performers and educators connected to the program. AMLA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Latin music traditions while providing accessible music education to young people across Philadelphia. 

Impacto spoke to Daniel DeJesus, ALMA’s Director of Music Education & Community Relations, about the organization’s partnership with Esperanza Arts Center. In 2006, our founder Jesse Bermudez reached out to the Reverend Luis Cortés Jr, President of Esperanza, to forge a strategic partnership that would strengthen both organizations. AMLA offers low-cost private music lessons as well as free after-school music group instruction for children and youth in the community.

These programs aim to remove financial barriers to arts education while nurturing talent, discipline, and cultural pride among students. We also book musicians for events and perform in the beautiful Esperanza theatre. Anyone can take music lessons by registering online at amla.org. 

While watching the performance on Saturday, I was thrilled to see well-known members of the community, such as Lee Kurtz playing maracas, and Hiram Carmona playing the Puerto Rican cuatro, bringing both personal joy to them and living musical tradition to the stage. “Christmas in the Barrio is about more than a performance,” said Bill Rhoads, Senior Vice President of the Esperanza Arts Center. “It’s about creating opportunities where culture, education, and community come together—especially during the holiday season.”

 The musical program celebrated the sounds and traditions of Christmas, reflecting the cultural richness of the surrounding neighborhood. The performances underscored Esperanza’s belief in the arts as a powerful tool for education, unity, and long-term community development. 

Through partnerships with organizations like AMLA, Esperanza continues to strengthen its role as a cultural and educational anchor in North Philadelphia. Events such as Christmas in the Barrio highlight how collaborations can create meaningful, lasting impact for communities.  

As music filled the theatre and neighbors gathered in celebration, Christmas in the Barrio served as both a festive holiday event and a reminder of the important role arts and education play in personal and community development.