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The welcoming aromas of stewed, spicy meat and plantains fried with garlic fill the crowded space. The art gallery brims with people, food, and music. At the front of the room, the crowd clears a space for a troupe of young dancers. A pair of girls in fluttering red skirts steps in time with two boys dressed in white. Their movements synchronize with the lively rhythm of hand drums. Heads in the audience bob to the beat.
The dance is part of the Bomba, a centuries-old musical tradition, first performed by Africans enslaved on Puerto Rico’s sugar plantations. Music and movement became a way to communicate across language and culture barriers.
Welcome to Café Con Leche, a community organization founded and run by Pitt alumnus Tara Sherry-Torres. By coordinating cultural events and nurturing intercultural dialog, the group connects local Latinos while encouraging and welcoming all people to join in and learn.
“My interest in life is to bring people together,” says Sherry-Torres (SOC WK ’10G), who was attracted to Pitt’s School of Social Work program precisely because, she says, its academics and research are so connected with communities, near and far.
Even the name of her organization is a nod to fellowship. In Spanish, café con leche means “coffee with milk” and is inspired by another Puerto Rican tradition—offering coffee to welcome household guests.
Connecting with community has always been important to Sherry-Torres, who grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y. Her family’s Puerto Rican heritage and her neighborhood’s ethnic diversity informed her understanding of the world. Even at age 16, when she first had the idea for an organization like Café Con Leche, she knew she wanted to live a life building community. She pursued her passion during her undergraduate years, ultimately landing in Pittsburgh, where she earned a Pitt master’s degree in social work and continued to be involved in community organizing in the campus neighborhood.
Yet, in Pittsburgh—a city with a scattered Latino population of around two percent—Sherry-Torres found herself in search of meaningful ways to build relationships, both within and beyond her cultural community. So, she began hosting house parties. Her fiestas were loud and popular and often included the traditional Puerto Rican dishes she loves to prepare. She watched how the pillars of culture—food, music, art, dance, and identity—united those around her and opened doors to honest discussion.
By 2014, Sherry-Torres found a way to combine her interest in helping others with her zest for cultural celebration. She received funding through an art gallery and a local nonprofit to expand her events into an organization that would connect people throughout the city. Café Con Leche was born.
Sherry-Torres, who was named to Pittsburgh’s latest “40 under 40” list of trendsetters, wants her organization to be a touchstone for Latinos, a way to help advance and publicize the work of entrepreneurs, artists, and students. She sees it as a “social innovator,” inspiring and fostering initiatives important to the community. Recently, she coordinated the Fuerza Awards, which honored 10 Latinos making a difference in Pittsburgh.
A major lesson she learned during her time in Pitt’s School of Social Work, says Sherry-Torres, is that “the quality of relationships reflects the quality of the community.”
Café Con Leche is a prime example of a successful community. Yes, it’s a place for anyone “who enjoys connecting with people, listening to live music, and eating good food.” Truly, though, it’s about coming together to celebrate—and learn from—what others have to offer. ■